Add a countdown to your phone like a widget
A simple, step-by-step guide to saving any timer.ad countdown to your iPhone or Android home screen so it opens like an app.
You can turn any countdown into something that looks and feels like an app icon on your phone — no App Store, no account, no download. It takes about 20 seconds and works on any modern phone. The technical name for this is a “PWA” (Progressive Web App), but you don't need to know that. Just think of it as adding a shortcut that opens your timer instantly, full-screen.
Step 1 — Open your timer link on your phone
Open your countdown in your phone's web browser (Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android). Make sure you're on the timer page itself — the one that shows the big numbers ticking down.
On iPhone (Safari)
Tap the Share button at the bottom of the screen — it looks like a square with an arrow pointing up. Scroll down in the menu that appears and tap “Add to Home Screen”. Give it a short name (like “Launch day” or “Trip”) and tap “Add” in the top right. A new icon appears on your home screen.
On Android (Chrome)
Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top right corner. Tap “Add to Home screen” or, if you see it, “Install app”. Confirm the name and tap “Add”. The icon will appear on your home screen, just like any other app.
Step 2 — Tap the icon any time
From now on, tapping that icon opens your countdown straight into full-screen, with no browser bars in the way. It looks and behaves like a real app. The countdown is calculated right on your phone, so it stays accurate even if your connection is slow.
Removing it later
It's just an icon. Long-press it on your home screen and choose “Remove” (iPhone) or “Uninstall” / “Remove” (Android). Nothing else gets installed on your phone, and there's nothing to clean up.
Tip — share the link, not the icon
If you want a friend or family member to have the same widget, send them the timer link. They can add it to their own home screen the same way, and you'll both see the exact same countdown.