What it counts
Enter the date something began — and the time, if it matters — and the counter shows the years, months and days since then, with the hours, minutes and seconds ticking live. Underneath, the same stretch is written out in single units: weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds. Your last setup is kept on your device.
How months and days are counted
Months are not all the same length, so dividing a number of days cannot give a fair answer. This counter works the way a calendar does: it counts whole years and months from your start date, then whole days, then the hours, minutes and seconds left over.
When the start date is near the end of a month, the month ends on its last day. Start on 31 January and one month later is 28 February (29 in a leap year). A leap-day start on 29 February turns a year old on 28 February in other years. Counting from the clock time you entered, the hours read zero at the same time every day, so “since midnight” reads exactly zero hours at every midnight.
Time zones and clock changes
The start is read in the time zone you choose, or your device’s own. When the clocks change in spring or fall the counter does not jump or step backwards, and a day measured from midnight still reads zero hours at midnight. If you started something in another city, pick that city so the start is the right moment.
Ideas for using it
- An anniversary, or the day you moved in or started a job.
- How long a project, a garden bed or a subscription has been running.
- A personal milestone you want to see growing — a habit, a training plan or a streak.
- A classroom example of how a calendar works: years, months, days and the leap day.
If the date is in the future
A start date that has not arrived yet turns the page into a countdown, with the note That moment hasn’t happened yet, and it becomes a count-up when the moment passes. For a dedicated countdown with holidays and a shareable link, use countdown to a date.
Share it or embed it
Copy link gives an address that carries the start date, title and time zone. Only share a link if you are happy for the date to be seen. To show a counter on your own website, the embed page builds a snippet you can paste into most site builders. For a timer with an alarm, use the countdown timer.
Popular countdowns
Questions
How do I calculate the time since a date?
Enter the start date and, if it matters, the time, then choose a time zone. The counter shows the years, months and days since then, with the hours, minutes and seconds updating every second. The totals underneath give the same stretch in single units.
Why are the days not the same as simple subtraction?
Months have different lengths, so the counter counts whole calendar months first, then whole days. Subtracting two dates in days gives the total, which is shown in the totals row, but it cannot say how many months that is. The two figures describe the same time.
Does it count the start day?
It measures from the exact moment you enter, so the start day is day zero and the same time the next day reads 1 day. If you count the first day as day one, add one to the days shown.
Can I use it for a birthday or an anniversary?
Yes. Enter the date of the birth or the anniversary, and the time if you know it. The result is in years, months and days, with the total in days, hours, minutes and seconds underneath.
Is the date I enter stored anywhere?
Only on your own device. The page keeps your last setup in your browser so it is there when you return, and nothing you type is sent anywhere. A share link carries the date in its address, so share it only if you are happy for the date to be seen.