explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

3238: Soniferous Aether

2026-04-28T07:11:07Z

Kynde: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3238
| date = April 27, 2026
| title = Soniferous Aether
| image = soniferous_aether_2x.png
| imagesize = 290x466px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Imagine you could ride alongside a sound wave. It would probably be pretty cool, right? We're putting in a departmental budget request to buy a really fast plane so we can check it out.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by a BOT THAT BREATHES SONIFEROUS AETHER. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic makes a joke on the {{w|speed of light}} and the {{w|speed of sound}}, and the way in which they travel.

Scientists beginning in the late 1690s would discuss a {{w|luminiferous aether}} to explain properties of light, especially its ability to travel in a vacuum, which should not be possible for a wave. The 1887 {{w|Michelson–Morley experiment}} disproved its existence, and nowadays, this property is explained by {{w|wave–particle duality}}, which says that light can act as both a particle and a wave.

The title text references {{w|Albert Einstein|Albert Einstein's}} thought experiment where he imagined riding alongside a light particle/wave (which was referenced in [[2959: Beam of Light]]), but with a sound wave instead. Travelling at the speed of sound can be accomplished with a fast airplane, usually military aircraft, however the {{w|Tu-144}} and {{w|Concorde}} were both commercial aircraft that did manage to achieve the ability to go supersonic, [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/i-was-there-when-the-dc-8-went-supersonic-27846699/ aside from (briefly) a DC-8].

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail is addressing an unseen audience in front of her while she holds her hand out towards them. She is standing on a podium with Cueball behind her. Cueball holds an arm out behind him indicating a screen behind him showing a graph with three sinus waves with different wavelengths. The top has two cycles, the middle four cycles and the bottom one cycle.]
:Ponytail: We all know the speed of light is constant for all observers.
:Ponytail: But our experiments show that the speed of sound '''''changes''''' based on the observer's motion.
:Ponytail: Thus, we posit the existence of the '''''Soniferous Aether''''', a medium that fills the space between us and carries sound waves.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Sometimes physicists forget that air exists and rediscover it from first principles.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Physics]]

3238: Soniferous Aether

2026-04-28T07:08:41Z

Kynde: /* Transcript */ Completing transcript and adding physics category

{{comic
| number = 3238
| date = April 27, 2026
| title = Soniferous Aether
| image = soniferous_aether_2x.png
| imagesize = 290x466px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Imagine you could ride alongside a sound wave. It would probably be pretty cool, right? We're putting in a departmental budget request to buy a really fast plane so we can check it out.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by a BOT THAT BREATHES SONIFEROUS AETHER. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

This comic makes a joke on the speed of light and the speed of sound, and the way in which they travel.

Scientists beginning in the late 1690s would discuss a {{w|luminiferous aether}} to explain properties of light, especially its ability to travel in a vacuum, which should not be possible for a wave. The 1887 {{w|Michelson–Morley experiment}} disproved its existence, and nowadays, this property is explained by {{w|wave–particle duality}}, which says that light can act as both a particle and a wave.

The title text references Albert Einstein's thought experiment where he imagined riding alongside a light particle/wave (which was referenced in [[2959: Beam of Light]]), but with a sound wave instead. Travelling at the speed of sound can be accomplished with a fast airplane, usually military aircraft, however the Tu-144 and Concorde were both commericial aircraft that did manage to achieve the ability to go supersonic, [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/i-was-there-when-the-dc-8-went-supersonic-27846699/ aside from (briefly) a DC-8].

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail is addressing an unseen audience in front of her while she holds her hand out towards them. She is standing on a podium with Cueball behind her. Cueball holds an arm out behind him indicating a screen behind him showing a graph with three sinus waves with different wavelengths. The top has two cycles, the middle four cycles and the bottom one cycle.]
:Ponytail: We all know the speed of light is constant for all observers.
:Ponytail: But our experiments show that the speed of sound '''''changes''''' based on the observer's motion.
:Ponytail: Thus, we posit the existence of the '''''Soniferous Aether''''', a medium that fills the space between us and carries sound waves.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Sometimes physicists forget that air exists and rediscover it from first principles.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Physics]]

3237: Husband and Wife

2026-04-27T11:23:12Z

Kynde: /* Transcript */ no links in transcript and small details. Plus adding Category:Comics to make one feel old

{{comic
| number = 3237
| date = April 24, 2026
| title = Husband and Wife
| image = husband_and_wife_2x.png
| imagesize = 586x292px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Borat came out twenty years ago this year--closer to the breakup of the Soviet Union than to today--but it honestly feels like it's been even longer, somehow.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by MAH BAAT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

[[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are discussing the phrases that married couples use to refer to each other, traditionally "my husband" and "my wife". Megan thinks this sounds too traditional, comparing it to a "Victorian gossip" (a subject that was previously referenced in [[2660: Gen Z]]), though it isn't clear whether this is because of referring to a spouse possessively or using the term "husband", which can sound fancy due to its 17th-century meanings of "master of the house" or "husbandman" (farmer).

Cueball, on the other hand, isn't bothered as much by this implication as by the association with 2006 film ''{{w|Borat}}''. Borat, a fictional character from {{w|Kazakhstan}}, had a distinct, cringy way of saying [https://youtu.be/Zw16aew4Pt0 "my wife"], which Cueball can't get out of his head when he uses the phrase.

Cueball's problem isn't easily solved; it's hard for some to forget that {{w|earworm}}. The title text points out that the 20 years from the movie's release to the publication of this comic is longer than the 15 years from the {{w|dissolution of the Soviet Union}} to the movie (Kazakhstan was briefly the last-remaining member of the USSR). In contrast to [[Randall]]'s usual [[:Category:Comics to make one feel old|attempts to make people feel old]], the title text claims that ''Borat'' actually seems '''older''' than it really is.

==Transcript==
:[Megan and Cueball are talking, standing next to each other.]
:Megan: I still feel a little weird saying the phrase "my husband".
:Megan: It makes me feel so traditional, like a Victorian gossip.

:[Megan and Cueball still standing next to each other.]
:Cueball: Yeah, well, '''''my''''' plight isn’t much better.
:Megan: What do you mean?
:Cueball: What’s the most salient cultural reference for the phrase "my wife"?

:[In the 3rd panel, Cueball has his hands raised.]
:Megan: Ughhhh, true.
:Cueball: Even now, after two decades, when I speak of you I hear his voice, echoing through the halls of memory like a cringey ghost.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Romance]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Movies]]
[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

3235: Types of Board Game

2026-04-21T10:43:50Z

Kynde: /* Explanation */ The first game is obviously Ludo like, with no strategy. Not sure Monopoly falls in there? Have moved Ludo to the top.

{{comic
| number = 3235
| date = April 20, 2026
| title = Types of Board Game
| image = types_of_board_game_2x.png
| imagesize = 501x1161px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = I can't believe Candles of Vienna caved to commercial pressure and added the Goku expansion.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a member of the Congress of Vienna in 1814. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

There are a lot of different types of board games in the world. Some are very simple, some are very complicated. This comic illustrates various types, with rather extreme examples.

{| class="wikitable"
| Boring || This is a very simplistic and boring board game style, where the players simply move around the board at the dictates of chance. The clearest example of this kind of game is {{w|Ludo}}, which simply involves moving all the pawns around the board once, which can take a long time and can get frustrating when dice rolls don't want to line up late in the game. It is unclear whether the described game has no end condition at all or whether it is so dull that the group involved are unable to complete it without getting bored and giving up. While a number of family games (like {{w|Pachisi}} variants and {{w|Monopoly (game)|Monopoly}}) also fall into this structure and still have something resembling skill and gameplay, the simplest examples (such as {{w|Snakes and Ladders}}, {{w|Mouse Trap (board game)|Mouse Trap}}, and {{w|Candy Land}}) involve no player choices at all, and are thus viewed as boring, at least for adults. While Monopoly strategy exists, it can also be described this way and is widely hated (as well as popular).
|-
| Abstract || This board game has more abstract tones, involving the arrangement of geometric shapes for reasons that may not be immediately clear. Some people may find this kind of game, without a relatable framing they can use as a starting point for understanding it, hard to get to grips with.
|-
| Hyperspecific Theme || This board game has a weirdly specific back-story, being centred around a very specific historical event, and a specific task within that. Lengthy back-stories that have to be explained before you get to the actual gameplay can feel contrived and be off-putting to some players. The {{w|Congress of Vienna}} was a gathering of diplomats from many different countries at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. There exists an [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/296578/congress-of-vienna actual board game] about the Congress of Vienna, but it has nothing to do with lighting candles.
|-
| Overcomplicated || {{w|Twilight Imperium}} is widely regarded as being an extremely complex board game (despite "only" having a weight rating of 3.75 on [http://boardgamegeek.com Board Game Geek]). Cones of Dunshire is a joke board game (first shown on the TV show ''{{w|Parks and Recreation}}''), but was eventually turned into a real game where its extreme complexity is key to the joke. Combining them would likely be far more complex than either. {{w|Category theory}} is a branch of mathematics famous for its layers of abstractions, and is notoriously difficult to understand. {{w|Monads}} is one concept from category theory, with the famous definition of "A monad is simply a monoid in the category of endofunctors".
|-
| Cooperative || Cooperative board games center around players attempting to reach a common goal, winning or losing together. Many feature impediments to communication that make this more difficult; for instance, players may be restricted from saying certain words, or have secret cards they are unable to reveal before playing. The game in this panel appears to forbid all communication between players except for hand gestures. The punchline likens it to a very mundane activity, sorting a junk drawer, made artificially more difficult due to silence, and suggests the game is just as boring. It also raises suspicions that [[Megan]] has organised or hijacked this games night to trick her friends into doing chores she can't be bothered with.
|-
| Branded || Some board games are published and marketed as tie-ins to other forms of media, using settings, characters, or events from the source to appeal to its fans. The theming often has little to nothing to do with the gameplay, as the many branded variants on Monopoly can attest. The game in this panel is themed after the sitcom {{w|Friends}}, with the unlikely addition of Son Goku from {{w|Dragon Ball}}.
|-
| Party || It can be hard to determine what makes a party game, other than it generally doesn't have the kinds of gameplay and strategy in other kinds of board games. Such games (like {{w|Pictionary}} or {{w|30 Seconds (game)|30 Seconds}}) are often aimed at creating humorous or mildly embarrassing situations. However, party games marketed as "for adults" (such as the well known {{w|Cards Against Humanity}}) do tend to have one thing in common — swearing or references to sex.
|-
| Social Deduction || {{w|Social_deduction_game|Social deduction games}} revolve around the players attempting to deduce the roles or allegiances of other players, based on both special abilities provided by the game and the players' native abilities to tell which of their fellow players are being dishonest. Commonly, they involve an 'uninformed majority,' who do not know the allegiances of other players, attempting to discover the 'informed minority,' who know the members of their team. The minority is often framed as 'evil,' with the ability to 'kill' other players and remove them from the game; their victory condition often revolves around killing most or all of the 'good' players. The game in this panel revolves around finding a 'secret murderer,' but evidently has required clarification that discovering a ''real'' murderer does not count, implying that one or more of the participants has actually killed someone in real life (this would particularly make sense if [[Black Hat]] was at the table). This might be a reference to the case of Tiernan Darnton who admitted killing his step-grandmother during a game of Truth or Dare (though this was later revealed to be untrue).
|-
| Title text || "Candles of Vienna" is presumably the game described under "Hyperspecific Theme". An expansion pack is an additional set of playing equipment that can be combined with an existing game to add new gameplay possibilities. It appears that the rights holders for Goku have decided on a strategy of getting the character included in multiple board games. The character would arguably be even more out of place in Napoleonic Vienna than lounging on the sofas at Central Perk.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

[There are 8 cells, each with a different type of board game.]

Boring

Megan: Each turn, roll a die and move your token. Turns proceed clockwise around the table until we get bored and go home.

Abstract

Cueball: Each turn, you can place any number of red triangles or blue squares on a hexagon, or move any hexagon to a...

Hyperspecific Theme

Ponytail: It's October 2, 1814. The Congress of Vienna convenes. You are each in charge of distributing and lighting candles for the opening ball, which was held at these three locations...

Overcomplicated

Whitehat: It's a cross between Twilight Imperium and Cones of Dunshire, but implemented entirely in category theory. Every cone is a monad, and...

Cooperative

Megan: We're working together to sort these decks of cards using only hand gestures. After that, we'll silently organize my junk drawer.

Branded

Cueball: You can play as Phoebe, Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Ross, Joey, or, due to an ill-advised tie-in, Goku.

Party

Ponytail: Each of the cards in your hand has a bad word on it. On the count of three, yell the...

Social Deduction

Megan: Remember, per our ''Find the Secret Murderer'' house rules from last week, discovering that a player had committed a real-life murder does ''not'' count.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-19T14:29:51Z

Kynde: /* Trivia */

{{comic
| number = 3234
| date = April 17, 2026
| title = Europa Missions
| image = europa_missions_2x.png
| imagesize = 515x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Before resurfacing, they promise to inspect the ice for any evidence of hockey-playing life.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by the Zamboni Voyager. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
In recent years, {{w|NASA}} and the {{w|European Space Agency}} (ESA) have sent spacecraft to observe Jupiter’s moon Europa. According to NASA, the moon could be a candidate for life, so it would make sense that the scientists would send spacecraft to observe it. The first two craft, the {{w|Europa Clipper}} and {{w|Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer}}, respectively, will investigate the ocean, topography and chemistry of the moon, to help in searching for signs of life. Europa's ocean is frozen on the top, thus "subsurface ocean."

A {{w|Zamboni}} is a vehicle that, rather than being a scientific misson or a transport for other scientific missions, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks that have been worn down. The comic talks about a hypothetical spacecraft carrying a Zamboni because the {{w|National Hockey League}} (NHL) wants to expand their games to Europa due to the surface of the moon’s oceans being completely covered in ice. Hockey in reduced gravity would be {{What If|124|an interesting idea.}}

The title text talks about finding hockey playing life on Europa, which would be unlikely, as the life on Earth and Europa are completely separate cultures,{{citation needed}} so even if the life on Europa does have its own forms of entertainment similar to sports, it would be unlikely that the sports played have even {{w|Convergent evolution|remotely similar}} rules or equipment. It appears that, if life were on Europa that did not play hockey, the NHL would not consider them important enough to reassess the impacts of their space mission.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball's upper body is shown; he is in front of an image of a spacecraft.]
:Cueball: There are now three spacecraft headed to Europa:
:Cueball: NASA's ''Europa Clipper'', which investigate Europa's subsurface ocean,

:[In a longer shot, Cueball, Ponytail, and Hairy are all shown standing in front of another spacecraft image, with Cueball gesturing at it.]
:Cueball: ESA's ''Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer'', which will study the topography and chemistry of Europa and the other moons,

:[Another closeup on Cueball, who is in front of an image of a Zamboni with a firing rocket nozzle on its bottom.]
:Cueball: And the NHL's ''Zamboni Voyager'', which plans to resurface Europa.
:Voice out of frame: Oh no.
:Cueball: We tried to stop them, but the league is set on an expansion.

==Trivia==
*The [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/archive/f/fd/20260418170145%21europa_missions_2x.png original version of the comic] incorrectly referred to the "Jupiter Icy Moons ''Orbiter''" rather than "Jupiter Icy Moons ''Explorer''."

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics edited after their publication]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Space probes]]
[[Category:Sport]]

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-19T14:28:55Z

Kynde: /* Transcript */ no link or explanations in transcript

{{comic
| number = 3234
| date = April 17, 2026
| title = Europa Missions
| image = europa_missions_2x.png
| imagesize = 515x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Before resurfacing, they promise to inspect the ice for any evidence of hockey-playing life.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by the Zamboni Voyager. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
In recent years, {{w|NASA}} and the {{w|European Space Agency}} (ESA) have sent spacecraft to observe Jupiter’s moon Europa. According to NASA, the moon could be a candidate for life, so it would make sense that the scientists would send spacecraft to observe it. The first two craft, the {{w|Europa Clipper}} and {{w|Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer}}, respectively, will investigate the ocean, topography and chemistry of the moon, to help in searching for signs of life. Europa's ocean is frozen on the top, thus "subsurface ocean."

A {{w|Zamboni}} is a vehicle that, rather than being a scientific misson or a transport for other scientific missions, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks that have been worn down. The comic talks about a hypothetical spacecraft carrying a Zamboni because the {{w|National Hockey League}} (NHL) wants to expand their games to Europa due to the surface of the moon’s oceans being completely covered in ice. Hockey in reduced gravity would be {{What If|124|an interesting idea.}}

The title text talks about finding hockey playing life on Europa, which would be unlikely, as the life on Earth and Europa are completely separate cultures,{{citation needed}} so even if the life on Europa does have its own forms of entertainment similar to sports, it would be unlikely that the sports played have even {{w|Convergent evolution|remotely similar}} rules or equipment. It appears that, if life were on Europa that did not play hockey, the NHL would not consider them important enough to reassess the impacts of their space mission.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball's upper body is shown; he is in front of an image of a spacecraft.]
:Cueball: There are now three spacecraft headed to Europa:
:Cueball: NASA's ''Europa Clipper'', which investigate Europa's subsurface ocean,

:[In a longer shot, Cueball, Ponytail, and Hairy are all shown standing in front of another spacecraft image, with Cueball gesturing at it.]
:Cueball: ESA's ''Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer'', which will study the topography and chemistry of Europa and the other moons,

:[Another closeup on Cueball, who is in front of an image of a Zamboni with a firing rocket nozzle on its bottom.]
:Cueball: And the NHL's ''Zamboni Voyager'', which plans to resurface Europa.
:Voice out of frame: Oh no.
:Cueball: We tried to stop them, but the league is set on an expansion.

==Trivia==
*The [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/archive/f/fd/20260418170145%21europa_missions_2x.png original version of the comic] incorrectly referred to the "Jupiter Icy Moons ''Orbiter''".

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics edited after their publication]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Space probes]]
[[Category:Sport]]

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-19T14:28:12Z

Kynde: Moving trivia below transcript as is the usual style on explain.

{{comic
| number = 3234
| date = April 17, 2026
| title = Europa Missions
| image = europa_missions_2x.png
| imagesize = 515x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Before resurfacing, they promise to inspect the ice for any evidence of hockey-playing life.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by the Zamboni Voyager. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
In recent years, {{w|NASA}} and the {{w|European Space Agency}} (ESA) have sent spacecraft to observe Jupiter’s moon Europa. According to NASA, the moon could be a candidate for life, so it would make sense that the scientists would send spacecraft to observe it. The first two craft, the {{w|Europa Clipper}} and {{w|Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer}}, respectively, will investigate the ocean, topography and chemistry of the moon, to help in searching for signs of life. Europa's ocean is frozen on the top, thus "subsurface ocean."

A {{w|Zamboni}} is a vehicle that, rather than being a scientific misson or a transport for other scientific missions, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks that have been worn down. The comic talks about a hypothetical spacecraft carrying a Zamboni because the {{w|National Hockey League}} (NHL) wants to expand their games to Europa due to the surface of the moon’s oceans being completely covered in ice. Hockey in reduced gravity would be {{What If|124|an interesting idea.}}

The title text talks about finding hockey playing life on Europa, which would be unlikely, as the life on Earth and Europa are completely separate cultures,{{citation needed}} so even if the life on Europa does have its own forms of entertainment similar to sports, it would be unlikely that the sports played have even {{w|Convergent evolution|remotely similar}} rules or equipment. It appears that, if life were on Europa that did not play hockey, the NHL would not consider them important enough to reassess the impacts of their space mission.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball's upper body is shown; he is in front of an image of a spacecraft.]
:Cueball: There are now three spacecraft headed to Europa:
:Cueball: NASA's ''Europa Clipper'', which investigate Europa's subsurface ocean,

:[In a longer shot, Cueball, Ponytail, and Hairy are all shown standing in front of another spacecraft image, with Cueball gesturing at it.]
:Cueball: ESA's ''Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer'', which will study the topography and chemistry of Europa and the other moons,

:[Another closeup on Cueball, who is in front of an image of a {{w|Zamboni}} with a firing rocket nozzle on its bottom.]
:Cueball: And the NHL's ''Zamboni Voyager'', which plans to resurface Europa.
:Voice out of frame: Oh no.
:Cueball: We tried to stop them, but the league is set on an expansion.

==Trivia==
*The [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/archive/f/fd/20260418170145%21europa_missions_2x.png original version of the comic] incorrectly referred to the "Jupiter Icy Moons ''Orbiter''".

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics edited after their publication]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Space probes]]
[[Category:Sport]]

3233: Make It Myself

2026-04-16T07:29:37Z

Kynde: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3233
| date = April 15, 2026
| title = Make It Myself
| image = make_it_myself_2x.png
| imagesize = 284x438px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = It's not as big a loss as it looks, because now I have have leftover supplies, which will help me talk myself into doing this all over again with a new project!
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created BY A BOT MADE WITH 20 MINUTES OF CODING, 30 MINUTES OF TROUBLESHOOTING, ANOTHER HOUR OF CODING, AND A SUBSCRIPTION TO CURSOR. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
There are many people who complain about the retail price of items (especially, but not only, after rising prices such as with the trend of high rates of inflation occuring at around the time of this comic). People sometimes claim that they could make something themselves, thinking it will be quick and easy. Instead, Cueball reflects real life by listing the actual effort he would expend on such a project. In total, Cueball spends $60 (and 5-6 hours of "labor") creating his replacement, and then ends up just buying the one in the store because his {{w|do it yourself|do-it-yourself}} replacement breaks sooner than the engineered product. This means that Cueball actually lost $60 on this venture, as well as at least a few hours and several trips to the store. And most people aren't as technically capable as Cueball (or as [[:Category:Cueball's computer problems|irrationally confident]] as Cueball is about his technical capabilities), so may not even be able to ''start'' to consider the self-built item.

The title text has Cueball compensating for his losses by deluding himself into believing that the leftover supplies will help him with a future project. But also reflects that this will likely just cause him to do all this once again, trying in vain budling a product him selv, and then ending up once again buying the product and just ending up losing more money and having more spare parts to continue this proces again and again.

Weather building a new product is at all realistic depends on the supplies. When deciding whether to do work personally versus paying for a product or service, a common dilemma is that the DIY approach requires specialized tools and/or buying a larger amount of material than one will need. There may not be a future personal project requiring a specialized drill bit or leftover screws, in which case the leftovers will gather dust until they are thrown out or sold off at a steep discount. If Cueball was determined enough to put the leftovers to use, he might offer to create improved versions of his solution for other people, gradually amortizing the up-front costs and ultimately creating a competing product years later. Barring major cost-saving innovations, that new product might end up costing a similar amount to the original. If the original's price was inflated, the two products might drive down each other's prices through competition.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[Cueball and White Hat stand together looking at two boxes on the right side of the frame. Each box has labels saying "Sale" and "$80" on one of the visible sides of the box, and illegible text on the other visible side of the box. Cueball is holding his arms out toward the boxes.]

:Cueball: They want $80 for this?
:Cueball: I could make one myself for $10 in parts, an hour of work, a trip to the hardware store, another $30 in parts, another few hours of work, two more trips to the store for $20 more in parts, another hour to redo the first hour of work because I messed up, and $80 to buy this when the one I made breaks.
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category: Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category: Comics featuring White Hat]]

Talk:3232: Countdown Standard

2026-04-14T06:47:08Z

Kynde:

Refer to all 4 Lethal Weapons movies for discussion. {{unsigned ip|45.138.52.240}}
:{{citation needed}} --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:45, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Don't most people say "on three", "on one", or "on go" before starting the count anyway? And then delay the final (action) number a teensy bit? e.g. "On one. Ready? 3 2 1" This isn't that ambiguous, not that I would object to standardisation. [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 23:13, 13 April 2026 (UTC)

:It is appallingly common for me to hear the inconsistent and dissonant, "On the count of three…one, two, three, GO!" (This is problematic because it is "on the count of THREE" not "on the count of GO, the word after three". Or at least, that is what I understand those words to mean.) [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 02:09, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

:Just "on three" is the most common, I think. You say "On three. Ready? One, two THREE." [[User:Dogman15|Dogman15]] ([[User talk:Dogman15|talk]]) 02:42, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

And the Lord spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it. -- Monty Python and the Holy Grail [[User:Jordan Brown|Jordan Brown]] ([[User talk:Jordan Brown|talk]]) 00:35, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
:[Arthur:] Right. One, two, five!
:[Galahad:] Three, sir.
:[Arthur:] Three! [*throws it*]
:...just to complicate matters. ;) [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 00:54, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
::Fantastic guys ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:44, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Four... Two... One... One Half... One Quarter... One Eighth... One Sixteenth... One Thirty-second... One Sixty-Fourth... [go to infinity] GO! [[User:King Pando|King Pando]] ([[User talk:King Pando|talk]]) 03:47, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Just to make things even weirder: the movie industry counts 5, 4, 3, 2, go!
[[Special:Contributions/76.133.66.138|76.133.66.138]] 03:59, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
:{{citation needed}} --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:44, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

I'm sure people all over the world will follow this standard just as faithfully as they follow ISO 8601. {{unsigned|2a00:1a28:1410:5::10db}}
:Here for reference: [[1179: ISO 8601]]. But there is at least one more with ISO reference: [[2322: ISO Paper Size Golden Spiral]]. So that is three comics referencing the ISO system directly (this one not in titel but in the text so no doubt that it would belong with the other two. But I'm not sure three is enough to create and ISO category? Could not on the spot find any others...? If someone can then we could make a category! --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:43, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3232: Countdown Standard

2026-04-14T06:45:51Z

Kynde:

Refer to all 4 Lethal Weapons movies for discussion. {{unsigned ip|45.138.52.240}}
:{{citation needed}} --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:45, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Don't most people say "on three", "on one", or "on go" before starting the count anyway? And then delay the final (action) number a teensy bit? e.g. "On one. Ready? 3 2 1" This isn't that ambiguous, not that I would object to standardisation. [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 23:13, 13 April 2026 (UTC)

:It is appallingly common for me to hear the inconsistent and dissonant, "On the count of three…one, two, three, GO!" (This is problematic because it is "on the count of THREE" not "on the count of GO, the word after three". Or at least, that is what I understand those words to mean.) [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 02:09, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

:Just "on three" is the most common, I think. You say "On three. Ready? One, two THREE." [[User:Dogman15|Dogman15]] ([[User talk:Dogman15|talk]]) 02:42, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

And the Lord spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it. -- Monty Python and the Holy Grail [[User:Jordan Brown|Jordan Brown]] ([[User talk:Jordan Brown|talk]]) 00:35, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
:[Arthur:] Right. One, two, five!
:[Galahad:] Three, sir.
:[Arthur:] Three! [*throws it*]
:...just to complicate matters. ;) [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 00:54, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
::Fantastic guys ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:44, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Four... Two... One... One Half... One Quarter... One Eighth... One Sixteenth... One Thirty-second... One Sixty-Fourth... [go to infinity] GO! [[User:King Pando|King Pando]] ([[User talk:King Pando|talk]]) 03:47, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Just to make things even weirder: the movie industry counts 5, 4, 3, 2, go!
[[Special:Contributions/76.133.66.138|76.133.66.138]] 03:59, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
:{{citation needed}} --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:44, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

I'm sure people all over the world will follow this standard just as faithfully as they follow ISO 8601. {{unsigned|2a00:1a28:1410:5::10db}}
:Here for reference: [[1179: ISO 8601]]. But there is at least one more with [[2322: ISO Paper Size Golden Spiral]]. So that is three comics referencing the ISO system directly. But I'm not sure three is enough to create and ISO category? Could not on the spot find any others...? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:43, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3232: Countdown Standard

2026-04-14T06:44:56Z

Kynde:

Refer to all 4 Lethal Weapons movies for discussion.

Don't most people say "on three", "on one", or "on go" before starting the count anyway? And then delay the final (action) number a teensy bit? e.g. "On one. Ready? 3 2 1" This isn't that ambiguous, not that I would object to standardisation. [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 23:13, 13 April 2026 (UTC)

:It is appallingly common for me to hear the inconsistent and dissonant, "On the count of three…one, two, three, GO!" (This is problematic because it is "on the count of THREE" not "on the count of GO, the word after three". Or at least, that is what I understand those words to mean.) [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 02:09, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

:Just "on three" is the most common, I think. You say "On three. Ready? One, two THREE." [[User:Dogman15|Dogman15]] ([[User talk:Dogman15|talk]]) 02:42, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

And the Lord spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it. -- Monty Python and the Holy Grail [[User:Jordan Brown|Jordan Brown]] ([[User talk:Jordan Brown|talk]]) 00:35, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
:[Arthur:] Right. One, two, five!
:[Galahad:] Three, sir.
:[Arthur:] Three! [*throws it*]
:...just to complicate matters. ;) [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 00:54, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
::Fantastic guys ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:44, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Four... Two... One... One Half... One Quarter... One Eighth... One Sixteenth... One Thirty-second... One Sixty-Fourth... [go to infinity] GO! [[User:King Pando|King Pando]] ([[User talk:King Pando|talk]]) 03:47, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Just to make things even weirder: the movie industry counts 5, 4, 3, 2, go!
[[Special:Contributions/76.133.66.138|76.133.66.138]] 03:59, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
:{{citation needed}} --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:44, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

I'm sure people all over the world will follow this standard just as faithfully as they follow ISO 8601. {{unsigned|2a00:1a28:1410:5::10db}}
:Here for reference: [[1179: ISO 8601]]. But there is at least one more with [[2322: ISO Paper Size Golden Spiral]]. So that is three comics referencing the ISO system directly. But I'm not sure three is enough to create and ISO category? Could not on the spot find any others...? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:43, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3232: Countdown Standard

2026-04-14T06:44:26Z

Kynde:

Refer to all 4 Lethal Weapons movies for discussion.

