Birthday countdown

A live countdown to someone's birthday that you can share as a link. Pick the date, the time it starts, and their timezone. Nothing is stored and nobody needs an account.

How to use it

  1. Enter the birthday date. Add the name if you want it on the countdown.
  2. Leave the time at midnight, or set it to when the celebration actually begins.
  3. Pick their timezone. This is the step that matters if you are apart: a birthday in Mumbai starts nine and a half hours before the same date in London.
  4. Create the countdown and copy the link. Send it to the birthday person, the family group, or keep it for yourself as a reminder.

Three ways people use it

  • Building anticipation. Send the link a week or two early with “something is happening when this hits zero.” Then make sure something does.
  • Coordinating a long-distance birthday. Everyone in the family chat opens the same link and sees the same moment approaching, whatever timezone they are in. The long-distance birthday guide has fourteen more ideas to go with it.
  • Counting down to your own birthday. Nobody is judging. Pin the link and watch the number drop.

Pair it with the card

The countdown tells them the moment is coming. The interactive birthday card is what arrives when it does. A card can have its own countdown built in: set the event date and timezone when you create it and the card stays locked, showing a timer, until midnight their time, then reveals a 3D cake they blow out using their phone. Use this page for the shared, public countdown and the card for the personal one. Cards for an anniversary or any other occasion can have the same countdown built in.

Common questions

Where is the countdown stored?

Nowhere. The date, time, timezone and name are encoded in the link itself, so anyone who opens the link sees the same countdown and nothing is saved on a server. Keep the link and the countdown keeps working.

What if the birthday person is in a different timezone?

Set the timezone to theirs. The countdown ends at midnight, or the time you choose, where they are. Everyone who opens the link sees the remaining time correctly from wherever they are.

Can I count down to something other than a birthday?

Yes. Leave the name blank and it counts down to whatever date and time you enter: a wedding, a flight home, the end of exams. The page is built for birthdays, but the timer does not mind.

Does the other person need an account or an app?

No. The link opens in any browser on any phone or computer. There is nothing to install and no sign-up for either of you.