40th Birthday Wishes (and Templates)

People approaching their 40th birthday have a lot to look forward to. They will usually be established in their careers and have families that are a source of joy. For a milestone birthday such as this, share a birthday message that acknowledges achievements and wishes them more of the same.

Design with your wish

Easy all-in-one editor

One-click edits from any device

Fast creation with generative AI

Thousands of professionally designed templates

toc-title

Table of contents:

toc-aria-label

table of contents links

content-1

Inspirational 40th birthday messages.

content-1-short

content-2

40th birthday wishes for men.

content-2-short

content-3

Funny 40th birthday wishes for friends.

content-3-short

content-4

How to share warm 40th birthday wishes.

content-4-short

content-5

Tips for personalising birthday wishes.

content-5-short

content-6

Create an eye-catching 40th birthday wish.

content-6-short

style

long-form, l-spacing

Whether your friend, colleague or family member is planning a grand 40th birthday party or a more humble birthday bash, your wishes should be wholesome and hearty. Think about what they've done before reaching this milestone and offer congratulations. Wish them a future overflowing with prosperity and success. Align your good wishes with their birthday celebration plans. Make a cheerful birthday card for a traditional party, and a meme or video for a more modern celebration. If you're unsure how to write a special birthday message, start with our tips section at the end.

Inspirational 40th birthday messages.

An uplifting message will encourage the birthday person to embrace their 40s. Here are some 40th birthday wishes that put the spotlight on growth, wisdom and new beginnings.

style

long-form

Happy Birthday to a special person who gives up so much for everyone else. On this special day, we'll endeavour to return the inspiration we draw from you. Congratulations on reaching this milestone.

Congratulations on your birthday. Your wisdom and guidance inspire us every single day. You deserve to have your dreams come true on this special day. Happy birthday.

Here's to another decade of inspiring colleagues, learning more and enjoying the happiness that comes with success. Have an awesome 40th birthday.

You are a shining example for everyone who wants to be a better person. Congratulations on blazing a path to success. And have a wonderful birthday.

Congratulations. You've achieved so many goals in life. Wishing you many years of continued success as you commemorate your 40th birthday.

As you turn 40, my wish for you is that you never stop dreaming. Here's to many more decades of dreams and inspiration. Enjoy your birthday celebrations.

40th birthday wishes for men.

Everyone wants to be recognised on their birthday, and even more so on a milestone birthday like a 40th. When writing a birthday wish for a man, a few well-chosen words will do the trick. Use these suggestions as a starting point and take it from there.

style

long-form

Congratulations on reaching this milestone. Looking forward to seeing what you do with your next 40 years.

Happy birthday. I hope you are blessed with positivity, success and a wonderful future.

It makes me glad to know someone so respectful and admirable as you. Happy birthday. Enjoy your 40th birthday celebrations.

You are an outstanding example of how one should be living life. May you continue to motivate all of us. Happy birthday.

I’m so excited that you're turning 40. Congratulations. Wishing you a year that's all about positivity and happiness.

Congratulations. 40 years of life is worth celebrating. Here's to a fantastic day and the best future you can imagine.

If the lucky man celebrating his 40th is your husband, add a little romance to your birthday wish. Emphasise love, partnership and shared memories, making the wishes personal and meaningful. Here are some ideas for 40^th birthday wishes for husbands.

style

long-form

Happy 40th birthday to my kind, considerate and thoughtful husband. I've always been head over heels for you and I will be for the next 40 years.

Every single day I appreciate you as my loving husband and an incredible father to our children. You deserve all the goodness the world has to offer. Have a wonderful birthday.

To celebrate your 40th birthday, I'll make your day all about delicious food, good mood and abundance of love.

The love and warmth I get from you outshines every star in the sky. Happy 40th to my heartbeat.

Funny 40th birthday wishes for friends.

A humorous tone in a birthday message is great for friends that you know well. Keep in mind that not everyone has the same sense of fun, so be gentle with your humour and steer clear of jokes about them being old. Try to capture the essence of your friendship in a lighthearted way.

style

long-form

Happy birthday to someone who has it all. You're smart, good looking, kind and funny. Enjoy it while you can. It's all downhill from here.

Birthdays are nature’s way of telling us to eat more cake. Make it a point to always respect nature. Have a happy 40th birthday.

Congratulations on enduring another year of my bad jokes. Best wishes for a happy birthday.

A special friend remembers your birthday but not your age. Let's always be special friends. Happy 40th (oops).

Let's never toast with an empty glass. Here's to a year of endless toasts. Happy birthday.

Just yesterday I noticed a silver hair. No, I mean a silver lining. There's an upside to this turning 40. Life just gets better with age. Happy birthday and enjoy the decades to come.

style

long-form

Start with the sentiment.

Pinpoint one of more of our wishes that express how you feel.

Explore the templates.

Open Adobe Express and search for a template. Browse by aesthetic or style to find a card, poster, banner or social post design for this special occasion.

Put the message front and centre.

Copy in your selected 40th birthday wishes and have fun exploring the amazing range of free fonts. Go with cursive for a handwritten touch or minimalist for a modern look.

Tweak the images and graphics.

Swap out the images, add frames and filters, highlight a pop of colour or remove distracting backgrounds.

Save and share your 40th birthday wishes.

Download your files to print or share directly from the app to your social media.

Tips for personalising birthday wishes.

It goes without saying that a personal birthday wish should include the birthday celebrant's name. But it's surprising how many people forget that – especially when crafting birthday wishes online.

Three top tips for personalising a birthday wish.

Every birthday message should include:

A warm wish for the recipient's happiness and success.

A personal touch such as a compliment, shared memory or mention of their special qualities.

A formal, friendly or romantic tone, depending on your connection.

style

long-form

Create an eye-catching 40th birthday wish.

Craft multi-channel messages. Crafting an awesome message can take time, so capitalise on your efforts by using your good wishes more than once. Post your message on your social platforms. Print out your design and hang it as an inspiring poster. Print your birthday greeting card and mail it to someone special. The possibilities are endless.

Schedule happy birthday posts on your socials. Make the 40^th birthday wishes in advance and use the free content scheduler in Adobe Express. Having everything ready beforehand means that you can send the messages first thing in the morning and surprise the birthday celebrant.

Impress friends by making a collage. When a picture says a thousand words, imagine what half a dozen (pictures) can do. For special occasions like milestone birthdays, try making a collage from your photos so that everyone feels included. Check out the collage templates in Adobe Express and replace the placeholder images with your own. Making a collage is quick, easy and a lot of fun.

Use special photos in your birthday greeting. You can upload any photos stored on your device and use them to make your birthday wish super special. Find some of you and your friend having fun and include them on the card. When sharing photos publicly, such as on social media, ensure you have permission from anyone recognisable in the image before you post it.

Adobe Express is free to use. Adobe Express provides a free plan that you can start using immediately. Get access to many of the amazing features of the paid plans from Adobe Express for free, including professionally designed templates, Adobe fonts and royalty-free media. See our plans and pricing. Adobe Express is packed full of resources like our amazing blog where we share helpful tips, tutorials, ready-to-use templates and graphic design inspiration for social media, marketing and content creators.

style

long-form