Can I use my own photo as a countdown widget background on iPhone?

Yes. In Countdown Widget: Any Event you can put your own photo behind any countdown, and it shows on its Home Screen widgets in every size when the Home Screen uses the Default or Dark look. Using your own photo is part of Countdown Pro.

Why doesn't my photo show in the Lock Screen widget?

iOS draws Lock Screen widgets in a single tint over your wallpaper, so a photo can’t appear inside them. Set the photo as your Lock Screen wallpaper and put the countdown widget over it.

Is the countdown widget free?

Yes. Every widget size on the Home Screen and the Lock Screen is free, with unlimited events and no ads. Of the 159 built-in backdrops, 52 are free; your own photo, the other 107 backdrops and the Pro typefaces are part of Countdown Pro.

Can each widget size show a different part of the photo?

Yes. You frame the photo separately for the countdown's page and for the small, medium and large widgets, so a face isn't cut in half in the wide one.

What if the number is hard to read on my photo?

Photo adjustments has three sliders: Opacity fades the photo, Blur softens the detail behind the digits, and Text Contrast adds a shade behind the number.

Does it work on Android?

No. Countdown is an app for iPhone and iPad.

Your own photo behind a countdown widget

Published 2026-10-18 · Updated 2026-10-18 · go ka

In Countdown Widget: Any Event you can put your own photo behind any countdown and frame it separately for the small, medium and large Home Screen widgets. Opacity, Blur and Text Contrast keep the number readable. The widgets are free; using your own photo is part of Countdown Pro. Lock Screen widgets are drawn in a single tint, so a photo can’t appear inside them; the workaround is below.

Get Countdown — every widget is free

Step by step

Install Countdown Widget: Any Event, tap Add Event (or + once you already have events) and pick a ready-made event or Blank Event. For a countdown you already have, open it and tap the pencil to edit it.
Tap Backdrop, choose Custom, then Add Photo, and pick the photo.
In Photo adjustments, switch between the Detail, Small, Medium and Large previews and drag the frame in each one until it sits right; drag its corners to make it bigger or smaller.
Move the Opacity, Blur and Text Contrast sliders until the number stands out, then tap Done.
Home Screen: touch and hold an empty area, tap Edit → Add Widget (on iOS 17, tap +), search for Countdown, pick a size and tap Add Widget.

Where the photo shows

Place	Your photo
The countdown’s own page in the app	Yes, framed in the Detail preview
Home Screen widgets	Yes, every size, each framed on its own, with the Home Screen set to the Default or Dark look
Home Screen widgets on a Tinted or Clear Home Screen	No. iOS removes widget backgrounds in those looks
Lock Screen widgets	No. iOS draws them in one tint over the wallpaper, for every app

Want the photo on the Lock Screen too?

Use the photo as the wallpaper and put the number on top of it:

Touch and hold the Lock Screen, tap +, choose Photos and pick the photo.
Tap Add Widgets under the clock, choose Countdown and close the widget panel.
Tap Add, then Set as Wallpaper Pair.

More on both screens, and what to do if a widget looks stuck, is in how to put a countdown on your iPhone Lock Screen.

Photos that work well

A trip. Last year’s beach behind this year’s vacation countdown.
The two of you. Behind the next visit, on a countdown you share with your partner.
The birthday person. Behind a birthday countdown that repeats every year.

Rather not use a photo? The 52 free backdrops include drawn scenes and patterns, and they work in every widget the same way.