Geometric clock dial with umber tick-arc progress and ink hand on cool paper.
Tick-arc dial: a flat clock face that stands in for a local Windows timer install. Tick Quill original tick-arc geometry (original geometry, not the upstream app icon).

Choose winget or the portable exe

On Windows 10 or 11 with App Installer, run winget install -e --id VladElaina.Catime in PowerShell or Windows Terminal. That id lives in microsoft/winget-pkgs and maps to the portable Catime build used as this site’s Windows countdown tool.

If winget is blocked, open vladelaina/Catime releases in a new tab and download catime_*.exe from the current v* tag. Refuse renamed timer setups from review portals that wrap the exe. Safe fetch habits: download safe. Releases map: timer releases.

Scoop and Chocolatey remain optional doors for fleets that already standardized on them. Package notes: winget and packages. Scoop notes: Scoop install. Pick one style for this PC so upgrades stay boring.

Run and find the tray

Launch after install and look for the tray icon. Left-click sets time. Right-click opens the menu. If Windows hides new icons, open the notification overflow and drag the icon into view so the next countdown is one click away.

SmartScreen may warn on fresh MinGW portables. Confirm the URL is github.com/vladelaina/Catime, then decide. Upstream SECURITY.md discusses reputation and heuristic detections for Startup shortcuts, update checks, and plugins. Safety guide: is it safe. Troubleshooting: troubleshooting.

Corporate images may block unknown portables entirely. In that case ask IT whether winget id VladElaina.Catime is allowed, or keep using Windows Clock instead of fighting policy. Comparison: vs Windows Clock timer.

Prove one countdown

Enter a short duration you already trust. Start the countdown and watch the overlay. Keep the timeout action on a simple message for the first proof so you learn the end cue without locking the session. First hour checklist: installed. Narrative: timer first run.

Edit mode lets you drag and scroll-resize the overlay. Exit edit mode before a real meeting so clicks behave as you expect. Click-through helps during slides once placement is stable. Overlay guide: tray and overlay. Presets: countdown presets.

Timeout actions that open files or websites are useful after the proof. Shutdown and restart belong on personal machines with clear intent. Timeout guide: timeout actions.

Local config and backup

PRIVACY.md places configuration under %LOCALAPPDATA%/Catime/, including config.ini. Copy that file before experiments with fonts, tray GIFs, or plugins. Local storage is a privacy feature, not a cloud backup.

Logs stay local for troubleshooting according to upstream claims. Redact paths before pasting logs into public issues. GitHub map: timer GitHub.

Update door

Bookmark Releases or keep using winget upgrade for the same id. Do not stack portable and winget copies without uninstalling one. Updates: update and uninstall. Desk notes: for this computer.

Home pillar: timer home. Switch from browser tabs: switch from online timers. Keep saying timer for the job and Catime for the exact project name while you install on Windows.

Desk operations without noise

Write the update door on a card beside the monitor so the next person does not invent a mirror. Prefer winget id VladElaina.Catime or catime_*.exe from GitHub Releases, then prove one short countdown after every reimage before a live talk.

Shared rooms should announce which countdown tool owns the projector machine. Students improve faster when the overlay stays readable and advertising tabs stay closed.

  • Parents should prefer verified package ids because they are harder to spoof than a random download button.
  • When wifi drops mid-session, a local Windows countdown keeps going offline after the first install.
  • Keep phone apps for travel if you want them, but let the desk stay local with one honest update door.

Lab and travel cards

Classroom images should pin the exact install door beside the OS version. After every reimage, prove one short countdown before you call the machine ready.

That habit catches vanished portable folders and adware shortcuts that reappear from old bookmark exports.

Travel laptops benefit from a single documented installer door written beside the folder that holds the portable. Lab images drift when someone installs a second mirror during a blocked SmartScreen prompt.

Return to the home install panel when you need pillar links again. Releases stay on timer releases. Safe fetch habits stay on download safe. Troubleshooting stays on troubleshooting when the tray icon hides or SmartScreen blocks a portable you already verified.

Frequently asked questions

Is winget required?

No. Winget is preferred when App Installer works, but the portable catime_*.exe from GitHub Releases is enough when winget is blocked. Scoop and Chocolatey also publish catime for desks that already use those tools.

Does this timer need an account?

No. Catime runs locally without creating an account for everyday countdowns. Configuration lands under %LOCALAPPDATA%/Catime/ according to upstream PRIVACY.md, and the Windows timer works offline after the first download finishes.

Is brew supported?

No. formulae.brew.sh returned 404 for catime cask and formula on the review date, which matches the Windows-only Releases list. Do not invent a brew install line for this timer on macOS machines you do not expect to support.