Don't most people say "on three", "on one", or "on go" before starting the count anyway? And then delay the final (action) number a teensy bit? e.g. "On one. Ready? 3 2 1" This isn't that ambiguous, not that I would object to standardisation. [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 23:13, 13 April 2026 (UTC)

:It is appallingly common for me to hear the inconsistent and dissonant, "On the count of three…one, two, three, GO!" (This is problematic because it is "on the count of THREE" not "on the count of GO, the word after three". Or at least, that is what I understand those words to mean.) [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 02:09, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

:Just "on three" is the most common, I think. You say "On three. Ready? One, two THREE." [[User:Dogman15|Dogman15]] ([[User talk:Dogman15|talk]]) 02:42, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

And the Lord spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it. -- Monty Python and the Holy Grail [[User:Jordan Brown|Jordan Brown]] ([[User talk:Jordan Brown|talk]]) 00:35, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
:[Arthur:] Right. One, two, five!
:[Galahad:] Three, sir.
:[Arthur:] Three! [*throws it*]
:...just to complicate matters. ;) [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 00:54, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
::Fantastic guys ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:44, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Four... Two... One... One Half... One Quarter... One Eighth... One Sixteenth... One Thirty-second... One Sixty-Fourth... [go to infinity] GO! [[User:King Pando|King Pando]] ([[User talk:King Pando|talk]]) 03:47, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Just to make things even weirder: the movie industry counts 5, 4, 3, 2, go!
[[Special:Contributions/76.133.66.138|76.133.66.138]] 03:59, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

I'm sure people all over the world will follow this standard just as faithfully as they follow ISO 8601. {{unsigned|2a00:1a28:1410:5::10db}}
:Here for reference: [[1179: ISO 8601]]. But there is at least one more with [[2322: ISO Paper Size Golden Spiral]]. So that is three comics referencing the ISO system directly. But I'm not sure three is enough to create and ISO category? Could not on the spot find any others...? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:43, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3232: Countdown Standard

2026-04-14T06:43:45Z

Kynde: Do we need an iso category?

Refer to all 4 Lethal Weapons movies for discussion.

Don't most people say "on three", "on one", or "on go" before starting the count anyway? And then delay the final (action) number a teensy bit? e.g. "On one. Ready? 3 2 1" This isn't that ambiguous, not that I would object to standardisation. [[User:Sameldacamel34|Sameldacamel34]] ([[User talk:Sameldacamel34|talk]]) 23:13, 13 April 2026 (UTC)

:It is appallingly common for me to hear the inconsistent and dissonant, "On the count of three…one, two, three, GO!" (This is problematic because it is "on the count of THREE" not "on the count of GO, the word after three". Or at least, that is what I understand those words to mean.) [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 02:09, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

:Just "on three" is the most common, I think. You say "On three. Ready? One, two THREE." [[User:Dogman15|Dogman15]] ([[User talk:Dogman15|talk]]) 02:42, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

And the Lord spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it. -- Monty Python and the Holy Grail [[User:Jordan Brown|Jordan Brown]] ([[User talk:Jordan Brown|talk]]) 00:35, 14 April 2026 (UTC)
:[Arthur:] Right. One, two, five!
:[Galahad:] Three, sir.
:[Arthur:] Three! [*throws it*]
:...just to complicate matters. ;) [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 00:54, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Four... Two... One... One Half... One Quarter... One Eighth... One Sixteenth... One Thirty-second... One Sixty-Fourth... [go to infinity] GO! [[User:King Pando|King Pando]] ([[User talk:King Pando|talk]]) 03:47, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Just to make things even weirder: the movie industry counts 5, 4, 3, 2, go!
[[Special:Contributions/76.133.66.138|76.133.66.138]] 03:59, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

I'm sure people all over the world will follow this standard just as faithfully as they follow ISO 8601. {{unsigned|2a00:1a28:1410:5::10db}}
:Here for reference: [[1179: ISO 8601]]. But there is at least one more with [[2322: ISO Paper Size Golden Spiral]]. So that is three comics referencing the ISO system directly. But I'm not sure three is enough to create and ISO category? Could not on the spot find any others...? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:43, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

Header text

2026-04-12T10:05:41Z

Kynde: /* 2957: A Crossword Puzzle */

<noinclude>{{xkcd.com}}[[File:xkcd_header.png|thumb|right|250px|The [[Design of xkcd.com#Header section|Header section]] is one of the [[Design of xkcd.com|four main sections]] of the [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com] website.]]The '''header text''' is usually updated when [[Randall]] has news to share or wants to add information about a specific comic. The default header text states:

</noinclude><div style="font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 500; font-size: 16px; width: 760px; line-height: 150%;" class="plainlinks">
:xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.</div><noinclude>

Usually, changes to the header text show up in all comics. However, for certain comics, its header text is changed permanently, which means that comic's page won't be affected by changes to the global header text like the rest of the comics. You can see the list of these [[#Comic-specific header text|Comic-specific header texts]] below.

Usually, the global header text is changed back to the default once the novelty of the news ends. Recently, the default header text has not been used for extended periods of time. The most recent header text change can be found at the top of the [[#Global header text|Global header text section]].

{{incomplete|Someone has created a full list of comic-specific header texts! We have only explained 28 so far, and '''28 are missing'''. [[Talk:Header_text#anc|The full list in on the Talk page!]]. (Also, if you have ''infinite'' spare time, please remove the bullet points on the page and use normal paragraphs.)}}

Use this list to quickly jump to a specific header text, or [[#Comic-specific header text|click here]] to jump to the most recent one.

__TOC__

==Comic-specific header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Place the most recent changes at the top.


===[[2957: A Crossword Puzzle]]===
*This comic's header mentions that it has been inspired by an old comic (by accident, i.e. originally Randall was not aware of his inspiration).
**The comic was released on Wednesday 2024-07-10, but the special header text was first added to the comic and thus on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711100451/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11]. It stayed there until the next comic came out, so it was still there on Friday morning on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240712141422/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-12].
***Once [[2958: Hatchery]] came out later that Friday, the front page header text changed back to that which was currently active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240712224230/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-12].
*The extra new text was added below the currently active hader, and the addition was:
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!
*It makes it clear that Randall did not wish to take credit for this old idea.
**Although it seems like he did not know where he got the idea from at first, when he posted it.
**Because the addition of this header text was not posted together with the comic, when it was released on Wednesday 2024-07-10 and it was still not there in the early morning of Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711000851/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11].
**That he is a fan of Buttersafe is made clear at the bottom of the xkcd page where it is on Randall's list of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]].
*As a special situation this special header did not replace the current header text, but was added below the active header text at the time [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
**This has not been the normal way to add comic-specific header text, even though it was something added later due to Randall realizing he had borrowed inspiration from another person.
**A similar situation happened with the comic [[1723: Meteorite Identification]], which got a similar change to the header text, as can be seen [[Header_text#1723:_Meteorite_Identification|here]]. But that did not incorporate this text into the current header text.
*Since this header was related only to explain the inspiration for this comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen here [https://web.archive.org/web/20240714152507/https://xkcd.com/2957/ 2022-07-14], two days after it stopped being on the front page.
**Randall never got around to fixing this, so it would only show the new line, so as of this edit it is still like that as can be seen in the most recent version saved [https://web.archive.org/web/20260408143657/https://xkcd.com/2957/ 2026-04-08].
*So the actual full permanent header text for this comic is now:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!



===[[2916: Machine]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406163326/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06] (although it was supposed to have been a Friday release according to the xkcd archives) until the next comic to come out Monday 2024-04-08, but the earliest archived version of the next comic is from Tuesday [http://web.archive.org/web/20240409060444/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-09].
***It probably changed late on Monday the 8th, but Machine was still up late on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240408225854/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-08].
***It may be like previous years because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?
**When [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]] was released the front page returned to normal header.
**The previous comic [[2915: Eclipse Clouds]] was still on the front page Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06]. So a very late Friday release...
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://github.com/spyhi Ed White], [https://twitter.com/uh_oh_thats_bad Alex Garcia], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [http://burningcandle.io/ Conor & Ami Stokes], [https://liranuna.com/ Liran Nuna], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick], [https://manishearth.github.io/ Manish Goregaokar], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], [https://github.com/ayust Amber], and [https://github.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg] with physics by [https://rapier.rs/ Rapier].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or X or their own home pages. Some of them have also helped with the two previous [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], see below, but there are many more involved in this one than any of the previous.
**Also the Fast 2D and 3D physics engine for the Rust programming language, Rapier, is mentioned as standing for the physics of the comic.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240409010518/https://xkcd.com/2916/ 2022-04-09].


===[[2765: Escape Speed]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230420203744/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-20] (although it was supposed to have been a Wednesday release according to the xkcd archives) until Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230421082400/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-21], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2766: Helium Reserve]] was released the front page returned to normal header. This seems to have not happened until Saturday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20230422121650/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-22] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was put together with help from [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick Clapp], [https://amberyu.st/ Amber], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], and [https://www.aiweirdness.com/ Janelle Shane].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or Twitter or their own home pages. Most of them have also helped with the two previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230423150206/https://xkcd.com/2765/ 2022-04-23].


===[[2601: Instructions]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220401210146/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-01] until Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405031003/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because Instructions was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2602: Linguistics Degree]] was released the front page returned to normal header This seems to have not happened until Tuesday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405125644/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/chromakode @chromakode], [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/xDirtyPunkx Conor], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with an Instagram page, the other seven with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220406021357/https://xkcd.com/2601/ 2022-04-06].


===[[2445: Checkbox]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210401232108/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-01] until Monday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210405130031/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-05], until the new comic was released on Monday.
*The text:
**This comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], and [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with a personal home page, the other six with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header, when the next comic was released, here from the day after that release Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210406143023/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-06].
*But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20210407203547/https://xkcd.com/2445/ 2021-04-07].


===[[2288: Collector's Edition]]===
This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together, and gives links to all of their Twitter profiles, except
Christopher Nights'. It was on the front page only for about a day around April 3rd and
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/http://xkcd.com/#-370,-277vApril 4th 2020].
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber],
[https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin],
[https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat],
[https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
</blockquote>
The header text thanks those who helped Randall create the 2020 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken
two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay, the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released the day after the April Fool's comic, [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]].
Since this header was related only to the April Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header when the next comic was released,
but it stayed up as a permanent header for this comic.



===[[1928: Seven Years]]===
[http://web.archive.org/web/20171214171157/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-12-14]
It was released as a response to another cancer diagnosis, this is explained in the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Header_text|Header text]] which has replaced the standard ''xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.'' The new one is this one, with the active link included:
The text (with link):
* Becky Beaton, sister of fellow cartoonist Kate Beaton, has also been diagnosed with cancer. You can support her treatment [https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 here].
{{w|Kate Beaton}} is the creator of the web comic [http://www.harkavagrant.com/ Hark! A Vagrant].
* Although this comic is not one on Randall's list of ''[[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]]'', he is clearly much influenced by another cancer diagnosis among someone in his own creative field.below.
On [https://web.archive.org/web/20190817141450/https://www.xkcd.com/1928/ 2019-08-17], close to two years later, the message was still there and also [https://web.archive.org/web/20211226120634/https://xkcd.com/1928/ 2021-12-26] just past four years later.
* There was the possibility that it would be removed, when the support page was discontinued...
* But as that already happened before [http://web.archive.org/web/20181106124430/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-11-06] it seems like it will be there to stay.
* Last archived version was from [http://web.archive.org/web/20180305022301/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-03-05].
* Randall has previously done something similar for another friend, Emily, but [[#2014-11-27_-_Help_Emily|that header]] was not made permanent.



===[[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]]===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170428041338/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-04-28]
This header links back to [[1828: ISS Solar Transit]], a comic with the same joke setup released on the Monday of the same week


===[[1723: Meteorite Identification]]===
Randall realized that his comic was almost a copy of some other person. And he has since then acknowledged this on the comics specific page see more [[1723: Meteorite Identification#Trivia|here]].
At the time of this post, in the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161010215516/http://xkcd.com/1723/ 2016-10-10] it is still there and says:
* Note: Jolyon, founder of [http://www.mindat.org/ mindat.org], made a similar chart way before me!


===[[1679: Substitutions 3]]===
This comic is the third installment of the [[:Category:Substitution]] series, and as Randall did with [[#Substitutions 2]],
the header text links to the previous comics in the series, and tells the user about Chrome Browser extensions for substitution.
The header text reads:
<blockquote>
(Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}} and {{xkcd|1625|Substitutions 2}}) 
Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/replacerator/gaajhenbcclienfnniphiiambbbninnp?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
</blockquote>
This header text was on the main page while the comic was on the main page, for instance on
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160512102325/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-05-12]. It remains on the comic page.



===[[1663: Garden]]===
This comic had a header text to help people use the comic when it came out.
For some time this text was the main header text, but after a while is disappeared from the main header, but remained as the header for Garden.
* See more [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-04_-_Protip_on_Garden|below]] or on the Garden page [[Garden#Header_text_after_release|here]]
Today and as of the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161231231600/http://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-12-31] it is still there and says:
* Protip: If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
* You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.


===[[1625: Substitutions 2]]===
This was the second installment of Substitutions and Randall links to the first and tells about browser extensions for this:
The text:
* (Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}})
* Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/xkcd-substitutions/jkgogmboalmaijfgfhfepckdgjeopfhk?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
** He did the same when [[xkcd_Header_text#Substitutions_3|Substitutions 3]] came out, linking to the two previous.
It was on the main page while the comic was up, for instance here on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160104171722/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-01-04].


===[[1079: United Shapes]]===
The header text was unique for this comic on the day it came out:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09].
It read:
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here] (Colorado is [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/ here]). 
It's also available as a [http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap poster].
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap Archived store link, 2012-07-22])

This header text only appeared with the comic, as on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09],
at a time before this comic was released, the previous
[[xkcd_Header_text#2012-04-09 -_Standard_text_plus_store_link|promotion of the store]] header text was still on the main page.

As this comic was still on the main page the day after ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120710063424/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-10]),
a new [[Header_text#2012-07-10_-_New:_what-if.xkcd.com|header text promoting Randall's new what if? blog]]
was not shown on the main page.
The what if? promotion was added to this comic's header text the next day,
on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711123734/http://xkcd.com:80/1079/ 2012-07-11].
However, the part about Colorado was lost in this edit. This is the version still shown on {{xkcd|1079}} today, including the
what if? promotion.
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here]! It's also available as a
[https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster poster]. 
New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions. 
I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20121203164246/https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster Archived store link, 2012-12-03])

The what if? promotion links to the very first ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}'' which was released on 2012-07-10, the day after this comic was released, but before the next comic [[1080: Visual Field]] was released on 2012-07-11.

There is no archived version of comic {{xkcd|1080}} while it was on the front page, so it is not possible to tell what the front page looked like on the 11th and 12th of July 2012. Most likely it was the what if? promotion.
* Maybe there was a time with the final version of the header text the front page, but seems like Randall put the new header text there by hand, and forgot to delete it after, so he probably first changed it when the new comic came out.
* Since the new header was important, promoting his new ''what if'' blog, Randall likely did not wish to have a recent page/the main page without it.
* But this makes it a special unique header, as a relic from the past header text is left together with the text that was supposed to be permanent. It should have been deleted when the link to ''what if'' 1 was removed.



===[[1047: Approximations]]===
It has a permanent text saying that many people emailed Randall about another approximation for one year than the one given in the comic.
* As it was already there from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120425220409/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-25] it seems unlikely that he actually received those e-mails before changing the header text for this comic!
The unique text:
* Lots of emails mention the physicist favorite, 1 year = pi x 107 seconds.
* 75^4 is a hair more accurate, but it's hard to top 3,141,592's elegance.
There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[#2012-04-09_-_Standard_text_plus_store_link|Plus store link]].


===[[1037: Umwelt]]===
It has a permanent promotion of the store already from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01]:
The unique text:
* You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
It stayed on the front page while this comic was the most recent, so for instance also two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03]
* There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-28_-_Visiting_Newport_News|Visiting Newport News]].


===[[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]]===
In response to the idea of having you browser replace keyboard with leopard a reader made a script that could do just that.
Randall seem to have gotten this script before release (or at least on the day of release) as it was already the header text on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319130702/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-19] the day the comic was released.
The unique text is:
* A helpful reader has provided an [https://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 s/keyboard/leopard/ user script].
** The link does not go anywhere useful any longer, but here is the archived version of the link from two days after the release of the comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321174019/http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 2012-03-21]
It was never changed on the other comics so was only on the front while this comic was up until 2012-03-21
* Here also shown on the second day it was up on its own page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320143916/http://xkcd.com:80/1031/ 2012-03-20].
The next comic [[1032: Networking]] came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321205835/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-21] and here the header text has returned to what it was before the leopard comic: [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-12_-_xkcd_Holistic_Browser|xkcd Holistic Browser]].
* Here are examples from dates around this showing it was not used on other pages:
** The last archived version of the front page from before the 19th was this version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317121834/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-17], but here is an example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153256/http://xkcd.com:80/1030/ 2012-03-18] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]), the day before leopard comic came out.
** Both on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319174700/http://xkcd.com/1030/ 2012-03-19] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]) and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320191039/http://xkcd.com:80/1012 2012-03-20] (from comic [[1012: Wrong Superhero]]) during the time leopard was up, the header text currently in used was still shown.


===[[996: Making Things Difficult]]===
To give context to the comic about cancer, Randall links to a [[Blag]] post about his family's struggle with cancer.
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Some context for the cancer comics:
[https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/ https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/]
</blockquote>
This header text appears on the oldest stored version of the comic page from [https://web.archive.org/web/20111229043804/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-12-29] when it was on the main page.


===[[980: Money]]===
Randall notes his thoughts about making it and makes a promotion of the poster.
The unique text:
* This one was fun (and exhausting) to make.
* There's a poster of it in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/money-poster store]!
** It is both at the oldest stored version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404110059/http://xkcd.com:80/980 2012-04-04] and the newest at time of editing [https://web.archive.org/web/20220108132250/https://xkcd.com/980/ 2022-01-08].


===[[977: Map Projections]]===
Randall notes that a person had birthday on the release of this comic about maps, and this guy has maps on his homepage
The unique text:
* It turns out Monday was Steve Waterman's birthday. His [https://web.archive.org/web/20111118003418/http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ site] has posters of his map, plus maybe the world's only Winkel Tripel-critiquing poetry.
** The link goes to [http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ Waterman project] home page. Above the link goes to an archived version from around the time of release of the header text.
** It is at the oldest stored version with the comic on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20111115231643/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-11-15].


===[[851: Na]]===
After Randall released this comic, he realized he could have "made it better," and did so.
He changed the header text alert people to this, saying:
<blockquote>
I can't ''believe'' I forgot Hey Jude.
I don't get do-overs, but I couldn't resist making [https://xkcd.com/851_make_it_better/ a fixed version].
</blockquote>
See more about it in that comic's [[851:_Na#Trivia|trivia section]].


===[[739: Malamanteau]]===
Randall notes that he has changed this comics license, so it can be used on Wikipedia.
The text:
* At Wikipedia's request, I release this comic under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ cc-by-sa] license.
** The link is to the page regarding {{w|Creative Commons license}} in the US.
** Specifically for Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-SA 3.0 US)
*** Usually xkcd is [[Design_of_xkcd.com#License_and_copyright|shared under]] [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License]. This does not allow commercial use, But the 3.0 does.
When the comic came out it had the normal header text from that time, as seen here two days after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20100514072436/http://xkcd.com/ 2010-05-14].
* First archived version with the unique text is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100913003146/http://xkcd.com/739/ 2010-09-13], but the previous archived version of this comic is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100713160533/http://xkcd.com:80/739/ 2010-07-13].
* So it happened somewhere in the two months in between. But at least it was not there the first two months after release, but there before four month after release.


===577–580: [[:Category:The Race|The Race]]: Parts 1–4===
[[:Category:The Race|The Race]] was a 5-comic series published daily over the duration of one week, Monday through Friday. On comics
[[577: The Race: Part 1]], [[578: The Race: Part 2]], [[579: The Race: Part 3]], and [[580: The Race: Part 4]], parts 1–4 of the
series, Randall announced to users that xkcd would update once a day over the course of that week.

The header text for 577, published on Monday of that week, reads:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day.
</blockquote>
The header texts for 578, 579, and 580, published respectively on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, read:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day (through Friday).
</blockquote>

On comic [[581: The Race: Part 5]], this header text does not appear, likely because it wouldn't be useful to inform people of daily
updates for a week at the end of the week.


===[[563: Fermirotica]]===
The header text for this comic informs the reader of prints of this comic in the [[Store]], and gives an example sex calculation.
It reads:
<blockquote>
There are xkcd prints available in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store]. 
[https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sqrt(2%2F(pi*18000%2F(mi^2)*80%2Fyear*30+minutes) Example Google sex calculation].
</blockquote>
The first link is a link to the [[Store|xkcd Store]], which, as of early February 2026, is closed for the time being. The second link is a
Google Search link for an example sex calculation with the formula in the comic, where
''Pd'' = 18000/mi2,
''XF'' = 80/year, and
''Xd'' = 30 minutes.
This calculation results in ''r'' equaling ~142 meters.


===[[488: Steal This Comic]]===
Comic 488 advocates against {{w|Digital rights management}}, or <abbr title="Digital rights management">DRM</abbr>. In the header text, Randall notes that Amazon sells
DRM-free music. It reads:
<blockquote>
Note: the [https://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 Amazon.com MP3 store] sells DRM-free music. Kudos.
</blockquote>
The header text links to Amazon MP3 music. Here is an archived version of the store from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081001083843/http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 2008-10-01],
two weeks prior to the release of the comic.
The header text was on the comic from the release day, here seen the day after on the first archived version from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232952/http://xkcd.com/ 2008-10-14].


===[[472: House of Pancakes|472: House of Pancakes]]===
This comic's header notes its status as a parody:
* (Today's comic is a parody of [https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764 House of Leaves].)
Only on the days this comic was the newest was this header featured on the front page of xkcd for instance as seen here the day after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06].
* But it was only on this comic. The commercial for his new t-shirt was on all the other pages, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06] and presumably returned to the front page with the next comic. But there is a gap in the archive after this comic.

==Global header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the newest comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Position the last comic displaying the header text below the other data and place the most recent change at the top.

===2026-04-07 - Reading Modes===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260401210255/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-04-01].
*[[3227: Creation]] was released as the 2026 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' comic]], but the real April Fools' was a new feature, which was explained in the global header text.
* The text:
** We're pleased to announce a major update to xkcd, with new reading modes to enhance user experience. Select a mode via the menu below the comic.
**Brought to you by our excellent design team: [https://github.com/ayust Amber], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], and [https://github.com/cotrone Kevin]
*At first it would seem that this would be a text, only belonging to the new comic, but since the feature is active on all comics, it was not only on the front page, but on all other comics as well. And it stayed there after the next comic was released.
**So this is not a comic specific header text.

===2026-01-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260107194433/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-01-07].
* [[3191: Superstition]] came out when the header changed.
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2022-01-08_-_Back_to_standard_text|2022-01-08]] that the text had changed back to that, so exactly four years.
**Last time it only lasted a few days before the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] started.
*It was also the first time since December 5th, 2024 that the header text had changed, a span of more than a year (13 months) making it by far the longest time the header text had been left unchanged.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260331171250/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-03-31] when [[3226: Home Solar]] was on the front page.
**Almost two months, a long stretch with the original title text in use!

===2024-12-05 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - order===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241205201038/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-05].
* [[3020: Infinite Armada Chess]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—Out now. Order it here! [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* Only difference in this header compared to the previous version is the last part after the final hypen.
* This header stayed up for exactly 13 months. See link at the bottom.
* With the [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|preorder]] version coming out in mid May 2024 the 10th anniversary edition ended up been in the header text almost 1 year and 7 month (except the month of [[#2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president|endorsing Harris]]), thus it was on the header for 1.5 years in total.
* And before that what if? has been part of the header back to [[#2022-01-31 - What if? 2|2022-01-31]], when what if? 2 was announced.
* And three weeks before that the [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] for what if? 2 began. Of course there was no what if? word on that header as it was a surprise. But it turned out this was also a promotion for what if?
* And up until the day before the countdown (when there was one day with the old standard text) there was promotion for the first what if? book starting on [[#2021-12-20 - What If in stock|2021-12-20]].
** To sum it up, the header has been used to promote what if? continuously from December 2021 until at least the start of January 2026 (except one month with endorsing Harris and three weeks countdown that was for what if?) So more than 4 years in a row, only with a month for something political and the 3 weeks of countdown was also a promotion for what if?
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260106150417/https://xkcd.com/3190/ 2026-01-06] when [[3190: Tensegrity]] was on the front page.
**It had then been up for more than 13 months in a row by a day. There had been no change to the header text at all during 2025.

===2024-11-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page when the text changed.
* It returned to the exact same header text as before: [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241204160618/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-04] when [[3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar]] was on the front page.
** The only change was that the last part after the last hyphen changed from when you had to preorder to now that you could order the book.

===2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241017002108/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-17]
* For some reason the web archive failed to upload xkcd on the day it changed, but that it did change a day before can be seen in this other archive [https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[2999: Bad Map Projection: The United Stralia]] came out when this header was changed.
* Instead of text, it is a three part comic. In the first panel, [[Cueball]] (probably representing [[Randall]]) is shown walking, carrying a sign. In the second panel, he is seen hitting the sign with a hammer into the ground. In the third, Cueball is gone, and the front of the sign can be seen:
** <big>Harris for president</big>
* This is in reference to the 2024 presidential elections and shows that Randall endorses Harris.
* Randall posted the same image on his [https://x.com/xkcd/status/1853098106667114801 Twitter (formally X)] and [https://bsky.app/profile/xkcd.com/post/3la2jku6ace2f Bluesky] accounts on November 3rd, 2024, two days before the presidential election.
* It was up for a month until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241115181146/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2024-11-15] when [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page. It changed while that comic was still up back to the one from before.

===2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240515200351/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-15]
* [[2933: Elementary Physics Paths]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241015192147/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-15] while [[2998: Ravioli-Shaped Objects]] was on the front page.
After a month of endorsing endorses Harris the heder text returned to this again, see [[#2024-11-16_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-110-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? -preorder]].

===2024-03-20 - What If? is on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240320173158/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-20]
* [[2909: Moon Landing Mission Profiles]] came out when the header changed.
The only text version from the previous header was trimmed having some words removed taking it down from four to three lines (and solving the bad alignment that happened five days before at the end of the previous header text).
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is on YouTube! The first video answers
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed Hubble at Earth?]” Follow the
** [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif What If?] channel to be notified about new videos.
* The first link goes to the what if? page on xkcd and the other two links are to the YouTube channel and to its very first video.
The promotion of the what if? franchise continues for the second year running. A few words were taken off as the YouTube channel was no longer new at this point.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240514034349/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-14], while [[2932: Driving PSA]] was on the front page. But the what if? promotion continued

===2023-11-29 - What If? is now on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20231129184009/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-29]
* [[2861: X Value]] came out when the header changed.
There was only text this time.
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is now on YouTube!
** Check out the first video for the answer to
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed the Hubble Telescope at Earth?]”
** and follow [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif xkcd’s What If? The Video Series channel] to be notified about each new video.
* The links goes to the what if page on xkcd and the other two links is to the new YouTube channel with videos of some of the what if articles and to the very first video.
This is thus not a promotion of the what if? 2 book but still promotion of the what if? franchise.
A small change happened on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240314113602/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-14], as the first two lines became one line which made the alignment worse. So it seemed strange to do this. It looked like normal up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20240313113429/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-13]. But it only lasted five days before a change was made that made it into a new although very similar header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240319134138/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-19], while [[2908: Moon Armor Index]] was on the front page, but was replaced by a very similar what if? header.

===2023-08-31 - What if? 2 is now available in paperback in the UK!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230831200321/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-31]
* [[2822: *@gmail.com]] came out when the header changed.
* The image to the right stayed, but after more than a half year with no text, text was added to the left of the picture because the paper back was available in the UK.
** As opposed to the previous headers this was plain text and not a picture.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What if? 2 is [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK now available] in paperback in the UK!
** what if? 2
* The link goes to https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK, the page on xkcd about the What if? 2 book, and directing to the UK order links where there now also it a paper back version.
This version was still up in the middle of November 2023 when this segment was updated.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20231128174224/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-28], while [[2860: Decay Modes]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? header.
* Although it was not specifically related to the new book. Thus it ended a more than 22 month long constant promotion of the book since the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] began in January 2022.

