Editorial date widget

What an editorial date widget shows

A date widget is the calm alternative to a clock: one large number for the day, with the weekday above and the month below. It suits small 2 × 2 spaces and pairs well with a clock elsewhere on the screen.

It uses the phone's date, so it is free, works offline and needs no permission. WidgetCraft's Date layer takes a pattern, so each line can show a different part of the date.

How the editorial style shapes it

Editorial widgets borrow from print magazines: a large serif headline, small spaced captions, thin rules and warm paper colors. They suit quotes, reading progress and portrait photos.

• Numbers: Set numbers in the serif at display size and add a short caption underneath.
• Text: Pair a serif headline with tiny capitalised sans captions, the way a magazine credits a photo.

Editorial date widget recipe

Editorial color palette

• Newsprint #F3EEE4Background
• Aged paper #E7DFD0Surface and tracks
• Press black #1D1A16Text
• Caption grey #7B7265Labels
• Masthead red #A4452CAccent

How to make an editorial date widget in WidgetCraft

1. Create a widget and open Canvas. Set the size to 200 × 200, the background to #F3EEE4 and the corner radius to 6.
2. Tap Add and choose Date. Set the pattern to the full weekday (EEEE), the size to 15 and the color to #A4452C.
3. Add a second Date layer with the day number (pattern d) at size 92 in #1D1A16, using Libre Caslon Display.
4. Add a third Date layer with the full month (MMMM) at size 15 in #7B7265.
5. Center all three layers on the canvas.
6. Add the editorial ornament with Shape layers and move them below the other layers in Layers: a single hairline rule across the top, like a column divider.
7. Tap Save, then Add to home screen and resize the widget on your launcher if needed.

Everything in this recipe works in the free version.

Tips for editorial date widgets

• Use a real serif for the headline and keep captions under 11 points.
• Add one thin rule to anchor the layout.
• Make the day number at least twice the size of the other lines.
• Write the month in full if there is room; short forms such as "Nov" look cramped in serif fonts.
• Pair it with a clock widget in the same font rather than squeezing the time into the same 2 × 2 space.
• Do not use bright saturated colors.
• Do not center everything; align to the left edge like a column.

Ready-made Editorial templates

WidgetCraft includes a Editorial template pack you can import and edit instead of starting from a blank canvas.

A word to collect5 editable layersReading bookmark6 editable layersSunday cover7 editable layers

Questions about the editorial date widget

What size is an editorial date widget?

It is designed for 2 × 2 home screen cells on a 200 × 200 canvas. You can resize it on the launcher and the design scales in proportion.

Which colors does it use?

Newsprint (#F3EEE4) for the background, Press black (#1D1A16) for the main text, Caption grey (#7B7265) for labels and Masthead red (#A4452C) as the accent.

Is it free to make?

Yes. Date widgets use free features in WidgetCraft, and the editorial styling is free too.

What else is this style called?

People also search for magazine date widget, serif date widget, newspaper style date widget. They describe the same look as this editorial date widget.

More editorial widgets

• Editorial clock widget
• Editorial analog clock widget
• Editorial calendar widget
• Editorial battery widget
• Editorial countdown widget
• Editorial to-do list widget
• Editorial photo widget
• Editorial quote widget
• Editorial music widget
• Editorial year progress widget
• Editorial step counter widget
• Editorial habit tracker widget
• Editorial sticky note widget
• Editorial world clock widget
• Editorial home screen setup
• All editorial widgets

Date widgets in other styles

• Newspaper date widget
• Light academia date widget
• Dark academia date widget
• All date widgets