How to stop presentations from overrunning
“We tried Stagetimer yesterday and it helped — an iPad in front of the speaker, remotely controlled by someone in our Huel team.”
CEO of Huel
No signup required
How do teams keep presentations on time?
The shape that works: put a visible countdown in front of each speaker, hand the controls to someone who isn't presenting, and write the schedule in advance. Three teams below do exactly that — a CEO at a biweekly all-hands, a startup demo day with 13 pitches, and a finance professor running back-to-back class sessions.
AI Founders Demo Day
At the AI Founders Demo Day, 13 startup teams pitched on stage in front of a live audience. Stagetimer kept each pitch to its allotted time — visible to speakers from a display near the audience and monitored from the production booth above. When you have a full day of back-to-back pitches, every minute counts.
Startup Manager at Campus Founders
How do you build a rundown for multiple speakers?
Create a timer for each speaker or segment. Link them to auto-advance, or control manually. Import your schedule from a CSV file if you already have it in a spreadsheet.
- Link timers to auto-advance through presentations
- Schedule start times for time-locked segments
- Import from CSV to build rundowns from existing tools
- Manual override when the agenda changes
How do you tell a speaker to wrap up without interrupting?
Send real-time messages to the speaker's display without interrupting the presentation. Color-coded messages appear instantly — perfect for "wrap it up" signals or last-minute updates.
- "Wrap it up" — signal speakers to conclude
- "Q&A time" — transition between segments
- Script changes — communicate last-minute updates
- Color-coded for urgency and clarity
Huel — Biweekly All-Hands
“Trying to make sure presentations are interesting, and not overrun 🙈 We get everyone in the business together every two weeks for All Hueligans. I talk about what's on my mind. Other people present what's going on and what they're excited about. However, we all know that feeling when a meeting is running over and you have to rush the last presenters. Nobody likes meetings being longer than they should be. We tried stagetimer.io yesterday and it helped — an iPad in front of the speaker (remotely controlled by someone in our Huel team).”
CEO of Huel
How do you share the schedule with speakers and crew?
Give speakers and team members a live view of the full schedule. The agenda link updates in real-time — everyone knows what's happening now and what's coming next.
- Share via link or QR code — no app install needed
- Live updates as timers advance
- Works on any device — phone, tablet, laptop
- Read-only option so viewers can't accidentally change anything
Where do you display the timer, and where do you control it from?
Display the timer on a monitor, projector, or iPad facing the speaker. Control it from your phone or laptop anywhere in the room — or from a different building entirely.
- iPad on a stand as a confidence monitor for speakers
- Projector or TV visible to the whole room
- Phone as remote — start, pause, skip from your seat
- Multiple controllers — share control with your team
Can you control Stagetimer from a Stream Deck?
Yes. The Bitfocus Companion module turns any Elgato Stream Deck into a hardware controller — start, pause, add a minute, send a "wrap up" message, jump to the next timer. One button, one action, no browser tab in the way.
“I output Stagetimer on a Firestick and overlay it using an ATEM Mini video switcher. Everything's controllable using Bitfocus Companion and an Elgato Stream Deck — the sky's the limit.”
Finance Professor at Babson College
Can you brand the timer to match your event?
Add your company logo, adjust colors, and customize the display to match your event branding. The timer looks professional on stage — not like a random website.
- Custom logo and background image
- Color themes to match your brand
- Font size and style adjustments
- Progress bar for visual pacing
When is Stagetimer overkill?
If you're a solo presenter with one screen, your phone's stopwatch is fine. If your slide deck is yours and you have the time to set it up, dropping a timer into PowerPoint or Keynote works too.
Stagetimer earns its keep when there are multiple speakers, when the controller is a different person than the speaker, when remote and in-room attendees need to see the same timer, or when there's any real chance someone runs over.
Who else uses Stagetimer for presentations?
Alec Creighton
Owner/General Manager at Northeast Colorado Broadcasting
Adam Johns
Founder & Producer at Video Village Creative, Inc.
General Manager at Park Pixel AS
Founder & Creative Director at Southam Creative
How much does a presentation timer cost?
The free Starter plan covers up to 3 live connections — enough for a controller and two viewers. For a real event with branding, more displays, or multiple rooms, pick a monthly plan (cancel anytime) or pay once for 10 days of full access if you only need it for one event.
Prices shown in US dollars (USD)
Starter
Pro
Pro, subscription, billed annually
Premium
Premium, subscription, billed annually
Common Questions About Presentation Timers
How do I set up a timer for my presentation?
Create a free room at stagetimer.io, add timers for each speaker or segment, and share the viewer link to whatever screen your speakers can see — a monitor, projector, iPad, or laptop. Control the timer from your phone or another device.
No signup or installation required.
Can multiple people control the timer?
Yes. Share the controller link with your team — an event coordinator, stage manager, or colleague can all control the timer from their own devices. You can also set up view-only links for displays.
See sharing options for details.
Does it work for virtual or hybrid presentations?
Yes. Share the viewer link with remote speakers — they open it in their browser alongside their video call. The timer syncs in real-time across all devices regardless of location or time zone.
Does it work without internet?
Yes. The desktop app runs completely offline. Set up your timers, disconnect, and everything keeps working on your local network.
Can I use Stagetimer alongside PowerPoint or Google Slides?
Yes. Run Stagetimer on a separate screen (like an iPad facing the speaker) while your slides play on the projector. Speakers see the countdown without the audience seeing it.
How do I display the timer so speakers can see it?
The most common setups: an iPad on a stand near the podium, a monitor at the foot of the stage, or a laptop screen facing the speaker. Just open the viewer link on any device with a browser.
Learn about display options and output links.
Can I automate the timer to advance between speakers?
Yes. Link timers together so they auto-advance when one finishes. You can also schedule specific start times for segments. Manual override is always available.
See timer automation for details.
Is it free?
The free plan supports up to 2 live connections and basic features — enough for a simple setup with one controller and one display. For larger events with more screens or advanced features, paid plans start at affordable rates.
See pricing for details.
Running a multi-speaker conference? See how teams at Slush, YC, and the Munich Security Conference use Stagetimer →