Prerequisites
Before you start adding a countdown timer to your Klaviyo email, make sure you have:
- A SnapTimers account
Free tier works perfectly for this tutorial. Create your free account here.
- Access to Klaviyo email editor
Works with any Klaviyo plan including the free tier.
- An email campaign or flow to edit
You can add timers to any Klaviyo email - campaigns, flows, or templates.
Create Your Countdown Timer
First, create and customize your countdown timer in SnapTimers. This is where you'll design exactly how your timer looks in your Klaviyo emails.
Go to the SnapTimers Timer Editor and sign in to your account (or create a free one).
Set your target date and time - this is when your sale ends, event starts, or offer expires.
Customize the design - choose colors, fonts, and spacing that match your Klaviyo email template and brand.
Set expiration behavior - decide what happens when the timer hits zero (show zeros, hide timer, or display a custom message).
Pro Tip for Klaviyo Users
Use the "Balanced" or "Retina" quality setting for the best results. Klaviyo emails look great with high-quality timers, and these settings ensure your countdown is crisp on both desktop and mobile.
Export Your Timer URL
Once you're happy with your timer design, export it to get the URL you'll paste into Klaviyo.
Click "Update Timer" or "Create Timer" in the top right corner of the SnapTimers editor.
In the Export modal, you'll see a Preview of your timer. Verify it looks correct, then click "Looks Good, Continue".
Preview your timer before exporting
On the Format step, select "Timer URL Only". This is the best option for Klaviyo because it gives you full control over sizing in the email editor.
Select "Timer URL Only" - this works best with Klaviyo's Dynamic Image feature
Click "Continue" to get your timer URL.
On the final Export step, click the "Copy URL" button to copy your timer URL to the clipboard.
Click "Copy URL" to copy your timer URL
Keep This URL Handy
You'll paste this URL into Klaviyo in the next step. The URL ends with .gif - that's how Klaviyo knows it's an animated image.
Add an Image Block in Klaviyo
Now switch to Klaviyo. Open your email and add an image block where you want the countdown timer to appear.
Open your Klaviyo email campaign or flow email in the drag-and-drop editor.
In the left sidebar under Blocks, find the Image block.
Drag and drop the Image block into your email exactly where you want the countdown timer to appear.
Find the Image block in Klaviyo's Blocks panel
Click on the image block you just added. The Image settings panel will appear on the left side of the screen.
The Image settings panel with "Select image" button
Insert Timer Using Dynamic Image
This is the key step! Instead of uploading a static image, you'll use Klaviyo's Dynamic Image feature to insert your live countdown timer.
In the Image settings panel, click the "Select image" button.
A modal will appear with several tabs. Click on the "Dynamic image" tab (not "Import URL" or "Upload image").
In the "Dynamic variable or dynamic URL" field, paste the timer URL you copied from SnapTimers.
Paste your SnapTimers URL in the Dynamic image field
Click the "Save" button to apply the dynamic image to your email.
Why Dynamic Image Instead of Regular Upload?
Dynamic Image tells Klaviyo to fetch the image fresh from the URL each time someone opens the email. This is what makes your countdown timer show the current time remaining - not a static snapshot from when you created the email.
Preview and Test Your Klaviyo Email
Your countdown timer should now appear in your email. Let's verify it's working correctly before sending.
Your timer should now be visible in the Klaviyo editor preview. You'll see a live countdown showing days, hours, minutes, and seconds.
Your countdown timer is now live in your Klaviyo email!
Click "Preview & test" in the top right corner of the Klaviyo editor.
Send a test email to yourself to see exactly how the timer looks in Gmail, Apple Mail, or your email client.
Check the timer on both desktop and mobile to ensure it displays correctly on all devices.
The Timer Updates in Real-Time
Every time someone opens your email, the timer is fetched fresh. If you reopen your test email a few minutes later, you'll see the countdown has updated - that's exactly how it works for your subscribers too!
Bonus: Using Evergreen Timers in Klaviyo Flows
Evergreen timers are perfect for Klaviyo automated flows like welcome series, abandoned cart emails, or win-back campaigns. Instead of counting down to a fixed date, they start counting from when each individual subscriber first opens the email.
How to Set Up Evergreen Timers for Klaviyo Flows:
When creating your timer in SnapTimers, select "Evergreen" as the timer type.
Set your duration (e.g., 24 hours, 48 hours, or 72 hours).
When you click Export, select "Klaviyo" as your email provider, then choose "Timer URL Only" format.
Copy the Timer URL provided.
In Klaviyo, add an Image block, click "Select image", go to the "Dynamic image" tab, and paste your URL.
SnapTimers automatically adds the Klaviyo personalization tag ({{ person.KlaviyoID }}) to your URL.
Each subscriber gets their own unique timer countdown that persists across devices and email opens.
Best Use Cases for Evergreen Timers in Klaviyo:
- Abandoned cart flows - "Complete your order in the next 24 hours for free shipping"
- Welcome series - "Your exclusive 20% off expires in 48 hours"
- Browse abandonment - "Your item is waiting - offer ends soon"
- Win-back campaigns - "Come back! Special offer expires in 72 hours"
Troubleshooting Common Klaviyo Timer Issues
Evergreen timer restarting on each email open?
This happens when the personalization tag isn't being processed. Solution: Make sure you're using the "Dynamic image" tab (not "Import URL") and that your URL includes the {{ person.KlaviyoID }} tag. Also ensure you have a paid SnapTimers plan for smart evergreen functionality.
Timer not showing in Klaviyo preview?
Use the "Dynamic image" tab in Klaviyo's image selector (not "Import URL"). Also verify your URL ends with .gif.
Timer looks blurry or pixelated?
Go back to SnapTimers and regenerate your timer with a higher quality setting (Balanced or Retina). Then copy the new URL and update it in Klaviyo.
Timer shows all zeros?
This means your countdown has expired. Go to SnapTimers and either update your target date to a future time, or configure a custom expiration message/image in the timer settings.
Timer is too large or too small?
Adjust the image layout settings in Klaviyo's Image panel. Enable "Fill column" for responsive sizing, or set specific pixel dimensions for exact control.
Timer works in preview but not in test email?
Some email clients cache images. Try waiting a few minutes and reopening the email, or send another test email. The timer should update with the current countdown.
Summary: Adding Countdown Timers to Klaviyo
You've learned how to add live countdown timers to your Klaviyo emails. Here's the quick version:
Ready to Create Your Klaviyo Timer?
Start creating urgency in your Klaviyo emails today. It only takes a few minutes to set up your first countdown timer.
Create Your Free TimerNo credit card required