# Live Countdown: Follow Your Event on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island > Turn on Live Countdown to follow the last 8 hours before an event live on your iPhone Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, with a timer and a dot grid that fills in your event's colors. - Author: [Artem Grabowski](https://countdownx.app/authors/artem-grabowski), Product Designer & iOS Developer - Published: 2026-10-31 - Canonical URL: https://countdownx.app/blog/live-countdown-lock-screen-dynamic-island - App: [Countdown X - Widget & Counter](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6757264819) The last few hours before something big are when you check the time the most. A flight, a launch, a party or a first date. Unlocking your phone and opening an app every few minutes gets old fast. Live Countdown puts the final 8 hours before an event right on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island. You see the time left, updating on its own, and a dot grid that fills in your event's colors as the moment gets closer. ## What You Need Before Getting Started To use Live Countdown, download the [Countdown X](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6757264819?pt=128028811&ct=blog_live_countdown&mt=8) app from the App Store. Live Countdown is free for all users, and you can turn it on for any upcoming event. Live Countdown uses Live Activities, so it works on iPhone. The Dynamic Island view needs an iPhone that has one; on other models you'll see Live Countdown on the Lock Screen. Live Activities must be allowed for the app in **Settings → Countdown X → Live Activities**, which is on by default. It also helps to allow notifications. Countdown X asks when you turn Live Countdown on, and uses a notification to let you know when the final 8 hours begin. ## How To Turn On Live Countdown Follow these steps to turn on Live Countdown for an event: 1. Tap + on the Events screen to create a new event, or open an existing event, tap the menu button and choose Edit. 2. Enter a name and choose the date. 3. Turn on Live Countdown. 4. Tap the checkmark to save. 5. Allow notifications if Countdown X asks. ![Countdown X New Event screen on iPhone with a Birthday event on November 1, 2026, set to all-day, and the Live Countdown toggle turned on](https://countdownx.app/_astro/countdown-x-new-event-live-countdown.DHOuCRm_.png) *The Live Countdown toggle sits under Reminder, and only shows up for events that are still ahead.* ## When Live Countdown Starts iOS keeps a Live Activity running for up to 8 hours, so Live Countdown follows the final 8 hours before your event. When the 8 hours begin, Countdown X sends you a notification with the event's name: "8 hours to go. Tap to follow the countdown live." Tap it, and Live Countdown appears on your Lock Screen. ![Countdown X notification on the iPhone Lock Screen at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 31, reading Barcelona, 8 hours to go. Tap to follow the countdown live.](https://countdownx.app/_astro/countdown-x-live-countdown-notification.CexVygnR.png) *The notification arrives when the final 8 hours begin. One tap starts Live Countdown.* You don't have to wait for the notification. If you open the app at any point during those 8 hours, Live Countdown starts on its own too. For repeating events, such as a yearly birthday, Live Countdown follows the last 8 hours before every occurrence. ## What You See on the Lock Screen On the Lock Screen, Live Countdown looks like your event card in the app: - The event name, in your event's colors. - The time left in hours and minutes, such as 1 hour, 47 minutes. - A dot grid that fills in as your event gets closer. ![Countdown X Live Countdown on the iPhone Lock Screen on Saturday, October 31, showing a Dating event with 1 hour, 47 minutes left and a dot grid](https://countdownx.app/_astro/countdown-x-live-countdown-lock-screen.BQzV_-2a.png) *Live Countdown on the Lock Screen: the time left and the dot grid update on their own, with no need to unlock your iPhone.* When the moment arrives, the card changes to "🎉 It's time!", or "🎉 Today's the day!" for an all-day event, and stays on the Lock Screen for a while. Tap the card at any time to open the event in Countdown X. If you've hidden the event title with the blurred title setting, it stays blurred in Live Countdown too. ## What You See in the Dynamic Island When you're using your iPhone, Live Countdown moves to the Dynamic Island. It shows the event name on the left and a live timer on the right, counting down to the second. ![Countdown X Live Countdown in the Dynamic Island on an iPhone Home Screen, showing a Dating event with 1:46:26 left](https://countdownx.app/_astro/countdown-x-live-countdown-dynamic-island.YKML31hQ.png) *In the Dynamic Island, Live Countdown keeps the timer in view while you use other apps.* Touch and hold the Dynamic Island to expand it. The expanded view adds a progress bar for the final 8 hours. ## How To Start or End Live Countdown Manually You can also start Live Countdown yourself during the final 8 hours, even if the toggle is off. Here's how: 1. Open the event in Countdown X. 2. Tap the menu button in the top-right corner. 3. Tap Add Widget. 4. Tap Start Live Activity. ![Countdown X event menu on iPhone for a Birthday event 3 hours away, with Add Widget expanded to show Lock Screen, Home Screen and Start Live Activity](https://countdownx.app/_astro/countdown-x-start-live-activity-menu.CggXY7zY.png) *Start Live Activity appears in the Add Widget menu once the event is less than 8 hours away.* You can also touch and hold an event on the Events screen and choose Start Live Activity there. To stop following an event, open the same menu and tap End Live Activity. Live Countdown won't start again for that occurrence. ![Countdown X event menu on iPhone for a Birthday event, with Add Widget expanded to show Lock Screen, Home Screen and End Live Activity](https://countdownx.app/_astro/countdown-x-end-live-activity-menu.Cn8vbRwk.png) *While Live Countdown is running, the same menu shows End Live Activity instead.* ## Tips for Using Live Countdown Live Countdown works best for events where the last few hours matter: a flight departure, a product launch, a deadline at 5 PM or a dinner reservation. For events set to all-day, the countdown runs to the start of that day, so the final 8 hours fall in the evening before. Keep notifications on for Countdown X. The notification at the 8-hour mark is what brings Live Countdown to your Lock Screen when you haven't opened the app that day. For longer countdowns, pair Live Countdown with a [Home Screen widget](/blog/home-screen-widgets-countdown-app) or a [Lock Screen widget](/blog/lock-screen-widgets-countdown-app). The widgets keep the days in view for weeks, and Live Countdown takes over for the final stretch. ## Troubleshooting If Live Countdown doesn't appear, check these common causes: - Live Activities are turned off: Countdown X shows a "Live Activities Are Off" alert. Tap Open Settings and turn on Live Activities, or go to **Settings → Countdown X → Live Activities**. - The event is more than 8 hours away: Start Live Activity only appears in the menu during the final 8 hours. - You didn't open the notification: Live Countdown starts when you tap the notification or open the app during the final 8 hours. - You ended it earlier: after you tap End Live Activity, Live Countdown doesn't start again for that occurrence. You can start it again from the menu. - The event is in the past: the Live Countdown toggle only shows for upcoming events. ## Need Help or Have Feedback? If you encounter any issues, have questions about Live Countdown, or want to suggest improvements, you can always reach out through the [contact page](/contact). Your feedback helps make the countdown app better for everyone.