---
title: "Mapp Engage: Countdown Timer Service Improvements"
slug: "mapp-engage-countdown-timer-gif-improvements"
status: "update"
updated: 2026-08-26T14:52:09Z
published: 2026-08-26T14:52:09Z
canonical: "docs.mapp.com/mapp-engage-countdown-timer-gif-improvements"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mapp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Mapp Engage: Countdown Timer Service Improvements

**26 August 2026** The Countdown Timer GIF in Mapp Engage has received another round of improvements. Fonts are easier to apply, spacing is easier to control, and transparent timers render more cleanly. The countdown timer functionality can be used in HTML and CMS emails and on landing pages in Mapp Engage.

## Key Benefits

This release includes the following improvements:

- **Google Fonts by Name**: Type the font name, for example `font=Montserrat`, and it renders right away. Only a font that is not in the service catalog still needs its full Google Fonts URL on first use.
- **Balanced Layout Without Captions**: With `captions=false`, the numbers now re-center automatically instead of leaving an empty gap where the labels used to sit.
- **Independent Divider Spacing**: The new `dividerSpacing` parameter controls the space between a number and its divider, and keeps that space consistent no matter how wide you make the timer. It requires `gifStyle=custom`. The existing `offset` parameter refers to the space between the digits inside a single number.
- **Clear Background Image Guidance**: `bgImageMode=cover` is the default and the only mode confirmed to render consistently across email clients.
- **Sharper Transparent Timers**: Transparent countdowns render with noticeably less pixelation. The service smooths the digit edges internally, so there is no need to render an oversized timer and scale it down in your email.

To use the new `dividerSpacing` parameter, add it to your block together with `gifStyle=custom`. See [Countdown Timer GIF for Emails](/v1/docs/create-a-countdown-timer-block) for details.

## Availability

These improvements were rolled out on August 26th, 2026, and are available by default on all Mapp Engage systems. Your existing timers benefit automatically, with no change on your side.