To set a timer on your iPhone or iPad, you usually use the Clock app. But there are two faster ways to set a timer on your Apple device and we’ll show you how to do it.
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Here’s how to quickly set a timer using Control Center
Control Center on the iPhone or iPad gives you quick access to many switches and functions. On the iPhone (but not the iPad) you can find a timer icon in the Control Center by default. If you can’t find the timer button in Control Center, you can add it through the Settings app.
First open the “Settings” on your iPhone or iPad.
In the settings, tap on “Control Center”, scroll down and tap the plus button (“+”) next to the “Timer” option. This will add the timer button to the bottom of the control center.
To change the order of the Control Center icons, tap and drag the menu icon (three-line icon) next to it.
Now that the timer control has been added to Control Center, it’s time to start using it.
On your iPhone or iPad, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center. If you’re using an older iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen instead.
How to use Control Center on your iPhone or iPad
Now hold down the timer button. (A single tap on the timer symbol opens the timer area in the clock app.)
You will see a pop-up with a vertical display covering the screen. You can swipe up and down with your finger to set a timer interval. You cannot set custom timers in this pop-up. You can only choose between 1-4 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour or 2 hours Choose intervals.
After selecting your desired time, tap the “Start” button.
When the timer expires, the remaining time will be displayed at the top of the screen.
To exit from this pop-up, tap the blurry area around the slider and your timer will keep running in the background. If you want to go back there later, open Control Center again and tap and hold the animated yellow timer icon.
If you want, you can pause the timer by tapping the pause button.
Then tap “Resume” to start it again. When the timer expires, you can set another one in the same way.
How to set up with Siri. quickly set a timer
While you can quickly set a timer in Control Center, you can only choose one of the preset options. What if you want to set a 12 minute pasta timer? Well, one way to do this is to ask Siri.
Go to Siri on your iPhone or iPad. If you’ve already turned on the Hey Siri feature, all you have to do is say “Hey Siri”. You can also press and hold the side button on your iPhone or iPad (the same button you use to wake up your iPhone or iPad).
How to set up and use Siri on an iPhone
When Siri finishes, just say, “Set a 12-minute timer.” Siri will give you an audio confirmation and you will see the timer countdown at the top of the screen.
To monitor your timer, say “Show my timer” to Siri. To cancel a timer, just say, “Cancel my timer”.
Unfortunately, you limit the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch to one timer each. If you want to set multiple timers at once, you’ll need to use the HomePod or some other smart speaker system like the Amazon Echo.
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