![screenshot of the timer linux app main window open](https://cyirc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/timer-is-a-no-frills-countdown-app-for-linux_63ecff80131ef-jpeg.webp)
Looking for a Linux timer app? Check out this useful GTK-based utility.
It’s called Timer and —shock— it’s a timer app for Linux desktops. You can use it to create a countdown in hours, minutes, and seconds.
You can assign an action to trigger when the countdown reaches zero, including:
- Shut down, reboot or suspend system
- Play an audible beep
- Show a custom text notification
There are a few other features too, including:
- Dark theme override
- Resizable window
- Display countdown vertically
The biggest downside (for now) is that Timer does NOT run in the background; you cannot close the app after starting a timer or it will cancel the countdown. With GNOME developers working to provide a UX for background apps in GNOME 44, this could be fixed soon.
![screenshot of a desktop notification from a timer app saying "your timer has finished"](https://cyirc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/timer-is-a-no-frills-countdown-app-for-linux_63ecff83680dc-jpeg.webp)
Timer also offers keyboard shortcuts to start, pause, stop, or reset the timer when the app is in focus. This makes controlling a countdown easier, and because the app can’t be closed while active, focus is just a quick smush of the alt
+ tab
keys away.
And that’s Timer: a basic utility with a simple feature set. It does its job well but the lack of background support is likely a deal breaker for some.
You can find Timer on Flathub, making it easy to install on most major Linux distributions. The
Looking for a more capable timer app for Linux? Try Time Switch, a GTK-based tool that supports the same features as Timer plus the option to run a command when the timer completes. Better yet it runs in the background, letting you close the main window.