
After Effects:
How to Create a Countdown Timer (AE Expression)
July 21, 2019 / Event Production Technology
/Adobe After Effects is a powerful video editing & effects application. It includes a code expression engine, allowing you to write scripts to automate mundane and complex tasks. Discover how to use After Effects Expressions to quickly & easily create a countdown timer video.
How to Create a After Effects Expression
- Create a new After Effects composition, matching the exact duration of your countdown timer
- Create an empty text layer
- Expand the ‘Text’ options
- Hold down the ‘Alt’ key, and click on the stopwatch next to the ‘Text Source’ property
- Paste your expression code (seen below) into the code editor area
That’s it! You’re done! Scrub the playhead across the composition, and see your lovely countdown.

Expression Code: 60 Seconds
Expression Code: 5 Minutes
Fonts
When creating a countdown, you may notice the numbers jumping around. You can try and avoid this by adjusting your text alignment. However, the best way to keep the numbers is a consistent position is to use a monospace font.
One reasonable monospace font is CMG Sans Mono Digits. This font, based on Montserrat has been specifically designed to make it easier to create church countdowns.
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