We make 3 Tasks, one of the apps on this page. The built-in way comes first and is enough for many people.
Pomodoro in one paragraph
Francesco Cirillo created the Pomodoro Technique in the 1980s. In its usual form you work on one task for 25 minutes, take a short break of about 5 minutes, and take a longer break after four rounds. His own site stresses that it is more than a timer: you choose the day's work first, handle interruptions and look back at how long things took.
What the iPhone already does (Apple's guide, read 23 October 2026)
- Timer in Clock. Set a duration, give it a label such as "Pomodoro" and pick the sound for when it ends. "The timer continues even if you open another app or if iPhone goes to sleep." A custom timer then appears under Recent, so the next 25 minutes is one tap (Apple).
- Several timers at once. After starting one you can add more, from presets or recent ones, so a 25-minute work timer and a 5-minute break timer can sit side by side.
- Siri. "Set the timer for 25 minutes."
- Lock Screen. When a timer ends you get a notification and can tap Repeat or Stop from the Lock Screen.
- Focus. A Focus such as Work silences all notifications or lets only some people and apps through, and can turn on automatically at a set time, place or "while using a certain app" (Apple).
What we checked in 3 Tasks' code
We read the timer and reminder code of the version on sale today (1.3.0). Each of the three tasks has a start/pause timer that counts up and keeps counting in the background. You can give a task a time limit of 15, 25, 45 or 60 minutes: a ring fills towards it, and when it is reached a notification says "Time's up" with the task's name, even with the app closed. There is no break timer: for the 5-minute break, use Clock. Starting a task's timer straight from the Home Screen widget is coming in the next version; today the widget shows your three tasks and the timer starts in the app.
Step by step
- Choose the task first. Pomodoro works on one task at a time. Write it down, or pick one of your three for the day.
- Turn on a Focus. Control Center, Focus, then Do Not Disturb or Work. In Settings, Focus, you can make Work turn on by itself when you open the app you work in.
- Start a 25-minute timer. Clock, Timers, 25 minutes, label it "Pomodoro", Start; or say "Set the timer for 25 minutes". In 3 Tasks, set the task's limit to 25 min and tap the task.
- Work only on that task until it rings. If something else comes up, note it on paper and return to the task.
- Take a 5-minute break. Start a 5-minute timer from Presets or Recent in Clock. Stand up, look away from the screen.
- After four rounds, take a longer break. Fifteen to thirty minutes is the usual range.
- Look at the time you actually spent. Compare it with your guess. Apps that keep a history make this easier; on paper, a tick per round is enough.
Apps for Pomodoro on iPhone
| App | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Clock + Focus (built in) | Countdown timers, presets, several at once, Siri; Focus silences notifications | Anyone who wants nothing new on the phone |
| Focus Keeper | A dedicated Pomodoro timer with work and break rounds | Classic Pomodoro with breaks counted for you |
| Be Focused | Tasks split into intervals separated by short breaks, configurable | Pomodoro rounds attached to a task list |
| Forest | A tree grows while you stay off your phone and withers if you leave early | People whose problem is picking up the phone |
| Flow | A small focus and Pomodoro timer that divides work into sessions | A simple timer on iPhone and Mac |
| 3 Tasks | Three tasks a day, a timer on each that counts up, optional 15/25/45/60 min limit with a notification, Home Screen widget with the three tasks | Timing the few tasks that matter today, without a break timer |
If you want breaks counted for you, a dedicated Pomodoro app does it; 3 Tasks does not. If you want to know how long each of today's tasks really took, 3 Tasks keeps the time per task, and 3 Tasks Pro adds a history of it. More on the 3 Tasks page and in how to stop procrastinating with a 3-task list.
Sources
- Apple, Set timers in Clock on iPhone and Set up a Focus on iPhone, iPhone User Guide, read 23 October 2026.
- pomodorotechnique.com (Francesco Cirillo), read 23 October 2026.
- App Store pages of Focus Keeper, Be Focused, Forest and Flow (US store), read 23 October 2026.
- 3 Tasks 1.3.0 source code (timer and reminders), read 23 October 2026.
Questions people ask
Does the iPhone have a Pomodoro timer?
Not by that name, but the Clock app's Timer does the job: set 25 minutes, label it, and start it again from Recent. You can run a work timer and a break timer at the same time.
Does the iPhone timer keep running if I lock the phone?
Yes. Apple says the timer continues if you open another app or iPhone goes to sleep, and you can Repeat or Stop it from the Lock Screen.
How long is a Pomodoro?
Usually 25 minutes of work and a short break of about 5 minutes, with a longer break after four rounds.
How do I block distractions during a Pomodoro?
Turn on a Focus such as Do Not Disturb or Work. A Focus can also turn on by itself when you open a certain app.
Can 3 Tasks do Pomodoro?
It times each task and can notify you after 15, 25, 45 or 60 minutes, but it has no break timer. Use Clock for the breaks, or a dedicated Pomodoro app if you want breaks counted for you.
Can I start the 3 Tasks timer from the widget?
Not yet. Today the widget shows your three tasks; starting a task's timer from the widget comes in the next version.