diff --git a/apps/client/src/views/timer/Timer.tsx b/apps/client/src/views/timer/Timer.tsx
index 58acc16b2..558ce1e1d 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/views/timer/Timer.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/views/timer/Timer.tsx
@@ -1,57 +1,42 @@
-import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom';
-import { AnimatePresence, motion } from 'framer-motion';
+import { AnimatePresence } from 'framer-motion';
 import {
   CustomFields,
   MessageState,
   OntimeEvent,
-  Playback,
   ProjectData,
   Settings,
   SimpleTimerState,
-  TimerPhase,
-  TimerType,
   ViewSettings,
 } from 'ontime-types';
 
 import { FitText } from '../../common/components/fit-text/FitText';
 import MultiPartProgressBar from '../../common/components/multi-part-progress-bar/MultiPartProgressBar';
-import TitleCard from '../../common/components/title-card/TitleCard';
 import ViewLogo from '../../common/components/view-logo/ViewLogo';
 import ViewParamsEditor from '../../common/components/view-params-editor/ViewParamsEditor';
 import { useWindowTitle } from '../../common/hooks/useWindowTitle';
 import { ViewExtendedTimer } from '../../common/models/TimeManager.type';
+import { cx } from '../../common/utils/styleUtils';
 import { formatTime, getDefaultFormat } from '../../common/utils/time';
 import SuperscriptTime from '../../features/viewers/common/superscript-time/SuperscriptTime';
-import {
-  getFormattedTimer,
-  getPropertyValue,
-  getTimerByType,
-  isStringBoolean,
-} from '../../features/viewers/common/viewUtils';
+import { getFormattedTimer, getPropertyValue, getTimerByType } from '../../features/viewers/common/viewUtils';
 import { useTranslation } from '../../translation/TranslationProvider';
 
-import { getTimerOptions } from './timer.options';
+import { MotionTitleCard, titleVariants } from './timer.animations';
+import { getTimerOptions, useTimerOptions } from './timer.options';
+import {
+  getEstimatedFontSize,
+  getIsPlaying,
+  getSecondaryDisplay,
+  getShowClock,
+  getShowMessage,
+  getShowModifiers,
+  getShowProgressBar,
+  getTimerColour,
+  getTotalTime,
+} from './timer.utils';
 
 import './Timer.scss';
 
-// motion
-const titleVariants = {
-  hidden: {
-    x: -2500,
-  },
-  visible: {
-    x: 0,
-    transition: {
-      duration: 1,
-    },
-  },
-  exit: {
-    x: -2500,
-  },
-};
-
-export const MotionTitleCard = motion(TitleCard);
-
 interface TimerProps {
   auxTimer: SimpleTimerState;
   customFields: CustomFields;
@@ -69,170 +54,126 @@ export default function Timer(props: TimerProps) {
   const { auxTimer, customFields, eventNow, eventNext, general, isMirrored, message, settings, time, viewSettings } =
     props;
 
+  const {
+    hideClock,
+    hideCards,
+    hideProgress,
+    hideMessage,
+    hideTimerSeconds,
+    removeLeadingZeros,
+    mainSource,
+    secondarySource,
+  } = useTimerOptions();
+
   const { getLocalizedString } = useTranslation();
-  const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
 
   useWindowTitle('Timer');
 
-  // USER OPTIONS
-  const userOptions = {
-    hideClock: false,
-    hideCards: false,
-    hideProgress: false,
-    hideMessage: false,
-    hideTimerSeconds: false,
-    hideClockSeconds: false,
-    removeLeadingZeros: true,
-  };
+  // gather modifiers
+  const showOverlay = getShowMessage(message.timer);
+  const { showEndMessage, showFinished, showWarning, showDanger } = getShowModifiers(
+    time.timerType,
+    time.countToEnd,
+    time.phase,
+    viewSettings,
+  );
+  const isPlaying = getIsPlaying(time.playback);
+  const showClock = !hideClock && getShowClock(time.timerType);
+  const showProgressBar = !hideProgress && getShowProgressBar(time.timerType);
 
