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Workplace7 min read

How to Embed a Classroom Timer on Your School Website or Google Classroom

A timer projected on the classroom screen or embedded on a class website changes the pace of a lesson immediately. Students stop asking "how long do we have?" and start managing their own time.

GoTimer's classroom timer is free, requires no account, runs in any browser, and can be embedded on your school website, Google Site, teacher blog, or any class platform with a single copy-paste.

Scout the Archaeologist holding a teacher's pointer, ready to guide the class
A classroom timer keeps transitions smooth and students focused

The Embed Code

<iframe
  src="https://gotimer.org/classroom-timer"
  width="100%"
  height="520"
  frameborder="0"
  allow="autoplay"
  title="Free Classroom Timer">
</iframe>

For a fixed-duration timer that starts immediately without setup:

| Timer | URL | |---|---| | 5-minute timer | https://gotimer.org/5-minute-timer | | 10-minute timer | https://gotimer.org/10-minute-timer | | 15-minute timer | https://gotimer.org/15-minute-timer | | 20-minute timer | https://gotimer.org/20-minute-timer | | 25-minute timer | https://gotimer.org/25-minute-timer | | 30-minute timer | https://gotimer.org/30-minute-timer | | Adjustable classroom timer | https://gotimer.org/classroom-timer |

Pre-set duration timers are ideal for consistent classroom activities — reading time, bell work, or warm-ups. The adjustable classroom timer is better when duration changes day-to-day.

Tier 1 Platforms

Google Sites (Most Popular for Teachers)

  1. Open your Google Site in edit mode (sites.google.com).
  2. Navigate to the page where you want the timer.
  3. Click Insert in the right-hand panel.
  4. Select Embed.
  5. Click the Embed code tab (not the URL tab).
  6. Paste the iframe code and click Next, then Insert.
  7. Drag to position and resize using the handles.
  8. Click Publish.
Some browsers with strict security settings may show "This content is blocked." The timer works for most students — share the direct GoTimer URL as a backup link below the embed.

WordPress (School or Teacher Blog)

Block editor (Gutenberg):

  1. Open the post or page for your class blog.
  2. Click + → search Custom HTML → select it.
  3. Paste the iframe embed code.
  4. Preview, then publish.

Classic editor:

  1. Click the Text tab.
  2. Paste the iframe code.
  3. Switch to Visual to preview, then publish.

Add it to every post (sidebar):

  1. Go to Appearance → Widgets.
  2. Add a Custom HTML widget and paste the embed code.

Squarespace

  1. Edit your page → click + → choose Code block.
  2. Select HTML mode → paste the iframe code → click Apply.
  3. Save and publish.

Note: Requires Business plan or above for code blocks to render on live pages.

Wix

  1. Click Add Elements → Embed → Embed a Widget → Embed HTML.
  2. Click Enter Code → paste the iframe code → click Update.
  3. Resize, position, and publish.

Note: Wix requires a paid plan for the embed to appear on the published site.

Weebly

  1. Drag an Embed Code element from the left panel onto your page.
  2. Click Edit Custom HTML → paste the iframe code.
  3. Publish your site.

Study Timer

Free online timer — no signup required

Try the Studytimer →

Tier 2 Platforms

Google Classroom

Google Classroom doesn't support direct iframe embeds. Use one of these workarounds:

Option 1 — Share as a Material link:

  1. In Google Classroom, click + Create → Material.
  2. Click Add → Link and paste https://gotimer.org/classroom-timer.
  3. Title it "Class Timer" and post it.

Option 2 — Embed on Google Sites, then link from Classroom:

  1. Embed the timer on a Google Site page (instructions above).
  2. In Google Classroom, add a Material link pointing to that Google Sites page.
The Google Sites + Classroom combo is the most powerful setup. Your Sites page becomes a class hub, and Classroom links to it. The timer is always one click away.

