Traffic-Light Speech Timer

Online Speech Timer – Simple Green, Yellow, Red Control for Any Talk

Use this traffic-light style speech timer to keep stage time under control. Choose presets, set custom green-yellow-red thresholds, and run count up or down directly in your browser.

Speech Timer

COUNT UP
0:00
Ready when you are.

Current thresholds

Green at 5:00, yellow at 6:00, red at 7:00 (max 7:00).

In count up mode, colors change when you reach these marks. In count down mode, the timer starts at the max duration and colors still follow the same elapsed thresholds.

Online Speech Timer – Simple Green, Yellow, Red Control for Any Talk

When you are on stage, you do not want to juggle complex apps.
You just need a clear speech timer that tells you:

  • When to get comfortable
  • When to wrap your key point
  • When it is time to stop

This page gives you a traffic-light style speech timer that runs entirely in your browser and works just as well for Toastmasters meetings, weddings, webinars, and classroom presentations.

Use Cases

  • Toastmasters & Speaking Clubs: Time speeches, table topics, and evaluations.
  • Conferences & Meetups: Keep lightning talks and panel discussions on schedule.
  • Teachers & Trainers: Give students equal presentation time.
  • Ceremonies & Events: Guide wedding speeches and toasts.

How the Speech Timer Works

  1. Choose your timing pattern
    • Pick a preset (1-2, 2-3, 5-7 minutes, etc.)
    • Or enter your own green / yellow / red thresholds
  2. Hit Start
    • The timer begins counting up or down, depending on the mode you choose.
  3. Watch the colors
    • Green – You are safely within your allotted time.
    • Yellow – Time to start landing the plane.
    • Red – You have reached the upper limit; wrap up immediately.

You can pause, resume, or reset between speakers without refreshing the page.

Presets for Common Speech Formats

Save time by using built-in presets:

  • Table Topics / impromptu remarks – 1-2 minutes
  • Short evaluations or feedback – 2-3 minutes
  • Standard prepared speeches – 5-7 minutes
  • Longer keynotes or talks – 8-10 minutes or custom ranges

Each preset automatically sets green, yellow, and red thresholds, but you are always free to adjust them for your own event.

Count Up vs Count Down

Different speakers prefer different visual cues.
The speech timer supports both:

Count Up Mode

  • Shows elapsed time (00:00 – 07:00 – 10:00)
  • Lights change at the configured thresholds
  • Ideal when you want to know exactly how many seconds have passed

Count Down Mode

  • Starts at your maximum duration and counts down to zero
  • Red appears when you hit the final stretch
  • Helpful when organizers need speeches to end precisely on time

Switch between both modes without losing your presets.

Combine the Speech Timer with Word Count Estimates

Time on stage is usually tied to script length. If you want:

  • A script that fits a 5-7 minute slot, or
  • A keynote that must end right at 20 minutes

you can:

  1. Use the Word Count to Speech Time calculator to estimate how long your text will take to deliver.
  2. Trim or expand your script until the estimate matches your target window.
  3. Rehearse with this speech timer to practice pacing against that window.

Together, the calculators and timer give you both planning and live control.

Ideal Use Cases for the Speech Timer

Toastmasters & Speaking Clubs

  • Time speeches, table topics, and evaluations
  • Project the timer on a screen so everyone sees the same signals
  • Give speakers consistent feedback on how well they respect time limits

Conferences & Meetups

  • Keep lightning talks truly lightning fast
  • Make panel discussions fair by giving each speaker the same number of minutes
  • Avoid awkward overruns that force schedule changes

Teachers & Trainers

  • Give students equal presentation time in class
  • Time micro-teaching sessions or peer feedback rounds
  • Help learners internalize how long 3 or 5 minutes actually feels on stage

Ceremonies & Events

  • Gently guide wedding speeches, toasts, and tributes
  • Prevent long side stories from taking over the program
  • Keep the emotional tone high without exhausting the audience

Designed for Real-World Rehearsal

The speech timer is intentionally simple:

  • Large numbers and bold colors visible from across the room
  • Works on laptops, tablets, and phones
  • No login, no account, no cloud history
  • Runs offline once loaded in your browser, ideal for venues with unstable Wi-Fi

You can place the device near a camera, behind the audience, or beside the stage so only the speaker sees it.

Speech Timer FAQ

Can I use this speech timer for multiple speakers?

Yes. After each talk, simply press Reset and choose the next preset. The timer is built for meetings where many people speak one after another.

Does this timer make sounds?

By default, it is silent and relies on color changes. You can optionally enable gentle beeps at yellow and red if you want audio cues, as long as your event environment allows it.

Can I customize the exact times?

Absolutely. You can set any combination of green, yellow, and red thresholds—useful for non-standard time slots, panel segments, or multi-part ceremonies.

Will the timer keep running if I switch tabs?

Modern browsers usually keep timers active, but behavior can vary. For critical events, keep the timer in the foreground on a dedicated device.

Use this speech timer as your minimal, dependable control center whenever words meet a strict clock. Pair it with your script timing tools and you will never be surprised by the red light again.