How to Use an Online Alarm Clock

An online alarm clock is a web page that plays a sound at a time you choose. There's nothing to install, which makes it handy when you're at your computer and want a reminder without picking up your phone.

Setting your first alarm

1. Open the online alarm clock.
2. Choose the hour and minute, or tap a quick alarm.
3. Add a label so you remember what it's for.
4. Pick how it repeats, such as weekdays only.
5. Choose a sound and press Preview to check the volume.
6. Press Add alarm.

Getting the sound to work

Browsers block web pages from playing sound until you interact with them, so that sites can't start making noise unexpectedly. In practice, click something on the page each time you open it. Adding an alarm counts. If you reopen the page later with alarms already set, press the Turn on alarm sound button.

Then check the basics: your device isn't muted, your speakers or headphones are the ones you expect, and the tab itself hasn't been muted.

Keep the tab open

A web page can only run while it's open. Keep the tab open, even if it's in the background, and keep your computer awake. On a laptop, shutting the lid usually means the alarm won't ring. On phones, the operating system often suspends pages that aren't on screen.

The keep screen awake tool can help during long waits, as it stops the screen from sleeping while the page is visible.

When to use something else

Use a browser alarm for reminders at your desk, like a call in 20 minutes, a break or the end of a study session. For things you can't afford to miss, like waking up for a flight or taking medication, use your phone's built-in alarm. System alarms are designed to work when everything else is asleep, and a web page simply can't make that promise.