Notion

  1. Type /embed on a new line and press Enter.
  2. Paste https://gotimer.org/classroom-timer.
  3. Click Embed link and resize by dragging the bottom handle.

Canvas LMS

  1. Go to Courses → Pages → [your page] → Edit.
  2. Click the HTML Editor button (</> icon).
  3. Paste the iframe code and save.

Schoology

  1. Open a course page → click Add Materials → Add Page.
  2. Click the HTML (Source) icon → paste the iframe code → save.

Blogger (Blogspot)

  1. Switch to HTML view → paste the iframe code → publish.

Carrd

  1. Click + → Embed → Code → paste the iframe code → publish.

Ghost

  1. Type / → select HTML card → paste the iframe code → publish.

Study Timer

Free online timer — no signup required

Try the Studytimer →
Scout holding a presentation clicker, projecting a timer for the class
Full-screen mode makes GoTimer timers perfectly readable on any projector or smartboard

Using the Timer with a Projector or Smartboard

For displaying on a classroom projector, open GoTimer directly in your browser:

  1. Navigate to gotimer.org/classroom-timer.
  2. Set the timer duration.
  3. Click Fullscreen — the timer fills your entire screen, visible from every seat.
  4. Start the countdown when ready.
If projecting your class website on the smartboard, the embedded iframe timer also appears on the board. Set the timer before projecting if you want it ready at the start of class.
Scout with tablet showing classroom timer embed setup
Embedding takes under a minute — students see a live countdown the moment the page loads

Ideas for Using an Embedded Timer in the Classroom

Timed writing: A 10 or 15-minute timer creates natural urgency without the teacher announcing time checks.

Bell work / warm-up: A 5-minute timer on your class homepage signals warm-up time the moment students arrive.

Partner sharing: A 2-minute countdown keeps sharing rounds equal.

Reading minutes: A 20-minute timer signals sustained silent reading time.

Test and quiz timing: Every student sees the same clock — no confusion about time remaining.

Student presentations: A 3-minute countdown keeps presentations on schedule.

All use GoTimer's free timer pages — no setup, no cost, no plugins. Embed once and use all year.

Study Timer

Free online timer — no signup required

Try the Studytimer →

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I embed a timer directly inside Google Classroom?
Google Classroom doesn't support direct iframe embeds inside assignment or announcement text boxes. The best approach is to embed the timer on a companion Google Site (which your class can access from a pinned link), or to share the GoTimer classroom timer URL directly as a material link inside Classroom. Students click the link and the timer opens in a new tab.
What is the best free classroom timer to embed on a website?
GoTimer's classroom timer is designed specifically for educational use — large visible display, clean fullscreen mode for projectors, and customisable countdown length. It's free, requires no student login or app download, and embeds on any website via a single iframe code.
How do I show a timer on a classroom projector or smartboard?
Open the GoTimer classroom timer at gotimer.org/classroom-timer in your browser, then click the fullscreen button. The timer fills the entire screen, making it clearly visible from any seat in the room.
Can students use the embedded timer on their own devices?
Yes. When you embed a GoTimer timer on a class website or Google Site, any student who visits that page can interact with the timer — starting, pausing, and resetting it. For independent individual work, share the direct GoTimer URL so each student runs their own timer independently.
Does embedding a timer work on school-managed Chromebooks?
Yes. GoTimer runs entirely in the browser with no plugins, no downloads, and no login required. It works on Chromebooks, iPads, Windows devices, and any modern browser — including those managed by school IT departments.
Can I set a default timer duration before embedding it?
The embedded timer opens with its default settings. For a fixed duration, the fixed-duration timer pages (such as gotimer.org/5-minute-timer or gotimer.org/10-minute-timer) open ready to start immediately with no configuration needed.
What are good use cases for a classroom timer embedded on a website?
Common uses include timed writing exercises, test practice sessions, transition timers between activities, reading minutes trackers, and student presentation timing. Embedding it on the class site keeps all class resources in one place.
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