80

I am looking for a simple count up timer in javascript. All the scripts I find are 'all singing all dancing'. I just want a jQuery free, minimal fuss count up timer that displays in minutes and seconds. Thanks.

3
  • as I said everything I found it ... too much. I want something light.. Commented Apr 1, 2011 at 18:57
  • it starts from 0 and every second it increases by 1 Commented Apr 1, 2011 at 19:00
  • 8
    var i=0,timer=setInterval(function(){i++},1000); - voila, it starts with 0 and increases by 1 every second. Commented Apr 1, 2011 at 19:17

13 Answers 13

129

Check this:

var minutesLabel = document.getElementById("minutes");
var secondsLabel = document.getElementById("seconds");
var totalSeconds = 0;
setInterval(setTime, 1000);

function setTime() {
  ++totalSeconds;
  secondsLabel.innerHTML = pad(totalSeconds % 60);
  minutesLabel.innerHTML = pad(parseInt(totalSeconds / 60));
}

function pad(val) {
  var valString = val + "";
  if (valString.length < 2) {
    return "0" + valString;
  } else {
    return valString;
  }
}
<label id="minutes">00</label>:<label id="seconds">00</label>

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5 Comments

I do not recommend this approach, since it can have delays in execution causing wrong values. A better approach would be a timer based on the system time.
Your approach, though it may not be suitable in some cases, is a good one and worked for me. Thanks a lot.
can somebody please explain to me why React might be better suited for something like this? or is it the case that React is tackling an entirely different problem?
How to store that time taken to finish the quiz . I just added ur code in my existing quiz app now I need to store the value of the time after clicking on the finish button along with the score I need to display the time too. Can you please help me or give me an idea with any link
setInterval is not accurate, total time will not be 100% correct.
52

Timer for jQuery - smaller, working, tested.

    var sec = 0;
    function pad ( val ) { return val > 9 ? val : "0" + val; }
    setInterval( function(){
        $("#seconds").html(pad(++sec%60));
        $("#minutes").html(pad(parseInt(sec/60,10)));
    }, 1000);
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<span id="minutes"></span>:<span id="seconds"></span>

Pure JavaScript:

    var sec = 0;
    function pad ( val ) { return val > 9 ? val : "0" + val; }
    setInterval( function(){
        document.getElementById("seconds").innerHTML=pad(++sec%60);
        document.getElementById("minutes").innerHTML=pad(parseInt(sec/60,10));
    }, 1000);
<span id="minutes"></span>:<span id="seconds"></span>

Update:

This answer shows how to pad.

Stopping setInterval MDN is achieved with clearInterval MDN

var timer = setInterval ( function(){...}, 1000 );
...
clearInterval ( timer );

Fiddle

6 Comments

Thanks ... just what I was looking for ... +1. Note for those of you who want to add hours to the timer, you just need to change/add the following code: $("#minutes").html(timerCall(parseInt(sec/60,10)%60)); $("#hours").html(timerCall(parseInt(sec/3600,10)));
Nice. Using it. Thanks. What would be a good way of stopping the timer, and not reset the numbers?
setInterval has its "evil brother" clearInterval :) to destoy him. I also added an example
For those that need hours too change js and add label: $("#minutes").html(pad(parseInt(sec / 60 % 60, 10))); $("#hours").html(pad(parseInt(sec / 3600 % 60, 10)));
@Bakudan Why do you use ,10 at the parseInt part. If I remove it, it seems to give the same result.
|
40

The following code works as a count-up timer. It's pure JavaScript code which shows hour:minute:second. It also has a STOP button.

var timerVar = setInterval(countTimer, 1000);

var totalSeconds = 0;
function countTimer() {
    ++totalSeconds;
    
    var hour = Math.floor(totalSeconds / 3600);
    var minute = Math.floor((totalSeconds - hour * 3600) / 60);
    var seconds = totalSeconds - (hour * 3600 + minute * 60);
    if (hour < 10)
        hour = "0" + hour;
    if (minute < 10)
        minute = "0" + minute;
    if (seconds < 10)
        seconds = "0" + seconds;

    document.getElementById("timer").innerHTML = hour + ":" + minute + ":" + seconds;
}
#stop_timer {
    cursor: pointer;
}
<button type="button" id ="stop_timer" onclick="clearInterval(timerVar)">Stop time</button>
<div id="timer"></div>

