How to use the online alarm clock
The free online alarm clock is ready at the top of this page. Nothing to download, no account and no app: four steps and your alarm is set.
- Type the hour and minutes, or tap one of the shortcuts such as 06:30.
- Pick a sound and listen to it first, to be sure the volume will wake you. Heavy sleepers do best with a sharp one like Ringer or Old alarm clock, volume all the way up.
- Tap Turn on alarm. That tap also unlocks sound in the browser, so it cannot be skipped.
- Leave the tab open. You can switch tabs or minimise the window and the alarm still rings.
Alarm clock online for PC and laptop
On a computer, the online alarm clock works in any current browser, such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, on Windows, Mac or Linux. There is no program to download: open this page and set it.
- Do not close the laptop lid. With the lid shut the laptop sleeps, and the alarm does not ring. Leave it open, even with the brightness turned all the way down.
- Turn on Keep screen on. It stops the computer from going to sleep while the alarm is set. If you can, leave the laptop plugged in.
- Check the system volume. The alarm follows the Windows or Mac volume. If the sound is muted, or going to Bluetooth headphones, it rings where you will not hear it.
The time does not have to be round, either. You can set an odd time like 06:47: type the exact hour and minutes, or 647 straight into the hour field.
An online alarm that actually rings
The biggest complaint about any online alarm is simple: it did not ring. That happens because browsers slow down background tabs, and most online alarm clocks rely on an ordinary timer to know the time. After a few minutes hidden, the tab is checked only once a minute, and the alarm runs late.
Here the sound is scheduled directly on the browser’s audio clock, which is not slowed down. On top of that, Keep screen on stops the device from sleeping, and your alarms are saved: if the page reloads by accident, they come back by themselves.
How to choose an online alarm clock
On screen they nearly all look the same. The difference shows up in the middle of the night, in three details you can check in a minute, here or on any other site.
- Listen to the sound first. Without a button to test it, you only find out the volume at the worst moment.
- Hide the tab for ten minutes. Then check the time is still right. This is where an online alarm clock that does not fail sets itself apart.
- Read what the site promises. No online alarm rings with the tab closed or the computer asleep. Anyone who promises otherwise has not tested it.
What it is for
Waking up in the morning, a 20 minute nap, a reminder to take medicine or the end of a task. Because it is a free alarm clock with nothing to install, it works on any computer or phone with a browser, including a work machine where you cannot install software.
It is useful with no alarm set, too: a clock and an online alarm clock on the same page, with the time big enough to read from across the room. Leave the tab open on a second monitor during a timed exam, a video call or a shift, and set the alarm only when you need it.
Frequently asked questions
Does the online alarm clock work without internet?
Yes. Once the page has loaded, the alarm works offline, because the sound is generated by the browser itself. What it needs is for the tab to stay open.
Will the alarm ring if I close the tab?
No. No alarm clock running in a browser can ring with the tab closed. If the tab is closed by mistake, when you come back we tell you the alarm came due while you were away.
What if the tab is in the background?
Then it rings as normal. The sound is scheduled directly on the browser’s audio clock, so it is not affected by the slowdown browsers apply to hidden tabs.
How long does the alarm ring?
Up to ten minutes if nobody taps Snooze or Stop. After that it goes quiet by itself, just like the alarm on your phone, and a repeating alarm is already set for its next time.
Can the alarm repeat every hour?
Yes. Under Repeat, besides Every day and Weekdays, you can pick Every 15 minutes, Every 30 minutes or Every hour. The count starts at the time you set and carries on from there, even past midnight.
Can I set multiple alarms at once?
Yes. Each alarm has its own time, name, sound and volume, and they all appear in the list of active alarms.
How do I set an alarm for 6 in the morning?
Type 06 and 00 in the hour and minute fields, or tap the 06:00 shortcut, then Turn on alarm. The alarm rings at the next 6 o’clock.
Is the online alarm clock free?
Yes, it is completely free, with no sign-up and no app to install.
What is the best online alarm clock?
It depends less on looks than on three things: whether you can hear the sound before trusting it, whether the alarm stays on time with the tab hidden, and whether the site stops your device from sleeping. A site that gets any of these wrong fails on exactly the night you need it most.
Is there an online alarm clock that never fails?
No alarm running in a browser is infallible, and anyone promising that is hiding a limitation. The tab has to stay open and the device cannot sleep. Within those two conditions, this online alarm does not rely on an ordinary timer: the sound is already scheduled on the browser’s audio clock, which keeps time even with the tab in the background.
Can my computer screen turn off?
If the screen turns off and the computer sleeps, the alarm does not ring. That is why there is a Keep screen on button, which stops the device from sleeping while the alarm is set.