About SlideTimerApp

SlideTimerApp is a free, transparent countdown timer that floats on top of your live presentation — on PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, Keynote, a PDF or any screen-shared app. This page explains why we built it and the principles we hold it to.

Why we built SlideTimerApp

Every existing way to put a timer on screen during a talk had a catch. The popular trick — dropping a countdown GIF or video into a slide — looks fine while you edit, but in full-screen Slide Show it often stalls, restarts, or simply shows the wrong number, and you have to re-add it to every single deck. PowerPoint add-ins are worse for live use: they need install permissions your school or company laptop may not grant, and most only run while you are editing a slide, not while you are actually presenting.

We kept watching speakers, teachers and trainers fight these workarounds minutes before going on stage. What they all wanted was simple: a timer that just works on top of whatever is on the screen, that they can start, pause and reset live, and that they set up once and reuse forever. Nothing did that, so we built it.

What SlideTimerApp is

SlideTimerApp is a small, portable Windows app — about 3 MB, no installer, no account. You type minutes and seconds (or tap a 1, 5, 10 or 15-minute preset), and a clean countdown appears in its own window above everything else on screen. The digits turn red as time runs low, then the timer flashes and plays an alarm at zero. Drag it anywhere, drag a corner to resize it (the digits scale), and pin it always-on-top. Space starts and pauses, R resets, and settings save automatically.

What makes it different

Unlike embedding a GIF or video into a slide or installing an add-in, SlideTimerApp is a separate overlay window — so it survives full-screen Slide Show, can be moved, resized and reset live, and is reused across every deck and every app. That single design choice is the whole point: the timer is not part of your file, so it never breaks your file, and it is never tied to one program. Build a deck in PowerPoint today and run the same timer over Google Slides or a shared Zoom screen tomorrow.

Who SlideTimerApp is for

We built it for anyone who has to keep to time in front of an audience:

• Conference and meetup speakers keeping a talk inside its slot.
• Teachers and lecturers timing activities, tests and transitions in class.
• Trainers and workshop hosts running breakout exercises and breaks.
• Students rehearsing a presentation to a strict limit.
• Webinar and meeting hosts showing a shared countdown over Zoom, Meet or Teams.

Our principles

These are the rules we hold the product to, not marketing lines:

• Free. SlideTimerApp is free for personal and classroom use — no trial, no watermark, no paywalled features.
• Privacy-first and offline. The app runs entirely on your machine and needs no internet connection. It does not require an account, and your timer settings stay on your computer.
• No account, no friction. Download the portable .exe and run it. There is nothing to sign up for and nothing to configure before your first countdown.
• Lightweight. At around 3 MB with no installation, it starts instantly and stays out of the way of the app you are actually presenting.

How we keep it free

SlideTimerApp is free because it is small, focused and cheap to run — a single portable app with no servers tracking you and no subscription to bill. We would rather have it used in every classroom and meeting room than locked behind a price. The optional email box on the download page is the only thing we ask for, and only so we can send setup tips and feature news; you can always skip it and download directly. We may add an optional paid extra in future, but the core overlay timer described here stays free.

Get in touch

Found a bug, want a feature, or have a question? We read every message. Head to our contact page or email hello@slidetimerapp.com and we'll get back to you.

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