===2023-02-17 - What if? 2 picture only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230217185629/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-17]
* [[2739: Data Quality]] came out when the header changed.
* For the first time in a very long time there is no real header text. Only the small red picture with the plane and the title of the what if? 2 book in the right section of the header. As it has been since [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] stopped.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230830064414/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-30], while [[2821: Path Minimization]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header.

===2022-09-23 - What if? 2 Instant New York Times Bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220923182825/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-23]
* [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page when the header changed.
** The header celebrates that the new what if? 2 book has become an instant New York Times bestseller.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2
** Instant New York Times bestseller.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230216181705/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-16], while [[2738: Omniknot]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header,

===2022-09-13 - What if? 2 is available now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220913142432/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13]
* [[2672: What If? 2 Flowchart]] was released as the header changed, even though it was a Tuesday.
** The header and the comic celebrates the release of the new what if? 2 book, that came out on this day.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2 is available now!
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This thus ended the pre-release promotion of the book, that began on [[#xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|2022-01-31]], plus of course the three weeks of [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] before. For a sum total of 8 months and three days.
* It will be interesting to see how long before any reference to what if? 2 will disappear from the header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220922150042/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-22], but was replaced by another What If? 2 header, while [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page.

===2022-09-12 - One day to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220912125617/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-12]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** One dayuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>I'm going to spend the day with that Les Mis song stuck in my head, aren't I.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-12 it was ''F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of N Bottles of Beer On the wall followed by F(N-1)'' to release day.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
** Les mis song, referring to a song from the musical les miserables titled "One Day More", he now has stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220913134002/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13].
** This was while [[2671: Rotation]] was still up, early on the release day of the new book.

===2022-09-12 - Three days to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220911102450/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-11]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Three daysuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Assuming it's still Saturday. I'm a static png image and can't perceive time.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header only stayed the same for one day and [[2670: Interruption]] was still up when it changed to the next.

===2022-09-07 - Less than one week to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220907211736/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-07]
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was still up.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are four lines of text. With the middle line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over four lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Less than one weekuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Oh no, now I have that song stuck in my head.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-07 it was ''one pico-universe-lifetime'' to release day. But the next day 2022-09-08 it was ''The Baby Shark chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks''.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220910024549/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-10].
** This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was up.

===2022-08-27 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220827232205/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-27]
* [[2664: Cloud Swirls]] came out when it changed.
* The header [[#2022-08-16 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|changed back]] to the preorder image from the previous header, when Randall's book tour ended. See the link.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220906191403/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-06].
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was up.

===2022-08-17 - What if? 2 book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220817161136/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-17]
* [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was out when it changed.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this there is text to the left. Then Cueball is seen flying by holding on to a single balloon (like in [[1110: Click and Drag]]). He flies over five mountain peaks with snow, with three clouds and three distant birds in front of him, as he drifts to the right, as shown with movements lines behind him. In front of him is a dark feature at the bottom of the frame. Above this is a blue square (like a button) with white text.
* The text:
** I'm going on a what if? 2 book tour!
** Click to see where
** what if? 2
*** The image to the left is a link to [https://xkcd.com/events/ randall munroe: events] page on xkcd. Which at the time showed the calendar with the planned stop for his book tour, which covered the US and London.
*** As always the link button in blue is not the only part of the image that is a link, as he just mentioned in the [[#2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|previous header text]], and several times before...
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This header thus continues the promotion of the new book, which was at the time was only 27 days away (or [[2636:_What_If%3F_2_Countdown|6 dog months]]).
* It will be interesting to see how long it takes before promotion for the book disappears from the header. It may still take months.
The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220826202043/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-26].
* This was while [[2663: Tetherball Configurations]] was up.

===2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220811055445/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-11]
* [[2657: Complex Vowels]] came out as it changed.
The message in the header was not really changed, but the meaning of the text from the previous header was now written in an image, although the text did change somewhat.
* The header thus still consist of two parts. To the left the new image with an picture of the book and text. And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this to the right is the new text. To the left is a picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Preorder what if? 2 and enter for a chance to win a comic inspired by your question! Click here to learn more. Or click wherever. This whole image is a link because html is hard.
** what if? 2
*** In the left image there is a blue link font on the word "here" in click here. However the entire left image is a link to the [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 what if 2 contest]. As explained he did not only make the word a link because html is hard! This is something Randall [[xkcd_Header_text#2014-07-23_-_what_if.3F_book_tour|often comments on]].
**** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
**** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
**** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220816124823/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-16].
** This was while [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was up.

===2022-07-19 - Preorder What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220719153239/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-19]
* [[2647: Capri Suns]] came out as it changed.
The header looked a lot like the previous one, only part of the text changed.
* The header thus still consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over four lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** Preorder What If? 2 (all US preorders eligible) and [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 enter our contest] for a chance to win a dedicated comic and What If blog post!
** what if? 2
*** The image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
*** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220810034709/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-10].
** This was while [[2656: Scientific Field Prefixes]] was up.

===2022-01-31 - What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220201000434/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-02-01]
* [[2575: What If? 2]] came out as it changed, and then it [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/36/Countdown_in_header_text_page_when_what_if_comic_came_out.png looked like this] already on 2022-01-31. But there is no archived version from that day after the header changed.
** This was what [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] had been counting down to.
** An announcement that Randall had written a sequel to the first ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book, based on his blog.
* The header consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over three lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in the countdown, but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plan ia the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions comes out 9/13. Preorder [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ here!]
** What If? 2:
*** The link goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about what if? 2: the book. The image is also a link to this page.
*** The entire comic that came out along with the new header text is also a link to that page.
* At the same time the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] in the top left section of xkcd also changed to include links to books, and especially this new book.
It will be interesting to see how long this version of the promotion for the new books stays up. But most likely there will be promotion for the book until release, and then more after the release.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718145816/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-18], for more than 5,5 month. This was while [[2646: Minkowski Space]] was up.
** The change was rather small, but part of the text changed. The promotion continued though.

===2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10].
* [[2565: Latency]] was still up when the [[Countdown in header text]] was added.
* The text was still the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But a countdown was added. This was inserted in a rectangular box, placed at the end of the standard header text.
** In some browsers the box forces the last word "Friday" to jump down to the next line.
* Inside the box the following time was displayed in the version in the link:
** 20d 20h 27m
*** This clock will also count down every minute, although it will return to the time at the time of archive when reloaded!
*** While this was edited into this wiki the time had changed to 20d 19h 12m. So it was a very fresh download in the web archive, only about 1 hour old when it was updated to this wiki.
*** The minutes change without refreshing the page, and follows this editors computers clock exactly, so it will end at 59 minutes, not at a full hour.
** It looks like it started on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ 01-10 17:00 UTC].
*** A calculation shows that this countdown will reach zero on Monday 2022-01-31 at 14:59 (2:59 PM) {{w|UTC}}.
*** This will be at 9:59 (9:59 AM) in [[Randall]]'s home town
**** The last ten minutes it switched to seconds for the last minute so it made the switch 15:00 UTC 10:00 in Boston!
*** From that it can be deduced that the count started at 20d 22h 0m
**** The first image on the archive thus came 1h 33m after the count began.
* At [https://web.archive.org/web/20220111153818/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] a diagonal black bar appeared in the lower left-hand corner of the countdown box.
** After that the [[Countdown in header text]] page was created and any further development on the count down will be mentioned on that page.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220131124817/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-31] when [[2574: Autoresponder]] was on the front page.
* This archived version was when the counter was at 0d 2h 11m, and the last normal frame was already up at this time.
** It stayed like this until the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/1/17/Countdown_in_header_text_page_0_seconds.png counter ran out].
*** Then for a few minutes the final frame, that revealed that all this was a promotion for Randall's new book what if? 2 was up [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/4/48/Countdown_in_header_text_page_just_after_countdown.png while the Friday comic was still up].
*** Then when the new Monday comic came out with the promotion for what if? 2, the header changed.

===2022-01-08 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220108044654/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-08].
* [[2565: Latency]] came out around the time the new header text appeared, on a Friday!
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2018-11-07 - Back to standard text|2018-11-07]] that the text had changed back to that, and at that time it lasted until 2019-02-05.
** That is 1067 days (less than a month short of three years) without the standard text! (Can it be called standard anymore?)
* It was only left in the complete standard version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220109030513/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-09] when Latency was still on the front page.
** Then the next day a [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] was added to it.
*** That was after the weekend on Monday but before the Monday comic came up.
*** So only during the weekend was it normal standard header text.

===2021-12-20 - What If in stock===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20211220211220/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-20].
* [[2557: Immunity]] came out around the time the new header text appeared.
* The text:
** For anyone trying to find What If? this year, it's in stock at [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 Barnes & Noble], [https://m.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Randall-Munroe/9780544272996 Books-a-Million], and [https://bookshop.org/books/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-9781483041827/9780544272996 Bookshop]
* Each store name is a link to the corresponding store's page for ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]''.
It was last seen on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220106100957/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-06] when [[2564: Sunshield]] was up.

===2020-06-03 - Black Lives Matter===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200604003700/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-03].
* [[2315: Eventual Consistency]] came out as a new header text was finally inserted after almost two months without one.
* Cueball is standing to the left and speaks a single line of text: "Black Lives Matter"
* To the right is a gray link button with text: "[https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ How To Help]."
* As always, the entire image (which is only below the xkcd logo) is a link
** The button is thus not needed, but it will also work when clicking the location of the button.
* The link goes to [https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ Join Campaign Zero].
** {{w|Black Lives Matter}} is a loose, grassroots, decentralized confederation of groups and individuals advocating for racial justice. It arose in 2013 after the acquittal of {{w|George Zimmerman}}, who took the life of {{w|Trayvon Martin}}.
** Randall's featuring Black Lives Matter came on the heels of the {{w|Killing of George Floyd}} on May 25th 2020, which had sparked {{w|George Floyd protests|protest in the US}}
** Floyd died while saying "{{w|I can't breathe}}," which was already used due to other Black men's killings, the first was from the {{w|Killing of Eric Garner}}, back in 2014.
It stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200616114945/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-16] when [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200617131438/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-17] the link changed to [https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Black Lives Matter]. [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was still on the front page on that day.
On April 1st 2021 the front page header changed to mention who made the April Fools' Day comic.
* But this was only for this comic [[#Checkbox|Checkbox]].
* The rest of the pages kept the BLM header and it returned to this on the front page once the next comic was released on April 5th. At that time it will have been up for 13 months, making it the longest header different from the standard header.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20211219202204/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-19] when [[2556: Turing Complete]] was on the front page.
* At that time it had been up for 564 days or 1,5 year plus 16 days! This is most likely a record.

===2020-04-05 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042955/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-05].
* [[2289: Scenario 4]] came out and the header belonging to the previous comic was removed.
* But no new header was inserted. Not even the go to [[#Header text|Header text]] about the release days of xkcd.
** Since the previous header was related only to the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[2288: Collector's Edition]], and that had stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book, after first experiencing problems with its release, it seems Randall forgot what he usually put in the header.
It stayed empty like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200602213017/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-02] when [[2314: Carcinization]] was on the front page.
* So almost two month without a header. This had not happened before.

===2020-04-04 - Put together by===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-04].
* [[2288: Collector's Edition]] came out and the header changed.
* The text:
** Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
*** All names have links except the last.
* It thanks those that helped Randall create this years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!
* Since this header was related only to the Fool's comic, it was thus removed from the general header, but it stayed up as [[#Collector.27s_Edition|one of]] the permanent [[#Unique_header_text|unique header texts]].
** However, when it was removed from the general header, the header was left empty.
** Unlike some other headers that stayed on a given comic, this one was on all comics for the duration of the time it stayed on the front page, see for instance the previous comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403232031/https://xkcd.com/2287/ 2020-04-03].

===2020-04-02 - Technical Reasons===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200402234828/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-02].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was up when the header changed.
Randall turned out to, again, have problems with his complicated and interactive [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] for 2020.
* The text:
** Note: For technical reasons Wednesday's comic will be posted Thursday instead. Apologies for the delay!
This finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].
It stayed up a day longer than planed as the fool's comic, [[2288: Collector's Edition]] was first released on Friday, so the note was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403012612/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-03].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] thus stayed two extra day on the front page, and the third comic of that week, [[2289: Scenario 4]] was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!

===2020-01-16 - How To explores - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200116190038/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-16].
* [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was still up when the header changed.
* The ongoing promotion of the book continued but here more than three weeks after Christmas the reference to Christmas was removed.
* The header then returned to the one from before Christmas:
** [[#2019-11-22 - How To explores|How To explores]] - see that for all other details.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200401221435/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-01] when [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was on the front page.
* It was the problems with [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] of 2020 that finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].

===2019-12-02 - Into Science===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191202223745/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-02].
* [[2236: Is it Christmas?]] came out when the header changed. Fitting as the change is about Christmas list.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, continuing to make the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd.
** The links below to order are the same as in the previous header.
** Actually most of the header stays the same with the same four images and the same layout. But the text above has changed completely and the two main text sections between the drawings has changed but only slightly. The description of the images is thus left out, see below. Only new thing is that there are now two red circles connected with a red arrow. The first circle is around the word How To at the end of the first text with the arrow going from that circle to the second circle drawn around the picture of the book.
* The text:
** Is there someone on you Christmas list who's into science? They might like my new book '''''How To'''''
** It explores ridiculous ideas for applying scientific research to everyday problems...
** ...And illustrates what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200115155040/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-15] when [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-22 - How To explores===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191122214439/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22].
* [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] was up when the header changed. It most likely changed when the comic appeared. Earlier on that day it was the previous header over the previous comic.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here again making the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd, after it previously was a link to where to listen to the audio book.
** The links below to order returns to the same as in the header before the previous header with links to audio books, except that the link to an exclusive edition has been removed.
** The header consist of an image with text above five small drawings with two text parts in between them. To the left is the closed How To book which is black with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. To the right of the book is a drawing of Ponytail pole-vaulting with two black helium filled balloons. Next to her is the first text segment. Then after that is the drawing, seen before in the header text, of a truck towing a house up a steep hill. This truck goes above the second text segment, with Cueball somersaulting above the text. Furthest right, above and just right of the text is an explosion with the sound written inside. Below the header image is some black text and then the links to where to get it as regular blue link text.
* The text:
** My new book '''''How To''''' explores the science behind spacecraft heat shields, butterfly metabolisms, and land border surveys...
** ...By imagining ridiculous ideas for applying the research to you everyday life...
** ...And illustrating what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191201191025/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-01] when [[2235: Group Chat Rules]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-06 - Audio clip===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191106204314/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-06].
* [[2224: Software Updates]] was still up when the header changed, but the first archive version was first from after the next comic came out [[2225: Voting Referendum]].
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here making the image a link to the How To book on Penguin Random House's audio book, where an audio clip read by Wil Wheaton can be sampled.
** The links below to order have now changed to those with audio books.
** The header consist of an image with text, with a "blue link", above the How To book that is being folded out from closed; to partially open; to opened up on two full pages; this takes three images. The closed book is the black book with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. The partly open book still has this cover partly visible, but unreadable, as well as come unreadable text in the open side. The open book shows two pages with lots of unreadable text and three figures (maybe one is a table). Next to the open book there is an arrow to the right pointing at an audio icon with three audio lines in front. Below the header image are the links as regular text.
* The text:
** You can click here to hear a clip from the audio version of '''''How To''''', read by Wil Wheaton.
** [https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world/id1475319694 Apple], [https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems/369279 Audiobooks], [https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/How-To-Audiobook/1473680360?qid=1574679523&sr=1-1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=DX3EZ14M14CFQPP9GHJY&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1 Audible], [https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Randall_Munroe_How_To?id=LzSGDwAAQBAJ Google Play], and [https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525635680 Libro.fm]
* The entire image is a link to the [https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576760/how-to/ How To book on Penguin Random House] page, where the audio clip can he played.
** As always it is the entire picture that is a link, and not only the blue underlined text that says click here!
It was last on the archive on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191122044456/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22] when [[2231: the Time Before And After Land]] was on the front page. But it was most likely still up when [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] came out. But then changed during the next day.

===2019-10-02 - Horse vs football team===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191002005854/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-02].
* [[2210: College Athletes]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed. This time the image seems to be from one of the How To explanations in the book.
** The links below to order are the same as the previous header.
** But new text is added after the links to promote two events with Randall in New York the two days after this header came up.
*** These links disappeared after a week leaving only the picture and the link to buy the book. See below.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball riding bareback on a horse. He comes from the left holding an American football. Running towards him from the right are eight American football players with helmets with three stars on the back of the helmet. Two of the players at the back are almost hidden by players in front of them. Beneath them is a line of text that belongs to the image, the period at the end of the sentence hangs in height with the center line of the last letter E... Then below the image follows the link and promotion of the NY events, these are written in regular.
* The text:
** My new book ''How To'' is out now! You can get it here.
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target] I'll be at New York Comic Con! I'm giving [https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Explore/Panels/Panels-And-Screenings/#/event/how-todo-anything-with-randall-munroe-creator-of-xkcd a talk on Thursday], and on
** Friday [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event at Caveat NYC].
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The link to Target still seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably a still undiscovered error on Randall's part?
This header changed, but so slightly that the changes will only be mentioned here rather than in a new section:
* The first link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191004014438/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-04]
* Then the day after only the second link remained from [https://web.archive.org/web/20191005041539/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-10-05]. [[2211: Hours Before Departure]] came out when it changed.
** But the text of this link changed as it had been a continues text from one to the other link. Also it was not entirely on it's own line, thus not as with the first link whose text was directly connected to the line with the links to buy the book.
** The new text of that link was:
*** [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event] Friday night at Caveat NYC!
*** The last link was the same, but now it only covered two words not the entire end of the sentence.
** This other link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191007042707/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-07].
* And then the last link was gone by [https://web.archive.org/web/20191008053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-08], when [[2212: Cell Phone Functions]] came out.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191105164001/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-05] when [[2224: Software Updates]] was up.

===2019-09-30 - Tons of fun===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190930234245/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-30].
* [[2209: Fresh Pears]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed to how much fun it was for Randall to write it and how proud he is of the result. Randall, as Cueball, is saying this in the new header image.
** The links below to order are the same, except a new has been added at the end.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball standing to the left of the book, shown as tall as he is. The book is opened up on two pages with lots of unreadable text as well as three drawings, only one of these, with a circle diagram, can clearly be seen. Cueball is speaking, and the text is above him and the book. Two words are blue with a line under as if they where a link. But as always the entire image is a link. Beneath the image is the links on where to order the book.
* The text:
** Writing my new book '''''How To''''' was tons of fun and I'm so proud of the result. It's out now-Click Here to order!
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The new link to Target seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably an error on Randall's part.
It ended on October 2nd while [[2210: College Athletes]] where up. But there is no archived versions from the 1st of October and the one from the 2nd is with the next version. But the editor of this was making changes to the explanation of College Athletes before the next header change came along.

===2019-09-11 - How To available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190911053115/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-11].
* [[2200: Unreachable State]] was still up when the header changed.
* The release day part of the promotion was changed to telling that the new [[How To]] book was available. With teasers about what is in the book below the heading. On either side of the text a picture of the book is still shown. Also the links below changed, adding three new and removing one old.
** The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the links on where to order it.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font.
* The text:
** How To is available now!
** Learn how to open bottles with nuclear weapons and how to be on time for meetings by altering the Earths rotation. The book also features advice from real-life experts including Chris Hadfield and Serena Williams.
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* {{w|Serena Williams}} is a famous tennis player who was also featured in one of the [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion comics]] for How To: [[2190: Serena Versus the Drones]]
* {{w|Chris Hadfield}} is a Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. The first Canadian to walk in space, Hadfield has flown two Space Shuttle missions and served as commander of the International Space Station.
** The new link to audible probably needs the user to be signed up, else it will go to the front page and ask yo to sign up. But from the archive the page can be seen [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923004816/https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 here].
Up till [https://web.archive.org/web/20190922143253/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-22] it looked like this.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923145251/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-23] and extra link was added after Audible:
** [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target].
* [[2205: Types of Approximation]] was up when this change occurred during a weekend.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190929223547/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-29] when [[2208: Drone Fishing]] was up.

===2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190904051509/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-04].
* [[2198: Throw]] was already up when the header changed slightly, as the text below Happy release day changed.
Most of the header stayed the same as the [[#2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar|day before]], but the reference to the Gregorian/Julian calendar was changed.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text.Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flowing on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan comes who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** Happy How To release day!
** Available wherever books are sold.
** (Mostly bookstores, I assume but you can always try your luck at Wendy's.)
* See below for any other details.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190909211737/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-09] when [[2200: Unreachable State]] was up.

===2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190903051503/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-03]
* [[2197: Game Show]] was still up when the header changed, but it was for sure to coincide with [[2198: Throw]] which came out later on the release day while it still looked like in this version.
* Randall celebrated the release day of [[How To]], coming out the day the header changed.
** The comic is also a reference to a chapter in the book on how to throw things. A very complicated interactive comic where different persons or other living things can be chosen to throw dead or living things. The trow will then be shown below with distance measured in two units, normal and special. That is if the thrower can actually manage to throw the thing.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. The two black books have red stars around them, five on the outer side of the image and 6 on the inner, the stars are mirrored around left and right book. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** How To Randall Munroe
** Happy How To release day!
** (Gregorian calendar. The Julian edition doesn't come out for 13 more days.)
** How To Randall Munroe
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Most of the world uses the {{w|Gregorian calendar}}, but before it was taken into use, the {{w|Julian calendar}} was in use.
** The Julian calendar does not take into account that every 100 years a leap year should be passed as in the Gregorian calendar, and thus it is at the moment 13 days behind, as it has has this many February 29th too many. Since there should actually be a leap year every 400 year, and the last of those was 2000, then it has been 13 days since 1900, and will stay like this until 2100 when it will become 14 days.
** The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Already the next day the part of the header below happy release day about the Gregorian calendar changed. See [[#2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore|above]].

===2019-08-27 - Out in a week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190827082224/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27].
* [[2194: How to Send a File]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], coming out a week from this header.
** It is only three lines of text
* The text:
** My new book, How To, comes out next week!
** Read an exclusive excerpt about transmission [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* Later [https://web.archive.org/web/20190827184229/https://xkcd.com/2194/ on the same day], (and here for the next day [https://web.archive.org/web/20190828095401/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27] for the front page), more text and links where added, plus the order of the text was changed.
* The later text was:
** My new book, [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To], comes out in a week! ([https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/23/book-tour-and-contest-winner/ Book tour info])
** You can preorder it now to get a copy when it's released:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
** You can also read an exclusive excerpt about file transfers [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
* The link to the book tour also include the winner of the [[#2019-06-25 - People with books|contest]] to get Randall to add "your" city to his book tour.
** The winner was {{w|Juneau, Alaska}}.
It ended on the release day 2019-09-03, so this was last on the page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902042108/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-02].

===2019-08-06 - Win a sketch===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06].
* [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was up when the header changed.
** Most likely the header changed when that comic came out on 2019-08-05. But the previous header was also out during that day.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now making a competition where you can win a stick figure sketch of yourself. (Although only for US residents!)
** The image shows Hairy, with a cat at his feet and Megan (or Danish?) with a samurai sword. They are standing with their backs towards each other, the cat on the left, Megan facing right with the sword towards the words.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** Want to win a sketch of yourself as a stick figure? [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ Click here] to find out how!
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''Win an xkcd sketch''
*** That is even though only the click here part of the text is in blue, like a link.
*** Cause as he often has written: I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps, most recently in the [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]] header.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190826062701/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-26] when [[2193: Well-Ordering Principle]] was up.

===2019-08-03 - First look inside===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190803222711/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-03].
* [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now stating that it comes out next month.
** Set to be released on September 3rd 2019, this update was made exactly one month before.
** The image shows text to the left of three drawings of the book: First the closed book showing the black front cover with blue and white text and white drawings, then the book is partly opened, and finally it lays opened up showing two pages, with a readable heading on the right page.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** My new book comes out next month. Click here for a first look inside!
** [On the books front cover only two thins can be read:]
*** How To
*** Randal Munroe.
** [These two words can also partly be read on the opening book.]
** [Only the large heading can be read on the right page of the open book:]
*** How to Dig a Hole.
** [These two pages also became part of a special comic relased during the weekend when this header was up: [[Disappearing Sunday Update]].]
** [The [[Disappearing_Sunday_Update#Transcript|transcript of that comic]] describes the images in the open book.]
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/02/how-to-chapter-list-and-introduction/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''How To: Chapter list and introduction''.
It stayed up like this while the special [[Disappearing Sunday Update]] came out on Sunday 2019-08-04, and was there still on Monday [ https://web.archive.org/web/20190805050812/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-05], at least during the time that the Sudan Update was still up.
* When the next comic came out late that Monday, it probably disappeared along with the Disappearing comic, but the first update with the next header is from Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06], but the Monday comic [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was still on the front page at that time,.

===2019-07-23 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190723205152/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-23].
* [[2179: NWS Warnings]] was up when the header changed.
It returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon header, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]]
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190802192259/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-02] while [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up. The day after when it changed that comic was still up.

===2019-07-15 - ComiCon===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190715181016/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-15].
* [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up when the header changed.
Randall tells that he will be at ComicCon and links to his plans there.
* The text:
** Going to San Diego Comic Con this week? I'll [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/07/15/san-diego-comic-con/ see you there]!
*** The link is to a [[Blag]] post about his plans for the ComicCon
* Randall appeared in a couple of panels, and gave a talk.
* Finally he also handed out signed copies of his new [[How To]] book more than a month before official release.
** So still promoting the book, also in this header...
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190722192637/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-07-22] the day after the ComiCon ended, while [[2178: Expiration Date High Score]] was up.
* Then it returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon announcement when [[2179: NWS Warnings]] came out.

===2019-07-10 - Adding links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190710165920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-10].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was still up when the header changed slightly from that fro the day before.
* Only change was that beneath the picture, see [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]], there is now a list of four links to companies where the book can be preordered.
* The extra text:
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
Note that the day after this change, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190711172451/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-11], a link to [[How To]] was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|links]] in the top left corner of xkcd.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190714175710/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-14] when [[2175: Flag Interpretation]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up.

===2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190709162102/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-09].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]].
** The image shows a small picture of his book with text on either side.
** Below are what appears to be three drawings from the book. [[Ponytail]] pole vaultig with three baloons in one hand, then text, then a truck with a house behind it speeding fast up a hill then text and finally [[Cueball]] somersaulting towards an explosion.
** To the right there is a big blue button to click for preorder, with text below.
* The text:
** New book [Arrow points to book. Title can be read: How To]
** How To: Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** It's a guide to bad ways to do things...
** ...And what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** Click here to preorder
** Or click anywhere. I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps.
*** The entire picture is a [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ link] to the official [[How To]] page on xkcd: https://xkcd.com/how-to/
*** See [[1572: xkcd Survey]] where Randall mentions that he cannot make imagemaps.
It stayed up like this only for a day, then an extra line of links was added the day after while the same comic was still up, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]].
* But the general header stayed up first for five days, and then it returned again for 10 more days after a break to announce a [[#2019-07-15 - ComiCon|ComiCon visit]].
* So a total of 16 days with this drawing.

===2019-06-25 - People with books===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190625190843/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-25].
* [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], and his book tour.
** The image now shows 15 people standing side by side each holding a book up in front of them with unreadable titles.
** From left: [[Megan]], [[Cueball]], a man with blonde hair, [[Jill]], [[Blondie]], [[Hairy]], another Hairy, [[White Hat]], a kid with curly hair, [[Hairbun]], another Cueball, another Megan, a guy with a knit cap, [[Ponytail]], and [[Beret Guy]].
** Above them is a text message.
* The text:
** Want to bring me to your town for my '''''How To''''' book tour? Click to find out how to enter the challenge!
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** A longer sentence will improve your chances.
**** This is indeed what this header picture shows.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190708155517/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-08] when [[2172: Lunar Cycles]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up.

===2019-06-15 - Adding dates===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190615100645/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-15]
* [[2163: Chernobyl]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall only made a small change to the one that had been up for four days at this time.
* The text only changed by adding a line below the first line:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Click here for dates and tickets]
*** The rest of the header is exactly the same as on [[#2019-06-11 - Book tour|2019-06-11]], except everything is a bit smaller to make room in the same place for the extra line.
*** The link is not located on the blue part of the text and it was already there before this update.
*** Best guess is that not many clicked through and Randall then made it obvious that there was a link.
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click. But it is easier to make a place for people to click than tell them this...
The header stayed like this until 2019-06-25, when it changed while [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up. But this one was still up when that comic came out the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20190624162740/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-24].

