# Timer Intent

Recently, I started using [KptnCook](https://www.kptncook.com/), and it’s a great cooking app with recipes changing daily.

What’s funny, it’s that it made me realize we have timer `Intent` in Android. When we go to the cooking steps screen, it’s embedded inside steps description:

![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1740738098794/caf7ce80-a5d0-4366-adbb-352b1396a703.png align="left")

After clicking “20 min”, the Clock app is opened, and the timer starts.

Creating timer `Intent` is simple! We need to use [`AlarmClock.ACTION_SET_TIMER`](https://developer.android.com/reference/android/provider/AlarmClock#ACTION_SET_TIMER) action and provide timer details:

* [`AlarmClock.EXTRA_LENGTH`](https://developer.android.com/reference/android/provider/AlarmClock#EXTRA_LENGTH) – timer’s length in seconds;
    
* [`AlarmClock.EXTRA_MESSAGE`](https://developer.android.com/reference/android/provider/AlarmClock#EXTRA_MESSAGE) – timer’s description;
    
* [`AlarmClock.EXTRA_SKIP_UI`](https://developer.android.com/reference/android/provider/AlarmClock#EXTRA_SKIP_UI) – setting this extra to `true` bypasses any confirmation UI and starts the timer automatically.
    

To recreate KptnCook’s timer behavior we need:

```kotlin
val timerIntent = Intent(AlarmClock.ACTION_SET_TIMER).apply {
    putExtra(AlarmClock.EXTRA_LENGTH, 20 * 60) // 20 minutes
    putExtra(AlarmClock.EXTRA_SKIP_UI, true) // start timer automatically
}
```

Then we call `startActivity(timerIntent)`, and that’s it.

Wait! There is one more thing… We need to add:

```xml
<uses-permission android:name="com.android.alarm.permission.SET_ALARM" />
```

to the AndroidManifest.xml.

If you would like to learn more about commonly used `Intent`s, visit [Common Intents](https://developer.android.com/guide/components/intents-common) guide.