1 Comment

Problem with this answer is it will not be accurate. setInterval fluctuates.
24

I had to create a timer for teachers grading students' work. Here's one I used which is entirely based on elapsed time since the grading begun by storing the system time at the point that the page is loaded, and then comparing it every half second to the system time at that point:

var startTime = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000); //Get the starting time (right now) in seconds
localStorage.setItem("startTime", startTime); // Store it if I want to restart the timer on the next page

function startTimeCounter() {
    var now = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000); // get the time now
    var diff = now - startTime; // diff in seconds between now and start
    var m = Math.floor(diff / 60); // get minutes value (quotient of diff)
    var s = Math.floor(diff % 60); // get seconds value (remainder of diff)
    m = checkTime(m); // add a leading zero if it's single digit
    s = checkTime(s); // add a leading zero if it's single digit
    document.getElementById("idName").innerHTML = m + ":" + s; // update the element where the timer will appear
    var t = setTimeout(startTimeCounter, 500); // set a timeout to update the timer
}

function checkTime(i) {
    if (i < 10) {i = "0" + i};  // add zero in front of numbers < 10
    return i;
}

startTimeCounter();

This way, it really doesn't matter if the 'setTimeout' is subject to execution delays, the elapsed time is always relative the system time when it first began, and the system time at the time of update.

2 Comments

This is great, I timed this compared to the accepted answer and on my computer the accepted answer is out by about 3 seconds every 10 minutes. This version should get more upvotes.
This should be the correct answer. I believe anybody searching for a count up timer is looking for this. The other answers also work, but if you leave the window at some point it seems the timer is sent into hibernation, so the time is not counting continuous.
6

Fiddled around with the Bakudan's code and other code in stackoverflow to get everything in one.

Update #1 : Added more options. Now Start, pause, resume, reset and restart. Mix the functions to get desired results.

Update #2 : Edited out previously used JQuery codes for pure JS and added as code snippet.

For previous Jquery based fiddle version : https://jsfiddle.net/wizajay/rro5pna3/305/

var Clock = {
  totalSeconds: 0,
  start: function () {
    if (!this.interval) {
        var self = this;
        function pad(val) { return val > 9 ? val : "0" + val; }
        this.interval = setInterval(function () {
          self.totalSeconds += 1;

          document.getElementById("min").innerHTML = pad(Math.floor(self.totalSeconds / 60 % 60));
          document.getElementById("sec").innerHTML = pad(parseInt(self.totalSeconds % 60));
        }, 1000);
    }
  },

  reset: function () {
    Clock.totalSeconds = null; 
    clearInterval(this.interval);
    document.getElementById("min").innerHTML = "00";
    document.getElementById("sec").innerHTML = "00";
    delete this.interval;
  },
  pause: function () {
    clearInterval(this.interval);
    delete this.interval;
  },

  resume: function () {
    this.start();
  },

  restart: function () {
     this.reset();
     Clock.start();
  }
};


document.getElementById("startButton").addEventListener("click", function () { Clock.start(); });
document.getElementById("pauseButton").addEventListener("click", function () { Clock.pause(); });
document.getElementById("resumeButton").addEventListener("click", function () { Clock.resume(); });
document.getElementById("resetButton").addEventListener("click", function () { Clock.reset(); });
document.getElementById("restartButton").addEventListener("click", function () { Clock.restart(); });
<span id="min">00</span>:<span id="sec">00</span>

<input id="startButton" type="button" value="Start">
<input id="pauseButton" type="button" value="Pause">
<input id="resumeButton" type="button" value="Resume">
<input id="resetButton" type="button" value="Reset">
<input id="restartButton" type="button" value="Restart">

