App comparison
Countdown Widget on iPhone: Count Down to Christmas and New Year
iOS has no built-in countdown widget. Compare countdown apps for the Home Screen and Lock Screen, or use a Calendar event, and set up a repeating holiday countdown.
iOS does not include a countdown widget, so to see “days until Christmas” or the New Year on your Home Screen or Lock Screen you need a countdown app. Without one, the nearest built-in option is a Calendar event, which shows up in the Calendar widget but not as a number of days left.
Without an app: use a Calendar event
Add the date to the Calendar app as an all-day event, then add the Calendar widget. Apple’s widget support article ↗ lists upcoming calendar events among the widgets you can put on the Lock Screen, and the same app offers Home Screen sizes in the gallery. Once the date gets close, the event appears as your next item. It won’t count the days for you, but it costs nothing and needs no extra app.
Countdown apps compared
These apps are free to download, and each sells extra features. What their App Store listings say about widgets:
| App | Widgets | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Countdown ↗ | Circular and inline Lock Screen widgets; Home Screen and rectangular Lock Screen widgets with Premium | Suggests holidays for your country in one tap |
| Countdown Star ↗ | Small, medium and large Home Screen widgets | Repeating events move to next year automatically |
| Countdown Buddy ↗ | Home Screen and Lock Screen, small or medium | Styles with your own photos and fonts |
| Widgetsmith ↗ | Countdown is one of many widget types | Useful if you already style your other widgets with it |
Check each listing for its current in-app purchases before you choose, since features move between free and paid versions.
Set up a holiday countdown
- Create the event in the app, with the date and, for New Year’s Eve, the time you care about.
- If the app offers it, make the event repeat every year so the widget rolls over to next December by itself.
- Touch and hold the Home Screen, tap Edit, then Add Widget, and pick the app, following Apple’s iOS 27 widget steps ↗. Touch and hold the new widget and tap Edit Widget to choose the event.
- For the Lock Screen, touch and hold it, tap Customize, then add the app’s widget, as in Apple’s Lock Screen guide ↗.
A small widget showing only the number of days is easiest to read. Keep the full date and event name for a medium widget or the rectangular Lock Screen slot.
Make it part of a holiday Home Screen
A countdown sits well next to a festive wallpaper and tinted icons. Our Christmas iPhone Home Screen ideas show four looks built with iOS settings, and the Lock Screen widgets guide explains which shapes fit there. When January comes, follow our steps to remove widgets you no longer need.
Frequently asked questions
Does iPhone have a built-in countdown widget?
No. The closest built-in option is a Calendar event, which appears in the Calendar widget as your next event but does not show the days left.
Can I add a countdown to the iPhone Lock Screen?
Yes, with an app that offers Lock Screen widgets, such as Countdown or Countdown Buddy. Touch and hold the Lock Screen, tap Customize and add the app’s widget.
Are countdown widget apps free?
The apps compared here are free to download and sell extra features. Check each App Store listing for what the free version includes.
Will my Christmas countdown reset for next year?
Only if the app supports repeating events and you turn that on. Otherwise, edit the date or remove the widget in January.