How to add a live countdown timer to Canva

Canva can’t run a ticking clock on its own, but it can embed one. Make a countdown on count.live, paste its link into your design, and Canva shows it live — counting down every second while you present.

Step by step

  1. Create your countdown: pick the date and time, add a title, and choose colors that match your design.
  2. Click Copy link (or Use in Canva, which copies it and walks you through the rest).
  3. In Canva, paste the link straight onto your page. If Canva shows it as plain text instead, open Apps → Embeds and paste the link there.
  4. Canva turns the link into a live embedded countdown. Drag the corners to resize it.

count.live tells Canva to use the clean embed version automatically, so the countdown appears without the buttons you see on the full page.

Where the countdown is live

  • Presenting: it keeps counting while you present your slides.
  • Viewing a shared design or a published Canva website: visitors see the live countdown.
  • Downloads: exports such as PDF, PNG or video capture a still frame. The countdown is only live inside Canva or on the web.

Tips for a good-looking countdown

  • Match the countdown’s background and text colors to your slide in the builder, so it blends into the design.
  • Show only the units you need. A countdown that’s weeks away reads better as days and hours; a “starting soon” slide works best with minutes and seconds.
  • Set an end message such as “We’re starting!” and a confetti or fireworks effect for when it reaches zero.
  • Leave the time zone on your own for a local event. For an online event with people around the world, pick the host’s time zone so everyone counts down to the same moment.

Popular Canva countdowns

Teachers use them for breaks, exams and field trips; event planners for weddings, launches and conferences; and many people for holidays. Ready-made versions: Christmas, New Year, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Open one, choose Customize this countdown, and copy your own link into Canva.

Frequently asked questions

Does Canva have a built-in countdown timer?

Canva’s own timer apps are designed for running a timer during a presentation, not for counting down to a specific date. To show a live countdown to a date, embed a count.live countdown link.

Why does my countdown show as a link instead of a timer?

Use the Embeds app in Canva (Apps → Embeds) and paste the countdown link there. Canva will then show the live countdown.

Is it free, and are there ads in the countdown?

count.live is free and needs no account. Countdowns you share or embed never show ads.