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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Add a background to your timeline
Start with something for the timer to sit on. The video uses a Color Matte in a dark blue, but you can use any video clip, photo or solid color instead. Drag it onto V1 and trim it to the length you want the countdown to run.
One click with Mako: the free Mako panel adds a color matte over the selected clips, at the playhead, on the first free track, in one click. Get Mako for free
Step 2: Drag the Countdown Timer template onto the track above
Open the Graphics Templates panel (Window > Essential Graphics in older versions of Premiere Pro) and make sure you are on the My Templates tab. Find Countdown Timer, which shows a preview with 23:59:59, and drag it onto the track above your background, for example V2.
If you cannot find it, the template probably is not installed yet. Our guide to installing MOGRT files in Premiere Pro shows how to add it. Then stretch the template on the timeline so it is as long as your background.
Step 3: Set the start time
Click the template on the timeline and open the Properties panel, which is next to the Effects panel. You can also use Effect Controls. Expand Timer, where you will see the formatting hint Use (HH:MM:SS) and a text box under Timer.
Type your start time into the box, using the hours, minutes and seconds format. In the video the timer begins at 24:10:07, and later at 01:00:00. The countdown then ticks down on its own while the clip plays.
Step 4: Choose the font, size and position
Right under the timer box you can change the font, the style (the video switches from Arial Regular to SF Pro Bold) and the Font Size. A bold font with a big size makes the numbers easy to read. Then use Timer Position to move the numbers and set Text Alignment to Left, Center or Right. Center keeps the timer in the middle of the frame.
Step 5: Hide hours and show milliseconds
Two checkboxes change how the timer reads. Tick Hide Hours When Zero so a timer that runs below one hour shows only minutes and seconds, such as 59:58. Tick Show Milliseconds to add a fast-moving digit group at the end, like 59:58.516, which adds a lot of tension to a final countdown.
Step 6: Style the numbers in Text Design
Open Text Design to change how the numbers look. Here you can set the Text Color, turn on a Stroke and pick its Stroke Color, and adjust Text Tracking to change the spacing between the digits. In the video the Stroke width is set to 19. Below that, the Glow and Shadow sections add a soft light around the numbers or a drop shadow behind them.
The Transform section lets you scale, move and fade the whole timer, so you can also place it in a corner over footage.
Tips
- Keep the contrast high. White or bright digits on a dark background are easiest to read, especially on a phone screen.
- Match the clip length to the timer. A timer that starts at 00:10 should run for ten seconds, so trim the template to match.
- Render if playback is choppy. If a red line appears above the timeline, press Enter to render it before you export.
FAQ
Can I make the countdown count up instead?
The template in the video counts down from the time you type. For a count up, use our number counting animation guide instead.
Can I put the countdown over my own footage?
Yes. Place your footage on V1 instead of a color matte and drag the template onto the track above. Use the Transform settings to move and scale it.
Why is the countdown template missing from my Graphics Templates panel?
The .mogrt file needs to be installed first. Open the Graphics Templates panel, click the install button and select the file, or follow our installation guide above.
Want a ready-made timer you can restyle in seconds? Get the Countdown Timer template, the one used in this tutorial.
