Boring Tools

Using the tools

How a tool page is laid out, and the shortcuts, buttons and habits shared by every tool.

Every tool on Boring Tools follows the same pattern, so once you know one you know them all. There is no account, and nothing you type is sent to a server: each tool runs in your browser.

How to use it

  1. Find a tool: browse the categories on the home page, search, or open a favourite.
  2. Fill in the fields. Most tools show their answer straight away and update as you type; a few (such as the JSON formatter or the Base64 tool) wait for you to press a button.
  3. Copy or download the result, or print it if it is a printable.
  4. Use Reset in the title row to start over.

Options & controls

Finding tools

Home page categories
The home page groups every tool under a category — Calculators, Converters, Printables, Time & Scheduling, Generators, Design Tools, Text Tools and Developer Tools — some with sub-sections. Click a category to open or close it (on a phone, one category is open at a time). “View all … tools” opens a page for just that category.
Search (Ctrl+K / ⌘K)
The Search button in the header, or the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+K (⌘K on a Mac) from any page, opens a search box. Type part of a tool's name or what it does; arrow keys move through up to eight results, Enter opens the highlighted one, and Escape closes the box. Before you type anything, it lists your recent and favourite tools. On a phone, a search box at the top of the home page does the same job.
Favorites (star)
Click the star on a tool's card or beside its title to add it to Favorites. Favorites are shown at the top of the home page. Click the star again to remove it. On a phone a starred tool shows a small star badge on its icon.
Recently used
The home page also lists the last six tools you opened, most recent first.
Related tools
The bottom of each tool page suggests other tools from the same category.
Docs (book icon)
The book icon next to a tool's title opens that tool's guide — the page you are reading now is one. “Docs” in the header and footer opens the index.

The title row of a tool page

Icon and name
The tool's icon and title, with a one-line description underneath.
Privacy note
A small line next to the breadcrumb saying that the tool runs in your browser. A few tools say something more specific — for example, that an image never leaves your browser.
Guide (book icon)
Opens the documentation for the tool.
Favorite (star icon)
Adds or removes the tool from Favorites.
Reset
Puts the tool back to its starting values. In almost every tool it is in this row, beside the star. For tools that store what you typed (invoices, printables) it asks you to confirm first, because the reset cannot be undone.

Buttons you will see in many tools

Copy
Copies the result to your clipboard, and briefly says “Copied!”. It needs a browser that allows clipboard access.
Download
Saves the result as a file. The file name is shown in the tool's own guide.
Print
In the Printables tools, opens the print dialog for the sheet.
Fullscreen
In the clocks, timers, countdown and diagram tools, fills the screen with the tool. Escape, or the button at the top right, leaves it.
Assumptions & notes
In the calculators, a short reminder of what the estimate leaves out. On phones it is a small toggle so it does not push the results down; from tablet size up it is always visible.

Tips & guidelines

  • Results are estimates or utilities, not professional advice. For anything financial, medical or legal, treat a calculator's answer as a starting point.
  • Numbers are entered as plain numbers. Do not type currency symbols or thousands separators in number boxes.
  • Every tool's guide lists each field and button, the maths behind the result, and its limits.
  • Tools work offline once you have opened them: if you lose your connection, a banner says so and previously visited tools still work.

Limits

  • Search looks at tool names and descriptions only, not the contents of guides.

Saved in your browser

See “What is saved in your browser” for everything this site remembers, and how to clear it.

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