Why did the timer not make a sound?
Check the app, browser, audio output and power settings before relying on a browser alarm.
Begin with a short controlled test
Keep the tab visible, set a ten-second timer and click Test sound. Confirm Sound on, start the timer and wait for completion. This separates an audio problem from a long session that spent time in the background.
For a new short test, starting the timer lets the browser initialize audio following your interaction. For a restored running timer, use Test sound to initialize audio without pausing the countdown.
- Check the device volume and that the browser tab is not muted.
- Confirm the selected speakers, headphones or Bluetooth output.
- Listen to Test sound, then run the short countdown.
Match the symptom to the next check
“The test is silent” points first to app sound, tab mute and output-device checks. “The test works, but the long timer did not ring” points toward background execution, sleep or a changed audio state. “The numbers jump when I return” can be catch-up to the saved end time rather than a stopped countdown.
Run one short test with the tab visible, then one with it in the background while the device remains awake. Record the difference instead of changing several settings at once. A successful test describes that setup at that moment; it cannot establish that locked or sleeping devices will behave the same way.
- Test silent: check Sound on, volume, tab mute and Bluetooth output.
- Only background completion is late: keep the tab visible for the next controlled test.
- A restored running timer is silent: use Test sound to initialize audio without pausing it.
- Time seems wrong: check system-clock changes before resetting.
Does this need notification permission?
The current alarm is audio generated in the page. It does not send a push notification, email or message, and it does not ask for browser notification permission. Enabling notifications for a browser is therefore not a fix for muted timer audio.
For a repeatable report, write down the chosen duration, browser version, output device, whether the tab was visible, and whether Test sound was audible. An example is “ten-second timer completes visibly; test sound also silent; wired headphones; tab not muted.” Send that description without private labels.
Check where the audio went
If the test is silent, try another browser tab with known audio at a modest volume. Check the operating system’s app mixer, browser mute control and any connected headset. Disconnecting Bluetooth can reveal that sound was being sent to another device.
If other audio works but this test does not, reload and use Test sound again. A browser or device can restrict audio differently; the site cannot override the operating system’s mute or audio-output choice.
Separate accurate time from timely sound
A background tab may receive fewer updates. The timer reads its calculated end time and can catch up when visible, while the alarm callback or audio may have been delayed. Seeing zero after returning to the tab does not prove that sound played at the original finish moment.
Sleeping devices, locked phones and closed tabs cannot be relied on to run this browser alarm. Keep the page open and screen awake when practical. A supported screen-wake request can help, but permission, battery policy and browser behavior can prevent it.
Check clock and saved-state changes
If the displayed time seems wrong, check whether the system time was adjusted during the session. The timer uses the device clock, so a forward or backward change can affect the deadline reading. Reload recovery also requires valid saved state and available browser storage.
A saved timer that completed while the page was closed can show completion after restoration without producing a retroactive audible reminder. Start a fresh short test to check the current audio setup.
Choose an appropriate backup
For an appointment, cooking step or event you cannot miss, set an independent device alarm or another appropriate reminder. Do not use this site as the sole timer for medical or safety-critical work.
When reporting a repeatable issue, include the browser version, device, page address, whether the page was visible and whether Test sound worked. Omit private labels and unnecessary personal details.