Timeline Maker from Text
Type one event per line, each starting with a date, and the timeline draws itself as you type: a central axis, a dot for every event, and the date and event text beside it. Events are sorted by date for you, and the dots are spaced by the real time between them. Download the result as a PNG or SVG for a slide or a document. It is drawn in your browser, nothing is uploaded, and the image has no watermark.
How to make a timeline from a list of dates
- Replace the example in Your events with your own. Write one event per line: the date, then a hyphen, colon, tab or pipe, then the event, for example
2024-10-31 - Version 2.0. A date alone on a line also works, with the event on the next line. - Watch the preview above the box. It updates with every keystroke, and you can type the events in any order because they are sorted by date.
- If a note under the box says some lines were skipped, those lines held no date the tool could read. Add a date to the line and it appears.
- Press Download PNG for an image, Download SVG for a vector file, or Copy image to put the PNG on your clipboard and paste it straight into a slide or document.
- To change how it looks, open Appearance: Orientation, Spacing and Background, all described below.
Date formats the timeline maker reads
Start each line with any of these. The date is shown on the timeline exactly as you typed it.
| You type | Placed at |
|---|---|
| 1969 · 476 | The start of that year |
| 2024-03 · Oct 2024 · October 2024 | The start of that month |
| 2024-10-31 · 31/10/2024 · Oct 31, 2024 · 31 October 2024 | That day |
| 2024-10-31 14:30 | That day at 14:30 (a time of day is read only after a full date) |
| 2024年10月31日 | That day |
| 2010-2015 | The start year, 2010 |
Month names are understood in the page language and in English. A date such as 05/10/2024 is read day first, except for visitors in the US, where it is read month first; if you want no doubt, write 2024-10-05. A bare year needs three or four digits, so BC dates and two-digit years such as '69 are not read. Two events on the same date stay in the order you typed them.
The box takes up to 200 events and 20,000 characters. Past 200 events, the timeline shows the first 200 and a note says so.
Timeline to scale or evenly spaced
Under Spacing in Appearance:
- Proportional (the default) draws a timeline to scale. The gap between two dots matches the real time between their dates, so a launch a week after kickoff sits right beside it and a result two years later sits far along the axis.
- Evenly spaced puts the same distance between every event whatever the dates. Choose it when the dates are bunched together or when only the order matters.
In both modes long labels wrap onto several lines, and labels of events that are close in time are staggered so they never overlap.
Horizontal or vertical timeline
Under Orientation, Horizontal runs the axis left to right with the labels alternating above and below it. Vertical runs it top to bottom with the labels alternating right and left, which reads better for long lists and for portrait pages. On a window narrower than 768 pixels the timeline starts vertical.
Timeline with a transparent background
Under Background you can pick Light, Dark or Transparent. Transparent gives a PNG and an SVG with no background fill, so the timeline drops onto a slide or page of any colour. The text stays dark, so Transparent suits light backgrounds; for a dark slide, choose Dark instead.
Put the timeline in PowerPoint, Google Slides or Word
- PowerPoint: insert the downloaded PNG with Insert and Picture, or paste the copied image onto the slide.
- Google Slides: use Insert, Image and Upload from computer for the PNG, or paste the copied image.
- Word and other documents: insert the PNG as a picture. Apps that accept SVG, such as recent versions of Word and PowerPoint, can take the SVG file, which stays sharp at any size.
The PNG is saved at up to twice the size shown on screen, so it holds up when resized on a slide. The SVG uses the fonts installed on the device that opens it.
Timelines for history, stories and plans
The same list works for a history timeline for class, a family history, the chapters of a novel, the order of events in a worldbuilding calendar, or the milestones of a plan. Paste the dates from your notes, add a hyphen after each one, and the layout is done for you. A year range such as 1914-1918 is placed at its start year as a single dot.
What this timeline maker does not do
- Not a project scheduler: it draws one dot per event, with no bars, durations or Gantt chart.
- No editing on the graphic: there is no drag and drop. Change the text in the box and the timeline redraws.
- No per-event colours or icons: every event looks the same, so the graphic stays clean on a slide.
- Private: your list stays in your browser and is never sent anywhere.
Related tools
To turn a table of numbers into a graphic, try the Data to Chart tool. For a picture made from the words in a text, there is the word cloud generator, which also downloads as PNG or SVG.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make a timeline of events from a list of dates?
Type one event per line in the Your events box, starting each line with its date, for example 2024-10-31 - Version 2.0. The timeline draws as you type, in date order. Then press Download PNG, Download SVG or Copy image.
Which date formats does the timeline maker read?
A year (1969), a month (2024-03 or Oct 2024), a full date (2024-10-31, 31/10/2024, Oct 31, 2024 or 31 October 2024), a CJK date such as 2024年10月31日, and an optional time after a full date (2024-10-31 14:30). A year range such as 2010-2015 is placed at its start year. Month names work in the page language or English.
How do I make a timeline to scale?
Open Appearance and set Spacing to Proportional, which is the default. The distance between two dots then matches the real time between their dates, so events a week apart sit close together and events years apart sit far apart. Choose Evenly spaced if you want the same distance between every event.
How do I make a vertical timeline?
Open Appearance and press Vertical under Orientation. The axis runs top to bottom and the labels alternate right and left. On a window narrower than 768 pixels the timeline starts vertical, because a horizontal one would be tiny.
Can I make a timeline with a transparent background?
Yes. Open Appearance and press Transparent under Background. The PNG and SVG then have no background fill, so the timeline sits on whatever colour the slide or page has. The text stays dark, so use it on a light background and choose Dark for a dark slide.
How do I put the timeline in PowerPoint or Google Slides?
Press Download PNG, then use Insert and Picture in PowerPoint, or Insert, Image and Upload from computer in Google Slides. You can also press Copy image and paste it onto the slide. The PNG is saved at up to twice the size shown, so it stays sharp when you resize it.
How do I add a timeline to a Word document?
Press Download PNG and use Insert and Pictures in Word, or press Copy image and paste it into the document. Recent versions of Word also take the SVG file, which stays sharp at any size.
Is there a timeline maker with no watermark and no sign up?
This one is. It needs no account, the PNG and SVG carry no watermark or logo, and the timeline is drawn in your browser, so your list of events is not uploaded.
Can I use it as a timeline maker for a story or a history project?
Yes. A history timeline, a family history, the chapters of a novel or the events of a worldbuilding calendar all work, as long as each line starts with a date the tool can read. BC dates and two-digit years are not read.
Can it make a project timeline or Gantt chart?
No. It draws one dot per event on a single axis, with no bars, durations, task dependencies or editing on the graphic. It suits milestones for a slide, such as kickoff, beta and launch, not a project schedule.
Why does it say a line was skipped, and how many events fit?
A line is skipped when it has no date the tool can read, or a date with no event text after it. A note under the box says how many, for example 2 lines skipped: no date I could read. The box takes up to 200 events and 20,000 characters; past 200 it shows the first 200.
Recommended
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Zebra Mildliner Highlighters (8 pack)Mark the key dates on your printed timeline in soft colors that don't bleed through.
-
Logitech Spotlight Presentation RemoteClick through the milestone slide you just made, with a laser pointer that also highlights.
-
Leuchtturm1917 Dotted Notebook (A5)Sketch the timeline and jot the events here first, then type them in clean.
Helps keep the tools free. ✨
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