-  const hideClock = searchParams.get('hideClock');
-  userOptions.hideClock = isStringBoolean(hideClock);
-
-  const hideCards = searchParams.get('hideCards');
-  userOptions.hideCards = isStringBoolean(hideCards);
-
-  const hideProgress = searchParams.get('hideProgress');
-  userOptions.hideProgress = isStringBoolean(hideProgress);
-
-  const hideMessage = searchParams.get('hideMessage');
-  userOptions.hideMessage = isStringBoolean(hideMessage);
-
-  const hideClockSeconds = searchParams.get('hideClockSeconds');
-  userOptions.hideClockSeconds = isStringBoolean(hideClockSeconds);
-  const clock = formatTime(time.clock);
-
-  const hideTimerSeconds = searchParams.get('hideTimerSeconds');
-  userOptions.hideTimerSeconds = isStringBoolean(hideTimerSeconds);
-
-  const showLeadingZeros = searchParams.get('showLeadingZeros');
-  userOptions.removeLeadingZeros = !isStringBoolean(showLeadingZeros);
-
-  const secondarySource = searchParams.get('secondary-src');
+  // gather card data
+  const mainFieldNow = getPropertyValue(eventNow, mainSource) ?? eventNow?.title ?? '';
+  const mainFieldNext = getPropertyValue(eventNext, mainSource) ?? eventNext?.title ?? '';
   const secondaryTextNow = getPropertyValue(eventNow, secondarySource);
   const secondaryTextNext = getPropertyValue(eventNext, secondarySource);
 
-  const main = searchParams.get('main');
-  const mainFieldNow = (main ? getPropertyValue(eventNow, main) : eventNow?.title) ?? '';
-  const mainFieldNext = (main ? getPropertyValue(eventNext, main) : eventNext?.title) ?? '';
-
-  const showOverlay = message.timer.text !== '' && message.timer.visible;
-  const isPlaying = time.playback !== Playback.Pause;
-
-  const timerIsTimeOfDay = time.timerType === TimerType.Clock;
-
-  const finished = time.phase === TimerPhase.Overtime;
-  const totalTime = (time.duration ?? 0) + (time.addedTime ?? 0);
-
-  const shouldShowModifiers = time.timerType === TimerType.CountDown || time.countToEnd;
-  const showEndMessage = shouldShowModifiers && finished && viewSettings.endMessage;
-  const showProgress =
-    eventNow !== null &&
-    time.timerType !== TimerType.None &&
-    time.timerType !== TimerType.Clock &&
-    time.playback !== Playback.Stop;
-  const showFinished = shouldShowModifiers && finished && (shouldShowModifiers || showEndMessage);
-  const showWarning = shouldShowModifiers && time.phase === TimerPhase.Warning;
-  const showDanger = shouldShowModifiers && time.phase === TimerPhase.Danger;
-  const showClock = time.timerType !== TimerType.Clock;
-
-  const secondaryContent = ((): string | undefined => {
-    if (message.timer.secondarySource === 'aux') {
-      return getFormattedTimer(auxTimer.current, TimerType.CountDown, getLocalizedString('common.minutes'), {
-        removeSeconds: userOptions.hideTimerSeconds,
-        removeLeadingZero: userOptions.removeLeadingZeros,
-      });
-    }
-    if (message.timer.secondarySource === 'external' && message.external) {
-      return message.external;
-    }
-    return;
-  })();
-
-  let timerColor = viewSettings.normalColor;
-  if (!timerIsTimeOfDay && showProgress && showWarning) timerColor = viewSettings.warningColor;
-  if (!timerIsTimeOfDay && showProgress && showDanger) timerColor = viewSettings.dangerColor;
-
+  // gather timer data
+  const totalTime = getTotalTime(time.duration, time.addedTime);
+  const clock = formatTime(time.clock);
   const stageTimer = getTimerByType(viewSettings.freezeEnd, time);
   const display = getFormattedTimer(stageTimer, time.timerType, getLocalizedString('common.minutes'), {
-    removeSeconds: userOptions.hideTimerSeconds,
-    removeLeadingZero: userOptions.removeLeadingZeros,
+    removeSeconds: hideTimerSeconds,
+    removeLeadingZero: removeLeadingZeros,
   });
 
-  const stageTimerCharacters = display.replace('/:/g', '').length;
+  const secondaryContent = getSecondaryDisplay(
+    message,
+    auxTimer.current,
+    getLocalizedString('common.minutes'),
+    hideTimerSeconds,
+    removeLeadingZeros,
+  );
 
