The short answer
LITALICO hasn't released Mouse Timer for Windows. On a computer you have three options: use a Mouse timer online in your browser (the quickest), install the iPad app on a Mac with Apple silicon, or run the Android app inside an emulator. For most people — and especially for classrooms — the browser option is the best fit, which is why we built the online Mouse Timer on our homepage.
Your options compared
| Option | Works on | Setup time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browser timer | Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux | None | Classrooms, quick use |
| iPad app on Mac | Mac with M1 or later, macOS 11+ | 1–2 minutes | Mac users who want the official app |
| Android emulator | Windows or Mac | 10+ minutes | People who already use an emulator |
Option 1: Use the online timer
- Open our homepage and scroll to the online Mouse Timer (it's right under the introduction).
- Click a quick time — 5, 10 or 15 minutes are the most popular — or type your own minutes and seconds and click Set.
- Click Start or press the Space key.
- Click Big screen to fill a projector or interactive whiteboard. Press Esc to exit.
The tool calculates time from your computer's clock, so it stays accurate even if you switch to another tab. The time left also appears in the browser tab's title. Leave the sound switch on for a soft chime at the end.
Option 2: The official app on a Mac
Macs with Apple silicon (M1 or later) can run many iPad apps. The App Store listing for Mouse Timer says it requires macOS 11.0 or later and a Mac with the Apple M1 chip or later. Open the Mac App Store, search for “Mouse Timer”, and check that the developer is LITALICO Inc. before installing. Older Intel-based Macs can't run iPad apps, so use the browser timer instead.
Option 3: Android emulator
Emulators such as BlueStacks create a virtual Android device on Windows or Mac, from which you can sign in to Google Play and install apps, including Mouse Timer. It works, but it's heavy for a simple timer: emulators need a large download, plenty of memory and sometimes virtualization settings in your computer's firmware. If you choose this route, download the emulator only from its official website and install Mouse Timer from Google Play inside it — not from an APK file.
Tips for using a timer on a classroom screen
- Use Big screen mode so the apple is visible from the back of the room.
- Turn the chime on and check the room speakers before the lesson.
- Prepare a few common times (2, 5, 10 minutes) and use the quick buttons.
- Explain the picture once — “when the apple is gone, we stop” — and let the timer do the reminding.
- Keep the browser tab in front; some laptops throttle background tabs to save power, though our timer catches up when you return.
Troubleshooting on PC
- No sound: check the switch, the system volume and that the browser tab isn't muted. Browsers only play audio after a click on the page.
- Full screen didn't open: some browsers block full-screen in embedded frames; the tool still enlarges inside the window.
- Timer looks small: zoom the browser with Ctrl + + (or Cmd + + on Mac).
Mouse Timer on a Chromebook
Many Chromebooks can run Android apps through Google Play. If yours can, open the Google Play listing and install Mouse Timer just as you would on a phone. School-managed Chromebooks often restrict Google Play; in that case, the online timer in the browser is the simplest route and needs no administrator approval.
Why isn't there a Windows app?
LITALICO built Mouse Timer as a mobile app for phones and tablets — the devices families and teachers most often have to hand. Apple-silicon Macs can run it only because they support iPad apps automatically. There's no sign of a dedicated Windows version, and you don't really need one: a visual timer is light enough to run perfectly well in a browser tab.
Keyboard shortcuts in the online timer
- Space — start or pause (when you're not typing in a box).
- Enter — apply a custom time while typing in the minutes or seconds box.
- Esc — leave big-screen mode.
- Tab — move between buttons; every control works without a mouse.
Which should you choose?
For a Windows PC or Chromebook, use the browser timer — it's instant and free. If you own a recent Mac and prefer the official experience, install the app from the Mac App Store. Save the emulator for situations where you already rely on one for other Android apps.
