Setting a timer on the Mac is quite straightforward, although you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that the MacOS Clock app might have a built-in timer function like its iOS and iPadOS counterparts. Unfortunately, the timer feature isn't yet integrated into the Clock app or widget on the Mac. That said, setting a timer can still be done with ease.

The way to set a timer on your Mac is through Siri. Here’s how to do it.

How to Set a Timer on Mac Using Siri

• Activate Siri on your Mac and say “Set a timer for (time)”

You can specify time in seconds, minutes, hours, or even days.

For instance, saying “Hey Siri, set a timer for 5 minutes” will trigger Siri to create a timer that alerts you after five minutes.

If Hey Siri is enabled on your Mac, you can use voice activation. Otherwise, open Siri via the menu bar or directly launch it to issue the command.

If you prefer using Type to Siri, simply start Siri and type “set a timer for (time)”, which achieves the same result.

If you’ve previously used timers on iPhone or iPad—either via the Clock app or with Siri—you’ll likely find this method familiar. Likewise, if you've used timers with HomePod, interacting with Siri this way should feel natural.

An important detail when using Siri to set a timer on Mac is that it actually utilizes the Reminders app rather than providing a visual countdown like on iPhone or iPad.

Moreover, since the timer is managed by the Reminders app, if you're using Do Not Disturb or a Focus mode, you might not receive the alert when the timer ends. This is especially relevant if you rely heavily on Do Not Disturb for focus (like me), and plan to use the timer for techniques such as Pomodoro or general time management. For such purposes, consider trying the free Be Focused app from the Mac App Store, which offers timer functionality from the menu bar.

So there you have it—the simplest way to set a timer on your Mac, courtesy of good old Siri. Hopefully, Apple will eventually bring a full-featured Clock app to the Mac, similar to what's available on iPad and iPhone, or enhance the current Clock widget at the top of this post to include timers and stopwatches.

Also worth noting: sometimes you need to be patient while Siri figures out how to set the timer correctly. Occasionally, in classic Siri fashion, it may act confused about the Reminders app's capabilities, but repeating the command a couple of times usually gets it working—eventually.

If you're having trouble getting Siri to set the timer, try opening the Reminders app first before asking Siri to set the timer for the desired duration.

Do you have another preferred method or trick for setting a timer on Mac? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below, or let us know if you’re perfectly fine with the Siri-based approach.

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