===2019-06-11 - Book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190611031920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-11]
* [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was up when the header changed.
** '''Note''' when this change happened two new links was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] section of xkcd.
* Randall changed the header text to announce the official book tour for his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 3 months later.
* The text:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Below this header is a map of the mainland USA with 14 labeled black dots indicates the 14 cities that the book tour will take Randall to. One red dot with five red question marks above is located beneath the map to the left, indicating a 15th city to be chosen in a contest. Above the map to the right is a small picture of the book with the blue title on the black cover. Above the book is the release date and with an arrow pointing down to the book.]
** September 3rd
** How to
** Seattle
** Portland
** San Francisco
** Santa Cruz
** Los Angeles
** Salt Lake City
** Kansas City
** Ann Arbor
** Cincinnati
** Louisville
** Cambridge
** New York
** D.C.
** Raleigh
** ????? (Chosen by readers)
** [The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.]
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** Only US cities can apply.
* The header only stayed exactly like this for three days, and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190614094729/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-14] when [[2162: Literary Opinions]] was on the front page.
** Then it changed slightly to indicate that the picture was a link which was not clear before. See above.

===2019-05-17 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190517103928/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-17]:
* [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was still up when the header changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with Google reader here below.
* See [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|2019-02-06]] below for all details.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610055519/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-06-10], while [[2160: Ken Burns Theory]] was still up on the day the next comic [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was to be released (where the new header could be found at least the next day, but maybe from the release of that comic?). Then it changed to announce the book tour for his new book.

===2019-04-23 - Google Reader===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190423155458/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-23]:
* [[2140: Reinvent the Wheel]] came out when it changed, ending a more than two and half month long [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|promotion]] of Randall's new book [[How To]].
* Randall changed the header text to ask if the reader still mourned the loss of {{w|Google Reader}} which closed on 2013-07-01, almost 6 years before this comic..
** He offers the possibility to sign up to receive the newest comic by e-mail.
* The comic may have relation to this, as some where using Google reader for different purposes when they closed it, without any chance of [https://www.google.com/reader/about/ getting your data out].
** The comic "Reinvent the Wheel" mentions that using external dependencies carry risks, such as Google closing down a feature. given the fact that the comic came out as the header changed it is probably not a coincidence.
* The text:
** Still mourning the demise of Google Reader? You can sign up to get new comics delivered by email [https://xkcd.com/newsletter/ here].
* The link is to https://xkcd.com/newsletter, where it is possible to submit your e-mail address and press a subscribe button.
** the following text is written above it:
** To receive the comic and news postings in your inbox, subscribe here.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190516100403/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-16], when [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was up. Then it changed back to the promotion of his new book.

===2019-02-06 - How to book===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06]:
* [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up at the time when it changed, having been up since Monday the 4th of February.
** Here it can be seen being on the front of xkcd on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], without the new text. This was also the last time the standard header text was used in several months.
** [[2108: Carbonated Beverage Language Map]] came up later on the day the header changed.
* Randall changed the header text to promote his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 7 months later.
** He added an image of the book with large text next to it regarding the release and links on how to preorder it.
** There was no direct relation to the comics released at the time, except of course that he kind of launched his new book with all the risk it involves, while having a comic called launch risk up. It was though a very different and more real type of launch risk (of a human carrying space rocket) in the comic.
* The text:
** [The book is shown to the left as a black rectangle with large blue text and smaller gray text. On the book cover, in white drawings, are seen Megan with a ladder and either Black or White Hat (hard to say on black background). Both are looking up on Cueball who is floating in the air with a quadcopter beneath either leg, trying to plug in an electric light bulb in a naked lamp hanging down near him. It seems he has already removed the broken light bulb, as he has one in both hands. And now he tries to put in the new one. He could have let Megan use the ladder...]
** [The header in blue above it all:] How To.
** [Sub header in gray to the left of Cueball:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [Author name in blue below the drawing:] Randall Munroe
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Creator of xkcd
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Author of what if? and Thing Explainer
** [Next to this book image are the following text:]
** [Large heading:] HOW TO
** [Normal size sub header:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [In smaller gray font below:] Available September 3, 2019.
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word still in gray:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* It stayed up for more than two and a half month and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190422030324/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-22], when [[2139: Email Settings]] was up. Then it finally changed to a new header without going back to the standard.

===2018-11-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07]
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], so two days less than three months.
** After this it did not return to the standard text for almost three years, but just short of a month before the third year without it, it returned on [[#2022-01-08 - Back to standard text|2022-01-08]].

===2018-11-06 - Election Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181106122850/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-06]:
* [[2068: Election Night]] (on election day the day after this comic was released).
** It added a larger comic above the two links from the previous header. Those links of the previous header text was still up the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], when [[2067: Challengers]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header once more to try to make more people vote, and in this case help others to vote.
** Once again directly related to the new comic about election night.
* The text:
** [A line of altering blue and red stars, blue first and last of two rows of nine starts around of the heading:]
** Election Day!
** [Below Black Hat and Ponytail to the left and Megan to the right of Cueball is checking their smart phones. Cueball is addressing the reader:]
** Cueball: The biggest thing you can do th help is to check in with friends and family and make sure they know when and where they're voting.
** [Below these four characters there is the following text with two arrows pointing left and right. Both are turning up to text/links on either side of the four:]
** Use these links to answer questions
** [To the left:] Where and how to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ Vote-org]
** [To the right:] What's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
** [Below was the two links from the previous header:]
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* It was only up one day and thus on ended the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07] when the next comic [[2069: Wishlist]] came out.
** The text then returned to the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
*** It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05].

===2018-11-02 - Where to vote===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02]:
* [[2067: Challengers]] (on the Friday, it was released).
** It added another link to the previous header text. That text was still up the day before on Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].
** That was while comic [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to let people know who is on their voting ballot, and as before there is also a link on how to register for voting.
** This is also directly related to the new comic that came out that day, about helping people to decide who to vote for, i.e. who is on their ballot.
* The text:
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, four days after the release of this comic.
* It was still up the day before the election day, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], and then it changed with the next comic.

===2018-10-22 - Register for voting===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181022120935/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-22]:
* [[2061: Tectonics Game]] (on a Monday, the 3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The standard text was still up Sunday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181021141446/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-21].
** The comic [[2062: Barnard's Star]] was released later that day.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to try to get people to register for voting.
* The text:
** Check your registration and find your polling place at [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, about two weeks after the release of this comic.
** It is generally believed that many of those not voting would have chosen democrats on election day, and thus Randall has an interest in getting as many as possible to register, see [[1756: I'm With Her]] (apart from the fact that he also most likely thinks that it is important to use the right to vote).
* It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02], when [[2067: Challengers]] came out.
** It was still there while [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].

===2018-09-13 - NY votes today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20180913133544/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-13]
* [[2045: Social Media Announcement]] (the day after the release of the comic.)
** It was not up when the comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180912131437/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-12].
* It was a short lived reminder that NY votes today below the usual standard text.
* The text:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** NY votes today! Find your polling place [https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ here]. (Zephyr Teachout for AG!)
* It ended with [[2046: Trum-]], the very next comic, on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180914175605/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-14], returning to the standard text.

===2017-11-26 - Christmas gifts===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20171126130857/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-26]
* [[1920: Emoji Sports]] had been up two days [https://web.archive.org/web/20171125125648/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-25] before the message changed from the normal version. But it changed the day before the next comic came up.
** It was changed to a commercial for Christmas shopping with a code for getting 5$ of the price with a codes for different online shops.
* The text:
** To anyone looking for Christmas gifts: Until Monday you can get $5 off
** [https://www.amazon.com/What-International-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544456866 What If?] and [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Thing Explainer] on Amazon with coupon code GIFTBOOK17.
** At Barnes & Noble, until Sunday you can get 20% off [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 What If?] and [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432 Thing Explainer] using code GIVETHANKS.
* It was only up a few days and ended with [[1922: Interferometry]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171130150053/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-30] where it returned to the standard text.
** But it was still up when the comic in between [[1921: The Moon and the Great Wall]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171129140033/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-29].

===2017-09-22 - Visiting the UK===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170922232616/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22]:
* [[1893: Thread]] (with its release).
** It was not up on the previous comic [[1892: USB Cables]], on the day they changed [https://web.archive.org/web/20170922025204/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22].
* It was an announcement that Randall would visit the UK next week.
* The text:
** I'll be visiting the UK next week! You can join me in London from September 30-October 2 (at [https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/randall-munroe New Scientist Live], [https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2017/october/public-lunchtime-talk--randall-munroe The Royal Institution], and [https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/randall-munroe-on-making-complicated-stuff-simple/ Intelligence Squared]), then from October 3-6 in [https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/public_lectures/randall_munroe_thing_explainer York], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thing-explaining-with-randall-munroe-tickets-37832289396 Edinburgh], [https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/randall-murray-thing-explainer/ Cambridge and Ely], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randall-munroe-book-signing-thing-explainer-tickets-38041072873 Oxford], and [https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on/2017/randall-munroe/ Cheltenham].
* Ended with [[1900: Jet Lag]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171010045802/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-10] when the text returned to normal.
** But it was still up the day before with [[1899: Ears]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171009040109/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-09].

===2017-07-31 - Thank you===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170731021227/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31]:
* [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] (3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The comic [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released later that day.
** Megan is holding hand with Cueball and next to them is two words above each other: Thank you.
** The image is also a link.
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170801042453/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/us/politics/senate-votes-repeal-obamacare.html How Each Senator Voted on Obamacare Repeal Proposals], an article showing the senate votes. (here in an archived version).
* Ended with [[1872: Backup Batteries]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170804152509/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-04], but was still up when [[1871: Bun Alert]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170803124342/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-03].

===2017-07-25 - Vote against health care bill===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25]:
* [[1867: Physics Confession]] (2nd day after release of the comic, it was not up on the first day: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-24]).
* Randall modified the xkcd header to ask readers to support voting against Donald Trump's new health care bill.
** The header was replaced with an image which is available in an archived version [https://web.archive.org/web/20170726150959im_/https://imgs.xkcd.com/notes/call-senate.png here].
** The image is also a link (and you can click anywhere on it to go to the link that is mentioned).
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170729003307/https://www.trumpcareten.org/daily TrumpCare Ten] (here in an archived version).
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click.
** Transcript of the image:
*** [Megan is holding hand with Cueball next to three lines of large text, the same height as they are:]
*** Please tell your senators to vote against this health care bill. It will hurt people.
*** [After these three lines there is a phone number in a very large bold font with a line of text below:]
*** 202-224-3121
*** Or click here for more info
*** [Below the above is a gray line which is split in the middle with gray text, and below that four state names in white text inside black boxes:]
*** Know anyone in these states? Ask them to call, too.
*** Alaska Maine Nevada Ohio West Virginia
* Ended while [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170731164828/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31], when it was replaced by a ''Thank you''.
** That comic came out already [https://web.archive.org/web/20170728124230/https://xkcd.com/ three days before] (Friday comic), but was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170730141019/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-30]) when the message changed sometimes between Sunday 30th and Monday 31st (where [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released).

===2017-01-21 - Update on previous===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170122003124/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]:
* [[1788: Barge]]
* It came up almost a month after Christmas but did not really change the sales pitch of the previous. It just removed the link image with the large red text, see previous version below.
* The text:
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
* Ended with [[1867: Physics Confession]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25].
** That comic came up [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ the day before] the above version of the header appeared.
** So the first day after release it was still the T-shirt commercial.
** And it did not return to the standard version in between.

===2016-11-28 - Christmas sale===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128153015/https://xkcd.com 2016-11-28]
* [[1765: Baby Post]]
* This came up in time for the Christmas sale of 2016.
* The text was
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
** Above the text there was an image with two black t-shirts with white print on the chest. They were located at either end of a large red text written in the text type used in the comic. This text said New xkcd shirts.
** The entire image was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* Ended with [[1788: Barge]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20170121114423/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]

===2016-04-23 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160423103108/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-23]
* When [[1671: Arcane ]] came out (probably 2016-04-22, but no earlier archived versions exist) the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this for more than 7 months until [[1764: XKCDE]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20161128093459/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-11-28].

===2016-04-04 - Protip on Garden===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185353/https://www.xkcd.com/#5dbfbb82-fc20-11e5-8001-42010a8e000d 2016-04-04]
* Because of the complexity of the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1663: Garden]], Randall needed to give people some advice, hence a [[:Category:Protip|protip]] was added.
** This came in several versions, not all managed to be documented in the archive. See more in the trivia for garden regarding the [[1663:_Garden#Header_text_after_release|Header text after release]].
* The header text became a protip with the following text (the first version not documented only had the first line):
** '''Protip''': If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
** You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.
* When the next comic, [[1664: Mycology]], was released two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406194653/https://xkcd.com/1664/ 2016-04-06], an extra line of text was added, due to the issues caused by Garden not being on the front page {{xkcd}} but only on the numbered page {{xkcd|1663}}.
** This change was first documented on the front page the day after on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160407010635/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-07]
** The change was of course also on and all the other comic and thus also on the Garden comic from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406192530/https://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-04-06].
* Text added below the other two lines:
** Note: If you're seeing today's comic in place of your garden, change the URL from xkcd.com/#<your code> to xkcd.com/1663/#<your code>.
*** This extra line was only there until next time the comic change, so last day was [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408145017/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08].
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408195958/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08] when [[1665: City Talk Pages]] was released the extra line was removed leaving the two written first here above.
** This was also the case on the Garden comic (and all other comics) from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408204740/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-08].
* The Protip stayed in the main header text until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160422102754/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-22] when [[1670: Laws of Physics]] was up.
** But even though it disappeared from main header and thus from all other comic it stayed on the Garden comic, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160423182630/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-23].
** And it has then turned out to become one of the permanent [[xkcd_Header_text#Garden|Unique header texts]].

===2016-04-04 - Back to standard text as Garden came up===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404123555/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04]
* For a brief period of time, when [[1663: Garden]] was finally released, the Header text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But this lasted less than 13 hours. (Time between the previous and next archived version is 13 hours and 7 minutes).
** As people needed guidance to the new complicated comic.

===2016-04-01 - April 1st comic - technical difficulties===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401204749/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01]
* When Randall had problem releasing [[1663: Garden]] several [[1663:_Garden#April_Fools.27_header_text|April Fools' header text]] arrived in short succession while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was still up.
* Each of these where simple text.
** The first from the link abve:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Please stand by!
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402125723/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2016-04-02] at 12:57:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Status update: Please stand by.
*** Status update: This is fine. Everything is fine.
*** Status update: Everything is on fire.
*** Status update: Searching for calendar systems in which Saturday is April 1st.
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402175822/https://www.xkcd.com 2016-04-02] at 17:58:
*** The Friday xkcd comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties
*** [Editor's note: Everything is on fire] and has been delayed until Sunday night.
* It stayed like the third version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160404054612/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04] three days after the April Fools' Day comic was supposed to come out, so Jack and Jill was up until it changed.
This was what was needed to stop more than 10 months of promotion of the [[Thing Explainer]] book, see below.

===2015-12-13 - Thing Explainer is available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151213194534/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-13]
* [[1615: Red Car]] was still up when the header changed.
** The change was that the promotion for where Randall was last week where removed and left only the promotion the book [[Thing Explainer]]:
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160401125621/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01] while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was on the front page.
** This was the last time that Thing Explainer was [[:Category:Book promotion|promoted]] in the header text.
*** The first time was [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|2015-05-14]], so it had been part of the header text for almost ten and a half month. That is a record!

===2015-12-05 - Thing Explainer is available and Next week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05]
* [[1612: Colds]] was up when the header changed.
** This was also at this time the [[2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer|previous header texts image] was moved below the comic.
* Randall goes back to a simple promotion of the book [[Thing Explainer]] listing where to boy it.'
** But he adds a line about where he will be next week, first to a book shop on Illinois and then later in Toronto, where the host was {{w|Ryan North}} from [https://qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics], one of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|comics Randall enjoys]].
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** I'll be in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151211002159/https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/event/naperville-reads-randall-munroe Naperville, IL] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205205714/https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indigo-exclusive-randall-munroe-tickets-18694384407 Toronto, ON] (with [https://qwantz.com/ Ryan North]!) next week.
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151212133400/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-12-12] while [[1615: Red Car]] was on the front page.

===2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151203234149/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-03]
* [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was still up when the header changed.
** This was a special one comic header text consisting of a large image with pages and excerpts from the book [[Thing Explainer]].
** The image was larger than most comics, and took away the focus of today's comic.
** So already two days after, when [[1612: Colds]] was released, the image was relegated to the being below the comic, but inside the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Main_comic|main comic]] segment, thus not a part of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Bottom_segment|bottom segment]].
*** But it was displayed in the header for all comics, here [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204030024/https://xkcd.com/1609/ an example] from the comic released two comics before 1611, [[1609: Food Combinations]].
*** See more (and the image) [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]] on the page for Thing Explainer.
* Description of the image:
** At the top are shown four pages from the book. Two mainly blue, left and right, with white text and large images and between them two mainly white pages with blue text and smaller images. None of the text is readable, but the two blue pages pictures can be understood even in this size.
*** The first page is number 2 about an animal cell: ''Tiny bags of water you’re made of''. It shows a detailed drawing of a human cell, with text at the top, and then several labels with text beneath that have arrows pointing to different parts of the cell.
*** The second page is number 31 about the cockpit of an airplane: ''Stuff you touch to fly a sky boat''. It shows the inside of a cockpit with view out of the four windows, with lots of buttons in the ceiling, and blue screens and instruments at the bottom. Out the windows can be seen clouds and Cueball hanging from a balloon (a reference to [[1110: Click and Drag]]).
**** A zoom in on this page is shown beneath the four pages, see more below.
*** The third page is page 27. What is on this page is a bit difficult to see, as there are no big drawings with clear meaning. It is the second page in a two page section on Data centers, with the second page focusing on the Computer: ''Computer building''. The pictures shows the data racks, to the right, and the individual computer components put into these, to the top left, with the wiring shown below to the left. Lots of text with arrows to different parts.
*** The fourth page is page 23 about Trees: ''Tree''. It clearly shows the silhouette of a white tree on blue background. Several animal live on, in and beneath it. Cueball is standing on the ground. All the text are beneath labels that points to parts of the tree or the tree dwellers.
** In between the two time two pages there is a readable text, split over five lines, with two arrow at the top going from the corners of the text to the near corners of the white pages to either side. And below three arrows, with two pointing similarly as the two top arrows, but starting at the bottom of the text, and one arrow pointing straight down from the middle of the text to the large image below.
** Beneath all this is a large image which shows a zoom in on the left part of the cockpit from the second page above. The zoom is focused on the two front windows, but only the left is entirely in the picture, and the balloon hanging Cueball, cannot be seen in this part of the right window.
*** At this zoom level, most of the text van be read (that is labels written on things or having arrows pointing to them). Clouds can bee seen out of both windows and in the background a rocket launch with smoke plume below the rocket is visible. The horizon line is well defines across both windows. Some of the instruments can be seen below the windows with text written on them. And some blue areas, mainly screens can be seen.
** Beneath this picture is a line with links to where the book can be ordered, like the one from the previous header text.
* The text:
** Pages from my new book, ''Thing Explainer'': Complicated stuff in simple words.
** [Labels in the cockpit]:
*** Sky
*** Ground (This should be below the sky. If it's above the sky, you're either having a big problem or doing something ''really'' fun.)
*** Use this stuff to tell the sky boat to fly itself.
*** Fly
*** How fast it feels IAS 172
*** Direction HDG 240
*** Fall or rise
*** How high 2500
*** Fly
*** Helpful screen
*** Where the ground is
*** You are: Flying
*** Look here if there is a problem
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image is a link to [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU Thing Explainer on Amazon].
* It was only part of the header for two days until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204050419/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-04].
** It was then moved below the comics as mentioned above from [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05] when the next comic [[1612: Colds]] came out.

===2015-11-24 - Thing Explainer is out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151124201602/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-24]
* [[1607: Supreme Court]] was still up, but [[1608: Hoverboard]] most have come out close to the change.
** See both [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 00:12] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125230753/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 23:07].
** Since this new "comic" was actually a {{w|browser game}} made to celebrate the release of Randall's new book, ''[[Thing Explainer]]'', which was released on the same day as this comic: Tuesday, November 24, 2015. The comic thus appeared on a Tuesday, replacing that week's normal Wednesday release to coincide with the release day.
** Hence it is a shame that there is no archived versions on the 24th showing Hoverboard on the front page. Even though the new version of the Header text is shown on the 24th, but on the previous comic.
* Cause all the header text is about is the release day of Thing Explainer!
** The top part is text with a line with large letters and a line below in brackets and using smaller letters. Below that there is a line dividing the text from the next part.
** Below follows the same header that was up as early as [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] with the open book and three lines of text.
* The text:
** My new book, [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer], is out today!
** (If you're in NYC, you can also [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925015809/https://stores.barnesandnoble.com:80/author/11170358 come see me]!)
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the ten-hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the order line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Already the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25], when [[1608: Hoverboard]] was up, an extra line (a link) was added below the above. A line was separating it from the links above:
** [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ A puzzle for UK readers]
*** This was to a blag post with A puzzle for the UK because he could not go to UK in person. So this was a kind of bonus for those who could solve it. (We need an entry on that here on xkcd...)
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20151127114432/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-27] is still looked like this but then when the next comic, [[1609: Food Combinations]], came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128130851/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-28] the line about seeing him in New York was removed.
* The version with the puzzle, but without the New York line, was then up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151201222148/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-01] when [[1610: Fire Ants]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151202225254/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-12-02] the line with the puzzle at the bottom was changed to:
** I'm doing a [https://www.facebook.com/AndyWeirAuthor/ live Q&A;] at 2:30pm PT with The Martian author Andy Weir.
*** The link is to {{w|Andy Weir}}'s Facebook page. And the Q&A can likely not be seen anymore.
*** Randall has made no less than two comics about the movie {{w|The Martian (film)|The Martian}}, [[1536: The Martian]] and [[1585: Similarities]].
** It only lasted that day, and this became the last day with this header text, so it ended while [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was up.

===2015-10-22 - World Polio Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151022200022/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-22]
* [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up when the header changed.
** Randall mentions World Polio Day and the comic he drew for Bill Gates' blog, [[XKCD Marks the Spot]].
** Although he still keeps mentioning the release date for [[Thing Explainer]].
* The text:
** We've [https://slate.com/technology/2015/08/no-new-polio-in-africa-for-one-year-gates-epidemiologist-on-vaccines-and-surveillance.html almost eradicated polio]. For World Polio Day, I drew a comic
** about the eradication efforts. You can see it on [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/XKCD-Marks-the-Spot Bill Gates's blog].
** My [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ new book] of complex diagrams and simple words comes out Nov 24th.
*** The last line is split from the Polio announcement with a line.
* Was there until [[1607: Supreme Court]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151124065108/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-11-24].
** That was the day that the book was released, and when the next comic [[1608: Hoverboard]] came out, it was a celebration of the book.

===2015-09-23 - Book trip and tool===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923044724/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-23]:
* [[1580: Travel Ghost]] was up when the header changed.
** Announcing the book trip for the [[Thing Explainer]] book as well as linking to a Thing Explainer word checker tool! Two lines of text with links.
* The text:
** News: Announcing my Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/im-going-on-a-book-trip/ book trip]. Come say hi!
** Other news: Announcing the Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/a-thing-explainer-word-checker/ word checker] tool!
*** Both links are to the [[Blag]], the first a schedule for his book trip, and the second telling about Randall's new [https://xkcd.com/simplewriter/ Simple Writer] that could help you ''Write Like Up Goer Five and Thing Explainer''.
* Was there until [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151021164208/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-21].

===2015-09-06 - New links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150906181550/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-06]:
* [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was still up when the header changed.
** The promotion of the book, [[Thing Explainer]], stayed the same with a picture above links to preorder it, but the links was reduced from four to two, the amazon link changed and a new company was added for the second link removing the other three.
** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details on the image.
* The new link text:
** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thing-Explainer-Randall-Munroe/dp/1473620910 Amazon.co.uk}, [https://www.waterstones.com/book/thing-explainer/9781473620919 Waterstones]
* Was there until [[1579: Tech Loops]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150919220105/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-22].

===2015-08-09 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150809230825/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-09]:
* [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was still up when the header changed.
** It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with other news here below.
*** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details.
* Stayed like this until [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154014/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-05], but the only change was that the links to preorder changed from four to only two.

===2015-06-06 - Other news===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150606084120/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-06-06]
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was still up.
** This was just adding some "Other news", but leaving the promotion of [[Thing Explainer]] unchanged as in the [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|previous header]], but adding two news stories in text below the link to preorder.
* The new text:
** In other news, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrdAvmr-MA Space Weird Thing] is delightful, and I feel surprisingly invested in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150720074919/https://twitter.com/xkcdbracket @xkcdbracket's] results.
*** The link to Space Weird Thing is a YouTube video with a simple words version of {{w|David Bowie|David Bowie's}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo Space Oddity] music video, using only the top then hundred words. The creators contributes the idea to the [[1133: Up Goer Five]] diagram which also inspired the book Thing Explainer, also promoted in this header text.
*** The other link is referring to [[1529: Bracket]] released 12 days before this update, as a twitter user made a survey going through all the brackets all the way to a winner was found. Seems Randall became interested in who won. See more on the comics page.
* Was there until [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150807181044/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-07]. Then it returned back to the previous header with only the promotion of the book.

===2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150515060322/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-15]
* [[1525: Emojic 8 Ball]]
* This was a more detailed promotion for Randall's new book: [[Thing Explainer]] to be published in November 2015, more than half a year after the announcement, compared to the previous change which was just a line and a link.
* The text:
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the then hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to preorder the book:
*** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the preorder line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150605082643/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-06-05], but only to add other information. The main promotion of the book stayed the same.

===2015-05-14 - New book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150514053623/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-14]
* [[1524: Dimensions]] was up.
** A single line announced the new [[Thing Explainer]] book, with link to the [[Blag]] post from the day before.
* The text:
** New book: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer!]
The [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion of the book]] stayed up with some changes for [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-12-13_-_Thing_Explainer_is_available|more than 10 month]] first stopping when Randall had [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-01_-_The_xkcd_April_1st_comic_is_currently_experiencing_technical_difficulties|problems with his April Fools' Day comic]] in 2016... It is a record length.
* The first came already the day after so this short announcement was only up on this day and ended with the next comic. See above.
* See more details on the promotion of the book on the Thing Explainer page [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]].

===2015-02-11 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150211154103/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-11]
* When [[1485: Friendship]] came out the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[1523: Microdrones]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184622/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-05-12], so just a day more than three months.

===2015-02-04 - Valentine cards only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150204051152/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-04]
* [[1482: NowPlaying]] came out as it changed.
** After the last day of ordering t-shirt had passed it changed back to the picture with the Valentine cards from the previous header, but without the t-shirt picture.
** See that [[#2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt|header change]], but only the first picture described.
* Ended while [[1484: Apollo Speeches]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150210005540/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-10].

===2015-02-02 - Last day shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-02]
* [[1481: API]] came out as it changed.
** Just letting people know it is the last chance to order the binary t-shirt.
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** Today is the last day to order the limited-run [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart binary heart shirt]!
** The last words is link to the shirt in the shop.
* Ended before the next comic was up, but still the day after, when it was too late to order: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150203022036/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-03].

===2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183442/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-29]
* [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell about both the two previous updates in the same header- Both about the collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards and his new Valentine t-shirt.
** There where two pictures, with a promotion of the two products and a link to them in the shop.
** On the left was text about the cards with a small drawing to the right of the text showing the four cards.
*** An ant talking to an aphids; Earth rotating about the sun but locked so one side melts; an ant with a fungus growing from it's head with a heart, and a Velociraptor skeleton where the last bit of the tail is put on by a person. The text on the cards are unreadable, but they can be seen via the link.
** The text (in three lines) was:
*** Webcomic science Valentine card collaboration
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines link to the cards] from the picture.
** The picture on the left shows binary numbers 0 and 1 in white on a black background. The middle of the three lines of those have message in red text.
** The text:
*** 0 1 0 1 0 Binary heart 1 1 1
*** 1 1 1 Valentine shirt 0 1
*** 0 0 0 1 [limited run] 0 0 1
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart link to the shirt] from the picture.
* Ended while [[1480: Super Bowl]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150201015913/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-01].

===2015-01-27 - Valentine's Day cards===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-27]
* [[1478: P-Values]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell that about a collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** I've teamed up with three other webcomic artists
** to make [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines a set of science-themed Valentine's Day cards]!
* There was a link to the cards on the store.
* Ended while [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128172147/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-28].

===2015-01-24 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150124110707/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-24]
* [[1477: Star Wars]] came out as it changed.
** It was to tell about a new type of t-shirt for Valentine Day.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** For Valentine's Day, you can get a binary heart shirt
** (from {{xkcd|99|comic #99!}}) in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart a limited run on TeeSpring]
* There was a link to [[99: Binary Heart]] and to the relevant t-shirt on the [https://teespring.com/ Teespring] home page.
* Ended while [[1478: P-Values]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150126133139/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-26].

===2014-12-22 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141222233233/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-22]
* [[1463: Altitude]] came out as it changed.
** After the Christmas sale deadline there was still merchandise in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** You can get xkcd shirts, prints, and posters in the [https://shop.xkcd.com/ store]!
* The word store was a link to the shop.
* Ended while [[1476: Ceres]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150123102318/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-23].