-  const baseClasses = `stage-timer ${isMirrored ? 'mirror' : ''}`;
-
-  let timerFontSize = 89 / (stageTimerCharacters - 1);
-  // we need to shrink the timer if the external is going to be there
-  if (secondaryContent) {
-    timerFontSize *= 0.8;
-  }
-  const externalFontSize = timerFontSize * 0.4;
-  const timerContainerClasses = `timer-container ${message.timer.blink ? (showOverlay ? '' : 'blink') : ''}`;
-  const timerClasses = `timer ${!isPlaying ? 'timer--paused' : ''} ${showFinished ? 'timer--finished' : ''}`;
+  // gather presentation styles
+  const timerColour = getTimerColour(viewSettings, showWarning, showDanger);
+  const { timerFontSize, externalFontSize } = getEstimatedFontSize(display, Boolean(secondaryContent));
 
+  // gather option data
   const defaultFormat = getDefaultFormat(settings?.timeFormat);
   const timerOptions = getTimerOptions(defaultFormat, customFields);
-  const disableProgress = timerIsTimeOfDay || time.timerType === TimerType.None;
 
   return (
-    <div className={showFinished ? `${baseClasses} stage-timer--finished` : baseClasses} data-testid='timer-view'>
+    <div
+      className={cx(['stage-timer', isMirrored && 'mirror', showFinished && 'stage-timer--finished'])}
+      data-testid='timer-view'
+    >
       {general?.projectLogo && <ViewLogo name={general.projectLogo} className='logo' />}
 
       <ViewParamsEditor viewOptions={timerOptions} />
-      <div className={message.timer.blackout ? 'blackout blackout--active' : 'blackout'} />
-      {!userOptions.hideMessage && (
-        <div className={showOverlay ? 'message-overlay message-overlay--active' : 'message-overlay'}>
-          <FitText mode='multi' min={32} max={256} className={`message ${message.timer.blink ? 'blink' : ''}`}>
+
+      <div className={cx(['blackout', message.timer.blackout && 'blackout--active'])} />
+
+      {!hideMessage && (
+        <div className={cx(['message-overlay', showOverlay && ' message-overlay--active'])}>
+          <FitText mode='multi' min={32} max={256} className={cx(['message', message.timer.blink && 'blink'])}>
             {message.timer.text}
           </FitText>
         </div>
       )}
 
-      {!userOptions.hideClock && (
-        <div className={`clock-container ${showClock ? '' : 'clock-container--hidden'}`}>
+      {showClock && (
+        <div className='clock-container'>
           <div className='label'>{getLocalizedString('common.time_now')}</div>
           <SuperscriptTime time={clock} className='clock' />
         </div>
       )}
 
-      <div className={timerContainerClasses}>
+      <div className={cx(['timer-container', message.timer.blink && !showOverlay && 'blink'])}>
         {showEndMessage ? (
           <div className='end-message'>{viewSettings.endMessage}</div>
         ) : (
           <div
-            className={timerClasses}
+            className={cx(['timer', !isPlaying && 'timer--paused', showFinished && 'timer--finished'])}
             style={{
               fontSize: `${timerFontSize}vw`,
-              '--phase-color': timerColor,
+              '--phase-color': timerColour,
             }}
           >
             {display}
           </div>
         )}
         <div
-          className={`secondary${secondaryContent ? '' : ' secondary--hidden'}`}
+          className={cx(['secondary', !secondaryContent && 'secondary--hidden'])}
           style={{ fontSize: `${externalFontSize}vw` }}
         >
           {secondaryContent}
         </div>
       </div>
 
-      {!userOptions.hideProgress && (
+      {showProgressBar && (
         <MultiPartProgressBar
-          className={isPlaying ? 'progress-container' : 'progress-container progress-container--paused'}
-          now={disableProgress ? null : time.current}
+          className={cx(['progress-container', !isPlaying && 'progress-container--paused'])}
+          now={time.current}
           complete={totalTime}
           normalColor={viewSettings.normalColor}
           warning={eventNow?.timeWarning}
           warningColor={viewSettings.warningColor}
           danger={eventNow?.timeDanger}
           dangerColor={viewSettings.dangerColor}
-          hidden={!showProgress}
         />
       )}
 
