Always-On Display Clock for Windows 11 (No Install Needed)

The quick answer: to show an always-on clock on your Windows desktop, try a fullscreen browser clock first

There are two ways to put a big, always-on clock on your Windows desktop. One is to install a dedicated desktop clock app; the other is to open a clock website and make it fullscreen in your browser. The fastest path is the second one. It needs no install and no admin rights: open a clock page, press F11, and you have a full-screen digital clock you can drop onto a spare monitor.

Below, we cover the free native clock apps fairly, then walk through the browser-clock setup in detail (fullscreen, sending it to a second display, and turning it into an installed PWA). We also cover the built-in Windows 11 widgets and the practical caveats around burn-in and power settings, so you end up with a clock that just stays on screen.

The fastest method: open a clock in your browser and press F11 for fullscreen

Here is the shortest route. Open a clock page in Microsoft Edge (or Chrome), which ships with Windows, and press F11. The tabs and address bar disappear and you get a full-screen digital clock. On some laptops you may need Fn + F11. Press F11 again to exit fullscreen.

1. Open a clock page in your browser (for example, our Focus Clock).
2. Press F11 to go fullscreen.
3. Press F11 again to exit.

F11 is the standard fullscreen shortcut across Edge, Chrome, and Firefox. Because no install or admin rights are involved, this works even on locked-down work laptops where you cannot freely install software. That zero-install nature is the browser clock's biggest advantage.

Native clock app vs. fullscreen browser clock: which should you choose?

If all you want is a clock on screen, you do not necessarily need a dedicated app. Here is an honest comparison. A native app can run in the background and launch on startup, but it costs you an install, updates, and a background process. A browser clock is instant and permission-free, but it disappears when you close the browser.

Pick the browser clock if you want a big clock right now, cannot install software on a work PC, or only need it on demand. Pick a native app if you want the clock to launch automatically every time Windows starts, or sit small near the system tray. The next section covers the free native apps fairly.

Free Windows desktop clock apps (a fair rundown)

If you want a clock that stays resident and launches on startup, here are free options. All are available from the Microsoft Store or a download site. Detailed settings differ per app, so follow each app's own instructions after installing.

• fClock — a simple desktop clock with adjustable transparency, size, and color, free on the Microsoft Store.
• Floating Clock — shows a real-time clock floating on your desktop (Microsoft Store).
• Desktop Widget Digital Clock — a digital clock widget where you can change the font, position, and background color or image, with dark-mode support (Microsoft Store).
• 8GadgetPack — a free tool that brings back the old Windows Vista/7 sidebar gadgets (including clocks) on Windows 10/11.

If you value an always-resident clock, a native app is the dependable choice. Just remember to confirm the source is trustworthy and uninstall anything you no longer use.

Show a clock with Windows 11's built-in features (widgets / taskbar)

You can also add a clock using Windows 11's built-in features alone, without installing anything. It is convenient, but not suited to a large, fullscreen display.

• Widgets board — open the widgets board from the taskbar icon (or Win + W) to show a simple clock alongside weather and news. It is not designed to be pinned permanently to the desktop or heavily customized.
• Show seconds on the taskbar clock — go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors to show seconds on the system-tray clock. The time is always in the corner, but it is small.

If you want something bigger, easier to read, and out of your way, you will end up back at either a dedicated app or a fullscreen browser clock. The next section covers how to make a browser clock stay on screen.

Does Windows 11 have a real "Always On Display," like a phone?

Short answer: no. Windows 11 has no built-in setting literally called "Always On Display." What people searching for "always on display windows 11" usually want is simpler: a clock or the time staying visible on screen without the PC locking or the display sleeping. You get that by combining two things that already exist on Windows — a screen that stays awake (Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen and sleep, set to "Never" while plugged in) and a clock that is actually shown, whether that is the taskbar clock, the widgets board above, or a fullscreen browser clock.

If what you want is closer to a phone's Always On Display — big digits, dimmed at night, visible even when you step away — the fullscreen browser clock covered next is the closest Windows equivalent, and it works the same way on Windows 10 as it does on Windows 11.

Four ways to make a browser clock stay always-on

The browser clock's one weakness is that it disappears when you close the browser. The flip side: if you simply leave it open, it becomes an always-on clock. Here are four practical ways to park it out of your way.

1. Go fullscreen with F11

This is the simplest. Open a clock site and press F11 for a screen-filling clock. If you have a second monitor you are not actively using, place the clock tab there and make it fullscreen so the time is always in your peripheral vision. For a setup focused specifically on turning a second monitor into a clock, see how to turn your second monitor into an aesthetic desk clock.

2. Send the window to another display

On a dual-monitor setup, you can move the clock window to the next display in one shortcut. With the window selected, press Win + Shift + Left/Right Arrow to move it to the adjacent monitor while keeping its size and state. If it does not work, check that Settings > System > Multitasking > "Snap windows" is on. Press F11 on the destination screen and the whole second monitor becomes your clock.

3. Install it as a PWA for a standalone window

If the site is a Progressive Web App (PWA) — like our Focus Clock — you can treat it like a standalone app instead of a browser tab. Desktop PWA installation is supported by Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chromebooks. Once installed, it opens in its own window with no address bar, and an icon is added to the Start menu so you can launch it with one click next time.

1. Open the clock page in Chrome or Edge.
2. Click the install icon on the right side of the address bar (or "Install as app" from the menu).
3. After installing, launch it from the Start menu icon.

Now a no-install browser clock behaves almost like a native app. Because it is a PWA, it stays lightweight and updates automatically whenever the site is updated.