===2014-12-19 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141219092349/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-19]:
* [[1462: Blind Trials]] came out as it changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with order now here below.
* See [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|2014-12-17]] below for all details.
* Ended while [[1462: Blind Trials]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141221172450/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-21].

===2014-12-18 - Order now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218090650/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-18]
* [[1461: Payloads]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday and that it was rapidly approaching. This was a follow up on the [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|Wednesdays announcement]] the day before.
** The image was just four lines of text with several red and blue words.
* The text was:
** The xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
** Once it passes, there is no going back. The arrow of time drags us all
** Inexorably forward toward decay and disorder. toward the end of all things.
** Towards the empty silence of the grave. Order now!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text.
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141217085320/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-17]
* [[1461: Payloads]] came out as it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday. This was announced Wednesday two days before the deadline.
** The image was just text with the last word in each line in red and the xkcd store blue as a link.
* The text was:
** Looking for a gift?
** xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up!

===2014-12-03 - Christmas shopping===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141203132024/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-03]
* [[1455: Trolley Problem]] came out as it changed.
** It was to announce the start of the Christmas shopping on the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store]
** Four boxes with shipping details are shown. Two green and two red, alternating from green. Between them are three text messages in two, two and three lines.
* The text was:
** xkcd store
** Christmas shopping
** I will probably not ship you a bobcat.
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* The bobcat is a reference to [[325: A-Minus-Minus]].
* Ended while [[1460: SMFW]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-11-29 - Thanks - Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141129211604/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-29]
* [[1453: fMRI]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to thanks for all the help his friend Emily with cancer got through among other his previous header text [[#2014-11-27 - Help Emily| Help Emily]].
** That only needed to be up two days before the goal was met.
* The text was:
** Thank you for helping my friend Emily.
** It means so much.
* Ended three days later while [[1454: Done]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141202065133/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-02].

===2014-11-27 - Help Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141127005239/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-27]
* [[1452: Jurassic World]] came out as it changed.
** It was to help a friend who got cancer by raising money for her.
* The text was:
** Hey all. My friend Emily—the economist who helped
** me with my {{xkcd|980|money chart}}—has been fighting cancer. She's
** having a rough time and could use some [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128183414/https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk help]. Thank you.
* There are two links, one to the [[980: Money]] comic she helped Randall create, and one for her Go Fund Me page to raise money for her cancer cure.
** The help link above is to the archived version from that time, but the link was still active in August 2019: [https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk Helping Emily Fight Cancer].
* Ended while [[1453: fMRI]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128070838/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-11-28].
** She did thus not get a permanent header as did Becky on the [[#Seven_Years|Seven Years]] comic.

===2014-10-02 - what if? bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141002211139/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-10-02]
* [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out|book is out]].
* This was a month after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It added a line of red text beneath the previous header to announce that the book was the #1 New York bestseller.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
** (#1 New York bestseller!)
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1451: Background Screens]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141125234520/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-25].

===2014-09-04 - what if? book out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140904150600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-04]
* [[1416: Pixels]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out today|book is out today]].
* This was two days after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It only removed to today from the previous header, that had only been up two days.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141001130827/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-09-02 - what if? book out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140902125802/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-02]
* [[1415: Ballooning]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-07-23 - what if? book tour|book tour header]].
* This was the day the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out. [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised shouts this out.. The word Book is underlined and blue to indicate a link.
* The text was:
** My book is out today!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1416: Pixels]] was still [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903134518/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-03].

===2014-07-23 - what if? book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140723180600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-23]
* [[1398: Snake Facts]]
* This was a promotion of his book tour for the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book made by [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised. Several parts of the text was underlined and blue to indicate links.
* The text was:
** I'm going on a book tour! click here for a list of stops.
** Or click anywhere-this whole image is one link because I've never gotten the hang of HTML imagemaps.
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/22/what-if-book-tour/ What If book tour!].
** Later Randall commented on this lacking ability in the comic: [[1572: xkcd Survey]].
** He also mentions it in one of the [[#xkcd_Header_text#2019-07-09_-_Drawings_from_How_To|promotions]] for his [[How To]] book.
** He much later he again mentions that html is hard, thus explaining why the entire image is a link instead of the actual blue highlighted link in one of the promotions for [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-08-11_-_Preorder_What_if.3F_2_-_with_image|what if? 2]].
* Ended while [[1415: Ballooning]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140901113916/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-03-13 - what if? announced===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140313070951/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-13]
* [[1341: Types of Editors]] was up.
* This was the first promotion of Randall's new ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book which is shown next to two lines of text.
* The text was:
** News:
** I'm publishing a ''what if'' book!
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/03/12/what-if-i-wrote-a-book/ What if I wrote a book?]
* Ended while [[1397: Luke]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140722142115/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-22].

===2014-01-09 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140109190927/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-09]
* When [[1314: Photos]] was still up when the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312070248/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-12] when [[1340: Unique Date]] was up, a bit more than two months.

===2013-12-21 - Deadline for Christmas shipping has passed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221043417/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2013-12-21]
* It changed when [[1306: Sigil Cycle]] came out.
* This came up when it was too close to Christmas in 2013 for shipping to arrive in time for Christmas. And Randall makes a note of this, but lets people know that they could still buy presents...
* The text was
** The deadline for guaranteed Christmas shipping has passed, but if you order something from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], we'll get it to you as fast as possible!
* Ended when [[1314: Photos]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181520/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-08].

===2013-12-06 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206213503/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-06]
* It changed when [[1300: Galilean Moons]] came out.
** There was no header text. This happened next on [[Header_text#2020-04-05 - Empty header|2020-04-05]]. It looks really weird.
* Ended when [[1305: Undocumented Feature]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005306/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-20].

===Changes not documented yet 3===
More changes will for sure be here between this and the one below.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131205202730/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-05]: Xmas sale before above
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]: Empty follows below

===2013-03-15 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]
* It changed while [[1186: Bumblebees]] was on the front page.
** After the text saying a comic would be delayed disappeared no text replaced this.
** So the header was left empty!
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318072820/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-18] while [[1187: Aspect Ratio]] was up.

===2013-03-13 - Comic will be delayed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130313133631/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-13]
* It changed when [[1184: Circumference Formula]] came out, likely because the next comic was delayed.
** But there is a gap of three days before where no archived version exist, so cannot say if there where more than a few hours with this text.
* The text:
** The comic will be delayed until late morning EDT.
* Ended when [[1185: Ineffective Sorts]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175306/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-13].
** That was later same day as the first archived version. But could have been longer as mentioned above.

===2012-11-26 - xkcd store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121126235628/https://xkcd.com/1138/ 2012-11-26]
* It changed while [[1138: Heatmap]] was up.
** Notice that the above link is not from the main page, but from {{xkcd|1138}}.
** There was a gap of five days in the archive of the main page.
** The first day that it was archived from the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201111432/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-12-01], while [[1141: Two Years]] was up.
* The standard header text is replaced with an image that makes it seem like a rip is being torn in the white region where the text used to be. Beneath the white material that has now been ripped, some text can partly be seen. It is possible to read it.
* The text:
** xkcd store
*** The image is a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] (tadaaa!)
* Ended when [[1183: Rose Petals]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130311073948/https://xkcd.com:80/1183/ 2013-03-11]
** The above link is from {{xkcd|1183}}.
** Last time the front page was archived with it was though on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130309010403/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-09].

===2012-10-24 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024082017/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-24]
* While [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121126035129/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-11-26] when [[1138: Heatmap]] was up, a few days more than a month.

===2012-10-17 - New What-If - Lightning===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232102/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-17]
* Probably while [[1122: Electoral Precedent]] was up.
** But the link above showing it was up on the 2012-10-17 is from the previous comics page {{xkcd|1121}} [[1121: Identity]].
** But the first version archived with this header is saved on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121018082304/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-18]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|16|Today's topic: Lightning}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/16/ What if lightning struck while you were ...]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023404/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-23] when [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front page
** This link is though from {{xkcd|1121}}.
** The last this version was archived on the front page was the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120008/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-22].

===2012-10-10 - New What-If - Mariana Trench Explosion===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010003837/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-10]
* [[1118: Microsoft]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|15|Mariana Trench Explosion}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/15/ What if you set off a nuclear bomb in the Mariana Trench?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121016055538/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-16] when [[1121: Identity]] was up.

===2012-10-02 - This week's What-If - Short Answer Section===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121002231724/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-10-02]
* [[1115: Sky]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|14|Short Answer Section}}''.
* The text
** In this week's What-If article I [https://what-if.xkcd.com/14/ answer multiple reader questions].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121008112434/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-08] when [[1118: Microsoft]] was up.

===2012-09-26 - New What-If - Laser Pointer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120926163111/https://xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-26]
* [[1113: Killed in Action]] was up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 26th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120928003838/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-28]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|13|Laser Pointer}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ If everyone aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at once, would it change color?]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121001080517/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-01] when [[1115: Sky]] was up.

===2012-09-18 - what-if.xkcd.com - Raindrop===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120918143653/https://www.xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-18]
* [[1109: Refrigerator]] was still up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 18th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120919015232/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-09-19]
* Randall promotes another What-If article on the what-if page.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|12|Raindrop}}''.
* The text
** what-if.xkcd.com: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/12/ What if all of a storm's water fell in a single raindrop?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120925090123/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-25] when [[1112: Think Logically]] was up.

===Changes not documented yet 2===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120917052827/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-17]: What if Droppings ends.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120718231719/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-18] Next stores header text

===2012-07-10 - New: what-if.xkcd.com===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10]
* This was a special change happening over a few days. The above "new" header text from the given date is actually shown on the previous comic [[1078: Knights]].
** Another example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710072249/https://xkcd.com:80/1070 2012-07-10] is shown for [[1070: Words for Small Sets]].
* The comic on the main page released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09] was [[1079: United Shapes]], but that comic had a [[xkcd_Header_text#United_Shapes|unique header text]] upon its release.
** So both on the 9th as shown above and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10] the header text was different on the front than on all other pages.
*** As can be read in the link above, the new header text actually got incorporated into the unique text, so that after the next comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711234408/https://xkcd.com/1079/ 2012-07-11] the current new header text and a smaller version of the original unique header text was now shown on the Unites Shapes page.
*** {{xkcd|1079|And it was never changed back}}.
* The first version of the new text from the 10th was only active one day:
** The text:
*** New site: what-if.xkcd.com, where I abuse science to answer hypothetical questions. I'll answer a new question every Tuesday.
**** The link was not an active link. And this was never shown on the front page, but on all other comics.
* Already on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711223349/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-11] when [[1080: Visual Field]] was released the new header changed a bit
** At this time it most have been shown on the front page, but the link above is again from [[1078: Knights]].
*** For some reason the front page was not saved on either the 11th or 12th, so no version of the front page with Visual Field exist
*** The first archived version of the front page with this new header text was from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154207/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-13] when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was on the front page.
* The final text:
** New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions.
** I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
*** This time the link was active and directs to the new ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' blog and its first entry {{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}
* The whole idea was that Randall released the new what if? blog on the 10th of July 2012. And thus would like to make a promotion of it.
** And then he timed it so poorly that the front page had a different header than the rest of the comics.
** It was so annoying for him that he actually changed the header for Unites Shapes manually so that page also showed the new link. Maybe even before it left the front page, but that has not been documented in the archive.
** And then he forgot about it when the header changed for all the other comics, so it is now a relic of the promotion of his first what if release.
* The what if promotion continued for a long time, but the final version from above only lasted until 17th at the latest. There is again no archived versions of the front page from the 15th, 16th or 17th.
** The last time it was archived on the front page was [https://web.archive.org/web/20120714062857/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-14], when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was still up.
** But on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120715070938/https://xkcd.com:80/1081/ 2012-07-15] it was still shown on the page for Argument Victory and same for [https://web.archive.org/web/20120716235458/https://www.xkcd.com/998/ 2012-07-16] on [[998: 2012]]
*** So seemed it stayed up while [[1082: Geology]] was up on the 16-17/7.

===2012-04-09 - Standard text plus store link===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190952/https://xkcd.com/1026/ 2012-04-09]
* It changed when [[1040: Lakes and Oceans]] came up.
** The above link to prove this is though from comic {{xkcd|1026}} [[1026: Compare and Contrast]] the first to be found that where archived on the 9th.
** The first archived version on the main page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411053543/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-11] when [[1041: Whites of Their Eyes]] was up.
** There where no archived version of the front page on the 9th or 10th while Lake and Oceans was up. So it was also first on the 11th that this new text could be seen, but only when it had moved to its own page number [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411052948/https://xkcd.com/1040/ 1040].
*** The change probably came because of this special comic, which may became a [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/lakes-oceans-poster poster].
* The update was to add a promotion for the store under the standard header text.
* The text
** XKCD updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** You can get prints, posters, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09] when [[1078: Knights]] was up, exactly three months, so although not only the standard text, the standard text was first for three months and three days, see [[#2012-04-05 - Back to standard text|below]].

===2012-04-05 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05]
* While [[1038: Fountain]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* The link above to prove the date is seen on [[1021: Business Plan]].
** The first archived version on front page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406111048/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-06], when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up.
** A version showing Fountain with this can be found on it's own page {{xkcd|1038}} on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085618/https://xkcd.com:80/1038/ 2012-04-06].
*** When it was archived while on the front page it still had the previous header on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-05].
* It stayed up, unchanged, until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120408200414/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-08] when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up. So only three days.
** But [[#2012-04-09- Standard text plus store link|the change]] did not remove the standard text but just added a link to the store. And this version, still with the standard text at the top stayed for three more months.

===2012-03-28 - Visiting Newport News===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328103319/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-28]
* [[1035: Cadbury Eggs]] was on the front when it changed.
** From the end of March 2012, there is a problem with the archived versions of xkcd, so they do not load properly and do not include the comic picture.
* It was to announce a talk Randall gave at his old school.
* The text:
** I'm [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ visiting] Newport News, VA next week, where I'll be speaking at CNU, my old school. If you want to come, reserve a seat [https://web.archive.org/web/20120329214411/https://www.cnu.edu/pcs/xkcd/index.asp here]!
*** The first link it to a post in the [[Blag]]: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ I’m visiting CNU on April 4th].
*** The other link is no longer working, but the link above goes to an archived version.
* There was a special situation with this header text. For three days it was not on the front page, as the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1037: Umwelt]] came out and stayed from April 1st to April 3rd on the front page.
** This comic had it's own [[#Unique header text|unique header text]] from the start, one that has [[#Umwelt|stayed like this]] since!
*** So from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01] to [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03] the front page had another header:
**** You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** But all the other comics kept the Visiting header on all three days as shown here:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401214214/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-01] from[[1036: Reviews]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402150258/https://xkcd.com/1019 2012-04-02] from [[1019: First Post]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403164523/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-03] from [[1036: Reviews]].
**** The one from the 2nd of April was hardest to find, but the most important, because that was clearly in the time period where Umwelt was up, thus definitely proving that the other pages had a different header than the front page. This is rare.
* It returned to the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-04] and stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05] when [[1038: Fountain]] was up.
** The link from the 5th though is from {{xkcd|1021}} [[1021: Business Plan]], the only comic archived on the 5ht to be found.
*** The previous link was the last time it was archived while on the front page.

===2012-03-12 - xkcd Holistic Browser===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312185125/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-12]
* [[1028: Communication]] was up at the time.
** From here the archive doesn't load the page properly so it is really boring to document. This goes for both first and last day of this text.
* The text:
** New: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153220/https://holistic.xkcd.com/ holistic.xkcd.com], the least useful web navigation tool ever.
*** The link is now dead, but the link above is to an archived version.
*** On that page there is the following text:
**** The XKCD Holistic Browser
**** Because we are all one.
**** Type a web address
**** and you'll be taken to one
**** typed by someone else.
**** URL:
**** Warning: This allows strangers to direct your browser!
**** They may send you to pages containing
**** porn, viruses, or Justin Bieber fanfiction.
**** At the very least, turn on private browsing.
* During the time this header was active the comic [[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]] came out.
** It had its own [[xkcd_Header_text#Unique_header_text|unique header text]] which thus replaced this text on the front page for two days.
** But it did not replace it on all the other pages so this was the active header text during the entire period, see more here: [[xkcd_Header_text#s.2Fkeyboard.2Fleopard.2F|s/keyboard/leopard/]]
* This lasted till [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327050311/https://xkcd.com/1033 2012-03-27] while [[1034: Share Buttons]] was up.
* But the last archived version with this on the front page was the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20120326180811/https://xkcd.com// 2012-03-26].
** The link from 27th is from an archived version of [[1033: Formal Logic]].

===Changes not documented yet 1===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120311135259/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-11] Text before. For next entry below...



[[Category:Design of xkcd.com]]{{xkcdmeta}}

Header text

2026-04-12T09:57:57Z

Kynde: /* 2957: A Crossword Puzzle */

<noinclude>{{xkcd.com}}[[File:xkcd_header.png|thumb|right|250px|The [[Design of xkcd.com#Header section|Header section]] is one of the [[Design of xkcd.com|four main sections]] of the [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com] website.]]The '''header text''' is usually updated when [[Randall]] has news to share or wants to add information about a specific comic. The default header text states:

</noinclude><div style="font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 500; font-size: 16px; width: 760px; line-height: 150%;" class="plainlinks">
:xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.</div><noinclude>

Usually, changes to the header text show up in all comics. However, for certain comics, its header text is changed permanently, which means that comic's page won't be affected by changes to the global header text like the rest of the comics. You can see the list of these [[#Comic-specific header text|Comic-specific header texts]] below.

Usually, the global header text is changed back to the default once the novelty of the news ends. Recently, the default header text has not been used for extended periods of time. The most recent header text change can be found at the top of the [[#Global header text|Global header text section]].

{{incomplete|Someone has created a full list of comic-specific header texts! We have only explained 28 so far, and '''28 are missing'''. [[Talk:Header_text#anc|The full list in on the Talk page!]]. (Also, if you have ''infinite'' spare time, please remove the bullet points on the page and use normal paragraphs.)}}

Use this list to quickly jump to a specific header text, or [[#Comic-specific header text|click here]] to jump to the most recent one.

__TOC__

==Comic-specific header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Place the most recent changes at the top.


===[[2957: A Crossword Puzzle]]===
*This comic's header mentions that it has been inspired by an old comic (by accident, i.e. originally Randall was not aware of his inspiration).
**It was on the front page from from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711100451/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11] until the next comic to come out Friday, so it was still there on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240712141422/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-12].
***Once [[2958: Hatchery]] came out on Friday, the front page header text changed back to the currently active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240713181808/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-13].
*The extra new text:
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!
*It makes it clear that Randall did not wish to take credit for this old idea.
**Although it seems like he did not know where he got the idea from at first, when he posted it.
**Because the addition of this header text was not posted together with the comic, when it was released on Wednesday 2024-07-10 and it was still not there in the early morning of Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711000851/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11].
**That he is a fan of Buttersafe is made clear at the bottom of the xkcd page where it is on Randall's list of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]].
*As a special situation this special header did not replace the current header text, but was added below the active header text at the time [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
**This has not been the normal way to add comic-specific header text, even though it was something added later due to Randall realizing he had borrowed inspiration from another person.
**A similar situation happened with the comic [[1723: Meteorite Identification]], which got a similar change to the header text, as can be seen [[Header_text#1723:_Meteorite_Identification|here]]. But that did not incorporate this text into the current header text.
*Since this header was related only to explain the inspiration for this comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen here [https://web.archive.org/web/20240714152507/https://xkcd.com/2957/ 2022-07-14], two days after it stopped being on the front page.
**Randall never got around to fixing this, so it would only show the new line, so as of this edit it is still like that as can be seen in the most recent version saved [https://web.archive.org/web/20260408143657/https://xkcd.com/2957/ 2026-04-08].
*So the actual full permanent header text for this comic is now:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!



===[[2916: Machine]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406163326/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06] (although it was supposed to have been a Friday release according to the xkcd archives) until the next comic to come out Monday 2024-04-08, but the earliest archived version of the next comic is from Tuesday [http://web.archive.org/web/20240409060444/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-09].
***It probably changed late on Monday the 8th, but Machine was still up late on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240408225854/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-08].
***It may be like previous years because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?
**When [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]] was released the front page returned to normal header.
**The previous comic [[2915: Eclipse Clouds]] was still on the front page Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06]. So a very late Friday release...
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://github.com/spyhi Ed White], [https://twitter.com/uh_oh_thats_bad Alex Garcia], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [http://burningcandle.io/ Conor & Ami Stokes], [https://liranuna.com/ Liran Nuna], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick], [https://manishearth.github.io/ Manish Goregaokar], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], [https://github.com/ayust Amber], and [https://github.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg] with physics by [https://rapier.rs/ Rapier].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or X or their own home pages. Some of them have also helped with the two previous [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], see below, but there are many more involved in this one than any of the previous.
**Also the Fast 2D and 3D physics engine for the Rust programming language, Rapier, is mentioned as standing for the physics of the comic.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240409010518/https://xkcd.com/2916/ 2022-04-09].


===[[2765: Escape Speed]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230420203744/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-20] (although it was supposed to have been a Wednesday release according to the xkcd archives) until Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230421082400/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-21], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2766: Helium Reserve]] was released the front page returned to normal header. This seems to have not happened until Saturday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20230422121650/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-22] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was put together with help from [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick Clapp], [https://amberyu.st/ Amber], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], and [https://www.aiweirdness.com/ Janelle Shane].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or Twitter or their own home pages. Most of them have also helped with the two previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230423150206/https://xkcd.com/2765/ 2022-04-23].


===[[2601: Instructions]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220401210146/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-01] until Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405031003/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because Instructions was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2602: Linguistics Degree]] was released the front page returned to normal header This seems to have not happened until Tuesday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405125644/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/chromakode @chromakode], [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/xDirtyPunkx Conor], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with an Instagram page, the other seven with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220406021357/https://xkcd.com/2601/ 2022-04-06].


===[[2445: Checkbox]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210401232108/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-01] until Monday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210405130031/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-05], until the new comic was released on Monday.
*The text:
**This comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], and [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with a personal home page, the other six with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header, when the next comic was released, here from the day after that release Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210406143023/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-06].
*But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20210407203547/https://xkcd.com/2445/ 2021-04-07].


===[[2288: Collector's Edition]]===
This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together, and gives links to all of their Twitter profiles, except
Christopher Nights'. It was on the front page only for about a day around April 3rd and
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/http://xkcd.com/#-370,-277vApril 4th 2020].
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber],
[https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin],
[https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat],
[https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
</blockquote>
The header text thanks those who helped Randall create the 2020 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken
two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay, the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released the day after the April Fool's comic, [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]].
Since this header was related only to the April Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header when the next comic was released,
but it stayed up as a permanent header for this comic.



===[[1928: Seven Years]]===
[http://web.archive.org/web/20171214171157/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-12-14]
It was released as a response to another cancer diagnosis, this is explained in the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Header_text|Header text]] which has replaced the standard ''xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.'' The new one is this one, with the active link included:
The text (with link):
* Becky Beaton, sister of fellow cartoonist Kate Beaton, has also been diagnosed with cancer. You can support her treatment [https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 here].
{{w|Kate Beaton}} is the creator of the web comic [http://www.harkavagrant.com/ Hark! A Vagrant].
* Although this comic is not one on Randall's list of ''[[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]]'', he is clearly much influenced by another cancer diagnosis among someone in his own creative field.below.
On [https://web.archive.org/web/20190817141450/https://www.xkcd.com/1928/ 2019-08-17], close to two years later, the message was still there and also [https://web.archive.org/web/20211226120634/https://xkcd.com/1928/ 2021-12-26] just past four years later.
* There was the possibility that it would be removed, when the support page was discontinued...
* But as that already happened before [http://web.archive.org/web/20181106124430/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-11-06] it seems like it will be there to stay.
* Last archived version was from [http://web.archive.org/web/20180305022301/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-03-05].
* Randall has previously done something similar for another friend, Emily, but [[#2014-11-27_-_Help_Emily|that header]] was not made permanent.



===[[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]]===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170428041338/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-04-28]
This header links back to [[1828: ISS Solar Transit]], a comic with the same joke setup released on the Monday of the same week


===[[1723: Meteorite Identification]]===
Randall realized that his comic was almost a copy of some other person. And he has since then acknowledged this on the comics specific page see more [[1723: Meteorite Identification#Trivia|here]].
At the time of this post, in the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161010215516/http://xkcd.com/1723/ 2016-10-10] it is still there and says:
* Note: Jolyon, founder of [http://www.mindat.org/ mindat.org], made a similar chart way before me!


===[[1679: Substitutions 3]]===
This comic is the third installment of the [[:Category:Substitution]] series, and as Randall did with [[#Substitutions 2]],
the header text links to the previous comics in the series, and tells the user about Chrome Browser extensions for substitution.
The header text reads:
<blockquote>
(Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}} and {{xkcd|1625|Substitutions 2}}) 
Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/replacerator/gaajhenbcclienfnniphiiambbbninnp?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
</blockquote>
This header text was on the main page while the comic was on the main page, for instance on
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160512102325/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-05-12]. It remains on the comic page.



===[[1663: Garden]]===
This comic had a header text to help people use the comic when it came out.
For some time this text was the main header text, but after a while is disappeared from the main header, but remained as the header for Garden.
* See more [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-04_-_Protip_on_Garden|below]] or on the Garden page [[Garden#Header_text_after_release|here]]
Today and as of the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161231231600/http://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-12-31] it is still there and says:
* Protip: If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
* You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.


===[[1625: Substitutions 2]]===
This was the second installment of Substitutions and Randall links to the first and tells about browser extensions for this:
The text:
* (Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}})
* Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/xkcd-substitutions/jkgogmboalmaijfgfhfepckdgjeopfhk?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
** He did the same when [[xkcd_Header_text#Substitutions_3|Substitutions 3]] came out, linking to the two previous.
It was on the main page while the comic was up, for instance here on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160104171722/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-01-04].


===[[1079: United Shapes]]===
The header text was unique for this comic on the day it came out:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09].
It read:
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here] (Colorado is [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/ here]). 
It's also available as a [http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap poster].
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap Archived store link, 2012-07-22])

This header text only appeared with the comic, as on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09],
at a time before this comic was released, the previous
[[xkcd_Header_text#2012-04-09 -_Standard_text_plus_store_link|promotion of the store]] header text was still on the main page.

As this comic was still on the main page the day after ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120710063424/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-10]),
a new [[Header_text#2012-07-10_-_New:_what-if.xkcd.com|header text promoting Randall's new what if? blog]]
was not shown on the main page.
The what if? promotion was added to this comic's header text the next day,
on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711123734/http://xkcd.com:80/1079/ 2012-07-11].
However, the part about Colorado was lost in this edit. This is the version still shown on {{xkcd|1079}} today, including the
what if? promotion.
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here]! It's also available as a
[https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster poster]. 
New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions. 
I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20121203164246/https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster Archived store link, 2012-12-03])

The what if? promotion links to the very first ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}'' which was released on 2012-07-10, the day after this comic was released, but before the next comic [[1080: Visual Field]] was released on 2012-07-11.

There is no archived version of comic {{xkcd|1080}} while it was on the front page, so it is not possible to tell what the front page looked like on the 11th and 12th of July 2012. Most likely it was the what if? promotion.
* Maybe there was a time with the final version of the header text the front page, but seems like Randall put the new header text there by hand, and forgot to delete it after, so he probably first changed it when the new comic came out.
* Since the new header was important, promoting his new ''what if'' blog, Randall likely did not wish to have a recent page/the main page without it.
* But this makes it a special unique header, as a relic from the past header text is left together with the text that was supposed to be permanent. It should have been deleted when the link to ''what if'' 1 was removed.



===[[1047: Approximations]]===
It has a permanent text saying that many people emailed Randall about another approximation for one year than the one given in the comic.
* As it was already there from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120425220409/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-25] it seems unlikely that he actually received those e-mails before changing the header text for this comic!
The unique text:
* Lots of emails mention the physicist favorite, 1 year = pi x 107 seconds.
* 75^4 is a hair more accurate, but it's hard to top 3,141,592's elegance.
There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[#2012-04-09_-_Standard_text_plus_store_link|Plus store link]].


===[[1037: Umwelt]]===
It has a permanent promotion of the store already from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01]:
The unique text:
* You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
It stayed on the front page while this comic was the most recent, so for instance also two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03]
* There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-28_-_Visiting_Newport_News|Visiting Newport News]].