-      {!userOptions.hideCards && (
+      {!hideCards && (
         <>
           <AnimatePresence>
             {eventNow?.title && (
@@ -253,6 +194,7 @@ export default function Timer(props: TimerProps) {
           <AnimatePresence>
             {eventNext?.title && (
               <MotionTitleCard
+                className='event next'
                 key='next'
                 variants={titleVariants}
                 initial='hidden'
@@ -261,7 +203,6 @@ export default function Timer(props: TimerProps) {
                 label='next'
                 title={mainFieldNext}
                 secondary={secondaryTextNext}
-                className='event next'
               />
             )}
           </AnimatePresence>
diff --git a/apps/client/src/views/timer/timer.animations.ts b/apps/client/src/views/timer/timer.animations.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dc12b216f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/client/src/views/timer/timer.animations.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import { motion } from 'framer-motion';
+
+import TitleCard from '../../common/components/title-card/TitleCard';
+
+export const titleVariants = {
+  hidden: {
+    x: -2500,
+  },
+  visible: {
+    x: 0,
+    transition: {
+      duration: 1,
+    },
+  },
+  exit: {
+    x: -2500,
+  },
+};
+
+export const MotionTitleCard = motion(TitleCard);
diff --git a/apps/client/src/views/timer/timer.options.ts b/apps/client/src/views/timer/timer.options.ts
index 193bcf665..2fcc39939 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/views/timer/timer.options.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/views/timer/timer.options.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-import { CustomFields } from 'ontime-types';
+import { useMemo } from 'react';
+import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { CustomFields, OntimeEvent } from 'ontime-types';
 
 import {
   getTimeOption,
@@ -7,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   showLeadingZeros,
 } from '../../common/components/view-params-editor/constants';
 import { ViewOption } from '../../common/components/view-params-editor/types';
+import { isStringBoolean } from '../../features/viewers/common/viewUtils';
 
