Pomodoro timer for the Mac menu bar

The simplest method: SeventyFocus

Install SeventyFocus, keep the defaults (25 minutes of work, 5 of break) or adjust them in settings, then click Start. The ring counts down through the session, and the app keeps your place in the window or just a mm:ss counter in the menu bar. When it ends, a small discreet 3-second panel announces the break, then work resumes on its own if you enabled auto-continue. Today's finished sessions show as dots, so you can see your rhythm at a glance.

Download the free SeventyFocus trial (7 days, macOS 13+).

Why the Pomodoro method works

• Short, regular efforts: 25 minutes of focus is easier to sustain than one blurry multi-hour stretch, and the close deadline helps you stay in it.
• Breaks that actually happen: without a timer, a 5-minute break quickly turns into 2 minutes or vanishes entirely. The app triggers it for you.
• A visible rhythm: sessions counted through the day give a concrete measure of the work done, without having to track it yourself.

Why there are no system notifications

SeventyFocus doesn't use macOS Notification Center. When a phase ends, a small panel appears at the top of the screen for 3 seconds then disappears on its own, never taking focus or interrupting what you're doing, even mid-call.

Window or menu bar

SeventyFocus lives in the Dock with its window and big ring, or in the menu bar with just the time left shown next to the icon. The choice is made in settings and can change at any time.

Mistakes to avoid

• Chaining sessions with no real break: fatigue builds up unnoticed.
• Using a timer that rings loudly or sends a blocking notification: it breaks focus instead of protecting it.
• Forgetting to tune the duration to your own attention span: 25 minutes is a good default, not an absolute rule.

Get SeventyFocus: 7-day trial, then a lifetime license.