Random interval

With Random Minute, Tab Scheduler waits a random number of minutes before it opens or closes a website. You set the shortest and the longest wait, and a new wait is picked after every run. It suits anything that works better without a fixed rhythm, such as surprise quiz practice, varied break reminders or checking a page at uneven times.

How a random interval works

You enter two numbers, Random from (minutes) and Random to (minutes). For a schedule that opens a website, the first wait starts when you save. When the wait ends, the website opens, and Tab Scheduler picks a fresh wait from the same range for the next run. With a range of 20 to 40, one run might come after 23 minutes and the next after 38 minutes.

The wait is always a whole number of minutes, and both ends of your range can be picked. For a schedule that closes tabs, each matching tab gets its own random wait when it opens, and it closes when that wait runs out.

If you restart the browser, a new random wait starts when the browser opens again.

How to set up a random interval

1. Click the Tab Scheduler icon in your browser toolbar and choose Settings.
2. Enter the address in Website Link and, if you like, a Title.
3. In Select Frequency, choose Random Minute.
4. In Schedule Type, choose Open a website, Close matching tabs or Open, then close.
5. Enter the shortest wait in Random from (minutes) and the longest in Random to (minutes). For Open, then close, fill in a range on both the open side and the close side.
6. Add any extras in More options, such as Just remind me (don't open the tab).
7. Click Save Schedule.

Tab Scheduler checks your range when you save. If a field is empty, you see Enter both 'from' and 'to' minutes for the random interval. The second number must be larger than the first, and both must be at least 1. Otherwise you see 'To' must be greater than 'from', and both must be at least 1 minute.

When to use a random interval

• Quiz practice. Open a flashcard site such as quiz.example.com with a range of 20 to 45 minutes. You never know exactly when the next round comes, which keeps you alert.
• Stretch breaks. Use a range of 30 to 60 minutes for a stretching video and tick Just remind me (don't open the tab). You get a notification with Open now and Skip instead of a tab popping up in the middle of your work.
• Shorter visits. Choose Close matching tabs for reddit.com with a range of 10 to 25 minutes. Each tab of that site closes after a random wait in that range.

Good to know about a random interval

• The shortest possible wait is 1 minute, and the two numbers cannot be the same. For a fixed number of minutes, use Custom Minute instead.
• The Scheduled Tab List shows your range rather than an exact next run time.
• Warn me 60 seconds before closing and Run on browser start if missed at scheduled time are made for fixed times, so they do not apply to random waits.
• Your computer must be awake and the browser must be running for a run to happen. Turn on Power Mode to stop the computer from going to sleep.
• The free plan includes up to 5 schedules. Premium allows unlimited schedules.