 export const getTimerOptions = (timeFormat: string, customFields: CustomFields): ViewOption[] => {
   const mainOptions = makeOptionsFromCustomFields(customFields, { title: 'Title', note: 'Note' });
@@ -59,17 +62,58 @@ export const getTimerOptions = (timeFormat: string, customFields: CustomFields):
     },
     {
       id: 'hideMessage',
-      title: 'Hide Presenter Message',
-      description: 'Prevents the screen from displaying messages from the presenter',
+      title: 'Hide Timer Message',
+      description: 'Prevents displaying fullscreen messages in the timer',
       type: 'boolean',
       defaultValue: false,
     },
     {
       id: 'hideExternal',
-      title: 'Hide External',
-      description: 'Prevents the screen from displaying the external field',
+      title: 'Hide Auxiliary timer / External message',
+      description: 'Prevents the screen from displaying the secondary timer field',
       type: 'boolean',
       defaultValue: false,
     },
   ];
 };
+
+type TimerOptions = {
+  hideClock: boolean;
+  hideCards: boolean;
+  hideProgress: boolean;
+  hideMessage: boolean;
+  hideExternal: boolean;
+  hideTimerSeconds: boolean;
+  removeLeadingZeros: boolean;
+  mainSource: keyof OntimeEvent | null;
+  secondarySource: keyof OntimeEvent | null;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Utility extract the view options from URL Params
+ * the names and fallbacks are manually matched with timerOptions
+ */
+function getOptionsFromParams(searchParams: URLSearchParams): TimerOptions {
+  // we manually make an object that matches the key above
+  return {
+    hideClock: isStringBoolean(searchParams.get('hideClock')),
+    hideCards: isStringBoolean(searchParams.get('hideCards')),
+    hideProgress: isStringBoolean(searchParams.get('hideProgress')),
+    hideMessage: isStringBoolean(searchParams.get('hideMessage')),
+    hideExternal: isStringBoolean(searchParams.get('hideExternal')),
+    hideTimerSeconds: isStringBoolean(searchParams.get('hideTimerSeconds')),
+    removeLeadingZeros: !isStringBoolean(searchParams.get('showLeadingZeros')),
+
+    mainSource: searchParams.get('main') as keyof OntimeEvent | null,
+    secondarySource: searchParams.get('secondary-src') as keyof OntimeEvent | null,
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Hook exposes the timer view options
+ */
+export function useTimerOptions(): TimerOptions {
+  const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
+  const options = useMemo(() => getOptionsFromParams(searchParams), [searchParams]);
+  return options;
+}
diff --git a/apps/client/src/views/timer/timer.utils.ts b/apps/client/src/views/timer/timer.utils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..240a2c493
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/client/src/views/timer/timer.utils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+import { MaybeNumber, MessageState, Playback, TimerMessage, TimerPhase, TimerType, ViewSettings } from 'ontime-types';
+
+import { getFormattedTimer } from '../../features/viewers/common/viewUtils';
+
+/**
+ * Whether a message should be shown
+ */
+export function getShowMessage(message: TimerMessage): boolean {
+  return message.text !== '' && message.visible;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Whether the playback is playing
+ */
+export function getIsPlaying(playback: Playback): boolean {
+  return playback === Playback.Play || playback === Playback.Roll;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Gets the total time from the duration and added time of an event
+ */
+export function getTotalTime(duration: MaybeNumber, addedTime: MaybeNumber): number {
+  return (duration ?? 0) + (addedTime ?? 0);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Whether the progress bar should be shown for this timer type
+ */
+export function getShowProgressBar(timerType: TimerType) {
+  return timerType !== TimerType.None && timerType !== TimerType.Clock;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Whether the clock should be shown with this timer type
+ */
+export function getShowClock(timerType: TimerType) {
+  return timerType !== TimerType.Clock;
+}
+
+const fontSizeMap: { [key: number]: number } = {
+  4: 28, // 9:01
+  5: 28, // -9:01, 10:01, 9 min
+  6: 25, // -10:01, 10 min
+  8: 20, // 23:01:01
+  9: 20, // -23:01:01
+};
+
+/**
+ * Finds a font size that fits the timer in the screen
+ * Unfortunately hand tweaked
+ */
+export function getEstimatedFontSize(stageTimer: string, secondaryContent?: string) {
+  const stageTimerCharacters = stageTimer.length;
+  let timerFontSize = (100 / (stageTimerCharacters - 1)) * 1.25;
+
+  if (fontSizeMap[stageTimerCharacters]) {
+    timerFontSize = fontSizeMap[stageTimerCharacters];
+  }
+
+  let externalFontSize = timerFontSize * 0.2;
+  if (secondaryContent) {
+    // we need to shrink the timer if the external is going to be there
+    // this number has been tweaked to fit in a landscape mobile screen
+    timerFontSize *= 0.6;
+    if (secondaryContent.length > 25) {
+      externalFontSize = (100 / (secondaryContent.length - 1)) * 1.8;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return {
+    timerFontSize,
+    externalFontSize,
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * which, if any, modifier should be shown at any time
+ */
+export function getShowModifiers(
+  timerType: TimerType,
+  countToEnd: boolean,
+  phase: TimerPhase,
+  viewSettings: ViewSettings,
+) {
+  const showModifiers = timerType === TimerType.CountDown || countToEnd;
+  const finished = phase === TimerPhase.Overtime;
+  return {
+    showEndMessage: showModifiers && finished && viewSettings.endMessage,
+    showFinished: showModifiers && finished, // ????
+    showWarning: showModifiers && phase === TimerPhase.Warning,
+    showDanger: showModifiers && phase === TimerPhase.Danger,
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Which colour should the timer have at a given moment
+ */
+export function getTimerColour(viewSettings: ViewSettings, showWarning: boolean, showDanger: boolean) {
+  if (showWarning) return viewSettings.warningColor;
+  if (showDanger) return viewSettings.dangerColor;
+  return viewSettings.normalColor;
+}
+
+/**
+ * What, if anything, should be displayed in the secondary field
+ */
+export function getSecondaryDisplay(
+  message: MessageState,
+  currentAux: MaybeNumber,
+  localisedMinutes: string,
+  removeSeconds: boolean,
+  removeLeadingZero: boolean,
+  hideExternal: boolean,
+): string | undefined {
+  if (hideExternal) {
+    return;
+  }
+  if (message.timer.secondarySource === 'aux') {
+    return getFormattedTimer(currentAux, TimerType.CountDown, localisedMinutes, {
+      removeSeconds,
+      removeLeadingZero,
+    });
+  }
+  if (message.timer.secondarySource === 'external' && message.external) {
+    return message.external;
+  }
+  return;
+}