Their inbox requests the countdown image just like any other picture in the message.
2
Timerbeam renders it in that instant
The real time left is calculated the moment the image is requested.
3
It counts down once, then holds
The animation ticks down to the real remaining time and stops; it never loops.
4
Opened again tomorrow? Still correct
The same image address shows a smaller number, or your expired message once the deadline has passed.
Adding it to Mailchimp
1
Copy your embed URL
Build your countdown in Timerbeam and copy its embed image URL.
2
Add an Image content block
Drag Mailchimp's Image content block into your campaign or automation email.
3
Link it, don't upload it
Point the block at your embed URL rather than choosing a file from Content Studio — an uploaded file would freeze the countdown at whatever moment you uploaded it.
4
Reuse across a series (optional)
Reuse the same embed URL across every email in an automation series, so a multi-part sequence counts down to one shared deadline.
Evergreen timers in Mailchimp
An evergreen timer gives every recipient their own countdown — 48 hours from their first open, say — instead of one shared deadline. Your email platform names the recipient in the image link with a merge tag; “Use in email” gives you the link with a placeholder to swap for it. On the Pro plan and up.
From each recipient’s first open
…/s/your-timer.gif?r=*|UNIQID|*
The contact's unique ID.
From a date
…/s/your-timer.gif?start=*|DATE:Y-m-d|*
The send date, as YYYY-MM-DD. (*|OPTIN_DATE|* follows your account’s date format, which may be day-first — for a signup date, keep it in a text field as YYYY-MM-DD.)
Dates are read as YYYY-MM-DD, a full date-time or a unix timestamp. Left unfilled, every open simply shows the full duration — never a false “expired” — and your dashboard tells you it’s happening. If an image block won’t fill merge tags in its address, paste the HTML from “Use in email” into an HTML block instead.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the same countdown across a multi-email Mailchimp automation?
Yes — reuse the same embed URL in every email in the sequence, and each one will count down to the same shared deadline, however many emails apart they’re opened.
Does an email countdown timer work in every inbox?
Yes — it is an image, not a script, so it renders in Gmail, Apple Mail, Outlook and Yahoo without any special support from the email client.
Is the countdown accurate for recipients in different time zones?
Yes. The deadline is one fixed moment in time, and the image is generated the instant someone opens it, so everyone sees the real time left until that same moment, wherever they are.
Can I change the deadline after I've already sent the campaign?
Yes, if you save the timer instead of using a one-off link — its deadline, theme or expired message can be updated any time, and every inbox picks up the change on its next open.
Can each recipient get their own countdown?
Yes — an evergreen timer runs for a set time per recipient, from their first open or from a date your email platform fills into the link (a signup date, say), instead of to one shared deadline. It’s on the Pro plan and up.
Is there a free email countdown timer option?
Yes — the free plan includes saved timers plus unlimited one-off timers, with no credit card required to start.