diff --git a/demos/events.c b/demos/events.c
index 145c041..99415ec 100644
--- a/demos/events.c
+++ b/demos/events.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ static void mouse_button_press(float x, float y, int button, int modifiers, void
 	printf("mouse button press: {%f, %f} (modifiers: %X)\n", x, y, modifiers);
 	struct demo *demo = user_data;
 	if (demo->timer) {
-		gral_window_delete_timer(demo->window, demo->timer);
+		gral_timer_delete(demo->timer);
 		demo->timer = 0;
 	}
 }
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ static void create_window(void *user_data) {
 		&focus_leave
 	};
 	demo->window = gral_window_create(demo->application, 600, 400, "gral events demo", &interface, demo);
-	demo->timer = gral_window_create_timer(demo->window, 1000, &timer, demo);
+	demo->timer = gral_timer_create(1000, &timer, demo);
 }
 
 static void open_empty(void *user_data) {
diff --git a/gral.h b/gral.h
index f440589..06dc24a 100644
--- a/gral.h
+++ b/gral.h
@@ -161,6 +161,9 @@ struct gral_timer *gral_window_create_timer(struct gral_window *window, int mill
 void gral_window_delete_timer(struct gral_window *window, struct gral_timer *timer);
 void gral_window_run_on_main_thread(struct gral_window *window, void (*callback)(void *user_data), void *user_data);
 
+struct gral_timer *gral_timer_create(int milliseconds, void (*callback)(void *user_data), void *user_data);
+void gral_timer_delete(struct gral_timer *timer);
+
 
 /*=========
     FILE
diff --git a/gral_linux.c b/gral_linux.c
index da9881a..57372b5 100644
--- a/gral_linux.c
+++ b/gral_linux.c
@@ -638,29 +638,12 @@ void gral_window_clipboard_paste(struct gral_window *window, void (*callback)(ch
 	gtk_clipboard_request_text(clipboard, paste_callback, callback_data);
 }
 
-typedef struct {
-	void (*callback)(void *user_data);
-	void *user_data;
-} TimerCallbackData;
-static gboolean timer_callback(gpointer user_data) {
-	TimerCallbackData *callback_data = user_data;
-	callback_data->callback(callback_data->user_data);
-	return G_SOURCE_CONTINUE;
-}
-static void timer_destroy(gpointer user_data) {
-	TimerCallbackData *callback_data = user_data;
-	g_slice_free(TimerCallbackData, callback_data);
-}
-
 struct gral_timer *gral_window_create_timer(struct gral_window *window, int milliseconds, void (*callback)(void *user_data), void *user_data) {
-	TimerCallbackData *callback_data = g_slice_new(TimerCallbackData);
-	callback_data->callback = callback;
-	callback_data->user_data = user_data;
-	return (struct gral_timer *)(intptr_t)g_timeout_add_full(G_PRIORITY_DEFAULT, milliseconds, timer_callback, callback_data, timer_destroy);
+	return gral_timer_create(milliseconds, callback, user_data);
 }
 
 void gral_window_delete_timer(struct gral_window *window, struct gral_timer *timer) {
-	g_source_remove((guint)(intptr_t)timer);
+	gral_timer_delete(timer);
 }
 
 typedef struct {
@@ -682,6 +665,31 @@ void gral_window_run_on_main_thread(struct gral_window *window, void (*callback)
 	gdk_threads_add_idle_full(G_PRIORITY_DEFAULT_IDLE, idle_callback, callback_data, idle_destroy);
 }
 
+typedef struct {
+	void (*callback)(void *user_data);
+	void *user_data;
+} TimerCallbackData;
+static gboolean timer_callback(gpointer user_data) {
+	TimerCallbackData *callback_data = user_data;
+	callback_data->callback(callback_data->user_data);
+	return G_SOURCE_CONTINUE;
+}
+static void timer_destroy(gpointer user_data) {
+	TimerCallbackData *callback_data = user_data;
+	g_slice_free(TimerCallbackData, callback_data);
+}
+
+struct gral_timer *gral_timer_create(int milliseconds, void (*callback)(void *user_data), void *user_data) {
+	TimerCallbackData *callback_data = g_slice_new(TimerCallbackData);
+	callback_data->callback = callback;
+	callback_data->user_data = user_data;
+	return (struct gral_timer *)(intptr_t)g_timeout_add_full(G_PRIORITY_DEFAULT, milliseconds, timer_callback, callback_data, timer_destroy);
+}
+
+void gral_timer_delete(struct gral_timer *timer) {
+	g_source_remove((guint)(intptr_t)timer);
+}
+
 
 /*=========
     FILE
diff --git a/gral_macos.m b/gral_macos.m
index ab4221f..ee0f37b 100644
--- a/gral_macos.m
+++ b/gral_macos.m
@@ -679,16 +679,11 @@ - (void)invoke:(NSTimer *)timer {
 }
 @end
 struct gral_timer *gral_window_create_timer(struct gral_window *window, int milliseconds, void (*callback)(void *user_data), void *user_data) {
-	TimerCallbackObject *callback_object = [[TimerCallbackObject alloc] init];
-	callback_object->callback = callback;
-	callback_object->user_data = user_data;
-	NSTimer *timer = [NSTimer scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval:milliseconds/1000.0 target:callback_object selector:@selector(invoke:) userInfo:nil repeats:YES];
-	[callback_object release];
-	return (struct gral_timer *)timer;
+	return gral_timer_create(milliseconds, callback, user_data);
 }
 
 void gral_window_delete_timer(struct gral_window *window, struct gral_timer *timer) {
-	[(NSTimer *)timer invalidate];
+	gral_timer_delete(timer);
 }
 
