A simple 20-20-20 eye break timer

20 minutes 20 seconds 20 feet

The 20-20-20 rule is a reminder to look at something at least 20 feet (about 6 metres) away for at least 20 seconds after every 20 minutes of screen use. Blink naturally and fully. You do not need to watch the countdown during your break.

This habit follows guidance from the American Optometric Association on digital eye strain. rest is a break reminder, not a tool to diagnose or treat dry eye, and does not promise to prevent eye disease.

Start in your browser

1. Open the timer and press play. The defaults are 20 minutes of work and 20 seconds of rest.
2. Customize durations in Settings. Switch automatically or select Work and Rest yourself.
3. For reminders away from the tab, enable and test notifications, then also allow your browser or web app in system notification settings.

No account needed. Currently free, with English and Simplified Chinese. Use it on desktop or mobile and install it as an app in supported browsers.

What happens at a break

Notifications say “Rest!” when a break starts and “Work!” when work resumes. Cloud timing can keep sending push reminders after the page closes, with an active subscription, network access and system permission. Continuous sessions pause after 12 hours.

Each device has its own timer; tabs in the same browser share progress. First load and timer controls need a connection. Offline, the app can display its last cached state.

Phones and screen locking

On iPhone and iPad, use iOS / iPadOS 16.4 or later, add rest to the Home Screen, launch it there and enable notifications. Pause on lock is unavailable on iOS and Safari.

Pause on lock is offered in capable desktop browsers. It needs permission and an open, online page. It detects system locking, not display power alone.

Questions

Do I need to install it?

The timer opens directly in a browser. Background push on iPhone and iPad requires the Home Screen web app.

Will every notification make a sound?

Sound and presentation depend on your system, browser, focus mode and battery settings. Websites cannot detect system-level blocking or guarantee punctual delivery.

Can I take a break manually?

Yes. Select Work or Rest at any time, or pause and reset the timer.