Is the timer just placeholder text, or does it actually compute anything?

It's a real computed overlay: for each frame, the tool sums that frame's own delay plus every prior frame's delay to get the true cumulative elapsed time (or subtracts that from the total for a countdown), then formats and stamps that exact number, not a static label.

What's the difference between 'elapsed' and 'countdown' mode?

Elapsed mode shows the running total of time played so far, starting near 0 and increasing toward the animation's full duration. Countdown mode shows the reverse: time remaining until the animation's loop ends, starting near the full duration and decreasing toward 0.

What units does the timer use?

Seconds, with one decimal place (e.g. '1.3S'), computed from each frame's delay in GIF's native centisecond unit (1 cs = 10ms) via straightforward division.

Where can the timer be positioned?

Any of the four corners, with a configurable margin from the edge, so it can be tucked out of the way of the animation's main content.

GIF Timer Adder - Burn a Computed Countdown or Elapsed Timer onto a GIF

Overview

Introduction

This tool burns a genuinely computed timer overlay onto every frame of an animated GIF, entirely client-side, derived directly from the GIF's own per-frame delay data.

Unlike a static caption, every frame gets a different, correctly-computed number: either the running elapsed time or the remaining countdown, both based on real cumulative delay totals.

What Is GIF Timer Adder?

A client-side GIF timer-overlay tool that reads every frame's delayCs (its display duration in centiseconds) from the decoded GIF, computes each frame's cumulative running total, and stamps a formatted seconds value onto that frame using the category's shared bitmap-font text renderer.

Two modes are supported: elapsed (showing time played so far) and countdown (showing time remaining until the loop ends).

How GIF Timer Adder Works

computeCumulativeDelaysCs walks every frame's delay and produces a running total array, so frame N's cumulative value is the sum of every delay from frame 0 through frame N inclusive: exactly what a real GIF player would have displayed by that point.

For elapsed mode, that cumulative value (formatted in seconds) is stamped directly; for countdown mode, the total animation duration minus that cumulative value is stamped instead, then the label is measured and positioned in the requested corner with the requested margin before being drawn with the shared bitmap font.

When To Use GIF Timer Adder

Use it to add a visible countdown to a promotional or event-announcement animated GIF.

It's also useful for adding a running elapsed-time readout to a tutorial or demo GIF, so viewers can gauge how far into the clip they are.

Often used alongside GIF Text Adder, GIF Corner Rounder and Polaroid GIF Creator.

Features

Advantages

Computes a genuine, per-frame-accurate timer directly from the GIF's own timing data, not a static placeholder.
Supports both elapsed and countdown framings from the same underlying computation.
Runs entirely client-side; the uploaded animation is never sent to a server.

Limitations

Uses the same limited bitmap font as the GIF Text Adder (digits, a decimal point, and an 'S' suffix), not a smooth or antialiased font.
The displayed time reflects the GIF's own encoded frame delays, which may not exactly match how fast a particular viewer's browser or app actually plays the animation (some players clamp very short delays).

Examples

Add a countdown timer

Input

A 5-frame animated GIF with delays [100, 100, 100, 100, 100] cs, mode 'countdown', corner 'bottom-right'

Output

Frame 0 shows '4.0S' (500cs total minus 100cs elapsed), frame 4 shows '0.0S', each stamped in the bottom-right corner

Every frame's label is computed from the true cumulative delay total, counting down to zero exactly as the animation ends.

Best Practices & Notes

Best Practices

Use countdown mode for promotional 'time remaining' style GIFs, and elapsed mode for tutorial or progress-style GIFs.
Position the timer in a corner that doesn't overlap the animation's main subject.
Double check the GIF's actual per-frame delays if the displayed time seems off: the timer is only as accurate as the source file's own timing data.

Developer Notes

addTimerToGif in gif-timer-adder.ts imports drawTextOnFrame and measureText directly from gif-text-adder.ts rather than re-implementing bitmap text rendering, and adds computeCumulativeDelaysCs and formatCentisecondsAsSeconds as its own timer-specific helpers layered on top of that shared renderer.

GIF Timer Adder Use Cases

Adding a visible countdown to a promotional or event-announcement animated GIF
Adding a running elapsed-time readout to a tutorial or demo GIF
Building a stopwatch-style overlay for a looping animated timer graphic

Common Mistakes

Expecting the displayed time to reflect real-world playback speed exactly: it reflects the GIF's own encoded delay values, which some players may render slightly differently.
Choosing a corner that overlaps important animated content, making the timer hard to read.

Tips

Use the GIF Text Adder instead if you just need static, unchanging text rather than a computed timer.
Combine with the GIF Background Adder if the timer needs a solid contrasting patch behind it for legibility.

GIF Timer Adder