5 Comments

nice code, I'm wondering how to reset the timer though, cuz pause() continues from where it stopped. Please help!
@MuhFred Added options to reset and restart. Fiddle it here jsfiddle.net/wizajay/cbpd0egz
good code indeed. just wanted to say that i noticed if you click on start multiple times, the timer speeds up. might not be something people would want in there code, if ever such a situation were to arise
@RohanKorde Nice find. I've updated the answer, now it checks first and then starts.
This answer will not be accurate. setInterval is not accurate.
5

Extending from @Chandu, with some UI added:

<html>
<head>
<script   src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.2.1.min.js"   integrity="sha256-hwg4gsxgFZhOsEEamdOYGBf13FyQuiTwlAQgxVSNgt4="   crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
</head>
<style>
button {
background: steelblue; 
border-radius: 4px; 
height: 40px; 
width: 100px; 
color: white; 
font-size: 20px; 
cursor: pointer; 
border: none; 
}
button:focus {
outline: 0; 
}
#minutes, #seconds {
font-size: 40px; 
}
.bigger {
font-size: 40px; 
}
.button {
  box-shadow: 0 9px #999;
}

.button:hover {background-color: hotpink}

.button:active {
  background-color: hotpink;
  box-shadow: 0 5px #666;
  transform: translateY(4px);
}
</style>
<body align='center'>
<button onclick='set_timer()' class='button'>START</button>
<button onclick='stop_timer()' class='button'>STOP</button><br><br>
<label id="minutes">00</label><span class='bigger'>:</span><label id="seconds">00</label>
</body>
</html>
<script>

function pad(val) {
  valString = val + "";
  if(valString.length < 2) {
     return "0" + valString;
     } else {
     return valString;
     }
}

totalSeconds = 0;
function setTime(minutesLabel, secondsLabel) {
    totalSeconds++;
    secondsLabel.innerHTML = pad(totalSeconds%60);
    minutesLabel.innerHTML = pad(parseInt(totalSeconds/60));
    }

function set_timer() {
    minutesLabel = document.getElementById("minutes");
    secondsLabel = document.getElementById("seconds");
    my_int = setInterval(function() { setTime(minutesLabel, secondsLabel)}, 1000);
}

function stop_timer() {
  clearInterval(my_int);
}


</script>

Looks as follows:

enter image description here

Comments

1

@Cybernate, I was looking for the same script today thanks for your input. However I changed it just a bit for jQuery...

function clock(){
    $('body').prepend('<div id="clock"><label id="minutes">00</label>:<label id="seconds">00</label></div>');
         var totalSeconds = 0;
        setInterval(setTime, 1000);
        function setTime()
        {
            ++totalSeconds;
            $('#clock > #seconds').html(pad(totalSeconds%60));
            $('#clock > #minutes').html(pad(parseInt(totalSeconds/60)));
        }
        function pad(val)
        {
            var valString = val + "";
            if(valString.length < 2)
            {
                return "0" + valString;
            }
            else
            {
                return valString;
            }
        }
}
$(document).ready(function(){
    clock();
    });

the css part:

<style>
#clock {
    padding: 10px;
    position:absolute;
    top: 0px;
    right: 0px;
    color: black;
}
</style>

Comments

1

Note: Always include jQuery before writing jQuery scripts

Step1: setInterval function is called every 1000ms (1s)

Stpe2: In that function. Increment the seconds

Step3: Check the Conditions

<span id="count-up">0:00</span>
<script>
	  var min    = 0;
      var second = 00;
      var zeroPlaceholder = 0;
      var counterId = setInterval(function(){
                        countUp();
                      }, 1000);

      function countUp () {
          second++;
          if(second == 59){
            second = 00;
            min = min + 1;
          }
          if(second == 10){
              zeroPlaceholder = '';
          }else
          if(second == 00){
              zeroPlaceholder = 0;
          }

          document.getElementById("count-up").innerText = min+':'+zeroPlaceholder+second;
      }
</script>

