Counting down to a vacation is half the fun, and your Mac is the screen you probably stare at most while you wait. Here’s how to keep a vacation countdown in view, from free and instant to always-on.
The quickest way: a web countdown
Open the free vacation countdown, enter the day your vacation starts, and add where you’re going. It shows the days, weeks, and exact time left, along with a checklist of what to sort out by time remaining.
To keep it, click Share this countdown to get a link with your date and destination built in, then:
- In Safari on macOS Sonoma or later: open the link and choose File › Add to Dock. The countdown gets its own window and Dock icon.
- In any browser: pin the tab (Window › Pin Tab in Safari, or right-click the tab and choose Pin in Chrome).
Send the same link to everyone you’re traveling with.
Counting down to a journey rather than time off, like a flight home or a work trip? The trip countdown has a checklist for travel days.
A vacation countdown widget
On macOS Sonoma and later you can put widgets on the desktop: right-click the desktop and choose Edit Widgets. There’s no built-in countdown widget, so you’ll need a countdown app from the Mac App Store, or an iPhone countdown app with Use iPhone widgets turned on in System Settings › Desktop & Dock.
It’s a nice option if your desktop is often visible, though at work it’s usually buried under windows.
A Shortcut in the menu bar
In the Shortcuts app, create a shortcut with a Date action (your departure date), Get Time Between Dates from Current Date in days, and Show Result. Pin it to the menu bar from the shortcut’s details. One click tells you how many days are left. You’ll need to edit it for your next trip.
A vacation countdown in your Mac’s notch
Notchiko, which we make, puts a small character by your MacBook’s notch for each thing you’re looking forward to. Name a countdown after a trip and it suggests the Suitcase Chiko.
- Download Notchiko and open it.
- Hover over the notch and click +, or choose Settings… from Notchiko’s menu bar icon and open Countdowns.
- Type a name with “vacation” or “trip” in it, like Japan Trip. Notchiko suggests the Suitcase.
- Pick the date you leave, leave Repeats every year off, and click Add.
The Suitcase waits by the notch; hover to see the days left. With Notchiko Lifetime, Chikos get more excited as the day gets closer, and the Tourist and Explorer Chikos are available for sightseeing trips and adventures.
The free version includes one custom countdown plus Christmas; Lifetime is a one-time $4.99 for up to 10 countdowns on one Mac. Notchiko needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later and works on Macs without a notch as a floating pill.
Make the countdown useful, not just fun
- Set it to the right moment. If you leave on a Friday evening, count down to Friday. That last workday is part of the wait.
- Use the weeks figure for planning. Passports, visas, and bookings all have lead times. Two months out is a good point to check them.
- One countdown per trip. For a summer with several getaways, give each its own countdown so the next one is always obvious.
Also planning something to celebrate? See how to make a birthday countdown or a wedding countdown on your Mac.
