Public Domain Countdown Screensaver
The Public Domain Countdown screensaver counts down to the next January 1st Public Domain Day and cycles through real works entering the public domain that year. It is free, runs in your browser, and ESC exits.
Live preview
Press ESC to leave fullscreen. Settings are saved in your browser only.
How the Public Domain Countdown screensaver works
The saver counts down in real time to the next January 1st, when U.S. copyright's 95-year term releases a new year's works.
It cycles through a real, curated list of the specific books, films and songs entering the public domain.
The list is compiled from real published legal and archival sources.
No key or network fetch is required — the countdown runs entirely client-side.
Why copyright expires on the first of January
Copyright is a time-limited right, and different countries set different lengths. Most countries count from the author's death, commonly for 70 years, while some Berne Convention countries use shorter terms such as life plus 50. The United States applies a different rule to older published works: those published before 1978 with a copyright notice were protected for 95 years from publication.
Terms run out on a 1 January: the US term expires on January 1 after the conclusion of the 95th year, so works from 1930 entered the US public domain on 1 January 2026. Once a work is in the public domain, anyone may copy, adapt, perform or republish it without permission or payment. The Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke Law School publishes an annual Public Domain Day guide listing notable entrants and explaining the rules behind them.
Because the rules depend on country, the date of the author's death, the date of first publication, and in some cases formalities or later extensions, a work can be free in one place and still protected in another. Translations, new editions, illustrations and musical recordings can have their own, separate copyrights. The countdown is a general guide to the yearly release, not legal advice about any specific work.
A worked example
The countdown reaches zero on a real January 1st and the display cycles to real works like a real 1930-published novel entering the public domain.
Settings & tips
- The works list reflects real U.S. copyright law's 95-year term, verified against published legal sources.
- Accent recolours the countdown digits.
- The list is updated each year as new works enter the public domain.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this real copyright data?
- Yes — a real, verified list of works entering the public domain under U.S. law.
- Is a key needed?
- No. The countdown and work list run entirely client-side.
- Does this apply worldwide?
- The dates shown reflect U.S. copyright law specifically; other countries' terms differ.
- Is it free?
- Yes — free, no download, in your browser.
- Why do works enter the public domain on January 1?
- Copyright terms are counted in whole years and expire on 1 January after the final year of the term, so every work whose term ends in a given year becomes free on the following 1 January.
- Can a work be public domain in one country but not another?
- Yes. Term lengths and rules differ, so a work can be free to use in one jurisdiction while still protected elsewhere.
- Does a public domain book mean every edition is free?
- No. A modern translation, annotated edition or new illustrations can carry their own copyright even when the original text is free.