Welcome to Burst Timers, an interval timer for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. This guide explains the requirements, how to set up your first run, and where to find the main features.
What is Burst Timers?
Burst Timers runs a series of work and rest periods, so you can focus on the effort and let the timer keep count. It is designed for interval training such as HIIT, sprints, circuits, and stretching, but works for anything that alternates between two kinds of periods.
Requirements
- iPhone or iPad running iOS/iPadOS 26.0 or later
- Mac running macOS 26.0 or later
- Apple Watch running watchOS 10.0 or later for the Watch app
No account is needed. The Apple Watch app works on its own, without your iPhone nearby.
Setting Up a Run
A run is made of three values, which you set on the main screen:
- Segments: how many work periods you want to do, from 1 to 100.
- Work: how long each work period lasts, from 1 second to 10 minutes.
- Rest: how long to rest after each work period, from 1 second to 10 minutes.
Use the + and − buttons to change each value. Touch and hold a button, or click and hold on Mac, to change the value quickly. Work and Rest change in 1-second steps under a minute, 5-second steps up to 5 minutes, and 15-second steps above that.
The Total at the top shows how long the whole run lasts. The colored bar under it shows every work and rest period in order, in proportion to its length.
By default, a rest period also follows the last work period. You can turn this off in Settings with Rest After Last Segment.
Starting a Run
Press Start. Burst Timers counts down each period and alerts you every time it's time to switch, with sounds on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and haptics on iPhone and Apple Watch. Your values are remembered for next time.
The first time you start a run on iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, Burst Timers asks for access to Health. Burst Timers runs a workout session so your timer keeps counting and alerting you in the background. Workouts are only saved to Health if you turn on Save Workouts to Health in Settings. See Saving Workouts to Health for details.
Main Features Overview
Running a Timer
A large countdown shows the time left in the current period, with a ring that empties as it runs out, the next period, and your progress through the whole run. You can pause, resume, or end a run at any time.
Customizing Work and Rest
Give work and rest periods your own labels, icons, and colors, such as Sprint and Recover. Your choices appear everywhere the timer does.
Live Activities
On iPhone, a Live Activity shows the countdown on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, with buttons to pause and end the run.
Mac
On Mac, Burst Timers shows the time left in the menu bar and on its Dock icon, and has keyboard shortcuts to start, pause, and end a run.
Apple Watch
Set up and start runs right from your wrist. Change values with the Digital Crown, pause with a double tap on supported models, and feel each switch as a haptic.
Health
Optionally save each run to Health as a workout of the type you choose, including heart rate and energy burned.
Finding Settings and Help
- iPhone and iPad: tap the gear button for Settings, or the question mark button for Help, at the top of the main screen.
- Mac: choose Burst Timers > Settings from the menu bar, or click the gear button in the main window. Help is in Help > Burst Timers Help.
- Apple Watch: scroll down on the main screen and tap Settings or Help.
Each device keeps its own settings. See Customizing Work and Rest to copy your labels, icons, and colors from iPhone to Apple Watch.
Need help? Browse the rest of the knowledge base or submit a support ticket.