 @interface MainThreadCallbackObject: NSObject {
@@ -710,6 +705,19 @@ void gral_window_run_on_main_thread(struct gral_window *window, void (*callback)
 	[callback_object release];
 }
 
+struct gral_timer *gral_timer_create(int milliseconds, void (*callback)(void *user_data), void *user_data) {
+	TimerCallbackObject *callback_object = [[TimerCallbackObject alloc] init];
+	callback_object->callback = callback;
+	callback_object->user_data = user_data;
+	NSTimer *timer = [NSTimer scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval:milliseconds/1000.0 target:callback_object selector:@selector(invoke:) userInfo:nil repeats:YES];
+	[callback_object release];
+	return (struct gral_timer *)timer;
+}
+
+void gral_timer_delete(struct gral_timer *timer) {
+	[(NSTimer *)timer invalidate];
+}
+
 
 /*=========
     FILE
diff --git a/gral_windows.cpp b/gral_windows.cpp
index d0e4c9e..0c0cef9 100644
--- a/gral_windows.cpp
+++ b/gral_windows.cpp
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ struct WindowData {
 struct gral_timer {
 	void (*callback)(void *user_data);
 	void *user_data;
+	HANDLE timer;
 };
 
 
@@ -458,12 +459,6 @@ LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hwnd, UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam) {
 	case WM_KILLFOCUS:
 		window_data->iface.focus_leave(window_data->user_data);
 		return 0;
-	case WM_TIMER:
-		{
-			gral_timer *timer = (gral_timer *)wParam;
-			timer->callback(timer->user_data);
-			return 0;
-		}
 	case WM_SIZE:
 		{
 			WORD width = LOWORD(lParam);
@@ -1065,22 +1060,39 @@ void gral_window_clipboard_paste(gral_window *window, void (*callback)(char cons
 }
 
 gral_timer *gral_window_create_timer(gral_window *window, int milliseconds, void (*callback)(void *user_data), void *user_data) {
-	gral_timer *timer = new gral_timer();
-	timer->callback = callback;
-	timer->user_data = user_data;
-	SetTimer((HWND)window, (UINT_PTR)timer, milliseconds, NULL);
-	return timer;
+	return gral_timer_create(milliseconds, callback, user_data);
 }
 
 void gral_window_delete_timer(gral_window *window, gral_timer *timer) {
-	KillTimer((HWND)window, (UINT_PTR)timer);
-	delete timer;
+	gral_timer_delete(timer);
 }
 
 void gral_window_run_on_main_thread(struct gral_window *window, void (*callback)(void *user_data), void *user_data) {
 	PostMessage((HWND)window, WM_USER, (WPARAM)callback, (LPARAM)user_data);
 }
 
+static void CALLBACK timer_completion_routine(LPVOID lpArgToCompletionRoutine, DWORD dwTimerLowValue, DWORD dwTimerHighValue) {
+	gral_timer *timer = (gral_timer *)lpArgToCompletionRoutine;
+	timer->callback(timer->user_data);
+}
+
+gral_timer *gral_timer_create(int milliseconds, void (*callback)(void *user_data), void *user_data) {
+	gral_timer *timer = new gral_timer();
+	timer->callback = callback;
+	timer->user_data = user_data;
+	timer->timer = CreateWaitableTimer(NULL, FALSE, NULL);
+	LARGE_INTEGER due_time;
+	due_time.QuadPart = (LONGLONG)milliseconds * -10000;
+	SetWaitableTimer(timer->timer, &due_time, milliseconds, &timer_completion_routine, timer, FALSE);
+	return timer;
+}
+
+void gral_timer_delete(gral_timer *timer) {
+	CancelWaitableTimer(timer->timer);
+	CloseHandle(timer->timer);
+	delete timer;
+}
+
 
 /*=========
     FILE
@@ -1206,7 +1218,7 @@ struct gral_directory_watcher {
 	}
 	void watch() {
 		const DWORD notify_filter = FILE_NOTIFY_CHANGE_FILE_NAME | FILE_NOTIFY_CHANGE_DIR_NAME | FILE_NOTIFY_CHANGE_ATTRIBUTES | FILE_NOTIFY_CHANGE_SIZE | FILE_NOTIFY_CHANGE_LAST_WRITE | FILE_NOTIFY_CHANGE_LAST_ACCESS | FILE_NOTIFY_CHANGE_CREATION | FILE_NOTIFY_CHANGE_SECURITY;
-		ReadDirectoryChangesW(directory, buffer, sizeof(buffer), FALSE, notify_filter, NULL, &overlapped, completion_routine);
+		ReadDirectoryChangesW(directory, buffer, sizeof(buffer), FALSE, notify_filter, NULL, &overlapped, &completion_routine);
 	}
 	void cancel() {
 		CancelIoEx(directory, &overlapped);