Countdown Timer
Count down to any date and time, live — birthdays, launches, deadlines. Updates every second.
Reviewed by the CalcCafe editorial team · Last updated 1 July 2026 · How we test our tools
How it works
Each second the tool compares your target date to the current time and renders the remaining (or elapsed) duration in words.
Everything is computed locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Does it keep counting?
Yes — the countdown updates every second while the page is open. After the target passes it counts up, showing how long ago it was.
People also ask
How do I put a countdown clock on my phone?
The simplest way is to open this countdown timer in your phone's browser, set the target date, and add the page to your home screen (Share, then Add to Home Screen on iPhone; the browser menu, then Add to Home screen on Android). Tapping the icon reopens the countdown, and because the remaining time is recomputed from the target date each second, it stays correct even after the phone was locked or the tab was closed. No app install or account is needed.
Is there a free countdown widget?
Yes, this countdown timer is free and runs entirely in your browser with no sign-up, and nothing is uploaded. It is a web page rather than a native home-screen widget, but you can keep the tab open or add the page to your phone's home screen and it behaves much like one, updating every second. If you specifically need a lock-screen or home-screen widget, that requires an app built for your phone's operating system.
Does Google have a countdown timer?
Searching Google for "timer" or "set a timer for 10 minutes" shows a simple built-in timer and stopwatch, but it counts down a fixed duration of hours, minutes, and seconds, not to a specific calendar date. If you want to count down to a birthday, launch, or deadline weeks or months away, you need a date-based countdown like this one, which shows the remaining days, hours, minutes, and seconds.
Where can I find a free countdown timer?
Right here: enter any future date and time and the page counts down to it live, updating every second. It works on desktop and mobile, costs nothing, and the calculation happens locally in your browser, so nothing is sent to a server. If the date has already passed, it shows the elapsed time instead.
Related tools
Sources & references
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