The controller

Build your rundown

Add a timer with the Add timer button and give it a name, a type, and a duration. Repeat for each segment of your event — a keynote, a Q&A, a break — and you have a running order.

• Reorder by drag and drop. Grab a timer and drop it where it belongs; the running order updates for every connected screen.
• Edit inline. Rename a segment, change its length, or adjust its wrap-up warning at any time — even mid-show.
• Attach rundown details. Each timer can carry a speaker name and notes. See Timers and rundowns for the full metadata model.

Drive the clock

The core transport controls sit on the active timer:

• Start / Pause — begin the segment or hold it. The elapsed time is preserved when you pause.
• Reset — return the timer to its full duration.
• Skip — jump to the next segment in the running order.
• Extend (+1m) — add a minute without stopping the clock. Tap it as many times as a speaker needs; the viewer updates instantly.

Keyboard shortcuts

Running live is faster from the keyboard. Shortcuts are disabled while you're typing in a field, so they never fire by accident. Press H or ? any time to see this list inside the app.

Linked timers and auto-advance

For a rundown that should roll on its own, turn on auto-advance. When one timer finishes, the next one starts automatically — useful for back-to-back lightning talks or an unattended schedule. Leave it off when you want to hold between segments and start each one by hand.

Individual timers can also be linked so they chain in sequence, or left manual so nothing moves until you say so. The trigger model is explained in Timers and rundowns.

Scheduled starts

A timer can be set to begin at a specific wall-clock time — say, a session that must start at 2:00 PM sharp. The room counts down to that moment and starts the segment on its own, which is ideal for doors-open countdowns and session breaks that need to end on time.

Cue your room

Flash a message

From the More menu, open Flash message to push a timed cue to your presenters — “Wrap up,” “Check your mic,” and more. Messages carry a color and emphasis so a red “STOP” reads differently from a calm reminder. Full details are in Presenter messages.

Blackout and flash the display

Blackout instantly darkens every viewer without stopping the clock — perfect for a hard cut between segments or to clear the stage screen during a video roll. Toggle it back and the timer is exactly where you left it. The flash control briefly pulses the display to grab a distracted presenter's eye.

Live Focus mode

When the show starts, press F for Live Focus. The controller strips back to just the running clock and the transport controls, hiding editing chrome so you can't fat-finger a change during a live segment. Press F again or Esc to return to the full editor.