1 Comment

Why would you include jQuery just for that last line? You could make this all Javascript without the added overhead, the slowdown on the webpage, and the need for $ selectors just by doing document.getElementById("#count-up").innerText(min+':'+zeroPlaceholder+second);
0

Check out these solutions:

Compute elapsed time

Comments

0

Just wanted to put my 2 cents in. I modified @Ajay Singh's function to handle countdown and count up Here is a snip from the jsfiddle.

var countDown = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000)
runClock(null, function(e, r){ console.log( e.seconds );}, countDown);
var t = setInterval(function(){
  runClock(function(){
    console.log('done');
    clearInterval(t);
  },function(timeElapsed, timeRemaining){
    console.log( timeElapsed.seconds );
  }, countDown);
}, 100);

https://jsfiddle.net/3g5xvaxe/

1 Comment

If you want to count down you just make the countDown variable in the future. So it would look like var countDown = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) + 15
0

Here is an React (Native) version:

import React, { Component } from 'react';
import {
    View,
    Text,
} from 'react-native';

export default class CountUp extends Component  {

    state = {
        seconds: null,
    }

    get formatedTime() {
        const { seconds } = this.state;

        return [
            pad(parseInt(seconds / 60)),
            pad(seconds % 60),
        ].join(':');
    }

    componentWillMount() {
        this.setState({ seconds: 0 });
    }

    componentDidMount() {
        this.timer = setInterval(
            () => this.setState({
                seconds: ++this.state.seconds
            }),
            1000
        );
    }

    componentWillUnmount() {
        clearInterval(this.timer);
    }

    render() {
        return (
            <View>
                <Text>{this.formatedTime}</Text>
            </View>
        );
    }
}

function pad(num) {
    return num.toString().length > 1 ? num : `0${num}`;
}

Comments

0

Here is one using .padStart():

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang='en'>
<head>
  <meta charset='UTF-8' />
  <title>timer</title>
</head>
<body>
  <span id="minutes">00</span>:<span id="seconds">00</span>

  <script>
    const minutes = document.querySelector("#minutes")
    const seconds = document.querySelector("#seconds")
    let count = 0;

    const renderTimer = () => {
      count += 1;
      minutes.innerHTML = Math.floor(count / 60).toString().padStart(2, "0");
      seconds.innerHTML = (count % 60).toString().padStart(2, "0");
    }

    const timer = setInterval(renderTimer, 1000)
  </script>
</body>
</html>

From MDN:

The padStart() method pads the current string with another string (repeated, if needed) so that the resulting string reaches the given length. The padding is applied from the start (left) of the current string.

Comments

0

This is how I build timerView element which does not confuse by calling function many times.

function startOTPCounter(countDownDate){
 var countDownDate = '21/01/2022 16:56:26';//Change this date!!
     var x = setInterval(function() {
        var now = new Date().getTime();
        var distance =  moment(countDownDate, 'DD/MM/YYYY hh:mm:ss').toDate().getTime() - now;
        var minutes = Math.floor((distance % (1000 * 60 * 60)) / (1000 * 60));
        var seconds = Math.floor((distance % (1000 * 60)) / 1000);
        document.getElementById("timerView").innerHTML = minutes + "min " + seconds + "sn";
        if (distance < 0) {
            clearInterval(x);
            // document.location.reload();
            document.getElementById("timerView").innerHTML = "Expired!";
        }
    }, 1000);


    if(window.preInterval != undefined){
        clearInterval(window.preInterval);
    }
    window.preInterval = x;
    
     //if(sessionStorage.preInterval != undefined){
     //   clearInterval(sessionStorage.preInterval);
    //}
    //sessionStorage.preInterval = x;
}
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/moment.js/2.29.1/moment.min.js"></script>

<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<div>
  <p style="color:red; font-size: 15px; text-align:center; "  id='timerView'></p>
  <input type="button" name="otpGonder" value="Send Again" class="buton    btn btn-default " onclick="startOTPCounter()" id="otpGonder">
</div>
</body>
</html>

Comments

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