What Is a Turn Timer?
A turn timer is a simple countdown that gives every player the same number of seconds per turn. You set the time once, hit start, and when it reaches zero a buzzer sounds so everyone knows the turn is over. Tap Next turn and the countdown resets to the full time for the next player. Unlike a chess clock that tracks two separate players, this is one shared countdown you reset each turn — quick to set up and easy for a whole table to follow.
A Countdown for Every Turn
The big countdown does one job well: it counts down the seconds per turn and warns you when time is nearly up. In the last few seconds the number turns to a warning color so the current player knows to hurry, then the buzzer fires the moment it hits zero. Because it is a single shared timer, there is nothing to configure between players — just tap Next turn and the fresh countdown is ready to go. Flip on Auto repeat and it rolls straight into the next turn on its own, so play never stops to fiddle with the timer.
Turn Timer for Party and Word Games
This turn timer is built for party games and word games where each player gets a short, equal window. Use it for Taboo when a describer has 30 or 60 seconds to get their team guessing, or for charades when an actor is racing the clock. It works just as well for trivia and quick-answer rounds where a player has to respond before the buzzer, or for any "30 seconds per turn" house rule you want to keep everyone honest on.
- Taboo - a fixed number of seconds per turn to get your team to guess
- Charades - act it out before the buzzer sounds
- Trivia - give each player the same time to answer
- Quick answers - keep word games and naming rounds moving fast
How to Use the Turn Timer
- Pick a preset (15s, 30s, 45s or 60s) or type a custom number of seconds per turn
- Hit Start to begin the first player's countdown
- When the buzzer sounds, the turn is over — tap Next turn to reset for the next player
- Press the spacebar as a quick Next turn shortcut without reaching for the button
- Turn on Auto repeat to have the timer roll into the next turn automatically
Turn Timing Tips
- Shorter turns (15–30 seconds) keep party games fast and high-energy
- Longer turns (45–60 seconds) suit trickier word games and bigger groups
- Watch for the warning color in the final seconds as your cue to hurry
- Let the buzzer be the final word so no one argues about when a turn ended
- Use Auto repeat for smooth rounds and turn it off when you need a breather between players