Introduction
My phone has a motion sensor on its lock screen that allows me to see the time when I hover my hand above the screen. I’ve grown so used to it that I take it for granted. So I was recently surprised when a coworker looked at me like I was some sort of weirdo and asked, “Why are you always waving your hand at your phone?” I realized that this probably does look a little strange, because I check the time on my phone this way probably up to a dozen times a day.
An essential part of any phone’s home or lock screen; date and time is one of the simplest, yet most vital features you are bound to use at least one every day. And because Android allows for so much customization, there are tons of choices for making your date and time look more snazzy or better-suited to fit your needs. Why be boring when your Android could be beautiful? Why settle for run-of-the-mill when your Android could be personalized to do exactly what you need it to do?
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1. KWGT Kustom Widget Maker
Need a date and time countdown widget? Why not design one yourself? If that sounds too complicated, rest assured that the app’s WYSIWYG editor makes it a lot less mysterious and difficult.
We’re here for the time and date at the moment, but KWGT can do so much more, including displaying system information like network, statistics, and battery life, and even give you a head’s up on traffic. The only downside is that this app requires a little more effort than the simple tap of an install button, but it also contains so much more potential.
Download: KWGT Kustom Widget Maker
2. Beautiful Widgets
Looking for a date, time, and weather widget for Android? Beautiful widgets has the customizability you need. In addition to date and time, you also get multiple toggles, an alarm, and a battery gauge. There are several themes available, and you can modify your widgets to match your theme.
Beautiful Widgets is one of the best date and time widgets for Android. Even though it has a variety of offerings when it comes to widgets, its focus on including some of the best date and time widgets for Android lands it in this list. However, one complaint that several users have had is its effect on battery life.
Download: Beautiful Widgets Free
Download: Beautiful Widgets Pro ($1.99)
3. HD Widgets
HD Widgets is another tried and true weather, date, and time widget for Android that has stood the test of time. You can pick and choose the types of widgets you want from a variety of options; also including 50+ settings, toggles, and weather for multiple locations. The app is very user-friendly and fun. It comes with one free theme, but there are a handful you can get from Google Play that are also supported.
The free (with purchase of HD Widgets) theme Glass Gems comes with over 100 widgets, including some for your lock screen. The weather widget obtains its information from multiple sources for greater accuracy. Unfortunately, this app seems to also consume more battery than expected.
Download: HD Widgets Free
Download: HD Widgets
4. Simple Digital Clock
The previous apps were chosen for their plethora of options and features, but this app was chosen because of what it doesn’t have. Ads for one thing; and aside from offering a clock, it doesn’t really provide much else. But that’s the beauty of the app—its simplicity. Odds are, if you were searching for and stumbled across this article, you really might just simply want a clock without all of the fanfare.
This completely free app comes with clock widgets in two different sizes—4×1 or 2×1—basically medium or large. It strikes a nice contrast on most wallpapers; with its white background outlined in shadow. Simple Digital Clock’s creators were of the mindset that you shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time on a clock; therefore you don’t.
Download: Simple Digital Clock
5. Minimalist Clock Widget
Maybe you want simple, elegant, and understated, but you still want options. Minimal Clock Widget affords you 20 analog and digital styles to choose from. It’s also free, but it still allows you to customize color, text, and background. You can also display your current battery level or the weather forecast.
Download: Minimalist Clock Widget
6. DIGI Clock Widget
It’s easy to see why DIGI is one of the most popular clock widget apps. Any digital clock is mostly comprised of font, and DIGI has one of the widest font selections. The app is free, and comes with a set of five date and time widgets of different sizes.
You get to pick your own picture/color for widget wallpaper. It isn’t all about looks either—you can specify what action the widget should execute when tapped. All these features combine to make DIGI Clock Widget one of the 10 best date and time widgets for Android.
Download: DIGI Clock Widget
7. Retro Clock Widget
Based on the classical mechanical flipping clock, the widget provides both date and time. It has been downloaded by millions of users, and was one of the first Android clock apps on the market. The widgets will also whisk you away to your phone’s alarm and calendar apps when you tap on them. More customization options are available through the Retro Clock Settings companion app.
Do take care to add Retro Clock to your Task Manager’s Ignore List if you use such an app. If Retro Clock is killed, it will no longer update the time.
Download: Retro Clock Widget
Download: Retro Clock Settings (99 Cents)
8. Thalion Clock
If you are into the analog clock look, this widget has a very elegant design. It comes in three different sizes: 4×3, 2×2, and 1×1. Thalion Clock also makes the list because unlike some of the others, it does not seem to have a negative impact on battery life. It’s also quite easy to use. This is a great time widget for Samsung devices, or any Android, for that matter.
Download: The Fox
Download: Thalion Clock
9. Chronus: Home & Lock Widget
Customization is a key feature of this widget. Whether you want analog or digital, to show battery life percentage or the weather, and/or want to personalize everything—you can. What also makes it unique is the access it gives you to news providers like Feedly, which makes it a great date and time widget for bloggers. You can also add stock market or calendar updates to your phone, and you can do these thing on the home or lock screen.
Chronus originated as the default clock widget for CyanogenMod, a highly popular custom ROM. The app’s intention is to be the only widget you need on your device.
Download: Chronus: Home & Lock Widget
10. Pretty Binary Clock Widget
I used to have a clock that ran backwards, and I was often the only one who could read it, which was kind of fun. This clock has similar appeal, will suit you most if you are the nerdy type, and contains an element not always associated with geeky stuff—it’s beautiful.
As described by its creator: “I’ve been wandering through (the) Play Store looking for a Binary Clock Widget that wasn’t made by programmers with total contempt for design, and guess what? I couldn’t find one, so I made one myself.”
Download: Pretty Binary Clock Widget
Conclusion
Widgets are a mainstay of Android. They give you the ability to not only access information and apps faster, but to also do so in a way that is personalized to meet your needs and wants. This is especially important when you consider how much you rely on your Android when it comes to information and apps. I personally don’t like to wear watches, so often Android is the only means I have to know what time it is, and it also frequently serves me as a quick reminder of the date.
These are the 10 best date and time widgets for Android we could find. Do you have other date and time widgets to add to the list? Which of these did you like the best, or find most useful? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
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