4. Create a desktop shortcut for one-click launch

Even without a PWA, you can choose "More tools" > "Create shortcut" from the browser menu to put an icon on your desktop. Tick "Open as window" so it opens in its own window instead of a tab. Then send that window to your second monitor and press F11 — one click brings your clock straight up.

Bonus: pin a clock or timer always on top with PowerToys (Windows 10 and 11)

If going fullscreen feels like too much and you would rather keep a small clock or timer window pinned in a corner while you work in other apps, Microsoft's free PowerToys utility has a module built for exactly this: Always On Top. Select any window and press Win + Ctrl + T, and that window stays above every other app until you toggle it off — including a browser clock or a Pomodoro timer tab you have popped out into its own window (see the desktop-shortcut method above).

• Install PowerToys from the Microsoft Store or Microsoft Learn, then enable the "Always On Top" module in Settings.
• It works identically on Windows 10 and Windows 11 — unlike the widgets board, which is Windows 11 only.
• A thin colored border appears around the pinned window so you can tell at a glance which one is locked in place.

Show a countdown timer or stopwatch on your Windows desktop

A lot of people who want a clock on the desktop actually want a countdown on the desktop: time left in a work block, a meeting, or a workout. The method is the same as the clock, because the browser does the work.

A desktop timer in three steps (no install)

1. Open the free online timer in Edge or Chrome and set the duration with a preset, the stepper, or the keypad.
2. Press F11 for a full-screen countdown you can read across the room, or keep it in a small window and pin it with Win + Ctrl + T (PowerToys Always On Top) so it floats above your other apps.
3. Leave it running. The countdown is kept by a Web Worker, so it stays accurate even when the tab sits in the background, and it alerts with a sound and a browser notification.

If you always use the same length, the preset pages remove a step: 15 minute timer, 25 minute timer and 30 minute timer each open already set, so a desktop shortcut to one of them is effectively a one-click desktop timer.

Counting up instead of down

For elapsed time, such as how long a task really took or lap splits, use a browser stopwatch in exactly the same way. The Clock app built into Windows 11 also has a stopwatch and Focus Sessions, but its window cannot be kept above other apps on its own, so you still need PowerToys for that part.

Does any of this work on Windows 10?

Yes, and in most cases the steps are identical, because the browser is doing the work rather than Windows. The only piece that is genuinely Windows 11 only is the widgets board.

One caveat worth stating plainly: Windows 10 reached end of support on 14 October 2025, so it no longer receives security updates. A browser clock is a good reason to keep an old Windows 10 machine on the desk as a dedicated display, but treat it as a screen rather than as your working PC.

Always-on caveats: burn-in, power settings, and auto-sleep

If you are going to leave a clock on screen for hours, mind a few display-side details. To be honest, this applies whether you use a browser clock or a native app.

• Burn-in (image retention) — OLED displays can retain a faint image when the same content stays in the same place for a long time. Choose a clock whose background or digits shift slowly, or turn the screen off periodically. LCD panels (IPS, etc.) are far less prone to burn-in, but avoiding very long static displays is still safer.
• Power saving and auto-sleep — if Windows turns the display off after a set idle time, your clock goes with it. To keep it on, go to Settings > System > Power and extend the display-off time or set it to "Never." This increases power draw, so be careful on laptop battery.
• Time accuracy — when a browser tab is inactive, the browser may throttle its timers and the displayed time can drift. Our Focus Clock keeps time with a Web Worker, so it stays accurate even when the tab is in the background.

These matter precisely because you intend to leave the clock running. If you only show it on demand, there is no need to be too cautious.

Better still: turn a spare device into a desk clock

If you have an old phone, a tablet, or a spare PC lying around, you can make it a dedicated clock. That gives you a big clock that saves desk space and frees your main screen from being taken over by the time.

• On a Mac — you can use StandBy, which shows a clock while the Mac charges. See how to set up an aesthetic Mac StandBy clock.
• With an old phone or tablet — stand it on a landscape stand and use it as a desk clock. We cover this in detail in how to reuse an old iPhone or Android as a desk clock.
• Specifically on Android — beyond a browser clock, the OS itself has Always On Display options worth checking first; see our guide to the best Always-On Display apps for Android.

On any device, you can turn it into a clock just by opening a clock site and going fullscreen — that flexibility is the browser clock's real strength.

Frequently asked questions

Can I show an always-on clock on Windows for free?

Yes. Opening a clock site in your browser and pressing F11 for fullscreen needs no install and costs nothing. Many desktop clock apps on the Microsoft Store are also free.

Is there a way to show a clock without installing anything?

Yes. Open a clock page in Microsoft Edge (or Chrome), which comes with Windows, and press F11. No install or admin rights are required, which makes it easy to use even on a managed work PC.

How do I make a browser clock fullscreen?

With the clock page open, press the F11 key. On some laptops you may need Fn + F11. Press F11 again to exit fullscreen.

Can I keep the clock on screen after closing the browser?

Closing the browser hides it. To keep it always on, leave the browser open, or install a PWA-enabled clock so it launches as a standalone window. If you want it resident and auto-starting, a native desktop clock app is another option.

Can I put a timer on my Windows desktop without installing anything?

Yes. Open a browser timer, press F11 for a full-screen countdown, or pin the window above other apps with PowerToys Always On Top (Win + Ctrl + T). No install and no admin rights are needed for the timer itself.

Is there an always-on-top clock for Windows 11?

Windows has no built-in always-on-top switch for a clock. The reliable free route is PowerToys: select the clock window and press Win + Ctrl + T. It works on Windows 10 as well.