BreakTimer is a desktop application for managing and enforcing periodic breaks.
Publisher’s description
What is BreakTimer?
BreakTimer by Tom Watson is open-source Windows software. It is written in TypeScript.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 64-bit Windows. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 2.0.3, released on November 13, 2025. The version history goes back to October 18, 2021: 9 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 2.2 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 409 times. The source code on GitHub (tom-james-watson/breaktimer-app) has 1,596 stars.
Project description on GitHub: “Manage periodic breaks. Avoid eye-strain and RSI.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: BreakTimer is an open-source Windows tool for 64-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is BreakTimer safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
61122518BB6DE92413A9DD06DF2E7FE55FDF15479812E52E11DBB44334BEE4D9· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 9 versions ›9 versions over 4 years · about 2.2 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0.3Latest | November 13, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2.0.1 | August 13, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.3.2 | November 10, 2024 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.2.0 | June 16, 2022 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.1.0 | January 14, 2022 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.0.3 | November 8, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.0.2 | November 8, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.0.1 | November 7, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id TomWatson.BreakTimer -echoco install breaktimer -yBreakTimer.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask breaktimerInformation
- Publisher
- Tom Watson
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/tom-james-watson/breaktimer-app
- Written in
- TypeScript
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Version
- 2.0.3
- Released
- November 13, 2025
- Added to the catalogue
- October 18, 2021
- Versions listed
- 9
- Updates / year
- 2.2
- Chocolatey downloads
- 409
- GitHub stars
- 1,596
- GitHub forks
- 146
- Website
- breaktimer.app
- winget ID
- TomWatson.BreakTimer
- Chocolatey package
- breaktimer
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Frequently asked questions
Is BreakTimer free?
Yes. BreakTimer is open-source software under the GPL-3.0 licence.
Is BreakTimer safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install BreakTimer with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can BreakTimer be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does BreakTimer run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of BreakTimer?
The versions page lists all 9 versions with links to their official installer files, back to October 18, 2021.
Can I use BreakTimer without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.