--- title: "Countdowns, pre-registration and campaign ended pages" description: "Build excitement before launch with a countdown, collect sign-ups before the start, show a page when the campaign has ended, and let people upload photos." url: https://scratcher.io/help/games/special-pages language: en --- 1. [Help center](https://scratcher.io/help) 2. [Games and formats](https://scratcher.io/help/games) 3. Countdowns, pre-registration and campaign ended pages # Countdowns, pre-registration and campaign ended pages Build excitement before launch with a countdown, collect sign-ups before the start, show a page when the campaign has ended, and let people upload photos. Special pages show at a certain moment in the campaign's life: before it starts, or after it ends. You add them with **Add page** under **Flow**. **Countdown** and **Pre-registration** are part of the **Special formats** add-on, or included in plans that have it. **Campaign ended** is available to everyone. Countdown, pre-registration and campaign ended pages are for landing page campaigns, not popups. ## Add a countdown before launch 1. Under **Flow**, click **Add page** and choose **Countdown**. The page reads "The campaign starts in:" with a countdown below. 2. Click the countdown and choose the **Type**: - **Campaign start**: counts down to the campaign's start date. This is the best choice for a launch. - **End date**: counts down to a date and time you choose. - **Hours**: counts down a set time (**Days**, **Hours**, **Minutes**, **Seconds**) from the moment the page is opened. 3. Choose the **Format**: **12 hour clock** or **24 hour clock**. 4. Choose which units to show: **Show days**, **Show hours**, **Show minutes** and **Show seconds**. 5. On the **Styles** tab, set the **Font**, the **Text** color and the **Alignment**. 6. On the **Settings** tab, turn on **Reload page on expire**, so the campaign appears by itself when the countdown reaches zero. 7. Publish the campaign with a start date in the future. People see the countdown page until the campaign starts. More settings: **Hide countdown on expire** hides the countdown at zero, and **Hide counter unit on expire** hides units that have reached zero. You can also add the **Countdown** element to any other page, for example "Only 2 hours left to play". ## Let people pre-register A pre-registration page lets people sign up before the campaign starts, so you can tell them when it opens. 1. Under **Flow**, click **Add page** and choose **Pre-registration**. Scratcher also adds a **Pre-registration finish** page, which people see after signing up. 2. Add a form to the pre-registration page, with the fields you need and consent to contact them. 3. Publish the campaign with a start date in the future. 4. Send an email to the pre-registered people when the campaign opens. See [Send emails to players](https://scratcher.io/help/campaigns/send-emails-to-players). Sign-ups before the start date are counted as pre-registrations on the dashboard. Pre-registering doesn't use up a person's participation: someone who pre-registered can still play when the campaign starts, even with the limit **Once**. ## Show a page when the campaign has ended 1. Under **Flow**, click **Add page** and choose **Campaign ended**. 2. Write your text: thank people, tell them when and how the winners are found, and link to your shop or your next campaign. People see this page after the end date, or after you stop the campaign. ## Photo and file uploads The **File Upload** element lets people upload a photo, for example for a photo competition. You see the uploaded files on each lead in the **Data** tab. On the element's **Settings** tab, the **File type** is **Image**, and **File name (used for export)** sets the name the files get in your lead export. Make sure your terms explain how you use the photos. ## Common problems - **People see the countdown instead of the campaign.** The campaign's start date is still in the future. Check the start date and the campaign's **Timezone** under **Settings** > **Localization**. - **The countdown shows a different time for some visitors.** With the type **End date**, the date and time are read in each visitor's own time zone. For a launch, use **Campaign start**, which follows the campaign's start date exactly. - **The countdown resets when the page is reloaded.** That is the **Hours** type: it starts again each time the page opens. Use **End date** or **Campaign start** for a fixed moment. - **The campaign doesn't appear at zero.** Turn on **Reload page on expire**, or ask people to reload the page. - **I can't add a countdown or pre-registration page.** They need the **Special formats** add-on, and they aren't available in popup campaigns. Calendars, leaderboards and interactive graphics have their own articles: [Advent and Christmas calendars](https://scratcher.io/help/games/advent-and-christmas-calendars), [Leaderboards](https://scratcher.io/help/games/leaderboards-and-predictions) and [Interactive graphic](https://scratcher.io/help/elements/interactive-graphic). Games and formats - [Which game should I choose?](https://scratcher.io/help/games/game-formats-overview) - [Scratch cards, wheels and other luck games](https://scratcher.io/help/games/luck-games) - [Spin the wheel: slices, design and settings](https://scratcher.io/help/games/spin-the-wheel) - [Scratch cards: cards, icons and cover](https://scratcher.io/help/games/scratch-cards) - [Slot machine, spin, dice and mystery box](https://scratcher.io/help/games/slot-spin-dice-and-mystery-box) - [Skill games: drop, memory, puzzle and more](https://scratcher.io/help/games/skill-games) - [Catch objects (drop) and hit the target](https://scratcher.io/help/games/catch-drop-and-hit-the-target) - [Smash it, tap it, memory, puzzle, match matrix and bubble shooter](https://scratcher.io/help/games/more-skill-games) - [Finish conditions, timer and points in skill games](https://scratcher.io/help/games/finish-conditions-timer-and-points) - [Quizzes and personality tests](https://scratcher.io/help/games/quizzes-and-personality-tests) - [Quiz questions and answers in detail](https://scratcher.io/help/games/quiz-questions-and-answers) - [Quiz results, branching and calculations](https://scratcher.io/help/games/quiz-results-groups-and-calculator) - [Design your quiz: layout, progress bar and buttons](https://scratcher.io/help/games/quiz-design) - [Polls, surveys, votes and product finders](https://scratcher.io/help/games/polls-surveys-and-product-finders) - [Advent and Christmas calendars: set one up step by step](https://scratcher.io/help/games/advent-and-christmas-calendars) - [Every calendar setting explained](https://scratcher.io/help/games/calendar-settings) - [The advanced calendar: a different game or prize behind every door](https://scratcher.io/help/games/advanced-calendar) - [Calendar problems and how to fix them](https://scratcher.io/help/games/calendar-troubleshooting) - [Leaderboards: rank players by points or time](https://scratcher.io/help/games/leaderboards-and-predictions) - [Score predictions for football and other sports](https://scratcher.io/help/games/score-predictions) - [Lucky number: let people enter a code to win](https://scratcher.io/help/games/lucky-number-codes) - [Countdowns, pre-registration and campaign ended pages](https://scratcher.io/help/games/special-pages) ## Related articles - [Add, reorder and manage pages](https://scratcher.io/help/campaigns/pages-and-flow): The flow is the list of pages players go through. Add intro, form, game and finish pages, or special pages like a countdown. - [Publish, schedule, pause and end a campaign](https://scratcher.io/help/campaigns/publish-and-schedule): Set the start and end dates, publish, put changes live with Update, and pause, stop or reactivate a campaign. - [Advent and Christmas calendars: set one up step by step](https://scratcher.io/help/games/advent-and-christmas-calendars): Choose between the Christmas calendar, advent calendar and free calendar, set the dates, design the doors, put a game and a prize behind each door and test every day before you go live. ## Still need help? Real people are here to help. If you already use Scratcher, the quickest way is the chat inside the platform. - **[Chat with us](https://platform.scratcher.io/login)** Log in and click the chat button in the bottom-right corner. Rex answers right away, and our team is a click away. - **[Book a meeting](https://scratcher.io/book-a-meeting)** A free 30-minute video call with our team: a tour, campaign ideas or help with your setup. - **[Email us](mailto:contact@scratcher.io)** Write to contact@scratcher.io and we will get back to you.