Egg Timer
Boil eggs about 4–6 minutes for soft, 7–9 for medium and 10–12 for hard (typical times from the American Egg Board). Tap a preset below and we’ll ring when they’re ready.
Eggs ready: lift them out and put them in ice water.
Set. Start. Take a breath.
Extra time applies to this session only.
Start the timer when the water reaches a boil. One tap starts it.
Soft and medium: USDA advises cooking eggs until both yolk and white are firm, especially for young children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with a weakened immune system. For runny yolks, consider pasteurized eggs.
Typical range for soft: 4:00–6:00. Adjust before you start.
American Egg Board method for hard-cooked eggs
- Put the eggs in a single layer and cover with cold water, 1 inch above the eggs.
- Heat just to boiling.
- Remove from the heat, cover, and tap your egg size to start the timer.
- Drain and cool the eggs in ice water.
Outside the typical ranges on this page.
Pause and reset to change the start time.
Sound & display Make it work for you
Press Test sound to check your volume before starting.
Keep this page open. Sound may be delayed or unavailable if your device locks or your browser suspends the page.
Pick your egg
Tap Soft, Medium or Hard. Use ±30 s first if you like your eggs a little softer or firmer.
Start at the boil
Tap when the water reaches a boil, or when you take the pan off the heat in the off-the-heat method.
Ice bath
When it rings, lift the eggs out and put them in ice water.
How long to boil an egg
| Egg | Method | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Soft (runny yolk) | Boil | 4–6 min |
| Medium (jammy) | Boil | 7–9 min |
| Hard | Boil | 10–12 min |
| Hard, medium eggs | Off the heat, covered | 9 min |
| Hard, large eggs | Off the heat, covered | 12 min |
| Hard, extra large eggs | Off the heat, covered | 15 min |
Boil times: the American Egg Board’s chef. Off-the-heat times: the American Egg Board. Times are typical, not exact science: your pan, stove and eggs all make a difference.
Boiling egg timer: how to use it
Start the eggs in cold water, which the American Egg Board’s chef recommends because it helps prevent cracking. When the water reaches a boil, tap Soft, Medium or Hard and the countdown starts straight away. When the alarm rings, lift the eggs out and put them in ice water.
Our sources don’t say exactly when to start counting, so “start at the boil” is our own instruction. Keep this page open while the eggs cook; a locked phone or a sleeping browser can delay the sound. You can turn on Keep screen awake under Sound & display.
Soft boiled egg timer
For a soft boiled egg with a runny yolk, the typical time is 4–6 minutes. This is the dippy egg or runny egg you serve with toast soldiers. The Soft preset starts at 5 minutes; use −30 s or +30 s to stay within the typical range.
USDA advises cooking eggs until both yolk and white are firm, especially for young children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with a weakened immune system. For runny yolks, consider pasteurized eggs.
Hard boiled egg timer
For hard boiled eggs, boil for 10–12 minutes, or use the American Egg Board’s off-the-heat method: heat the eggs just to boiling, remove the pan from the heat, cover it and let the eggs stand for 9, 12 or 15 minutes depending on size. Then drain and cool them in ice water.
Cooling the eggs quickly helps prevent a green ring around the yolk. The American Egg Board also says eggs that have been in the fridge for 7–10 days before cooking are easier to peel. USDA advises refrigerating hard-cooked eggs within 2 hours of cooking and using them within a week.
Medium and jammy eggs
A medium egg has a set white and a soft, jammy yolk. The typical time is 7–9 minutes, so the Medium preset starts at 8. It is a good choice for a ramen egg or a salad.
Need a plain countdown instead? Try the 5 minute timer, the 10 minute timer or set any time on the main timer.
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A clear classroom countdown with an activity label and large full-screen numbers, great for kids too.
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Pick a preset below. Need to count up instead? Our sister site Online Stopwatch times laps and split times in your browser, free and without an account.
Egg timer questions.
How long do you boil an egg?
Typical times are 4–6 minutes for soft, 7–9 minutes for medium and 10–12 minutes for hard boiled eggs, according to the American Egg Board’s chef. The presets above start at the middle of each range: 5, 8 and 11 minutes.
How long to boil a soft boiled egg?
About 4–6 minutes for a runny yolk. USDA advises cooking eggs until both yolk and white are firm, especially for young children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with a weakened immune system. For runny yolks, consider pasteurized eggs.
How long to boil a hard boiled egg?
About 10–12 minutes at a boil. Or use the American Egg Board’s off-the-heat method: bring the eggs just to a boil, take the pan off the heat, cover it and let large eggs stand for 12 minutes.
How long for jammy eggs or ramen eggs?
Use the Medium preset, which covers the typical 7–9 minute range for a jammy yolk.
How long for medium, large or extra large eggs?
With the off-the-heat method, the American Egg Board gives 9 minutes for medium, 12 minutes for large and 15 minutes for extra large eggs. Our sources give no time for jumbo eggs, so we don’t suggest one.
Do I start eggs in cold or boiling water?
The American Egg Board’s chef recommends starting eggs in cold water, which helps prevent cracking. On this page we suggest starting the timer when the water reaches a boil; our sources don’t say exactly when to start counting.
How long to boil eggs for deviled eggs or egg salad?
Use the Hard preset (10–12 minutes) or the off-the-heat method, so the yolks are fully set.
How long do hard-boiled eggs keep?
USDA advises refrigerating hard-cooked eggs within 2 hours of cooking and using them within a week. The American Egg Board says peeled eggs are best eaten the same day.
Why is there a green ring around the yolk?
A green ring usually comes from overcooking. USDA says it is safe to eat. Cooling the eggs quickly in ice water helps prevent it, according to the American Egg Board.
Can I boil eggs in the microwave?
No. The American Egg Board advises against cooking eggs in their shells in the microwave, and against piercing the shells.
Does altitude matter?
Yes. The American Egg Board says it is almost impossible to hard-boil eggs above 10,000 feet. Our sources give no adjusted times, so the timer does not change for altitude.
Do quail or duck eggs use the same times?
The times on this page are for chicken eggs. Our sources don’t cover quail or duck eggs, so we don’t give times for them.
Is the egg timer free? Do I need an account?
Yes, it is free and needs no sign-up or app. The timer runs in your browser and nothing you set is sent to a server. We use Cloudflare Web Analytics, which counts anonymous visits without cookies or personal data.
Sources: American Egg Board, How to Make Hard-Boiled Eggs; Tasting Table interview with the American Egg Board’s Chef and Director of Innovation (7 Sept 2024); USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Shell Eggs from Farm to Table. Checked October 2026.