How Many Days Until Black Friday 2026?
There are 198 days until Black Friday 2026 — approximately 28 weeks and 2 days from today. Black Friday this year falls on Friday, November 27, 2026.
Black Friday is the unofficial start of the U.S. holiday shopping season, falling on the Friday immediately after Thanksgiving — meaning the date shifts annually between November 23 and November 29. In 2026, Black Friday lands on November 27. It is one of the busiest shopping days of the year worldwide; in 2023, U.S. consumers spent more than $9.8 billion online on Black Friday alone, plus billions more in stores.
Countdown Breakdown
- 198 days remaining
- 28 weeks and 2 days
- 6 months (approximately)
- 4,752 hours / 285,120 minutes
- 142 weekdays (Monday–Friday) and 56 weekend days
- 198 sleeps until Black Friday
Black Friday 2026 Quick Facts
| Black Friday Date | Friday, November 27, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Day of the Week | Friday |
| Days From Today | 198 days |
| Weekdays Until | 142 weekdays (Mon–Fri) |
| Weekend Days Until | 56 weekend days |
| Federal Holiday in the US? | No — cultural observance, not a federal holiday |
| Next Year (2027) | Friday, November 29, 2030 |
Day-by-Day Countdown to Black Friday
If you check this page on a different day, here is how the countdown to Black Friday 2026 will look:
| On Date | Day of Week | Days Until Black Friday |
|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2026 (today) | Wednesday | 198 days |
| May 14, 2026 | Thursday | 197 days |
| May 15, 2026 | Friday | 196 days |
| May 16, 2026 | Saturday | 195 days |
| May 17, 2026 | Sunday | 194 days |
| May 18, 2026 | Monday | 193 days |
| May 19, 2026 | Tuesday | 192 days |
| May 20, 2026 | Wednesday | 191 days |
| May 21, 2026 | Thursday | 190 days |
| May 22, 2026 | Friday | 189 days |
The History of Black Friday
The term "Black Friday" was first used in 1950s Philadelphia, where police used it to describe the chaotic day-after-Thanksgiving traffic and crowds. Retailers initially disliked the negative term and tried (unsuccessfully) to rename it "Big Friday." By the 1980s, retailers had reframed the name positively — "black" was reinterpreted to refer to retailers moving from operating "in the red" (loss) to "in the black" (profit) for the year. Black Friday's status as the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season grew steadily through the 1990s and exploded in the 2000s with the rise of midnight openings, doorbuster sales, and (eventually) Cyber Monday — the online shopping equivalent on the Monday after Thanksgiving, named in 2005 by the National Retail Federation.
Black Friday Traditions
Black Friday traditions revolve around shopping. Major retailers (Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Amazon) advertise their lowest prices of the year on televisions, electronics, appliances, and toys. Many stores opened at midnight or even on Thanksgiving evening through the 2010s, though backlash from workers led several major chains (REI, Costco, Patagonia) to close on Thanksgiving in protest. Shoppers line up overnight outside major stores for "doorbuster" deals. Online shopping has grown dramatically — Cyber Monday on the following Monday now competes with Black Friday for total sales. The shopping period has expanded into "Cyber Week," with deals running from Thanksgiving Thursday through the following Friday.
Black Friday Dates — Past, Present and Future
The table below shows when Black Friday fell or will fall in the years around 2026, including the day of the week and how many days from today each date is.
| Year | Black Friday Date | Day of Week | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | November 28, 2025 | Friday | 166 days ago |
| 2026 | November 27, 2026 | Friday | Next occurrence (198 days from today) |
| 2027 | November 26, 2027 | Friday | 562 days from today |
| 2028 | November 24, 2028 | Friday | 926 days from today |
| 2029 | November 23, 2029 | Friday | 1,290 days from today |
| 2030 | November 29, 2030 | Friday | 1,661 days from today |
Black Friday Fun Facts
- The term "Black Friday" was first used in 1950s Philadelphia to describe chaotic post-Thanksgiving traffic.
- U.S. shoppers spent more than $9.8 billion online on Black Friday in 2023 — and $12.4 billion on Cyber Monday.
- The "black" in Black Friday was rebranded in the 1980s to refer to retailers moving "into the black" (profit) for the year.
- About 40% of all U.S. consumer electronics purchases are made between Black Friday and Christmas.
- Cyber Monday was officially named by the National Retail Federation in 2005.
- Outdoor-gear retailer REI closes all stores on Black Friday and pays employees to spend the day outside — a tradition started in 2015.
- In Australia, the U.K., and several other countries, Black Friday sales now happen even though those nations do not celebrate Thanksgiving.
How to Prepare for Black Friday
With 198 days remaining, here is a checklist of common preparations:
- Browse store ads (released by early November) and circle the items you actually want — avoid impulse buys.
- Set price alerts on tools like CamelCamelCamel or Honey to track historical Amazon prices.
- Compare Black Friday prices to current online prices — many "doorbuster" deals are not actually the lowest of the year.
- Avoid holiday-themed bundles unless every item is on your wish list.
- For in-store shopping, arrive 1-2 hours before opening for popular doorbuster items.
- Use cashback credit cards or rewards programs for Black Friday purchases — extra 1-5% back.
- Save big-ticket purchases (TVs, laptops, appliances) for Black Friday — these typically have the deepest discounts.
Black Friday FAQ
About This Live Countdown
This page calculates the time remaining until Black Friday 2026 using your device's local clock and updates the seconds, minutes, hours, and days display every second. The result is always accurate to your timezone and adjusts automatically for daylight saving time. Bookmark this page or share it with friends to track the countdown together. Once Black Friday 2026 has passed, the page will automatically begin counting down to November 27, 2027.