Sports TimerQuestions and answers
The things people ask most. If your question is not here, send it over and it probably will be.
The app itself
Is it really free? What is the catch?
There is none. No advertisements, nothing to buy, no account, no trial. Everything that used to be a paid extra, including keeping your settings and presets when you close the app, is now simply part of the app.
Does it need an internet connection?
No, and it could not use one if it wanted to: the app does not ask for internet permission at all. Everything runs on the phone. See the privacy policy.
Which Android versions does it run on?
Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and newer. Android 4.x and 5.x are no longer supported.
Phone or tablet?
Both. The layout adapts to the screen it is on, so a phone standing on a table works perfectly well. A larger screen simply carries further: with a 10-inch tablet in landscape at the edge of the room the numbers are readable from roughly twenty meters. See for clubs and trainers.
Using it
How do I repeat a group of blocks?
Add a Laps block. It repeats everything above the red line, and the red arrows move that line to take in more or fewer blocks. A laps block can sit inside another one, so rounds of rounds work too. How to use has a worked example.
Can I make it run forever?
Yes. Tap the lower half of a lap number until it goes below one; that is an endless loop, which keeps going until you stop it.
The buttons are small and my hands are taped. Anything else?
Tap anywhere on the screen to start, or to resume when paused. Press and hold anywhere to reset. You never have to hit the small buttons at the bottom.
How do I stop a stopwatch block?
Press Skip. A stopwatch counts up to a maximum, and skip ends it and moves to the next block, which is the point of that block type: the exercise takes as long as it takes.
Sound and music
My music does not play
Three things to check, in this order:
- Is the Music button on the main screen switched on?
- Has a track or folder been chosen, under Settings → Music?
- Does the block you are in override the general music setting? A single block can, and then the general setting no longer applies to it.
Where can my music be stored?
Anywhere the Android file picker can reach: the phone itself, an SD card or a cloud drive. The app remembers where the music is rather than copying it, and Android gives it access to exactly what you picked.
Can I use my own beep sounds?
The beeps and the victory sound are chosen from the set that comes with the app, which includes whistles, gongs, horns and a few judo calls. The music, on the other hand, is entirely your own files.
Presets and settings
How do I move my workouts to another phone?
Settings → Mail / export presets & settings puts them in a
.tmr file and attaches it to an e-mail. On the other phone, tap the
attachment and Sports Timer offers to import it.
I downloaded a .tmr file but the app cannot find it
It will not, and that is on purpose. The app asks for no access to your storage, so its own file browser cannot see your Downloads folder. Open the file from outside instead: tap it in your browser's download list or in the Files app, and choose Sports Timer. That route needs no permission at all.
Will importing wipe the workouts I already have?
Only the slots the imported file uses. The import screen lists every workout in the file with a tick box and shows which preset slot it will take, so you can untick anything you want to keep. Export your own presets first if you would rather be safe.
Are my settings kept when I close the app?
Yes. That used to be the one paid feature, and it is now included for everyone.
The screen
Why does the bar with the three buttons disappear?
Sports Timer hides it so the whole screen belongs to the timer. Swipe up from the bottom edge and it comes back for a few seconds, which is also how you reach the recent-apps button.
That bar is white on my phone. Can the app not make it dark?
No. The colour of the system bars is set by the phone, not by the app; on modern Android an app is not allowed to paint them. Putting your phone in dark mode, or switching it to gesture navigation, makes it dark or removes it altogether.
The quick start page keeps appearing
It shows for the first couple of times you open the app and then stops by itself.
Does the screen stay on during a workout?
Yes. While a sequence runs the screen is kept awake, so the timer stays readable without anyone touching the phone.
Privacy
What data does the app collect?
None. It has no internet permission, no trackers and no analytics. The full story is in the privacy policy.
Why does it ask for anything at all then?
Three permissions, none of which touches personal information: setting the volume, keeping the screen awake, and working with the notification shade while running full screen. No storage, location, contacts, camera or microphone.
