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Have you ever wanted to set a timer without having to deal with Google Assistant and its ridiculously annoying mishaps? Don’t have Assistant nearby? I mean, depending on who you are, that’s common. Did you know that, despite Google’s lack of advertising it, there are actually two methods for setting a timer on your Chromebook? Let’s discuss them.
First and foremost, Google Search is the easiest means for doing this. Simply by entering “Set a timer” into the search bar of your Chrome browser or the ‘Everything button’ slash app launcher of your device and hitting the enter key, you’ll be met with a widget at the top of a search page. By default, this shows an automatic 5-minute timer. If the preset time doesn’t match your needs, you can customize it easily.
Clicking on the displayed numbers lets you adjust the duration to the exact hours, minutes, and seconds you desire. See those smart chips just above the widget? You can click those too, and that will effectively change the timer by altering your search query. Once set, the blue “Start” button activates your timer. For those who need a distraction-free view, especially if multitasking or going into beast mode with work, there’s a full screen icon on the bottom right displayed as a disconnected square. Clicking this lets the timer take up your entire Chromebook display.
In addition to the search bar method, the hidden gem on a Chromebook is the pre-installed Google Clock app. What? You didn’t know that was there? Well, even though it might not be readily visible in your launcher, it’s there. No thanks to Google, you now know this because for some odd reason, the company refuses to make it accessible! To access it, you need to head to the Google Play Store and search for ‘Clock’. Opening it reveals a full suite of time-related tools, including the ability to set timers, a bedtime routine, stopwatches, and more.
If, like me, you find yourself using the timer function frequently, there’s a way to ensure the app is always within reach. By right-clicking the Clock app icon on your Chromebook shelf and selecting the ‘pin’ option, it remains on your shelf, even if you close it!
Again, I hope that in the future, Google makes the clock app readily available in the launcher, especially for those who are new to their Chromebook. Until then, you at least have two means of accessing it in a pinch. Here’s a bonus tip – create a shortcut out of the web-based Google Search timer we discussed, just don’t expect a fancy icon!
