Black Friday Countdown
Counting down to the biggest shopping day of the year
How it works
Black Friday is the unofficial start of the US holiday shopping season. The name gained traction in Philadelphia during the 1960s, when police used it to describe the heavy traffic and crowds that flooded the city the day after Thanksgiving. Retailers later reframed the term to mean the day their books moved from "in the red" to "in the black." Today it is one of the busiest shopping days of the year, with major retailers opening early and offering deep discounts on everything from electronics to clothing.
Unlike holidays tied to a fixed calendar date, Black Friday always falls on the day after US Thanksgiving — the fourth Friday in November. That means the date shifts between 23 November and 29 November depending on how the Thursdays line up. This countdown uses the same Thanksgiving date logic as our Thanksgiving Countdown page: it finds the fourth Thursday in November, adds one day for Black Friday, and automatically rolls forward to the following year once the current Black Friday has passed.
Cyber Monday — the Monday after Black Friday — has become almost as important for online shoppers. Coined by the National Retail Federation in 2005, it captures the surge in e-commerce deals that follow the in-store rush. Because the two dates are so closely linked, this page shows both the Black Friday countdown and the Cyber Monday date beneath it, so you can plan your whole deal-hunting weekend at a glance.
Frequently asked questions
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday is always the day after US Thanksgiving — the fourth Friday in November. The exact date shifts between 23 November and 29 November each year. Use the live countdown at the top of this page to see the precise date and time remaining until the next Black Friday.
How is the date of Black Friday calculated?
Clockr finds US Thanksgiving by locating the fourth Thursday in November — the same method used on our Thanksgiving Countdown page — then adds one day to reach Black Friday. Once that date has passed, the countdown rolls forward to the following year's Black Friday automatically.
When is Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday is the Monday after Black Friday — four days after US Thanksgiving. It always falls on the Monday of the same week as Black Friday. The secondary date line below the countdown on this page shows the exact Cyber Monday date for the upcoming season.
Is Black Friday always the day after Thanksgiving?
Yes. In the United States, Black Friday is always the Friday immediately following Thanksgiving. Because Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November, Black Friday is always the fourth Friday in November — never earlier than 23 November and never later than 29 November.
Why is it called Black Friday?
The most widely cited origin is Philadelphia in the 1960s, where police and bus drivers used "Black Friday" to describe post- Thanksgiving congestion. Retailers later adopted a friendlier explanation: the day when store profits moved from red (losses) to black (profits). Both stories reflect how central the day has become to American retail culture.
How many days until Black Friday?
The live countdown at the top of this page updates every second with the exact number of days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the next Black Friday. No refresh needed — it automatically advances to the following year once the current Black Friday has passed.