WINDOWS SETUP GUIDE
A Poker Tournament Clock on Windows, No iPhone Needed
You do not need an iPhone or a downloaded app to run a serious tournament clock. A Windows PC and a browser cover everything a home game needs, and the same PC drives the TV.
Updated · 2026-09-14
1. Windows plus a browser is a full clock
The free WTGB timer runs in any modern Windows browser such as Chrome or Edge. It edits blinds, big blinds, antes, and minutes, adds levels and breaks, and plays sound alerts, so a PC-only host has a complete tournament clock with no App Store step.
This is the PC-first path. Nothing here needs an iPhone; the phone-and-AirPlay route is one option among several, covered in /guides/poker-timer-app-vs-browser.
2. Set up and go full screen
Get the clock ready on the PC monitor before you think about the TV.
- Open / in Chrome or Edge
- Press Edit structure and set your levels, small blind, big blind, ante, and minutes
- Press Start once so the browser allows sound, then confirm the countdown and next level
- Press F11, or the timer full-screen button, so the clock fills the monitor
3. Put it on the TV with HDMI
The most reliable way to reach the TV from a Windows PC is a plain HDMI cable, because it does not use the network. Press Win+P to choose Duplicate or Extend, then full-screen the clock on the TV.
Extend keeps your PC screen free for chip counts or notes while the TV shows only the clock. The full walkthrough is in /guides/poker-timer-hdmi-extend-display, and general TV options are in /guides/how-to-show-poker-timer-on-tv.
4. Put it on the TV with Chromecast
If you would rather go wireless, cast the timer tab from Chrome to a Chromecast or Google TV. Put the PC and the receiver on the same Wi-Fi, choose Cast, then Cast tab, and select the TV.
Casting depends on the network, so keep a cable as a backup. The step-by-step is in /guides/chromecast-poker-blinds-timer.
5. Sound alerts on a PC
Browsers only play audio after you interact with the page, so press Start once and leave sound on. The timer then plays a short warning one minute before each level ends and a distinct level-change tone. Set the PC volume high enough for the room, and if you send the picture to the TV, test whether you want the sound from the PC speakers or the TV.
6. Keep it reliable
A few settings keep the clock steady all night.
- Set Windows power options so the screen does not sleep during the game
- Do not refresh or close the timer tab, since the web page is not an installable offline app
- Prefer a wired HDMI display when the Wi-Fi is unreliable
- For the reliability trade-offs, see /guides/offline-poker-blinds-timer, and to compare free tools, /guides/best-free-online-poker-blinds-timer
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Turn the guide into tournament settings
Open the related WTGB toolFAQ
Common questions
Do I need an iPhone to run a poker tournament clock?
No. A Windows PC running the free WTGB timer at / in a browser is a complete clock. The iPhone-and-AirPlay setup is just one option; see /guides/poker-timer-app-vs-browser.
How do I make the timer full screen on Windows?
Press F11 in Chrome or Edge, or use the timer full-screen button, so the clock fills the monitor. Press Escape or F11 again to exit.
How do I show the Windows clock on a TV?
Use an HDMI cable, which is most reliable, and press Win+P to duplicate or extend, or cast the Chrome tab to a Chromecast or Google TV. See /guides/poker-timer-hdmi-extend-display and /guides/chromecast-poker-blinds-timer.
Will the sound alerts work on a PC?
Yes. Press Start once so the browser allows audio and keep sound on. The timer plays a one-minute warning and a level-change tone; set the PC or TV volume loud enough for the room.
Does the Windows web timer work offline?
You need a connection to load the page, and it then runs in the browser, but it is not an installable offline app, so keep the tab open. On bad Wi-Fi, use a wired HDMI display. See /guides/offline-poker-blinds-timer.