The Big Date Toolbar: A Clear Date Widget for Your Home Screen
Published · Updated · 5 min read
A big date at the top of your agenda widget tells you the day at a glance and gives the widget a clear anchor. Super Agenda offers this as an alternative to its normal date toolbar, with an optional month next to the date.
This guide explains the two header styles, when each one fits, and how to set up a clean date-and-agenda widget.
The two header styles
The top part of the widget can show the date in two ways.
| Style | What you see | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Toolbar with the date | A compact bar with the date | Small widgets, where space is tight |
| Big date | A large date, optionally with the month | Widgets you read from a distance, and clean layouts |
The toolbar has three buttons: add an event, refresh, and open the settings. Check in the live preview which of these you keep with each header style. Then pick the style that suits your habits.
When a big date helps
A big date is useful in a few situations.
- You read the phone at a glance. The date is the first thing you see, even from a short distance.
- You work with dates. If you plan by the day of the month, a large number saves a trip to the calendar app.
- You want a clean home screen. One large date and a short list look calm. We describe a full setup in the guide on a minimalist home screen with one agenda widget.
- The widget is the main item on the page. The big date works as a title for the page.
If your widget is small, a big date takes space from the events. In that case, the compact toolbar is the better pick.
Set it up
Follow these steps. The exact names of options can change between app versions, so look for the header or toolbar options in the settings.
1. Add the widget
Add the widget to your home screen like any other widget. The steps depend on your phone. Our guide on adding a calendar widget on Android has them.
2. Open the settings
Open the settings from the app. The app shows a live preview that matches the widget on the home screen: same events, same size, same look. You can check each change before you leave the screen.
3. Choose the big date
In the header options, choose the big date instead of the date toolbar. Then decide if you want the month with it.
4. Set the size and the look
Text sizes, colors, shapes, transparency, and corner radius can be set for each part of the widget. Make the date large enough to read quickly, and keep the event text smaller so the date stands out. A calm color for the date with a stronger color for events also works well.
These style options need Super Agenda Pro, a one-time in-app purchase with no subscription.
Your calendar, on your home screen. Super Agenda is a free, very customizable agenda widget for Android. No account, no ads.
5. Set the events below the date
The time settings are free. Choose how many days ahead to show, the maximum number of events, and whether to show past events. Hide declined events and all-day events if they add noise.
For a date-led widget, a short list works best. Two to three days ahead with a low maximum number of events keeps the date and the list in balance.
Ideas that use the big date
- School or study. A big date with today's classes below it. See our setup for a student schedule.
- Desk or stand. A phone on a stand shows the date from across the room.
- Family page. One page of the home screen with the date and the shared events of the household.
- Night mode. Use the day and night themes. They follow the system dark mode, so a bright date does not glare at night.
For more looks, read 10 calendar widget design ideas.
What the big date does not do
- It shows the date. It is not a month grid, and the app has no month view.
- It does not show the weather.
- It does not add tasks or to-dos. It shows calendar events only.
- It reads the calendars on the phone. It has no calendar sync of its own.
If you add events from the home screen often, read how to add an event from the home screen and test it with the big date in the live preview.
What this means for you
- Pick the big date if you want a clear, calm look and you read the widget from a distance.
- Pick the date toolbar if the widget is small.
- Test both. The live preview in the app shows the result before you go back to the home screen.
Your calendar, on your home screen. Super Agenda is a free, very customizable agenda widget for Android. No account, no ads.