===[[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]]===
In response to the idea of having you browser replace keyboard with leopard a reader made a script that could do just that.
Randall seem to have gotten this script before release (or at least on the day of release) as it was already the header text on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319130702/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-19] the day the comic was released.
The unique text is:
* A helpful reader has provided an [https://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 s/keyboard/leopard/ user script].
** The link does not go anywhere useful any longer, but here is the archived version of the link from two days after the release of the comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321174019/http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 2012-03-21]
It was never changed on the other comics so was only on the front while this comic was up until 2012-03-21
* Here also shown on the second day it was up on its own page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320143916/http://xkcd.com:80/1031/ 2012-03-20].
The next comic [[1032: Networking]] came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321205835/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-21] and here the header text has returned to what it was before the leopard comic: [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-12_-_xkcd_Holistic_Browser|xkcd Holistic Browser]].
* Here are examples from dates around this showing it was not used on other pages:
** The last archived version of the front page from before the 19th was this version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317121834/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-17], but here is an example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153256/http://xkcd.com:80/1030/ 2012-03-18] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]), the day before leopard comic came out.
** Both on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319174700/http://xkcd.com/1030/ 2012-03-19] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]) and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320191039/http://xkcd.com:80/1012 2012-03-20] (from comic [[1012: Wrong Superhero]]) during the time leopard was up, the header text currently in used was still shown.


===[[996: Making Things Difficult]]===
To give context to the comic about cancer, Randall links to a [[Blag]] post about his family's struggle with cancer.
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Some context for the cancer comics:
[https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/ https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/]
</blockquote>
This header text appears on the oldest stored version of the comic page from [https://web.archive.org/web/20111229043804/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-12-29] when it was on the main page.


===[[980: Money]]===
Randall notes his thoughts about making it and makes a promotion of the poster.
The unique text:
* This one was fun (and exhausting) to make.
* There's a poster of it in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/money-poster store]!
** It is both at the oldest stored version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404110059/http://xkcd.com:80/980 2012-04-04] and the newest at time of editing [https://web.archive.org/web/20220108132250/https://xkcd.com/980/ 2022-01-08].


===[[977: Map Projections]]===
Randall notes that a person had birthday on the release of this comic about maps, and this guy has maps on his homepage
The unique text:
* It turns out Monday was Steve Waterman's birthday. His [https://web.archive.org/web/20111118003418/http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ site] has posters of his map, plus maybe the world's only Winkel Tripel-critiquing poetry.
** The link goes to [http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ Waterman project] home page. Above the link goes to an archived version from around the time of release of the header text.
** It is at the oldest stored version with the comic on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20111115231643/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-11-15].


===[[851: Na]]===
After Randall released this comic, he realized he could have "made it better," and did so.
He changed the header text alert people to this, saying:
<blockquote>
I can't ''believe'' I forgot Hey Jude.
I don't get do-overs, but I couldn't resist making [https://xkcd.com/851_make_it_better/ a fixed version].
</blockquote>
See more about it in that comic's [[851:_Na#Trivia|trivia section]].


===[[739: Malamanteau]]===
Randall notes that he has changed this comics license, so it can be used on Wikipedia.
The text:
* At Wikipedia's request, I release this comic under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ cc-by-sa] license.
** The link is to the page regarding {{w|Creative Commons license}} in the US.
** Specifically for Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-SA 3.0 US)
*** Usually xkcd is [[Design_of_xkcd.com#License_and_copyright|shared under]] [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License]. This does not allow commercial use, But the 3.0 does.
When the comic came out it had the normal header text from that time, as seen here two days after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20100514072436/http://xkcd.com/ 2010-05-14].
* First archived version with the unique text is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100913003146/http://xkcd.com/739/ 2010-09-13], but the previous archived version of this comic is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100713160533/http://xkcd.com:80/739/ 2010-07-13].
* So it happened somewhere in the two months in between. But at least it was not there the first two months after release, but there before four month after release.


===577–580: [[:Category:The Race|The Race]]: Parts 1–4===
[[:Category:The Race|The Race]] was a 5-comic series published daily over the duration of one week, Monday through Friday. On comics
[[577: The Race: Part 1]], [[578: The Race: Part 2]], [[579: The Race: Part 3]], and [[580: The Race: Part 4]], parts 1–4 of the
series, Randall announced to users that xkcd would update once a day over the course of that week.

The header text for 577, published on Monday of that week, reads:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day.
</blockquote>
The header texts for 578, 579, and 580, published respectively on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, read:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day (through Friday).
</blockquote>

On comic [[581: The Race: Part 5]], this header text does not appear, likely because it wouldn't be useful to inform people of daily
updates for a week at the end of the week.


===[[563: Fermirotica]]===
The header text for this comic informs the reader of prints of this comic in the [[Store]], and gives an example sex calculation.
It reads:
<blockquote>
There are xkcd prints available in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store]. 
[https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sqrt(2%2F(pi*18000%2F(mi^2)*80%2Fyear*30+minutes) Example Google sex calculation].
</blockquote>
The first link is a link to the [[Store|xkcd Store]], which, as of early February 2026, is closed for the time being. The second link is a
Google Search link for an example sex calculation with the formula in the comic, where
''Pd'' = 18000/mi2,
''XF'' = 80/year, and
''Xd'' = 30 minutes.
This calculation results in ''r'' equaling ~142 meters.


===[[488: Steal This Comic]]===
Comic 488 advocates against {{w|Digital rights management}}, or <abbr title="Digital rights management">DRM</abbr>. In the header text, Randall notes that Amazon sells
DRM-free music. It reads:
<blockquote>
Note: the [https://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 Amazon.com MP3 store] sells DRM-free music. Kudos.
</blockquote>
The header text links to Amazon MP3 music. Here is an archived version of the store from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081001083843/http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 2008-10-01],
two weeks prior to the release of the comic.
The header text was on the comic from the release day, here seen the day after on the first archived version from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232952/http://xkcd.com/ 2008-10-14].


===[[472: House of Pancakes|472: House of Pancakes]]===
This comic's header notes its status as a parody:
* (Today's comic is a parody of [https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764 House of Leaves].)
Only on the days this comic was the newest was this header featured on the front page of xkcd for instance as seen here the day after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06].
* But it was only on this comic. The commercial for his new t-shirt was on all the other pages, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06] and presumably returned to the front page with the next comic. But there is a gap in the archive after this comic.

==Global header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the newest comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Position the last comic displaying the header text below the other data and place the most recent change at the top.

===2026-04-07 - Reading Modes===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260401210255/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-04-01].
*[[3227: Creation]] was released as the 2026 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' comic]], but the real April Fools' was a new feature, which was explained in the global header text.
* The text:
** We're pleased to announce a major update to xkcd, with new reading modes to enhance user experience. Select a mode via the menu below the comic.
**Brought to you by our excellent design team: [https://github.com/ayust Amber], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], and [https://github.com/cotrone Kevin]
*At first it would seem that this would be a text, only belonging to the new comic, but since the feature is active on all comics, it was not only on the front page, but on all other comics as well. And it stayed there after the next comic was released.
**So this is not a comic specific header text.

===2026-01-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260107194433/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-01-07].
* [[3191: Superstition]] came out when the header changed.
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2022-01-08_-_Back_to_standard_text|2022-01-08]] that the text had changed back to that, so exactly four years.
**Last time it only lasted a few days before the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] started.
*It was also the first time since December 5th, 2024 that the header text had changed, a span of more than a year (13 months) making it by far the longest time the header text had been left unchanged.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260331171250/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-03-31] when [[3226: Home Solar]] was on the front page.
**Almost two months, a long stretch with the original title text in use!

===2024-12-05 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - order===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241205201038/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-05].
* [[3020: Infinite Armada Chess]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—Out now. Order it here! [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* Only difference in this header compared to the previous version is the last part after the final hypen.
* This header stayed up for exactly 13 months. See link at the bottom.
* With the [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|preorder]] version coming out in mid May 2024 the 10th anniversary edition ended up been in the header text almost 1 year and 7 month (except the month of [[#2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president|endorsing Harris]]), thus it was on the header for 1.5 years in total.
* And before that what if? has been part of the header back to [[#2022-01-31 - What if? 2|2022-01-31]], when what if? 2 was announced.
* And three weeks before that the [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] for what if? 2 began. Of course there was no what if? word on that header as it was a surprise. But it turned out this was also a promotion for what if?
* And up until the day before the countdown (when there was one day with the old standard text) there was promotion for the first what if? book starting on [[#2021-12-20 - What If in stock|2021-12-20]].
** To sum it up, the header has been used to promote what if? continuously from December 2021 until at least the start of January 2026 (except one month with endorsing Harris and three weeks countdown that was for what if?) So more than 4 years in a row, only with a month for something political and the 3 weeks of countdown was also a promotion for what if?
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260106150417/https://xkcd.com/3190/ 2026-01-06] when [[3190: Tensegrity]] was on the front page.
**It had then been up for more than 13 months in a row by a day. There had been no change to the header text at all during 2025.

===2024-11-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page when the text changed.
* It returned to the exact same header text as before: [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241204160618/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-04] when [[3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar]] was on the front page.
** The only change was that the last part after the last hyphen changed from when you had to preorder to now that you could order the book.

===2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241017002108/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-17]
* For some reason the web archive failed to upload xkcd on the day it changed, but that it did change a day before can be seen in this other archive [https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[2999: Bad Map Projection: The United Stralia]] came out when this header was changed.
* Instead of text, it is a three part comic. In the first panel, [[Cueball]] (probably representing [[Randall]]) is shown walking, carrying a sign. In the second panel, he is seen hitting the sign with a hammer into the ground. In the third, Cueball is gone, and the front of the sign can be seen:
** <big>Harris for president</big>
* This is in reference to the 2024 presidential elections and shows that Randall endorses Harris.
* Randall posted the same image on his [https://x.com/xkcd/status/1853098106667114801 Twitter (formally X)] and [https://bsky.app/profile/xkcd.com/post/3la2jku6ace2f Bluesky] accounts on November 3rd, 2024, two days before the presidential election.
* It was up for a month until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241115181146/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2024-11-15] when [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page. It changed while that comic was still up back to the one from before.

===2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240515200351/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-15]
* [[2933: Elementary Physics Paths]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241015192147/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-15] while [[2998: Ravioli-Shaped Objects]] was on the front page.
After a month of endorsing endorses Harris the heder text returned to this again, see [[#2024-11-16_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-110-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? -preorder]].

===2024-03-20 - What If? is on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240320173158/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-20]
* [[2909: Moon Landing Mission Profiles]] came out when the header changed.
The only text version from the previous header was trimmed having some words removed taking it down from four to three lines (and solving the bad alignment that happened five days before at the end of the previous header text).
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is on YouTube! The first video answers
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed Hubble at Earth?]” Follow the
** [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif What If?] channel to be notified about new videos.
* The first link goes to the what if? page on xkcd and the other two links are to the YouTube channel and to its very first video.
The promotion of the what if? franchise continues for the second year running. A few words were taken off as the YouTube channel was no longer new at this point.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240514034349/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-14], while [[2932: Driving PSA]] was on the front page. But the what if? promotion continued

===2023-11-29 - What If? is now on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20231129184009/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-29]
* [[2861: X Value]] came out when the header changed.
There was only text this time.
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is now on YouTube!
** Check out the first video for the answer to
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed the Hubble Telescope at Earth?]”
** and follow [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif xkcd’s What If? The Video Series channel] to be notified about each new video.
* The links goes to the what if page on xkcd and the other two links is to the new YouTube channel with videos of some of the what if articles and to the very first video.
This is thus not a promotion of the what if? 2 book but still promotion of the what if? franchise.
A small change happened on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240314113602/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-14], as the first two lines became one line which made the alignment worse. So it seemed strange to do this. It looked like normal up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20240313113429/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-13]. But it only lasted five days before a change was made that made it into a new although very similar header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240319134138/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-19], while [[2908: Moon Armor Index]] was on the front page, but was replaced by a very similar what if? header.

===2023-08-31 - What if? 2 is now available in paperback in the UK!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230831200321/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-31]
* [[2822: *@gmail.com]] came out when the header changed.
* The image to the right stayed, but after more than a half year with no text, text was added to the left of the picture because the paper back was available in the UK.
** As opposed to the previous headers this was plain text and not a picture.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What if? 2 is [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK now available] in paperback in the UK!
** what if? 2
* The link goes to https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK, the page on xkcd about the What if? 2 book, and directing to the UK order links where there now also it a paper back version.
This version was still up in the middle of November 2023 when this segment was updated.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20231128174224/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-28], while [[2860: Decay Modes]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? header.
* Although it was not specifically related to the new book. Thus it ended a more than 22 month long constant promotion of the book since the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] began in January 2022.

===2023-02-17 - What if? 2 picture only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230217185629/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-17]
* [[2739: Data Quality]] came out when the header changed.
* For the first time in a very long time there is no real header text. Only the small red picture with the plane and the title of the what if? 2 book in the right section of the header. As it has been since [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] stopped.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230830064414/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-30], while [[2821: Path Minimization]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header.

===2022-09-23 - What if? 2 Instant New York Times Bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220923182825/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-23]
* [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page when the header changed.
** The header celebrates that the new what if? 2 book has become an instant New York Times bestseller.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2
** Instant New York Times bestseller.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230216181705/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-16], while [[2738: Omniknot]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header,

===2022-09-13 - What if? 2 is available now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220913142432/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13]
* [[2672: What If? 2 Flowchart]] was released as the header changed, even though it was a Tuesday.
** The header and the comic celebrates the release of the new what if? 2 book, that came out on this day.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2 is available now!
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This thus ended the pre-release promotion of the book, that began on [[#xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|2022-01-31]], plus of course the three weeks of [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] before. For a sum total of 8 months and three days.
* It will be interesting to see how long before any reference to what if? 2 will disappear from the header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220922150042/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-22], but was replaced by another What If? 2 header, while [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page.

===2022-09-12 - One day to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220912125617/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-12]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** One dayuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>I'm going to spend the day with that Les Mis song stuck in my head, aren't I.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-12 it was ''F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of N Bottles of Beer On the wall followed by F(N-1)'' to release day.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
** Les mis song, referring to a song from the musical les miserables titled "One Day More", he now has stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220913134002/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13].
** This was while [[2671: Rotation]] was still up, early on the release day of the new book.

===2022-09-12 - Three days to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220911102450/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-11]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Three daysuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Assuming it's still Saturday. I'm a static png image and can't perceive time.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header only stayed the same for one day and [[2670: Interruption]] was still up when it changed to the next.

===2022-09-07 - Less than one week to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220907211736/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-07]
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was still up.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are four lines of text. With the middle line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over four lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Less than one weekuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Oh no, now I have that song stuck in my head.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-07 it was ''one pico-universe-lifetime'' to release day. But the next day 2022-09-08 it was ''The Baby Shark chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks''.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220910024549/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-10].
** This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was up.

===2022-08-27 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220827232205/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-27]
* [[2664: Cloud Swirls]] came out when it changed.
* The header [[#2022-08-16 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|changed back]] to the preorder image from the previous header, when Randall's book tour ended. See the link.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220906191403/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-06].
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was up.

===2022-08-17 - What if? 2 book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220817161136/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-17]
* [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was out when it changed.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this there is text to the left. Then Cueball is seen flying by holding on to a single balloon (like in [[1110: Click and Drag]]). He flies over five mountain peaks with snow, with three clouds and three distant birds in front of him, as he drifts to the right, as shown with movements lines behind him. In front of him is a dark feature at the bottom of the frame. Above this is a blue square (like a button) with white text.
* The text:
** I'm going on a what if? 2 book tour!
** Click to see where
** what if? 2
*** The image to the left is a link to [https://xkcd.com/events/ randall munroe: events] page on xkcd. Which at the time showed the calendar with the planned stop for his book tour, which covered the US and London.
*** As always the link button in blue is not the only part of the image that is a link, as he just mentioned in the [[#2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|previous header text]], and several times before...
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This header thus continues the promotion of the new book, which was at the time was only 27 days away (or [[2636:_What_If%3F_2_Countdown|6 dog months]]).
* It will be interesting to see how long it takes before promotion for the book disappears from the header. It may still take months.
The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220826202043/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-26].
* This was while [[2663: Tetherball Configurations]] was up.

===2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220811055445/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-11]
* [[2657: Complex Vowels]] came out as it changed.
The message in the header was not really changed, but the meaning of the text from the previous header was now written in an image, although the text did change somewhat.
* The header thus still consist of two parts. To the left the new image with an picture of the book and text. And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this to the right is the new text. To the left is a picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Preorder what if? 2 and enter for a chance to win a comic inspired by your question! Click here to learn more. Or click wherever. This whole image is a link because html is hard.
** what if? 2
*** In the left image there is a blue link font on the word "here" in click here. However the entire left image is a link to the [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 what if 2 contest]. As explained he did not only make the word a link because html is hard! This is something Randall [[xkcd_Header_text#2014-07-23_-_what_if.3F_book_tour|often comments on]].
**** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
**** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
**** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220816124823/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-16].
** This was while [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was up.

===2022-07-19 - Preorder What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220719153239/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-19]
* [[2647: Capri Suns]] came out as it changed.
The header looked a lot like the previous one, only part of the text changed.
* The header thus still consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over four lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** Preorder What If? 2 (all US preorders eligible) and [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 enter our contest] for a chance to win a dedicated comic and What If blog post!
** what if? 2
*** The image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
*** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220810034709/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-10].
** This was while [[2656: Scientific Field Prefixes]] was up.

===2022-01-31 - What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220201000434/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-02-01]
* [[2575: What If? 2]] came out as it changed, and then it [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/36/Countdown_in_header_text_page_when_what_if_comic_came_out.png looked like this] already on 2022-01-31. But there is no archived version from that day after the header changed.
** This was what [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] had been counting down to.
** An announcement that Randall had written a sequel to the first ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book, based on his blog.
* The header consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over three lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in the countdown, but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plan ia the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions comes out 9/13. Preorder [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ here!]
** What If? 2:
*** The link goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about what if? 2: the book. The image is also a link to this page.
*** The entire comic that came out along with the new header text is also a link to that page.
* At the same time the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] in the top left section of xkcd also changed to include links to books, and especially this new book.
It will be interesting to see how long this version of the promotion for the new books stays up. But most likely there will be promotion for the book until release, and then more after the release.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718145816/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-18], for more than 5,5 month. This was while [[2646: Minkowski Space]] was up.
** The change was rather small, but part of the text changed. The promotion continued though.

===2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10].
* [[2565: Latency]] was still up when the [[Countdown in header text]] was added.
* The text was still the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But a countdown was added. This was inserted in a rectangular box, placed at the end of the standard header text.
** In some browsers the box forces the last word "Friday" to jump down to the next line.
* Inside the box the following time was displayed in the version in the link:
** 20d 20h 27m
*** This clock will also count down every minute, although it will return to the time at the time of archive when reloaded!
*** While this was edited into this wiki the time had changed to 20d 19h 12m. So it was a very fresh download in the web archive, only about 1 hour old when it was updated to this wiki.
*** The minutes change without refreshing the page, and follows this editors computers clock exactly, so it will end at 59 minutes, not at a full hour.
** It looks like it started on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ 01-10 17:00 UTC].
*** A calculation shows that this countdown will reach zero on Monday 2022-01-31 at 14:59 (2:59 PM) {{w|UTC}}.
*** This will be at 9:59 (9:59 AM) in [[Randall]]'s home town
**** The last ten minutes it switched to seconds for the last minute so it made the switch 15:00 UTC 10:00 in Boston!
*** From that it can be deduced that the count started at 20d 22h 0m
**** The first image on the archive thus came 1h 33m after the count began.
* At [https://web.archive.org/web/20220111153818/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] a diagonal black bar appeared in the lower left-hand corner of the countdown box.
** After that the [[Countdown in header text]] page was created and any further development on the count down will be mentioned on that page.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220131124817/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-31] when [[2574: Autoresponder]] was on the front page.
* This archived version was when the counter was at 0d 2h 11m, and the last normal frame was already up at this time.
** It stayed like this until the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/1/17/Countdown_in_header_text_page_0_seconds.png counter ran out].
*** Then for a few minutes the final frame, that revealed that all this was a promotion for Randall's new book what if? 2 was up [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/4/48/Countdown_in_header_text_page_just_after_countdown.png while the Friday comic was still up].
*** Then when the new Monday comic came out with the promotion for what if? 2, the header changed.

===2022-01-08 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220108044654/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-08].
* [[2565: Latency]] came out around the time the new header text appeared, on a Friday!
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2018-11-07 - Back to standard text|2018-11-07]] that the text had changed back to that, and at that time it lasted until 2019-02-05.
** That is 1067 days (less than a month short of three years) without the standard text! (Can it be called standard anymore?)
* It was only left in the complete standard version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220109030513/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-09] when Latency was still on the front page.
** Then the next day a [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] was added to it.
*** That was after the weekend on Monday but before the Monday comic came up.
*** So only during the weekend was it normal standard header text.

===2021-12-20 - What If in stock===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20211220211220/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-20].
* [[2557: Immunity]] came out around the time the new header text appeared.
* The text:
** For anyone trying to find What If? this year, it's in stock at [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 Barnes & Noble], [https://m.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Randall-Munroe/9780544272996 Books-a-Million], and [https://bookshop.org/books/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-9781483041827/9780544272996 Bookshop]
* Each store name is a link to the corresponding store's page for ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]''.
It was last seen on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220106100957/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-06] when [[2564: Sunshield]] was up.

===2020-06-03 - Black Lives Matter===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200604003700/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-03].
* [[2315: Eventual Consistency]] came out as a new header text was finally inserted after almost two months without one.
* Cueball is standing to the left and speaks a single line of text: "Black Lives Matter"
* To the right is a gray link button with text: "[https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ How To Help]."
* As always, the entire image (which is only below the xkcd logo) is a link
** The button is thus not needed, but it will also work when clicking the location of the button.
* The link goes to [https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ Join Campaign Zero].
** {{w|Black Lives Matter}} is a loose, grassroots, decentralized confederation of groups and individuals advocating for racial justice. It arose in 2013 after the acquittal of {{w|George Zimmerman}}, who took the life of {{w|Trayvon Martin}}.
** Randall's featuring Black Lives Matter came on the heels of the {{w|Killing of George Floyd}} on May 25th 2020, which had sparked {{w|George Floyd protests|protest in the US}}
** Floyd died while saying "{{w|I can't breathe}}," which was already used due to other Black men's killings, the first was from the {{w|Killing of Eric Garner}}, back in 2014.
It stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200616114945/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-16] when [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200617131438/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-17] the link changed to [https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Black Lives Matter]. [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was still on the front page on that day.
On April 1st 2021 the front page header changed to mention who made the April Fools' Day comic.
* But this was only for this comic [[#Checkbox|Checkbox]].
* The rest of the pages kept the BLM header and it returned to this on the front page once the next comic was released on April 5th. At that time it will have been up for 13 months, making it the longest header different from the standard header.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20211219202204/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-19] when [[2556: Turing Complete]] was on the front page.
* At that time it had been up for 564 days or 1,5 year plus 16 days! This is most likely a record.

===2020-04-05 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042955/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-05].
* [[2289: Scenario 4]] came out and the header belonging to the previous comic was removed.
* But no new header was inserted. Not even the go to [[#Header text|Header text]] about the release days of xkcd.
** Since the previous header was related only to the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[2288: Collector's Edition]], and that had stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book, after first experiencing problems with its release, it seems Randall forgot what he usually put in the header.
It stayed empty like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200602213017/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-02] when [[2314: Carcinization]] was on the front page.
* So almost two month without a header. This had not happened before.

===2020-04-04 - Put together by===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-04].
* [[2288: Collector's Edition]] came out and the header changed.
* The text:
** Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
*** All names have links except the last.
* It thanks those that helped Randall create this years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!
* Since this header was related only to the Fool's comic, it was thus removed from the general header, but it stayed up as [[#Collector.27s_Edition|one of]] the permanent [[#Unique_header_text|unique header texts]].
** However, when it was removed from the general header, the header was left empty.
** Unlike some other headers that stayed on a given comic, this one was on all comics for the duration of the time it stayed on the front page, see for instance the previous comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403232031/https://xkcd.com/2287/ 2020-04-03].

===2020-04-02 - Technical Reasons===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200402234828/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-02].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was up when the header changed.
Randall turned out to, again, have problems with his complicated and interactive [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] for 2020.
* The text:
** Note: For technical reasons Wednesday's comic will be posted Thursday instead. Apologies for the delay!
This finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].
It stayed up a day longer than planed as the fool's comic, [[2288: Collector's Edition]] was first released on Friday, so the note was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403012612/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-03].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] thus stayed two extra day on the front page, and the third comic of that week, [[2289: Scenario 4]] was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!

===2020-01-16 - How To explores - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200116190038/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-16].
* [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was still up when the header changed.
* The ongoing promotion of the book continued but here more than three weeks after Christmas the reference to Christmas was removed.
* The header then returned to the one from before Christmas:
** [[#2019-11-22 - How To explores|How To explores]] - see that for all other details.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200401221435/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-01] when [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was on the front page.
* It was the problems with [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] of 2020 that finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].

===2019-12-02 - Into Science===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191202223745/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-02].
* [[2236: Is it Christmas?]] came out when the header changed. Fitting as the change is about Christmas list.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, continuing to make the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd.
** The links below to order are the same as in the previous header.
** Actually most of the header stays the same with the same four images and the same layout. But the text above has changed completely and the two main text sections between the drawings has changed but only slightly. The description of the images is thus left out, see below. Only new thing is that there are now two red circles connected with a red arrow. The first circle is around the word How To at the end of the first text with the arrow going from that circle to the second circle drawn around the picture of the book.
* The text:
** Is there someone on you Christmas list who's into science? They might like my new book '''''How To'''''
** It explores ridiculous ideas for applying scientific research to everyday problems...
** ...And illustrates what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200115155040/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-15] when [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-22 - How To explores===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191122214439/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22].
* [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] was up when the header changed. It most likely changed when the comic appeared. Earlier on that day it was the previous header over the previous comic.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here again making the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd, after it previously was a link to where to listen to the audio book.
** The links below to order returns to the same as in the header before the previous header with links to audio books, except that the link to an exclusive edition has been removed.
** The header consist of an image with text above five small drawings with two text parts in between them. To the left is the closed How To book which is black with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. To the right of the book is a drawing of Ponytail pole-vaulting with two black helium filled balloons. Next to her is the first text segment. Then after that is the drawing, seen before in the header text, of a truck towing a house up a steep hill. This truck goes above the second text segment, with Cueball somersaulting above the text. Furthest right, above and just right of the text is an explosion with the sound written inside. Below the header image is some black text and then the links to where to get it as regular blue link text.
* The text:
** My new book '''''How To''''' explores the science behind spacecraft heat shields, butterfly metabolisms, and land border surveys...
** ...By imagining ridiculous ideas for applying the research to you everyday life...
** ...And illustrating what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191201191025/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-01] when [[2235: Group Chat Rules]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-06 - Audio clip===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191106204314/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-06].
* [[2224: Software Updates]] was still up when the header changed, but the first archive version was first from after the next comic came out [[2225: Voting Referendum]].
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here making the image a link to the How To book on Penguin Random House's audio book, where an audio clip read by Wil Wheaton can be sampled.
** The links below to order have now changed to those with audio books.
** The header consist of an image with text, with a "blue link", above the How To book that is being folded out from closed; to partially open; to opened up on two full pages; this takes three images. The closed book is the black book with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. The partly open book still has this cover partly visible, but unreadable, as well as come unreadable text in the open side. The open book shows two pages with lots of unreadable text and three figures (maybe one is a table). Next to the open book there is an arrow to the right pointing at an audio icon with three audio lines in front. Below the header image are the links as regular text.
* The text:
** You can click here to hear a clip from the audio version of '''''How To''''', read by Wil Wheaton.
** [https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world/id1475319694 Apple], [https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems/369279 Audiobooks], [https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/How-To-Audiobook/1473680360?qid=1574679523&sr=1-1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=DX3EZ14M14CFQPP9GHJY&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1 Audible], [https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Randall_Munroe_How_To?id=LzSGDwAAQBAJ Google Play], and [https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525635680 Libro.fm]
* The entire image is a link to the [https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576760/how-to/ How To book on Penguin Random House] page, where the audio clip can he played.
** As always it is the entire picture that is a link, and not only the blue underlined text that says click here!
It was last on the archive on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191122044456/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22] when [[2231: the Time Before And After Land]] was on the front page. But it was most likely still up when [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] came out. But then changed during the next day.

===2019-10-02 - Horse vs football team===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191002005854/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-02].
* [[2210: College Athletes]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed. This time the image seems to be from one of the How To explanations in the book.
** The links below to order are the same as the previous header.
** But new text is added after the links to promote two events with Randall in New York the two days after this header came up.
*** These links disappeared after a week leaving only the picture and the link to buy the book. See below.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball riding bareback on a horse. He comes from the left holding an American football. Running towards him from the right are eight American football players with helmets with three stars on the back of the helmet. Two of the players at the back are almost hidden by players in front of them. Beneath them is a line of text that belongs to the image, the period at the end of the sentence hangs in height with the center line of the last letter E... Then below the image follows the link and promotion of the NY events, these are written in regular.
* The text:
** My new book ''How To'' is out now! You can get it here.
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target] I'll be at New York Comic Con! I'm giving [https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Explore/Panels/Panels-And-Screenings/#/event/how-todo-anything-with-randall-munroe-creator-of-xkcd a talk on Thursday], and on
** Friday [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event at Caveat NYC].
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The link to Target still seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably a still undiscovered error on Randall's part?
This header changed, but so slightly that the changes will only be mentioned here rather than in a new section:
* The first link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191004014438/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-04]
* Then the day after only the second link remained from [https://web.archive.org/web/20191005041539/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-10-05]. [[2211: Hours Before Departure]] came out when it changed.
** But the text of this link changed as it had been a continues text from one to the other link. Also it was not entirely on it's own line, thus not as with the first link whose text was directly connected to the line with the links to buy the book.
** The new text of that link was:
*** [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event] Friday night at Caveat NYC!
*** The last link was the same, but now it only covered two words not the entire end of the sentence.
** This other link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191007042707/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-07].
* And then the last link was gone by [https://web.archive.org/web/20191008053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-08], when [[2212: Cell Phone Functions]] came out.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191105164001/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-05] when [[2224: Software Updates]] was up.

