How to put a countdown on your iPhone Home Screen and Lock Screen

Add a countdown widget to the Home Screen

1. Get Simple Count and add a countdown. Install Simple Count from the App Store, tap +, give the countdown a name and a date, and pick an emoji or colours. Or tell Siri: "Add a countdown in Simple Count".
2. Enter edit mode on the Home Screen. Touch and hold an empty spot on the Home Screen until the apps jiggle. On iOS 18 and later, tap Edit in the top-left corner, then Add Widget. On iOS 17, tap the + button in the top-left corner.
3. Find Simple Count. Search for "Simple Count" in the widget gallery and tap it.
4. Choose a size and add it. Swipe to pick small, medium or large, then tap Add Widget. Drag it where you want it and tap Done.
5. Choose which countdown it shows. By default the widget shows your next countdown and moves on to the following one by itself after the day has passed. To pin a specific one, touch and hold the widget, tap Edit Widget, and pick a countdown under Event.

Add a countdown to the Lock Screen

1. Touch and hold the Lock Screen until the wallpapers appear, then tap Customize and choose the Lock Screen.
2. Tap the widget area under the clock.
3. Find Simple Count and tap the round or rectangular countdown widget to add it.
4. Tap outside the widget area, then Done.

Get a live countdown in the Dynamic Island

When you edit the countdown, turn on Show countdown and set the time. In the last six hours before it starts, Simple Count shows a Live Activity on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island that counts down to the second. It starts by itself; you can turn this off in Settings.

If the widget doesn't show up

• Simple Count not in the widget gallery? Open the app once, then try again.
• The widget still shows an old countdown? Touch and hold it, tap Edit Widget and pick the countdown again. If iOS still doesn't refresh it, restarting the iPhone fixes it.
• Still stuck? In Simple Count, open Settings → How to add the widget. It plays the steps on an animated phone.