Have you ever been so busy in office work or in playing your favourite game? Using a computer, especially for the most forgetful, this situation can be almost the order of the day. So why not use the alarm clock in Windows 10 to make sure that the computer itself reminds you of your duties?
Very often users ignore the presence of a specific app for this task also calculating that, with Windows 10, the operating system alerts have been improved considerably compared to the past.
The Windows 10 alarm clock? Here’s how to make the most of it!
The alarm clock app is not new to Windows 10: it has been introduced in the Microsoft operating system since Windows 8. Since then, its functions have been greatly refined and nowadays a functional tool appears and almost perfect for those who need alerts while using their computer.
To activate the app in question, click on Start, then look for Alarms and Clock in the Search file or program field. When the app appears, click on it or press the Enter key.
How to set the alarm
The Alarms and Clock app has several options to take into account. Alarm Clock is ideal for when you want an alert to occur at a specific time on specific days. You can create a new alarm by clicking on the appropriate button in the lower right corner. Once finished, you can set different parameters such as the name, frequency, days and tone of the alert in question. To create a new alarm, once the app is open, you must:
- click on the plus + button
- use the scroll wheel to choose a time, then click on the links under each of the remaining items to configure an identifying name and any repeat interval
- click on the Save button
When the alarm goes off, you will receive a notification above the Windows taskbar. Click the Ignore to stop the sound of the alarm or Snooze to delay the alert for so many minutes. You can also use the drop-down menu to adjust the amount of referral: by default it should be set to 10 minutes.
How to set the timer
The Timer instead, is another rather interesting function. While the alarms turn off at a preset time, the timers are basically countdowns. Setting a timer can be useful, to remember that within minutes you have to go to check the water that boils or you need to withdraw the clothes hanging.
Once you have created a timer, click on the play button and the timer will perform a real countdown. Feel free to close the app once you’ve done this: Windows 10 will remember all your timers and your alarms, even if the application will be closed in the meantime.
Once the timer board is open, you can change its features by clicking on the arrow icon which goes counterclockwise. The eloquent round button with an arrow symbol in the middle can be used to start the countdown.
Other functions of alarm clocks and clock
Of course, the app also offers other different features of secondary importance but still to be taken into account. For those who travel a lot and are using a laptop, the World Clock function can be very useful, allowing you to have an eye on and without too much effort all the time zones in the world.
The app is also equipped with a stopwatch: perhaps not very useful on a PC or a laptop, but still present and fully functional.
Use Cortana
To avoid wasting time looking for the app and setting an alarm or a timer, you can use Cortana. When the virtual assistant is active, just give a voice command as set a timer for 15 minutes! or set an alarm at 17.00!: Cortana will set the alert as you ordered.
Alternatives from third parties
If you’re still using Windows 7 or if you’re not particularly comfortable with the app provided by Windows 10, there are plenty of interesting alternatives. Among the various software on the net that can give you a hand when it comes to alarms or timers, we can mention Banshee Screamer Alarm, Talking Alarm Clock and several other real app or simple browser extensions.