Talking clock
Press Say the time (or the space bar) to hear the current time spoken aloud. Turn on automatic announcements and the clock speaks every 5, 10, 15, 30 or 60 minutes, which is handy for low-vision users, time awareness, or keeping track while you work.
How the talking clock works
The clock uses the speech voices built into your device and browser, so it works without an internet connection once the page has loaded, and nothing is recorded or sent anywhere. The voices you can pick depend on your system: Windows, macOS, Android and iOS each include several. For automatic announcements, keep this tab open; your browser needs one click on the page before it is allowed to play sound.
The original speaking clock
Telephone speaking clocks let people dial a number to hear the exact time. Britain's service began on 24 July 1936, and its famous phrasing, "at the third stroke, the time will be…", followed by three pips, is what the classic mode on this page imitates: it announces a moment about ten seconds ahead, and the third pip lands exactly on it.
Want to see the time instead? Use the online clock, the full screen clock, or the floating clock that stays on top of other windows.
Questions people ask
How do I make the clock say the time?
Press Say the time or the space bar. To hear it regularly, choose an interval under Speak automatically, such as every 15 minutes, and keep the tab open.
Why doesn't my talking clock make a sound?
Browsers only allow sound after you click on the page once, so press Say the time first. Also check that the tab isn't muted and your device volume is up.
Can it announce the time every hour?
Yes. Choose Every hour, on the hour, and it speaks at 1:00, 2:00 and so on, with an optional chime first.
Does the talking clock work offline?
Yes, once the page has loaded. It uses your device's own voices, so no audio is downloaded and nothing you do is recorded.
Is there still a telephone speaking clock?
Some countries still run one. In the UK, BT's speaking clock is reached by dialling 123. Many other countries have closed their services.