Chapter 37 Moderator

Timer & Stopwatch

BigBlueButton includes a built-in timer and stopwatch feature that allows moderators to display a visible countdown or elapsed time for all participants. This is especially useful for managing group activities, quizzes, and presentation time limits.

Starting a Countdown Timer

A countdown timer lets you set a specific duration that counts down to zero. All participants can see the timer prominently displayed in the meeting room.

Click the Plus (+) button at the bottom of the screen or open the settings menu.

Select Timer from the menu.

Enter the desired time in minutes and seconds.

Click Start to begin the countdown. The timer is now visible to all participants.

You can pause the timer at any time and resume it later, or reset it to start over with the same or a different duration.

Using the Stopwatch

As an alternative to the countdown timer, you can start a stopwatch that counts upward from zero. This is useful when you want to track how much time has elapsed for an activity without setting a specific time limit.

Open the timer panel via the Plus (+) button or settings menu.

Switch from countdown mode to stopwatch mode.

Start the stopwatch. It counts upward and is visible to all participants.

Display and Visibility

Both the timer and the stopwatch are displayed prominently for all participants in the meeting room. The display is clearly visible and helps everyone stay aware of the remaining or elapsed time.

In breakout rooms, the countdown timer from the main room is automatically displayed. You do not need to set a separate timer for breakout rooms.

Typical Use Cases

  • Group work — set a countdown so all groups know exactly how much time they have left.
  • Quiz countdown — give participants a fixed amount of time to answer questions.
  • Presentation time limits — help presenters stay within their allotted speaking time.
  • Open activities — use the stopwatch to track elapsed time without a fixed limit.

The timer feature is available to moderators only. Participants can see the timer but cannot start, stop, or modify it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Both the countdown timer and the stopwatch are displayed prominently for all participants in the meeting room.

The countdown timer from the main room is automatically shown in breakout rooms. You do not need to configure a separate timer for each breakout room.

The timer stops and all participants can see that the time has elapsed. No automatic action (such as ending the meeting) is triggered — the timer is purely visual.

As a moderator, click the Plus (+) button at the bottom of the screen. The Timer option appears in the menu. If you do not see it, the feature may be accessed through the settings menu depending on your BigBlueButton version.