Tap pulse counter
Feel your pulse and tap along, once per beat. After ten taps you get your heart rate in beats per minute; stray taps and missed beats are left out automatically. Works on any phone or computer, no camera and no permissions.
Measure by feel
Find your pulse, then tap once for every beat. At least 10 taps.
Each bar is the gap between two taps; grey bars were left out of the average.
Saved on this device
How to find your pulse
The easiest spot for most people is the wrist. Turn one hand palm up and lay the index and middle fingers of your other hand just below the base of the thumb, in the groove beside the tendon. Press gently until you feel the beat. The American Heart Association also lists the inside of the elbow, either side of the neck and the top of the foot as places to feel it[1].
- Use your index and middle fingertips and press lightly[1]; pressing hard can squash the beat you are trying to feel.
- At the neck, sit or lie down first and press on one side only, never both sides at the same time[2].
- For a resting value, rest for at least 10 minutes before you measure[2].
Tapping versus counting
The traditional method is to count beats against a clock. The AHA describes counting for a full 60 seconds, or counting for 30 seconds and doubling[1][3]; MedlinePlus adds that 15 seconds times four is usually close enough[2]. The Count for a set time tab does the timing and the multiplication for you. Count the first beat you feel after pressing start as one.
Tapping gives you the same answer faster and catches slips. The page records the moment of every tap, works out the gaps between them, and takes the typical gap as the rhythm. A very short gap is almost always an accidental double tap, so it is folded back into its neighbour; a gap far longer than the rest usually means a missed beat, so it is dropped. The rate is 60 divided by the average of the remaining gaps in seconds. You need at least 10 taps, and if more than a quarter of the gaps disagree with the rest you get no number, because there is no steady rhythm left to report.
The bar strip under the result shows every gap so you can see what happened. A run of even bars means a clean measurement; scattered heights mean you lost the pulse for a moment, which happens to everyone. Press start over and tap a fresh run.
How exact is a tapped pulse?
As exact as your fingers. Human taps wobble by a few hundredths of a second, and over ten or more beats those wobbles mostly cancel out, which is why the page asks for at least ten. The bigger risk is losing the beat and tapping from memory. If the number surprises you, wait a minute and measure again, or compare with the camera reader, which works independently of your timing.
What to do with the number
A resting pulse means most when you track it the same way over days: same time, same position, after the same rest. To see where a resting reading sits among people of your age and sex, use the resting heart rate reference. To plan exercise, the heart rate zone calculator uses your resting rate to set training zones.
The AHA advises telling your health care professional if your heart rate has been beating slower or faster than usual, and calling 911 if it is suddenly very high or very low for you, especially with chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or fainting[1].
Questions people ask
Why do I need ten taps?
Fewer taps leave too few gaps to tell a real rhythm from a slip of the finger. Ten taps give nine gaps, enough to spot and drop an odd one and still average out normal tapping wobble.
Can I use the space bar?
Yes. On a computer, press the space bar once per beat anywhere on the page, or focus the big button and use Enter or Space. On a phone, tap the circle.
What if I miss a beat?
One long gap is recognised as a missed beat and left out. Several missed or extra taps in a row make the run irregular, and the page asks you to start a fresh one.
Is tapping as good as counting for 60 seconds?
Over a steady pulse they agree closely. Counting is more forgiving if you lose the pulse for a second; tapping is quicker and shows you where things went wrong.
Does the page store my taps?
Tap times stay in the page’s memory and disappear when you leave. A result is saved only if you press “Save to this device”, and then only in this browser.
Why is my pulse hard to feel?
Press more lightly or move your fingertips slightly; pressing too hard can block the pulse. Cold hands make it fainter. The side of the neck is usually easier to feel than the wrist.
Sources
- American Heart Association. All About Heart Rate (Pulse) (last reviewed May 13, 2024). heart.org. Checked 2026-10-09.
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Pulse (review date Jan 1, 2025). medlineplus.gov. Checked 2026-10-09.
- American Heart Association. Target Heart Rates Chart (last reviewed Aug 12, 2024). heart.org. Checked 2026-10-09.