===2019-09-30 - Tons of fun===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190930234245/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-30].
* [[2209: Fresh Pears]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed to how much fun it was for Randall to write it and how proud he is of the result. Randall, as Cueball, is saying this in the new header image.
** The links below to order are the same, except a new has been added at the end.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball standing to the left of the book, shown as tall as he is. The book is opened up on two pages with lots of unreadable text as well as three drawings, only one of these, with a circle diagram, can clearly be seen. Cueball is speaking, and the text is above him and the book. Two words are blue with a line under as if they where a link. But as always the entire image is a link. Beneath the image is the links on where to order the book.
* The text:
** Writing my new book '''''How To''''' was tons of fun and I'm so proud of the result. It's out now-Click Here to order!
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The new link to Target seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably an error on Randall's part.
It ended on October 2nd while [[2210: College Athletes]] where up. But there is no archived versions from the 1st of October and the one from the 2nd is with the next version. But the editor of this was making changes to the explanation of College Athletes before the next header change came along.

===2019-09-11 - How To available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190911053115/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-11].
* [[2200: Unreachable State]] was still up when the header changed.
* The release day part of the promotion was changed to telling that the new [[How To]] book was available. With teasers about what is in the book below the heading. On either side of the text a picture of the book is still shown. Also the links below changed, adding three new and removing one old.
** The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the links on where to order it.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font.
* The text:
** How To is available now!
** Learn how to open bottles with nuclear weapons and how to be on time for meetings by altering the Earths rotation. The book also features advice from real-life experts including Chris Hadfield and Serena Williams.
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* {{w|Serena Williams}} is a famous tennis player who was also featured in one of the [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion comics]] for How To: [[2190: Serena Versus the Drones]]
* {{w|Chris Hadfield}} is a Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. The first Canadian to walk in space, Hadfield has flown two Space Shuttle missions and served as commander of the International Space Station.
** The new link to audible probably needs the user to be signed up, else it will go to the front page and ask yo to sign up. But from the archive the page can be seen [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923004816/https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 here].
Up till [https://web.archive.org/web/20190922143253/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-22] it looked like this.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923145251/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-23] and extra link was added after Audible:
** [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target].
* [[2205: Types of Approximation]] was up when this change occurred during a weekend.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190929223547/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-29] when [[2208: Drone Fishing]] was up.

===2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190904051509/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-04].
* [[2198: Throw]] was already up when the header changed slightly, as the text below Happy release day changed.
Most of the header stayed the same as the [[#2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar|day before]], but the reference to the Gregorian/Julian calendar was changed.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text.Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flowing on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan comes who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** Happy How To release day!
** Available wherever books are sold.
** (Mostly bookstores, I assume but you can always try your luck at Wendy's.)
* See below for any other details.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190909211737/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-09] when [[2200: Unreachable State]] was up.

===2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190903051503/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-03]
* [[2197: Game Show]] was still up when the header changed, but it was for sure to coincide with [[2198: Throw]] which came out later on the release day while it still looked like in this version.
* Randall celebrated the release day of [[How To]], coming out the day the header changed.
** The comic is also a reference to a chapter in the book on how to throw things. A very complicated interactive comic where different persons or other living things can be chosen to throw dead or living things. The trow will then be shown below with distance measured in two units, normal and special. That is if the thrower can actually manage to throw the thing.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. The two black books have red stars around them, five on the outer side of the image and 6 on the inner, the stars are mirrored around left and right book. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** How To Randall Munroe
** Happy How To release day!
** (Gregorian calendar. The Julian edition doesn't come out for 13 more days.)
** How To Randall Munroe
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Most of the world uses the {{w|Gregorian calendar}}, but before it was taken into use, the {{w|Julian calendar}} was in use.
** The Julian calendar does not take into account that every 100 years a leap year should be passed as in the Gregorian calendar, and thus it is at the moment 13 days behind, as it has has this many February 29th too many. Since there should actually be a leap year every 400 year, and the last of those was 2000, then it has been 13 days since 1900, and will stay like this until 2100 when it will become 14 days.
** The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Already the next day the part of the header below happy release day about the Gregorian calendar changed. See [[#2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore|above]].

===2019-08-27 - Out in a week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190827082224/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27].
* [[2194: How to Send a File]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], coming out a week from this header.
** It is only three lines of text
* The text:
** My new book, How To, comes out next week!
** Read an exclusive excerpt about transmission [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* Later [https://web.archive.org/web/20190827184229/https://xkcd.com/2194/ on the same day], (and here for the next day [https://web.archive.org/web/20190828095401/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27] for the front page), more text and links where added, plus the order of the text was changed.
* The later text was:
** My new book, [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To], comes out in a week! ([https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/23/book-tour-and-contest-winner/ Book tour info])
** You can preorder it now to get a copy when it's released:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
** You can also read an exclusive excerpt about file transfers [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
* The link to the book tour also include the winner of the [[#2019-06-25 - People with books|contest]] to get Randall to add "your" city to his book tour.
** The winner was {{w|Juneau, Alaska}}.
It ended on the release day 2019-09-03, so this was last on the page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902042108/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-02].

===2019-08-06 - Win a sketch===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06].
* [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was up when the header changed.
** Most likely the header changed when that comic came out on 2019-08-05. But the previous header was also out during that day.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now making a competition where you can win a stick figure sketch of yourself. (Although only for US residents!)
** The image shows Hairy, with a cat at his feet and Megan (or Danish?) with a samurai sword. They are standing with their backs towards each other, the cat on the left, Megan facing right with the sword towards the words.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** Want to win a sketch of yourself as a stick figure? [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ Click here] to find out how!
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''Win an xkcd sketch''
*** That is even though only the click here part of the text is in blue, like a link.
*** Cause as he often has written: I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps, most recently in the [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]] header.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190826062701/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-26] when [[2193: Well-Ordering Principle]] was up.

===2019-08-03 - First look inside===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190803222711/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-03].
* [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now stating that it comes out next month.
** Set to be released on September 3rd 2019, this update was made exactly one month before.
** The image shows text to the left of three drawings of the book: First the closed book showing the black front cover with blue and white text and white drawings, then the book is partly opened, and finally it lays opened up showing two pages, with a readable heading on the right page.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** My new book comes out next month. Click here for a first look inside!
** [On the books front cover only two thins can be read:]
*** How To
*** Randal Munroe.
** [These two words can also partly be read on the opening book.]
** [Only the large heading can be read on the right page of the open book:]
*** How to Dig a Hole.
** [These two pages also became part of a special comic relased during the weekend when this header was up: [[Disappearing Sunday Update]].]
** [The [[Disappearing_Sunday_Update#Transcript|transcript of that comic]] describes the images in the open book.]
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/02/how-to-chapter-list-and-introduction/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''How To: Chapter list and introduction''.
It stayed up like this while the special [[Disappearing Sunday Update]] came out on Sunday 2019-08-04, and was there still on Monday [ https://web.archive.org/web/20190805050812/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-05], at least during the time that the Sudan Update was still up.
* When the next comic came out late that Monday, it probably disappeared along with the Disappearing comic, but the first update with the next header is from Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06], but the Monday comic [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was still on the front page at that time,.

===2019-07-23 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190723205152/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-23].
* [[2179: NWS Warnings]] was up when the header changed.
It returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon header, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]]
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190802192259/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-02] while [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up. The day after when it changed that comic was still up.

===2019-07-15 - ComiCon===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190715181016/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-15].
* [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up when the header changed.
Randall tells that he will be at ComicCon and links to his plans there.
* The text:
** Going to San Diego Comic Con this week? I'll [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/07/15/san-diego-comic-con/ see you there]!
*** The link is to a [[Blag]] post about his plans for the ComicCon
* Randall appeared in a couple of panels, and gave a talk.
* Finally he also handed out signed copies of his new [[How To]] book more than a month before official release.
** So still promoting the book, also in this header...
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190722192637/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-07-22] the day after the ComiCon ended, while [[2178: Expiration Date High Score]] was up.
* Then it returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon announcement when [[2179: NWS Warnings]] came out.

===2019-07-10 - Adding links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190710165920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-10].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was still up when the header changed slightly from that fro the day before.
* Only change was that beneath the picture, see [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]], there is now a list of four links to companies where the book can be preordered.
* The extra text:
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
Note that the day after this change, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190711172451/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-11], a link to [[How To]] was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|links]] in the top left corner of xkcd.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190714175710/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-14] when [[2175: Flag Interpretation]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up.

===2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190709162102/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-09].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]].
** The image shows a small picture of his book with text on either side.
** Below are what appears to be three drawings from the book. [[Ponytail]] pole vaultig with three baloons in one hand, then text, then a truck with a house behind it speeding fast up a hill then text and finally [[Cueball]] somersaulting towards an explosion.
** To the right there is a big blue button to click for preorder, with text below.
* The text:
** New book [Arrow points to book. Title can be read: How To]
** How To: Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** It's a guide to bad ways to do things...
** ...And what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** Click here to preorder
** Or click anywhere. I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps.
*** The entire picture is a [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ link] to the official [[How To]] page on xkcd: https://xkcd.com/how-to/
*** See [[1572: xkcd Survey]] where Randall mentions that he cannot make imagemaps.
It stayed up like this only for a day, then an extra line of links was added the day after while the same comic was still up, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]].
* But the general header stayed up first for five days, and then it returned again for 10 more days after a break to announce a [[#2019-07-15 - ComiCon|ComiCon visit]].
* So a total of 16 days with this drawing.

===2019-06-25 - People with books===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190625190843/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-25].
* [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], and his book tour.
** The image now shows 15 people standing side by side each holding a book up in front of them with unreadable titles.
** From left: [[Megan]], [[Cueball]], a man with blonde hair, [[Jill]], [[Blondie]], [[Hairy]], another Hairy, [[White Hat]], a kid with curly hair, [[Hairbun]], another Cueball, another Megan, a guy with a knit cap, [[Ponytail]], and [[Beret Guy]].
** Above them is a text message.
* The text:
** Want to bring me to your town for my '''''How To''''' book tour? Click to find out how to enter the challenge!
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** A longer sentence will improve your chances.
**** This is indeed what this header picture shows.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190708155517/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-08] when [[2172: Lunar Cycles]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up.

===2019-06-15 - Adding dates===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190615100645/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-15]
* [[2163: Chernobyl]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall only made a small change to the one that had been up for four days at this time.
* The text only changed by adding a line below the first line:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Click here for dates and tickets]
*** The rest of the header is exactly the same as on [[#2019-06-11 - Book tour|2019-06-11]], except everything is a bit smaller to make room in the same place for the extra line.
*** The link is not located on the blue part of the text and it was already there before this update.
*** Best guess is that not many clicked through and Randall then made it obvious that there was a link.
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click. But it is easier to make a place for people to click than tell them this...
The header stayed like this until 2019-06-25, when it changed while [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up. But this one was still up when that comic came out the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20190624162740/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-24].

===2019-06-11 - Book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190611031920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-11]
* [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was up when the header changed.
** '''Note''' when this change happened two new links was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] section of xkcd.
* Randall changed the header text to announce the official book tour for his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 3 months later.
* The text:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Below this header is a map of the mainland USA with 14 labeled black dots indicates the 14 cities that the book tour will take Randall to. One red dot with five red question marks above is located beneath the map to the left, indicating a 15th city to be chosen in a contest. Above the map to the right is a small picture of the book with the blue title on the black cover. Above the book is the release date and with an arrow pointing down to the book.]
** September 3rd
** How to
** Seattle
** Portland
** San Francisco
** Santa Cruz
** Los Angeles
** Salt Lake City
** Kansas City
** Ann Arbor
** Cincinnati
** Louisville
** Cambridge
** New York
** D.C.
** Raleigh
** ????? (Chosen by readers)
** [The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.]
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** Only US cities can apply.
* The header only stayed exactly like this for three days, and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190614094729/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-14] when [[2162: Literary Opinions]] was on the front page.
** Then it changed slightly to indicate that the picture was a link which was not clear before. See above.

===2019-05-17 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190517103928/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-17]:
* [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was still up when the header changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with Google reader here below.
* See [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|2019-02-06]] below for all details.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610055519/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-06-10], while [[2160: Ken Burns Theory]] was still up on the day the next comic [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was to be released (where the new header could be found at least the next day, but maybe from the release of that comic?). Then it changed to announce the book tour for his new book.

===2019-04-23 - Google Reader===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190423155458/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-23]:
* [[2140: Reinvent the Wheel]] came out when it changed, ending a more than two and half month long [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|promotion]] of Randall's new book [[How To]].
* Randall changed the header text to ask if the reader still mourned the loss of {{w|Google Reader}} which closed on 2013-07-01, almost 6 years before this comic..
** He offers the possibility to sign up to receive the newest comic by e-mail.
* The comic may have relation to this, as some where using Google reader for different purposes when they closed it, without any chance of [https://www.google.com/reader/about/ getting your data out].
** The comic "Reinvent the Wheel" mentions that using external dependencies carry risks, such as Google closing down a feature. given the fact that the comic came out as the header changed it is probably not a coincidence.
* The text:
** Still mourning the demise of Google Reader? You can sign up to get new comics delivered by email [https://xkcd.com/newsletter/ here].
* The link is to https://xkcd.com/newsletter, where it is possible to submit your e-mail address and press a subscribe button.
** the following text is written above it:
** To receive the comic and news postings in your inbox, subscribe here.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190516100403/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-16], when [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was up. Then it changed back to the promotion of his new book.

===2019-02-06 - How to book===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06]:
* [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up at the time when it changed, having been up since Monday the 4th of February.
** Here it can be seen being on the front of xkcd on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], without the new text. This was also the last time the standard header text was used in several months.
** [[2108: Carbonated Beverage Language Map]] came up later on the day the header changed.
* Randall changed the header text to promote his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 7 months later.
** He added an image of the book with large text next to it regarding the release and links on how to preorder it.
** There was no direct relation to the comics released at the time, except of course that he kind of launched his new book with all the risk it involves, while having a comic called launch risk up. It was though a very different and more real type of launch risk (of a human carrying space rocket) in the comic.
* The text:
** [The book is shown to the left as a black rectangle with large blue text and smaller gray text. On the book cover, in white drawings, are seen Megan with a ladder and either Black or White Hat (hard to say on black background). Both are looking up on Cueball who is floating in the air with a quadcopter beneath either leg, trying to plug in an electric light bulb in a naked lamp hanging down near him. It seems he has already removed the broken light bulb, as he has one in both hands. And now he tries to put in the new one. He could have let Megan use the ladder...]
** [The header in blue above it all:] How To.
** [Sub header in gray to the left of Cueball:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [Author name in blue below the drawing:] Randall Munroe
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Creator of xkcd
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Author of what if? and Thing Explainer
** [Next to this book image are the following text:]
** [Large heading:] HOW TO
** [Normal size sub header:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [In smaller gray font below:] Available September 3, 2019.
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word still in gray:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* It stayed up for more than two and a half month and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190422030324/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-22], when [[2139: Email Settings]] was up. Then it finally changed to a new header without going back to the standard.

===2018-11-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07]
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], so two days less than three months.
** After this it did not return to the standard text for almost three years, but just short of a month before the third year without it, it returned on [[#2022-01-08 - Back to standard text|2022-01-08]].

===2018-11-06 - Election Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181106122850/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-06]:
* [[2068: Election Night]] (on election day the day after this comic was released).
** It added a larger comic above the two links from the previous header. Those links of the previous header text was still up the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], when [[2067: Challengers]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header once more to try to make more people vote, and in this case help others to vote.
** Once again directly related to the new comic about election night.
* The text:
** [A line of altering blue and red stars, blue first and last of two rows of nine starts around of the heading:]
** Election Day!
** [Below Black Hat and Ponytail to the left and Megan to the right of Cueball is checking their smart phones. Cueball is addressing the reader:]
** Cueball: The biggest thing you can do th help is to check in with friends and family and make sure they know when and where they're voting.
** [Below these four characters there is the following text with two arrows pointing left and right. Both are turning up to text/links on either side of the four:]
** Use these links to answer questions
** [To the left:] Where and how to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ Vote-org]
** [To the right:] What's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
** [Below was the two links from the previous header:]
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* It was only up one day and thus on ended the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07] when the next comic [[2069: Wishlist]] came out.
** The text then returned to the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
*** It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05].

===2018-11-02 - Where to vote===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02]:
* [[2067: Challengers]] (on the Friday, it was released).
** It added another link to the previous header text. That text was still up the day before on Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].
** That was while comic [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to let people know who is on their voting ballot, and as before there is also a link on how to register for voting.
** This is also directly related to the new comic that came out that day, about helping people to decide who to vote for, i.e. who is on their ballot.
* The text:
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, four days after the release of this comic.
* It was still up the day before the election day, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], and then it changed with the next comic.

===2018-10-22 - Register for voting===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181022120935/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-22]:
* [[2061: Tectonics Game]] (on a Monday, the 3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The standard text was still up Sunday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181021141446/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-21].
** The comic [[2062: Barnard's Star]] was released later that day.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to try to get people to register for voting.
* The text:
** Check your registration and find your polling place at [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, about two weeks after the release of this comic.
** It is generally believed that many of those not voting would have chosen democrats on election day, and thus Randall has an interest in getting as many as possible to register, see [[1756: I'm With Her]] (apart from the fact that he also most likely thinks that it is important to use the right to vote).
* It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02], when [[2067: Challengers]] came out.
** It was still there while [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].

===2018-09-13 - NY votes today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20180913133544/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-13]
* [[2045: Social Media Announcement]] (the day after the release of the comic.)
** It was not up when the comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180912131437/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-12].
* It was a short lived reminder that NY votes today below the usual standard text.
* The text:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** NY votes today! Find your polling place [https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ here]. (Zephyr Teachout for AG!)
* It ended with [[2046: Trum-]], the very next comic, on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180914175605/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-14], returning to the standard text.

===2017-11-26 - Christmas gifts===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20171126130857/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-26]
* [[1920: Emoji Sports]] had been up two days [https://web.archive.org/web/20171125125648/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-25] before the message changed from the normal version. But it changed the day before the next comic came up.
** It was changed to a commercial for Christmas shopping with a code for getting 5$ of the price with a codes for different online shops.
* The text:
** To anyone looking for Christmas gifts: Until Monday you can get $5 off
** [https://www.amazon.com/What-International-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544456866 What If?] and [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Thing Explainer] on Amazon with coupon code GIFTBOOK17.
** At Barnes & Noble, until Sunday you can get 20% off [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 What If?] and [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432 Thing Explainer] using code GIVETHANKS.
* It was only up a few days and ended with [[1922: Interferometry]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171130150053/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-30] where it returned to the standard text.
** But it was still up when the comic in between [[1921: The Moon and the Great Wall]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171129140033/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-29].

===2017-09-22 - Visiting the UK===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170922232616/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22]:
* [[1893: Thread]] (with its release).
** It was not up on the previous comic [[1892: USB Cables]], on the day they changed [https://web.archive.org/web/20170922025204/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22].
* It was an announcement that Randall would visit the UK next week.
* The text:
** I'll be visiting the UK next week! You can join me in London from September 30-October 2 (at [https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/randall-munroe New Scientist Live], [https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2017/october/public-lunchtime-talk--randall-munroe The Royal Institution], and [https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/randall-munroe-on-making-complicated-stuff-simple/ Intelligence Squared]), then from October 3-6 in [https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/public_lectures/randall_munroe_thing_explainer York], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thing-explaining-with-randall-munroe-tickets-37832289396 Edinburgh], [https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/randall-murray-thing-explainer/ Cambridge and Ely], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randall-munroe-book-signing-thing-explainer-tickets-38041072873 Oxford], and [https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on/2017/randall-munroe/ Cheltenham].
* Ended with [[1900: Jet Lag]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171010045802/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-10] when the text returned to normal.
** But it was still up the day before with [[1899: Ears]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171009040109/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-09].

===2017-07-31 - Thank you===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170731021227/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31]:
* [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] (3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The comic [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released later that day.
** Megan is holding hand with Cueball and next to them is two words above each other: Thank you.
** The image is also a link.
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170801042453/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/us/politics/senate-votes-repeal-obamacare.html How Each Senator Voted on Obamacare Repeal Proposals], an article showing the senate votes. (here in an archived version).
* Ended with [[1872: Backup Batteries]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170804152509/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-04], but was still up when [[1871: Bun Alert]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170803124342/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-03].

===2017-07-25 - Vote against health care bill===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25]:
* [[1867: Physics Confession]] (2nd day after release of the comic, it was not up on the first day: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-24]).
* Randall modified the xkcd header to ask readers to support voting against Donald Trump's new health care bill.
** The header was replaced with an image which is available in an archived version [https://web.archive.org/web/20170726150959im_/https://imgs.xkcd.com/notes/call-senate.png here].
** The image is also a link (and you can click anywhere on it to go to the link that is mentioned).
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170729003307/https://www.trumpcareten.org/daily TrumpCare Ten] (here in an archived version).
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click.
** Transcript of the image:
*** [Megan is holding hand with Cueball next to three lines of large text, the same height as they are:]
*** Please tell your senators to vote against this health care bill. It will hurt people.
*** [After these three lines there is a phone number in a very large bold font with a line of text below:]
*** 202-224-3121
*** Or click here for more info
*** [Below the above is a gray line which is split in the middle with gray text, and below that four state names in white text inside black boxes:]
*** Know anyone in these states? Ask them to call, too.
*** Alaska Maine Nevada Ohio West Virginia
* Ended while [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170731164828/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31], when it was replaced by a ''Thank you''.
** That comic came out already [https://web.archive.org/web/20170728124230/https://xkcd.com/ three days before] (Friday comic), but was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170730141019/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-30]) when the message changed sometimes between Sunday 30th and Monday 31st (where [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released).

===2017-01-21 - Update on previous===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170122003124/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]:
* [[1788: Barge]]
* It came up almost a month after Christmas but did not really change the sales pitch of the previous. It just removed the link image with the large red text, see previous version below.
* The text:
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
* Ended with [[1867: Physics Confession]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25].
** That comic came up [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ the day before] the above version of the header appeared.
** So the first day after release it was still the T-shirt commercial.
** And it did not return to the standard version in between.

===2016-11-28 - Christmas sale===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128153015/https://xkcd.com 2016-11-28]
* [[1765: Baby Post]]
* This came up in time for the Christmas sale of 2016.
* The text was
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
** Above the text there was an image with two black t-shirts with white print on the chest. They were located at either end of a large red text written in the text type used in the comic. This text said New xkcd shirts.
** The entire image was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* Ended with [[1788: Barge]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20170121114423/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]

===2016-04-23 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160423103108/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-23]
* When [[1671: Arcane ]] came out (probably 2016-04-22, but no earlier archived versions exist) the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this for more than 7 months until [[1764: XKCDE]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20161128093459/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-11-28].

===2016-04-04 - Protip on Garden===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185353/https://www.xkcd.com/#5dbfbb82-fc20-11e5-8001-42010a8e000d 2016-04-04]
* Because of the complexity of the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1663: Garden]], Randall needed to give people some advice, hence a [[:Category:Protip|protip]] was added.
** This came in several versions, not all managed to be documented in the archive. See more in the trivia for garden regarding the [[1663:_Garden#Header_text_after_release|Header text after release]].
* The header text became a protip with the following text (the first version not documented only had the first line):
** '''Protip''': If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
** You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.
* When the next comic, [[1664: Mycology]], was released two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406194653/https://xkcd.com/1664/ 2016-04-06], an extra line of text was added, due to the issues caused by Garden not being on the front page {{xkcd}} but only on the numbered page {{xkcd|1663}}.
** This change was first documented on the front page the day after on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160407010635/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-07]
** The change was of course also on and all the other comic and thus also on the Garden comic from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406192530/https://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-04-06].
* Text added below the other two lines:
** Note: If you're seeing today's comic in place of your garden, change the URL from xkcd.com/#<your code> to xkcd.com/1663/#<your code>.
*** This extra line was only there until next time the comic change, so last day was [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408145017/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08].
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408195958/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08] when [[1665: City Talk Pages]] was released the extra line was removed leaving the two written first here above.
** This was also the case on the Garden comic (and all other comics) from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408204740/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-08].
* The Protip stayed in the main header text until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160422102754/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-22] when [[1670: Laws of Physics]] was up.
** But even though it disappeared from main header and thus from all other comic it stayed on the Garden comic, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160423182630/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-23].
** And it has then turned out to become one of the permanent [[xkcd_Header_text#Garden|Unique header texts]].

===2016-04-04 - Back to standard text as Garden came up===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404123555/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04]
* For a brief period of time, when [[1663: Garden]] was finally released, the Header text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But this lasted less than 13 hours. (Time between the previous and next archived version is 13 hours and 7 minutes).
** As people needed guidance to the new complicated comic.

===2016-04-01 - April 1st comic - technical difficulties===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401204749/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01]
* When Randall had problem releasing [[1663: Garden]] several [[1663:_Garden#April_Fools.27_header_text|April Fools' header text]] arrived in short succession while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was still up.
* Each of these where simple text.
** The first from the link abve:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Please stand by!
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402125723/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2016-04-02] at 12:57:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Status update: Please stand by.
*** Status update: This is fine. Everything is fine.
*** Status update: Everything is on fire.
*** Status update: Searching for calendar systems in which Saturday is April 1st.
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402175822/https://www.xkcd.com 2016-04-02] at 17:58:
*** The Friday xkcd comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties
*** [Editor's note: Everything is on fire] and has been delayed until Sunday night.
* It stayed like the third version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160404054612/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04] three days after the April Fools' Day comic was supposed to come out, so Jack and Jill was up until it changed.
This was what was needed to stop more than 10 months of promotion of the [[Thing Explainer]] book, see below.

===2015-12-13 - Thing Explainer is available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151213194534/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-13]
* [[1615: Red Car]] was still up when the header changed.
** The change was that the promotion for where Randall was last week where removed and left only the promotion the book [[Thing Explainer]]:
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160401125621/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01] while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was on the front page.
** This was the last time that Thing Explainer was [[:Category:Book promotion|promoted]] in the header text.
*** The first time was [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|2015-05-14]], so it had been part of the header text for almost ten and a half month. That is a record!

===2015-12-05 - Thing Explainer is available and Next week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05]
* [[1612: Colds]] was up when the header changed.
** This was also at this time the [[2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer|previous header texts image] was moved below the comic.
* Randall goes back to a simple promotion of the book [[Thing Explainer]] listing where to boy it.'
** But he adds a line about where he will be next week, first to a book shop on Illinois and then later in Toronto, where the host was {{w|Ryan North}} from [https://qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics], one of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|comics Randall enjoys]].
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** I'll be in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151211002159/https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/event/naperville-reads-randall-munroe Naperville, IL] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205205714/https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indigo-exclusive-randall-munroe-tickets-18694384407 Toronto, ON] (with [https://qwantz.com/ Ryan North]!) next week.
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151212133400/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-12-12] while [[1615: Red Car]] was on the front page.

