https://thecountdown.app/guides/iphone-countdown-widget/

1<!doctype html><html lang="en"><head><meta charset="utf-8"><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1"><title>How to add a countdown widget on iPhone | Countdown</title><meta name="description" content="Put a birthday, trip or holiday on your Home Screen or Lock Screen with Countdown. Widgets require Premium; the app is free to download."><link rel="canonical" href="https://thecountdown.app/guides/iphone-countdown-widget/"><meta property="og:title" content="How to add a countdown widget on iPhone | Countdown"><meta property="og:description" content="Put a birthday, trip or holiday on your Home Screen or Lock Screen with Countdown. Widgets require Premium; the app is free to download."><meta property="og:url" content="https://thecountdown.app/guides/iphone-countdown-widget/"><meta property="og:type" content="website"><link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico"><link rel="stylesheet" href="/landing/explore.css">

1<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=

1G-G8EE18K1EM

1"></script>

1<script>

1window.dataLayer=window.dataLayer||[];function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments)}gtag('js',new Date());gtag('config','

1G-G8EE18K1EM

1');

1</script>

1</head><body><a class="skip" href="#main">Skip to content</a><header><a class="brand" href="/"><img src="/landing/app-icon.webp" alt="" width="32" height="32">Countdown</a><nav aria-label="Main navigation"><a href="/countdowns/">Events</a><a href="/guides/">Guides</a><a href="/app/">Web app</a></nav></header><main id="main"><article><a href="/guides/">← Countdown guides</a><p class="eyebrow">iPhone · Home Screen &amp; Lock Screen</p><h1>How to add a countdown widget on iPhone</h1><p class="lead">Put a birthday, trip or holiday on your Home Screen or Lock Screen with Countdown. Widgets require Premium; the app is free to download.</p><h2>Start with a countdown</h2><p>Open Countdown, create an event and choose its date. Give it a name you will recognize at a glance, then pick an emoji and background color. Save the event before adding the widget. You can also choose a confirmed date from the <a href="/countdowns/">event directory</a>.</p><h2>Add a Home Screen widget</h2><ol><li>Touch and hold an empty area of the Home Screen until the icons jiggle.</li><li>Open the widget gallery from Edit → Add Widget, or the + button on older iOS versions.</li><li>Search for Countdown, choose a widget size and tap Add Widget.</li><li>Place it where you want it. Touch and hold it and choose Edit Widget to review the available settings.</li></ol><p>Try a small widget for one important date or a larger size when you want more room. Exact options depend on the widget you choose.</p><img class="guide-shot" src="/landing/screens/2.webp" alt="Countdown widgets in three sizes on an iPhone Home Screen" width="540" height="1170" loading="lazy"><h2>Add a Lock Screen widget</h2><ol><li>Touch and hold your Lock Screen, then tap Customize.</li><li>Choose the Lock Screen and tap the widget area below the clock.</li><li>Choose Countdown, add a widget and tap Done.</li></ol><h2>If Countdown is missing or looks out of date</h2><p>Open the app once after installing it and confirm your event is saved. If a widget still shows the wrong event, review its settings or remove and add it again. iOS controls widget refresh timing, so a widget is not a continuously running seconds timer.</p><h2>What is free?</h2><p>You can create unlimited countdowns in the free iOS app. Home Screen, Lock Screen and StandBy widgets are Premium features. Premium is a one-time purchase rather than a subscription. The current app requires iOS 17 or later.</p><p>For a browser-only option, see the <a href="/guides/online-countdown/">online countdown guide</a>.</p><aside class="callout"><h2>Keep the date close.</h2><p>The iOS app is free to download. Widgets and other Premium features are a one-time purchase.</p><a class="button" href="https://apps.apple.com/app/id1403367428?ct=guide_iphone-countdown-widget">Get Countdown for iPhone</a> <a href="/countdowns/">Browse upcoming events</a></aside></article></main><footer><a href="/">Countdown for iPhone</a><a href="/es/" lang="es">Español</a><a href="/pt-pt/" lang="pt">Português</a><a href="https://www.findappiness.co/work/countdown-app">Support</a><a href="https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/22625953">Privacy</a><p>© 2026 Find Appiness LLC</p></footer></body></html>