ZW Countdown: Getting Started

What it does

ZW Countdown adds a countdown timer anywhere you can add a shortcode: a page, a post, or a sales page. It comes in two styles:

• LCD panel: glowing amber digits on a dark screen, with days, hours, minutes and seconds.
• Button: a navy button with your label, and a small “Ends in” countdown line underneath.

You set the end time. Every visitor sees the same real deadline, and reloading the page never resets it.

Install the plugin

• In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin.
• Choose the zw-countdown zip file and click Install Now.
• Click Activate.

Updating to a newer version works the same way. WordPress will ask if you want to replace the current version.

Check your time zone

The end time you type uses your site’s time zone. Before adding your first timer, go to Settings → General → Timezone and make sure it’s set to a city near you, not a UTC offset. A city also handles daylight saving time for you.

Add your first timer

Edit any page or post, add a Shortcode block, and paste this, using your own date and time:

[zw_countdown end="2026-11-30 18:00" title="Giveaway ends in"]

Use 24-hour time: 18:00 is 6:00 PM. Save or preview the page, and your timer is live.

Try the button style

[zw_countdown end="2026-11-30 18:00" style="button" label="Enter the giveaway" url="/giveaway/"]

The button links wherever you point url. When time runs out, the link turns off on its own, so nobody can enter late.