How to Use Wait Time in a Recurring Countdown Timer

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

Custom Wait Time pauses a recurring countdown timer for a set duration after it hits zero, then auto-restarts the next cycle. Use it for weekly sales, evergreen webinars, and monthly drops without rebuilding the timer.

A recurring countdown timer with custom wait time runs an active countdown, pauses for a set duration when it hits 00:00:00, then starts the next cycle automatically. One asset handles the whole campaign — no cloning, no manual resets.

What custom wait time does

During the wait state, you choose what visitors see. The timer can stay visible at zero or hide entirely on funnels. In emails it shows a zero-state banner that links to your expiry page. When wait time elapses, the next active cycle begins on its own.

Why use it

Run an Every Friday Sale or weekly challenge without rebuilding the timer.
Power evergreen webinars that count down to the next session every week.
Hide the timer on funnels during off-hours so pages stay clean.
Reuse one timer asset across emails and funnels with consistent zero-state behavior.

How to configure a recurring timer with wait time

Go to Marketing > Countdown Timer > New Timer.
Choose Recurring and set Start and End offsets.
Toggle Custom Wait Time and enter a duration (for example, 5 days 12 hours).
Optional: enable Hide Timer in Wait State to remove the timer from funnels during the pause.
Set the Expiry Page / URL visitors see when they click the timer or refresh a funnel during wait.
Save and embed the timer block in your funnels and/or emails.

Timer lifecycle

Active cycle hits 00:00:00, switches to wait state for the duration you set, then auto-restarts the next cycle.

State	Email behavior	Funnel behavior
Active	Live ticking countdown	Live ticking countdown
Wait	Shows 00:00:00; clicks redirect to Expiry Page	Hidden or shows 00:00:00; refresh during wait redirects to Expiry Page
Reset	New cycle begins automatically	New cycle begins automatically

Use-case templates

Every Friday Sale: Start Friday 9 AM, End Friday 11:59 PM, Wait 6 days 9 hours.
Weekly Webinar: Start Monday, End Wednesday session time, Wait 5 days.
Monthly Drop: Start day 1, End day 3, Wait 27 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the timer reset on its own?

Yes. Once you set Custom Wait Time, the timer auto-restarts each cycle without manual intervention.

What do email recipients see during the wait state?

Emails show a 00:00:00 zero-state banner. Clicking it redirects to your configured Expiry Page.

Can I hide the timer on the funnel during wait?

Yes. Toggle Hide Timer in Wait State when you create the timer. The block disappears from funnels until the next active cycle starts.

What happens if a visitor refreshes the page during wait?

The funnel redirects them to the Expiry Page you configured, so they never see a stale countdown.

Can one recurring timer power both email and funnel campaigns?

Yes. Embed the same timer block in your emails and your funnel pages — both honor the wait state and zero-state rules.