Introduction
Name the idea and create a specific reason to listen.
Private rehearsal · no talk text collected
TED Talk & TEDx Rehearsal Timer
Set the organizer-assigned slot, rehearse against an exact countdown, and compare name-free run times without uploading your idea, script, or slides.
Choose the talk slot
Current TEDx guidance describes many focused talks as 3–9 minutes and standard talks as typically under 18. Your organizer’s assigned time always wins.
18:00 target · 0:00 elapsed
18:00
Ready — use the exact slot assigned by your organizer
0:00 elapsedEstimated script: 2,160–2,700 words at 120–150 wpm
Keyboard: Space start/pause · N save run · R reset · F fullscreen
Optional rehearsal map
These are editing checkpoints, not official TED or TEDx timing signals.
Target 18:00
Opening budget
2:42State one idea and give the audience a reason to care.
Closing runway
14:24Stop adding branches and turn toward the implication.
Final landing
16:34Protect the final image, sentence, or invitation to think.
Session rehearsal log
Only duration and target are stored in this tab; the log disappears when it closes.
Complete or pause a rehearsal, then choose “Save run & reset” to compare another attempt.
Current official format scope
Usually Under 18 Minutes; Often Much Shorter
The current TEDx rules describe talks as short, carefully prepared presentations that are typically under 18 minutes. They say 3–9 minutes can be ideal for a focused idea and describe limited longer formats, up to 30 minutes, for dynamic interviews or dialogues when the format calls for it.
That is why this tool starts at 18:00 but does not treat every speaker as an 18-minute speaker. Select the exact time in your event brief. A generic web timer cannot grant a longer slot or replace the organizer’s cueing plan.
Decision guide
Choose the Brief, Not a Mythical Universal Length
A time range describes the format; it does not assign your slot. Confirm the number with the organizer before cutting a script or programming slides.
| Format described by TEDx | Current timing scope | How to use this timer |
|---|---|---|
| Focused short talk | 3–9 minutes can suit a concise idea | Choose 3, 5, 9, or the exact custom slot |
| Standard single-speaker talk | Typically under 18 minutes | Use the organizer’s slot; 18:00 is a ceiling preset |
| Dynamic interview or dialogue | May run up to 30 minutes when the format calls for it | Use Custom only when the organizer approved that format |
Outline discipline
One Idea, a Clear Middle, and a Real Ending
Official organizer guidance asks coaches to look for structure, brevity, and purpose: a clear introduction, middle, and end; a script appropriate to the assigned time; and one major point rather than several competing talks.
Read the official outline and script guide ↗Middle
Use only the story, evidence, or demonstration the idea needs.
End
Resolve the question and give the audience a final thought to carry.
Planning estimate, not a rule
Estimate the Script, Then Trust the Rehearsal
At 120–150 spoken words per minute, these ranges provide a rough first edit. Pauses, audience response, demonstrations, unfamiliar terms, and slide changes reduce the amount that fits. The exact full-speed rehearsal is the useful measurement.
3 minutes
360–450
One sharply focused idea
5 minutes
600–750
Idea, example, and landing
9 minutes
1,080–1,350
A developed short talk
12 minutes
1,440–1,800
An organizer-assigned mid-length slot
18 minutes
2,160–2,700
Traditional standard-talk ceiling
Rehearsal workflow
Three Passes That Reveal Different Problems
Record, transcribe, edit, repeat
Run the talk aloud, listen back, and remove repetition or unclear transitions. This follows the official rehearsal guidance without sending your recording or transcript to SpeechTimer.
Protect one continuous run
Do not stop when a sentence goes wrong. Note the time, recover, and learn whether the full idea still lands inside the organizer-assigned slot.
Simulate the dress rehearsal
Use the real slides, remote, stage movement, microphone plan, introduction, time cue, and exit. Rehearse the handoffs that can consume time on event day.
When a run is long
Cut a Branch; Do Not Accelerate the Whole Talk
A faster delivery often makes an idea harder to understand. Save the run, note the difference, and remove the least necessary branch before the next attempt.
- Delete repeated setup once the audience already understands the question.
- Keep the strongest example instead of giving two examples the same job.
- Shorten biography, credentials, and talk-about-the-talk language.
- Simplify slide transitions, demonstrations, and definitions that interrupt momentum.
- Protect the final implication; do not sacrifice the ending to preserve early material.
Dress-rehearsal check
Test the Stage Handoffs, Not Just the Words
Confirm where you wait, how the host introduces you, and when timing begins.
Practice the microphone setup, first breath, first sentence, and stage position.
Know how the event will cue the time limit and what you will see from the stage.
Rehearse repeatedly with the slide remote or the person advancing slides offstage.
Run demonstrations, props, video, and audience moments at their real duration.
Practice the final sentence, pause, stage exit, and handoff to the host.
Timing is only one gate
Check Claims, Rights, and the Event’s Content Rules
The current TEDx rules and content guidance cover commercial agendas, political or religious agendas, scientific claims, copyright, and third-party presentation material. A talk that fits the clock can still fail those requirements. Review claims and permissions with the organizer before the recording stage.
Direct answers
TED Talk Timer Questions
How long is a TEDx talk?
Current TEDx rules say talks are typically under 18 minutes. They also describe 3–9 minutes as a useful range for many focused ideas. The exact slot assigned by the event organizer is the time you should rehearse.
Is 18 minutes always the TEDx limit?
Eighteen minutes is the traditional ceiling for a standard talk, but the current rules describe limited longer formats for dynamic interviews or dialogues. Speakers should never infer their slot from a generic timer; the organizer’s written instruction controls.
Why does this timer offer 3, 5, 9, and 18 minutes?
They are convenient rehearsal presets inside the ranges described by current TEDx guidance. They are not mandatory formats. Use the custom slot when your organizer assigns a different length.
Are the opening and closing checkpoints official TEDx signals?
No. They are optional editing checkpoints calculated from your selected duration. TEDx does not prescribe the colored timing thresholds formerly shown on this page, so your organizer’s stage cue and timekeeping method take priority.
Can this timer advance my presentation slides?
No. It times the rehearsal only. Practice with the actual remote or with the person who will advance slides, following the setup chosen by your event team.
How many words fit in a TED-style talk?
For planning only, multiply the assigned minutes by roughly 120–150 spoken words per minute, then leave room for pauses, demonstrations, laughter, and slide changes. A timed rehearsal is more reliable than a word estimate.
Does SpeechTimer save my talk or rehearsal log?
The timer never asks for your idea, script, name, or slides. Saved run times remain only in the current browser tab and disappear when the page closes or the log is cleared.
Useful next steps
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Words to Minutes →
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Keynote Speech Timer →
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Sources and independence
Timing and rehearsal scope were reviewed against the current TEDx rules, organizer guide, content guidelines, and official speaker guide on August 23, 2026. SpeechTimer is an independent rehearsal utility, is not affiliated with or endorsed by TED Conferences, and does not use TED or TEDx logos. TED, TEDx, and related marks belong to their respective owner. Your licensed event team’s current brief remains authoritative.