===2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151203234149/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-03]
* [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was still up when the header changed.
** This was a special one comic header text consisting of a large image with pages and excerpts from the book [[Thing Explainer]].
** The image was larger than most comics, and took away the focus of today's comic.
** So already two days after, when [[1612: Colds]] was released, the image was relegated to the being below the comic, but inside the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Main_comic|main comic]] segment, thus not a part of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Bottom_segment|bottom segment]].
*** But it was displayed in the header for all comics, here [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204030024/https://xkcd.com/1609/ an example] from the comic released two comics before 1611, [[1609: Food Combinations]].
*** See more (and the image) [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]] on the page for Thing Explainer.
* Description of the image:
** At the top are shown four pages from the book. Two mainly blue, left and right, with white text and large images and between them two mainly white pages with blue text and smaller images. None of the text is readable, but the two blue pages pictures can be understood even in this size.
*** The first page is number 2 about an animal cell: ''Tiny bags of water you’re made of''. It shows a detailed drawing of a human cell, with text at the top, and then several labels with text beneath that have arrows pointing to different parts of the cell.
*** The second page is number 31 about the cockpit of an airplane: ''Stuff you touch to fly a sky boat''. It shows the inside of a cockpit with view out of the four windows, with lots of buttons in the ceiling, and blue screens and instruments at the bottom. Out the windows can be seen clouds and Cueball hanging from a balloon (a reference to [[1110: Click and Drag]]).
**** A zoom in on this page is shown beneath the four pages, see more below.
*** The third page is page 27. What is on this page is a bit difficult to see, as there are no big drawings with clear meaning. It is the second page in a two page section on Data centers, with the second page focusing on the Computer: ''Computer building''. The pictures shows the data racks, to the right, and the individual computer components put into these, to the top left, with the wiring shown below to the left. Lots of text with arrows to different parts.
*** The fourth page is page 23 about Trees: ''Tree''. It clearly shows the silhouette of a white tree on blue background. Several animal live on, in and beneath it. Cueball is standing on the ground. All the text are beneath labels that points to parts of the tree or the tree dwellers.
** In between the two time two pages there is a readable text, split over five lines, with two arrow at the top going from the corners of the text to the near corners of the white pages to either side. And below three arrows, with two pointing similarly as the two top arrows, but starting at the bottom of the text, and one arrow pointing straight down from the middle of the text to the large image below.
** Beneath all this is a large image which shows a zoom in on the left part of the cockpit from the second page above. The zoom is focused on the two front windows, but only the left is entirely in the picture, and the balloon hanging Cueball, cannot be seen in this part of the right window.
*** At this zoom level, most of the text van be read (that is labels written on things or having arrows pointing to them). Clouds can bee seen out of both windows and in the background a rocket launch with smoke plume below the rocket is visible. The horizon line is well defines across both windows. Some of the instruments can be seen below the windows with text written on them. And some blue areas, mainly screens can be seen.
** Beneath this picture is a line with links to where the book can be ordered, like the one from the previous header text.
* The text:
** Pages from my new book, ''Thing Explainer'': Complicated stuff in simple words.
** [Labels in the cockpit]:
*** Sky
*** Ground (This should be below the sky. If it's above the sky, you're either having a big problem or doing something ''really'' fun.)
*** Use this stuff to tell the sky boat to fly itself.
*** Fly
*** How fast it feels IAS 172
*** Direction HDG 240
*** Fall or rise
*** How high 2500
*** Fly
*** Helpful screen
*** Where the ground is
*** You are: Flying
*** Look here if there is a problem
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image is a link to [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU Thing Explainer on Amazon].
* It was only part of the header for two days until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204050419/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-04].
** It was then moved below the comics as mentioned above from [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05] when the next comic [[1612: Colds]] came out.

===2015-11-24 - Thing Explainer is out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151124201602/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-24]
* [[1607: Supreme Court]] was still up, but [[1608: Hoverboard]] most have come out close to the change.
** See both [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 00:12] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125230753/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 23:07].
** Since this new "comic" was actually a {{w|browser game}} made to celebrate the release of Randall's new book, ''[[Thing Explainer]]'', which was released on the same day as this comic: Tuesday, November 24, 2015. The comic thus appeared on a Tuesday, replacing that week's normal Wednesday release to coincide with the release day.
** Hence it is a shame that there is no archived versions on the 24th showing Hoverboard on the front page. Even though the new version of the Header text is shown on the 24th, but on the previous comic.
* Cause all the header text is about is the release day of Thing Explainer!
** The top part is text with a line with large letters and a line below in brackets and using smaller letters. Below that there is a line dividing the text from the next part.
** Below follows the same header that was up as early as [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] with the open book and three lines of text.
* The text:
** My new book, [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer], is out today!
** (If you're in NYC, you can also [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925015809/https://stores.barnesandnoble.com:80/author/11170358 come see me]!)
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the ten-hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the order line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Already the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25], when [[1608: Hoverboard]] was up, an extra line (a link) was added below the above. A line was separating it from the links above:
** [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ A puzzle for UK readers]
*** This was to a blag post with A puzzle for the UK because he could not go to UK in person. So this was a kind of bonus for those who could solve it. (We need an entry on that here on xkcd...)
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20151127114432/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-27] is still looked like this but then when the next comic, [[1609: Food Combinations]], came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128130851/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-28] the line about seeing him in New York was removed.
* The version with the puzzle, but without the New York line, was then up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151201222148/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-01] when [[1610: Fire Ants]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151202225254/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-12-02] the line with the puzzle at the bottom was changed to:
** I'm doing a [https://www.facebook.com/AndyWeirAuthor/ live Q&A;] at 2:30pm PT with The Martian author Andy Weir.
*** The link is to {{w|Andy Weir}}'s Facebook page. And the Q&A can likely not be seen anymore.
*** Randall has made no less than two comics about the movie {{w|The Martian (film)|The Martian}}, [[1536: The Martian]] and [[1585: Similarities]].
** It only lasted that day, and this became the last day with this header text, so it ended while [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was up.

===2015-10-22 - World Polio Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151022200022/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-22]
* [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up when the header changed.
** Randall mentions World Polio Day and the comic he drew for Bill Gates' blog, [[XKCD Marks the Spot]].
** Although he still keeps mentioning the release date for [[Thing Explainer]].
* The text:
** We've [https://slate.com/technology/2015/08/no-new-polio-in-africa-for-one-year-gates-epidemiologist-on-vaccines-and-surveillance.html almost eradicated polio]. For World Polio Day, I drew a comic
** about the eradication efforts. You can see it on [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/XKCD-Marks-the-Spot Bill Gates's blog].
** My [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ new book] of complex diagrams and simple words comes out Nov 24th.
*** The last line is split from the Polio announcement with a line.
* Was there until [[1607: Supreme Court]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151124065108/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-11-24].
** That was the day that the book was released, and when the next comic [[1608: Hoverboard]] came out, it was a celebration of the book.

===2015-09-23 - Book trip and tool===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923044724/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-23]:
* [[1580: Travel Ghost]] was up when the header changed.
** Announcing the book trip for the [[Thing Explainer]] book as well as linking to a Thing Explainer word checker tool! Two lines of text with links.
* The text:
** News: Announcing my Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/im-going-on-a-book-trip/ book trip]. Come say hi!
** Other news: Announcing the Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/a-thing-explainer-word-checker/ word checker] tool!
*** Both links are to the [[Blag]], the first a schedule for his book trip, and the second telling about Randall's new [https://xkcd.com/simplewriter/ Simple Writer] that could help you ''Write Like Up Goer Five and Thing Explainer''.
* Was there until [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151021164208/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-21].

===2015-09-06 - New links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150906181550/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-06]:
* [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was still up when the header changed.
** The promotion of the book, [[Thing Explainer]], stayed the same with a picture above links to preorder it, but the links was reduced from four to two, the amazon link changed and a new company was added for the second link removing the other three.
** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details on the image.
* The new link text:
** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thing-Explainer-Randall-Munroe/dp/1473620910 Amazon.co.uk}, [https://www.waterstones.com/book/thing-explainer/9781473620919 Waterstones]
* Was there until [[1579: Tech Loops]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150919220105/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-22].

===2015-08-09 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150809230825/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-09]:
* [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was still up when the header changed.
** It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with other news here below.
*** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details.
* Stayed like this until [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154014/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-05], but the only change was that the links to preorder changed from four to only two.

===2015-06-06 - Other news===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150606084120/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-06-06]
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was still up.
** This was just adding some "Other news", but leaving the promotion of [[Thing Explainer]] unchanged as in the [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|previous header]], but adding two news stories in text below the link to preorder.
* The new text:
** In other news, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrdAvmr-MA Space Weird Thing] is delightful, and I feel surprisingly invested in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150720074919/https://twitter.com/xkcdbracket @xkcdbracket's] results.
*** The link to Space Weird Thing is a YouTube video with a simple words version of {{w|David Bowie|David Bowie's}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo Space Oddity] music video, using only the top then hundred words. The creators contributes the idea to the [[1133: Up Goer Five]] diagram which also inspired the book Thing Explainer, also promoted in this header text.
*** The other link is referring to [[1529: Bracket]] released 12 days before this update, as a twitter user made a survey going through all the brackets all the way to a winner was found. Seems Randall became interested in who won. See more on the comics page.
* Was there until [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150807181044/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-07]. Then it returned back to the previous header with only the promotion of the book.

===2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150515060322/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-15]
* [[1525: Emojic 8 Ball]]
* This was a more detailed promotion for Randall's new book: [[Thing Explainer]] to be published in November 2015, more than half a year after the announcement, compared to the previous change which was just a line and a link.
* The text:
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the then hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to preorder the book:
*** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the preorder line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150605082643/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-06-05], but only to add other information. The main promotion of the book stayed the same.

===2015-05-14 - New book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150514053623/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-14]
* [[1524: Dimensions]] was up.
** A single line announced the new [[Thing Explainer]] book, with link to the [[Blag]] post from the day before.
* The text:
** New book: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer!]
The [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion of the book]] stayed up with some changes for [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-12-13_-_Thing_Explainer_is_available|more than 10 month]] first stopping when Randall had [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-01_-_The_xkcd_April_1st_comic_is_currently_experiencing_technical_difficulties|problems with his April Fools' Day comic]] in 2016... It is a record length.
* The first came already the day after so this short announcement was only up on this day and ended with the next comic. See above.
* See more details on the promotion of the book on the Thing Explainer page [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]].

===2015-02-11 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150211154103/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-11]
* When [[1485: Friendship]] came out the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[1523: Microdrones]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184622/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-05-12], so just a day more than three months.

===2015-02-04 - Valentine cards only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150204051152/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-04]
* [[1482: NowPlaying]] came out as it changed.
** After the last day of ordering t-shirt had passed it changed back to the picture with the Valentine cards from the previous header, but without the t-shirt picture.
** See that [[#2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt|header change]], but only the first picture described.
* Ended while [[1484: Apollo Speeches]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150210005540/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-10].

===2015-02-02 - Last day shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-02]
* [[1481: API]] came out as it changed.
** Just letting people know it is the last chance to order the binary t-shirt.
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** Today is the last day to order the limited-run [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart binary heart shirt]!
** The last words is link to the shirt in the shop.
* Ended before the next comic was up, but still the day after, when it was too late to order: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150203022036/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-03].

===2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183442/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-29]
* [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell about both the two previous updates in the same header- Both about the collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards and his new Valentine t-shirt.
** There where two pictures, with a promotion of the two products and a link to them in the shop.
** On the left was text about the cards with a small drawing to the right of the text showing the four cards.
*** An ant talking to an aphids; Earth rotating about the sun but locked so one side melts; an ant with a fungus growing from it's head with a heart, and a Velociraptor skeleton where the last bit of the tail is put on by a person. The text on the cards are unreadable, but they can be seen via the link.
** The text (in three lines) was:
*** Webcomic science Valentine card collaboration
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines link to the cards] from the picture.
** The picture on the left shows binary numbers 0 and 1 in white on a black background. The middle of the three lines of those have message in red text.
** The text:
*** 0 1 0 1 0 Binary heart 1 1 1
*** 1 1 1 Valentine shirt 0 1
*** 0 0 0 1 [limited run] 0 0 1
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart link to the shirt] from the picture.
* Ended while [[1480: Super Bowl]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150201015913/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-01].

===2015-01-27 - Valentine's Day cards===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-27]
* [[1478: P-Values]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell that about a collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** I've teamed up with three other webcomic artists
** to make [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines a set of science-themed Valentine's Day cards]!
* There was a link to the cards on the store.
* Ended while [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128172147/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-28].

===2015-01-24 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150124110707/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-24]
* [[1477: Star Wars]] came out as it changed.
** It was to tell about a new type of t-shirt for Valentine Day.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** For Valentine's Day, you can get a binary heart shirt
** (from {{xkcd|99|comic #99!}}) in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart a limited run on TeeSpring]
* There was a link to [[99: Binary Heart]] and to the relevant t-shirt on the [https://teespring.com/ Teespring] home page.
* Ended while [[1478: P-Values]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150126133139/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-26].

===2014-12-22 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141222233233/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-22]
* [[1463: Altitude]] came out as it changed.
** After the Christmas sale deadline there was still merchandise in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** You can get xkcd shirts, prints, and posters in the [https://shop.xkcd.com/ store]!
* The word store was a link to the shop.
* Ended while [[1476: Ceres]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150123102318/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-23].

===2014-12-19 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141219092349/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-19]:
* [[1462: Blind Trials]] came out as it changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with order now here below.
* See [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|2014-12-17]] below for all details.
* Ended while [[1462: Blind Trials]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141221172450/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-21].

===2014-12-18 - Order now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218090650/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-18]
* [[1461: Payloads]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday and that it was rapidly approaching. This was a follow up on the [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|Wednesdays announcement]] the day before.
** The image was just four lines of text with several red and blue words.
* The text was:
** The xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
** Once it passes, there is no going back. The arrow of time drags us all
** Inexorably forward toward decay and disorder. toward the end of all things.
** Towards the empty silence of the grave. Order now!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text.
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141217085320/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-17]
* [[1461: Payloads]] came out as it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday. This was announced Wednesday two days before the deadline.
** The image was just text with the last word in each line in red and the xkcd store blue as a link.
* The text was:
** Looking for a gift?
** xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up!

===2014-12-03 - Christmas shopping===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141203132024/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-03]
* [[1455: Trolley Problem]] came out as it changed.
** It was to announce the start of the Christmas shopping on the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store]
** Four boxes with shipping details are shown. Two green and two red, alternating from green. Between them are three text messages in two, two and three lines.
* The text was:
** xkcd store
** Christmas shopping
** I will probably not ship you a bobcat.
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* The bobcat is a reference to [[325: A-Minus-Minus]].
* Ended while [[1460: SMFW]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-11-29 - Thanks - Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141129211604/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-29]
* [[1453: fMRI]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to thanks for all the help his friend Emily with cancer got through among other his previous header text [[#2014-11-27 - Help Emily| Help Emily]].
** That only needed to be up two days before the goal was met.
* The text was:
** Thank you for helping my friend Emily.
** It means so much.
* Ended three days later while [[1454: Done]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141202065133/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-02].

===2014-11-27 - Help Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141127005239/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-27]
* [[1452: Jurassic World]] came out as it changed.
** It was to help a friend who got cancer by raising money for her.
* The text was:
** Hey all. My friend Emily—the economist who helped
** me with my {{xkcd|980|money chart}}—has been fighting cancer. She's
** having a rough time and could use some [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128183414/https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk help]. Thank you.
* There are two links, one to the [[980: Money]] comic she helped Randall create, and one for her Go Fund Me page to raise money for her cancer cure.
** The help link above is to the archived version from that time, but the link was still active in August 2019: [https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk Helping Emily Fight Cancer].
* Ended while [[1453: fMRI]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128070838/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-11-28].
** She did thus not get a permanent header as did Becky on the [[#Seven_Years|Seven Years]] comic.

===2014-10-02 - what if? bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141002211139/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-10-02]
* [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out|book is out]].
* This was a month after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It added a line of red text beneath the previous header to announce that the book was the #1 New York bestseller.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
** (#1 New York bestseller!)
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1451: Background Screens]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141125234520/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-25].

===2014-09-04 - what if? book out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140904150600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-04]
* [[1416: Pixels]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out today|book is out today]].
* This was two days after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It only removed to today from the previous header, that had only been up two days.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141001130827/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-09-02 - what if? book out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140902125802/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-02]
* [[1415: Ballooning]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-07-23 - what if? book tour|book tour header]].
* This was the day the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out. [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised shouts this out.. The word Book is underlined and blue to indicate a link.
* The text was:
** My book is out today!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1416: Pixels]] was still [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903134518/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-03].

===2014-07-23 - what if? book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140723180600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-23]
* [[1398: Snake Facts]]
* This was a promotion of his book tour for the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book made by [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised. Several parts of the text was underlined and blue to indicate links.
* The text was:
** I'm going on a book tour! click here for a list of stops.
** Or click anywhere-this whole image is one link because I've never gotten the hang of HTML imagemaps.
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/22/what-if-book-tour/ What If book tour!].
** Later Randall commented on this lacking ability in the comic: [[1572: xkcd Survey]].
** He also mentions it in one of the [[#xkcd_Header_text#2019-07-09_-_Drawings_from_How_To|promotions]] for his [[How To]] book.
** He much later he again mentions that html is hard, thus explaining why the entire image is a link instead of the actual blue highlighted link in one of the promotions for [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-08-11_-_Preorder_What_if.3F_2_-_with_image|what if? 2]].
* Ended while [[1415: Ballooning]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140901113916/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-03-13 - what if? announced===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140313070951/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-13]
* [[1341: Types of Editors]] was up.
* This was the first promotion of Randall's new ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book which is shown next to two lines of text.
* The text was:
** News:
** I'm publishing a ''what if'' book!
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/03/12/what-if-i-wrote-a-book/ What if I wrote a book?]
* Ended while [[1397: Luke]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140722142115/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-22].

===2014-01-09 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140109190927/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-09]
* When [[1314: Photos]] was still up when the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312070248/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-12] when [[1340: Unique Date]] was up, a bit more than two months.

===2013-12-21 - Deadline for Christmas shipping has passed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221043417/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2013-12-21]
* It changed when [[1306: Sigil Cycle]] came out.
* This came up when it was too close to Christmas in 2013 for shipping to arrive in time for Christmas. And Randall makes a note of this, but lets people know that they could still buy presents...
* The text was
** The deadline for guaranteed Christmas shipping has passed, but if you order something from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], we'll get it to you as fast as possible!
* Ended when [[1314: Photos]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181520/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-08].

===2013-12-06 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206213503/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-06]
* It changed when [[1300: Galilean Moons]] came out.
** There was no header text. This happened next on [[Header_text#2020-04-05 - Empty header|2020-04-05]]. It looks really weird.
* Ended when [[1305: Undocumented Feature]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005306/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-20].

===Changes not documented yet 3===
More changes will for sure be here between this and the one below.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131205202730/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-05]: Xmas sale before above
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]: Empty follows below

===2013-03-15 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]
* It changed while [[1186: Bumblebees]] was on the front page.
** After the text saying a comic would be delayed disappeared no text replaced this.
** So the header was left empty!
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318072820/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-18] while [[1187: Aspect Ratio]] was up.

===2013-03-13 - Comic will be delayed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130313133631/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-13]
* It changed when [[1184: Circumference Formula]] came out, likely because the next comic was delayed.
** But there is a gap of three days before where no archived version exist, so cannot say if there where more than a few hours with this text.
* The text:
** The comic will be delayed until late morning EDT.
* Ended when [[1185: Ineffective Sorts]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175306/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-13].
** That was later same day as the first archived version. But could have been longer as mentioned above.

===2012-11-26 - xkcd store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121126235628/https://xkcd.com/1138/ 2012-11-26]
* It changed while [[1138: Heatmap]] was up.
** Notice that the above link is not from the main page, but from {{xkcd|1138}}.
** There was a gap of five days in the archive of the main page.
** The first day that it was archived from the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201111432/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-12-01], while [[1141: Two Years]] was up.
* The standard header text is replaced with an image that makes it seem like a rip is being torn in the white region where the text used to be. Beneath the white material that has now been ripped, some text can partly be seen. It is possible to read it.
* The text:
** xkcd store
*** The image is a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] (tadaaa!)
* Ended when [[1183: Rose Petals]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130311073948/https://xkcd.com:80/1183/ 2013-03-11]
** The above link is from {{xkcd|1183}}.
** Last time the front page was archived with it was though on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130309010403/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-09].

===2012-10-24 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024082017/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-24]
* While [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121126035129/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-11-26] when [[1138: Heatmap]] was up, a few days more than a month.

===2012-10-17 - New What-If - Lightning===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232102/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-17]
* Probably while [[1122: Electoral Precedent]] was up.
** But the link above showing it was up on the 2012-10-17 is from the previous comics page {{xkcd|1121}} [[1121: Identity]].
** But the first version archived with this header is saved on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121018082304/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-18]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|16|Today's topic: Lightning}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/16/ What if lightning struck while you were ...]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023404/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-23] when [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front page
** This link is though from {{xkcd|1121}}.
** The last this version was archived on the front page was the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120008/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-22].

===2012-10-10 - New What-If - Mariana Trench Explosion===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010003837/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-10]
* [[1118: Microsoft]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|15|Mariana Trench Explosion}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/15/ What if you set off a nuclear bomb in the Mariana Trench?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121016055538/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-16] when [[1121: Identity]] was up.

===2012-10-02 - This week's What-If - Short Answer Section===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121002231724/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-10-02]
* [[1115: Sky]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|14|Short Answer Section}}''.
* The text
** In this week's What-If article I [https://what-if.xkcd.com/14/ answer multiple reader questions].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121008112434/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-08] when [[1118: Microsoft]] was up.

===2012-09-26 - New What-If - Laser Pointer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120926163111/https://xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-26]
* [[1113: Killed in Action]] was up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 26th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120928003838/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-28]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|13|Laser Pointer}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ If everyone aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at once, would it change color?]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121001080517/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-01] when [[1115: Sky]] was up.

===2012-09-18 - what-if.xkcd.com - Raindrop===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120918143653/https://www.xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-18]
* [[1109: Refrigerator]] was still up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 18th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120919015232/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-09-19]
* Randall promotes another What-If article on the what-if page.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|12|Raindrop}}''.
* The text
** what-if.xkcd.com: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/12/ What if all of a storm's water fell in a single raindrop?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120925090123/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-25] when [[1112: Think Logically]] was up.

===Changes not documented yet 2===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120917052827/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-17]: What if Droppings ends.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120718231719/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-18] Next stores header text

===2012-07-10 - New: what-if.xkcd.com===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10]
* This was a special change happening over a few days. The above "new" header text from the given date is actually shown on the previous comic [[1078: Knights]].
** Another example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710072249/https://xkcd.com:80/1070 2012-07-10] is shown for [[1070: Words for Small Sets]].
* The comic on the main page released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09] was [[1079: United Shapes]], but that comic had a [[xkcd_Header_text#United_Shapes|unique header text]] upon its release.
** So both on the 9th as shown above and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10] the header text was different on the front than on all other pages.
*** As can be read in the link above, the new header text actually got incorporated into the unique text, so that after the next comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711234408/https://xkcd.com/1079/ 2012-07-11] the current new header text and a smaller version of the original unique header text was now shown on the Unites Shapes page.
*** {{xkcd|1079|And it was never changed back}}.
* The first version of the new text from the 10th was only active one day:
** The text:
*** New site: what-if.xkcd.com, where I abuse science to answer hypothetical questions. I'll answer a new question every Tuesday.
**** The link was not an active link. And this was never shown on the front page, but on all other comics.
* Already on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711223349/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-11] when [[1080: Visual Field]] was released the new header changed a bit
** At this time it most have been shown on the front page, but the link above is again from [[1078: Knights]].
*** For some reason the front page was not saved on either the 11th or 12th, so no version of the front page with Visual Field exist
*** The first archived version of the front page with this new header text was from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154207/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-13] when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was on the front page.
* The final text:
** New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions.
** I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
*** This time the link was active and directs to the new ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' blog and its first entry {{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}
* The whole idea was that Randall released the new what if? blog on the 10th of July 2012. And thus would like to make a promotion of it.
** And then he timed it so poorly that the front page had a different header than the rest of the comics.
** It was so annoying for him that he actually changed the header for Unites Shapes manually so that page also showed the new link. Maybe even before it left the front page, but that has not been documented in the archive.
** And then he forgot about it when the header changed for all the other comics, so it is now a relic of the promotion of his first what if release.
* The what if promotion continued for a long time, but the final version from above only lasted until 17th at the latest. There is again no archived versions of the front page from the 15th, 16th or 17th.
** The last time it was archived on the front page was [https://web.archive.org/web/20120714062857/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-14], when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was still up.
** But on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120715070938/https://xkcd.com:80/1081/ 2012-07-15] it was still shown on the page for Argument Victory and same for [https://web.archive.org/web/20120716235458/https://www.xkcd.com/998/ 2012-07-16] on [[998: 2012]]
*** So seemed it stayed up while [[1082: Geology]] was up on the 16-17/7.

===2012-04-09 - Standard text plus store link===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190952/https://xkcd.com/1026/ 2012-04-09]
* It changed when [[1040: Lakes and Oceans]] came up.
** The above link to prove this is though from comic {{xkcd|1026}} [[1026: Compare and Contrast]] the first to be found that where archived on the 9th.
** The first archived version on the main page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411053543/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-11] when [[1041: Whites of Their Eyes]] was up.
** There where no archived version of the front page on the 9th or 10th while Lake and Oceans was up. So it was also first on the 11th that this new text could be seen, but only when it had moved to its own page number [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411052948/https://xkcd.com/1040/ 1040].
*** The change probably came because of this special comic, which may became a [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/lakes-oceans-poster poster].
* The update was to add a promotion for the store under the standard header text.
* The text
** XKCD updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** You can get prints, posters, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09] when [[1078: Knights]] was up, exactly three months, so although not only the standard text, the standard text was first for three months and three days, see [[#2012-04-05 - Back to standard text|below]].

===2012-04-05 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05]
* While [[1038: Fountain]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* The link above to prove the date is seen on [[1021: Business Plan]].
** The first archived version on front page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406111048/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-06], when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up.
** A version showing Fountain with this can be found on it's own page {{xkcd|1038}} on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085618/https://xkcd.com:80/1038/ 2012-04-06].
*** When it was archived while on the front page it still had the previous header on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-05].
* It stayed up, unchanged, until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120408200414/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-08] when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up. So only three days.
** But [[#2012-04-09- Standard text plus store link|the change]] did not remove the standard text but just added a link to the store. And this version, still with the standard text at the top stayed for three more months.

===2012-03-28 - Visiting Newport News===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328103319/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-28]
* [[1035: Cadbury Eggs]] was on the front when it changed.
** From the end of March 2012, there is a problem with the archived versions of xkcd, so they do not load properly and do not include the comic picture.
* It was to announce a talk Randall gave at his old school.
* The text:
** I'm [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ visiting] Newport News, VA next week, where I'll be speaking at CNU, my old school. If you want to come, reserve a seat [https://web.archive.org/web/20120329214411/https://www.cnu.edu/pcs/xkcd/index.asp here]!
*** The first link it to a post in the [[Blag]]: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ I’m visiting CNU on April 4th].
*** The other link is no longer working, but the link above goes to an archived version.
* There was a special situation with this header text. For three days it was not on the front page, as the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1037: Umwelt]] came out and stayed from April 1st to April 3rd on the front page.
** This comic had it's own [[#Unique header text|unique header text]] from the start, one that has [[#Umwelt|stayed like this]] since!
*** So from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01] to [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03] the front page had another header:
**** You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** But all the other comics kept the Visiting header on all three days as shown here:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401214214/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-01] from[[1036: Reviews]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402150258/https://xkcd.com/1019 2012-04-02] from [[1019: First Post]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403164523/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-03] from [[1036: Reviews]].
**** The one from the 2nd of April was hardest to find, but the most important, because that was clearly in the time period where Umwelt was up, thus definitely proving that the other pages had a different header than the front page. This is rare.
* It returned to the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-04] and stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05] when [[1038: Fountain]] was up.
** The link from the 5th though is from {{xkcd|1021}} [[1021: Business Plan]], the only comic archived on the 5ht to be found.
*** The previous link was the last time it was archived while on the front page.

===2012-03-12 - xkcd Holistic Browser===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312185125/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-12]
* [[1028: Communication]] was up at the time.
** From here the archive doesn't load the page properly so it is really boring to document. This goes for both first and last day of this text.
* The text:
** New: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153220/https://holistic.xkcd.com/ holistic.xkcd.com], the least useful web navigation tool ever.
*** The link is now dead, but the link above is to an archived version.
*** On that page there is the following text:
**** The XKCD Holistic Browser
**** Because we are all one.
**** Type a web address
**** and you'll be taken to one
**** typed by someone else.
**** URL:
**** Warning: This allows strangers to direct your browser!
**** They may send you to pages containing
**** porn, viruses, or Justin Bieber fanfiction.
**** At the very least, turn on private browsing.
* During the time this header was active the comic [[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]] came out.
** It had its own [[xkcd_Header_text#Unique_header_text|unique header text]] which thus replaced this text on the front page for two days.
** But it did not replace it on all the other pages so this was the active header text during the entire period, see more here: [[xkcd_Header_text#s.2Fkeyboard.2Fleopard.2F|s/keyboard/leopard/]]
* This lasted till [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327050311/https://xkcd.com/1033 2012-03-27] while [[1034: Share Buttons]] was up.
* But the last archived version with this on the front page was the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20120326180811/https://xkcd.com// 2012-03-26].
** The link from 27th is from an archived version of [[1033: Formal Logic]].

===Changes not documented yet 1===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120311135259/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-11] Text before. For next entry below...



[[Category:Design of xkcd.com]]{{xkcdmeta}}

Header text

2026-04-12T09:55:06Z

Kynde: /* 2957: A Crossword Puzzle */ updated

<noinclude>{{xkcd.com}}[[File:xkcd_header.png|thumb|right|250px|The [[Design of xkcd.com#Header section|Header section]] is one of the [[Design of xkcd.com|four main sections]] of the [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com] website.]]The '''header text''' is usually updated when [[Randall]] has news to share or wants to add information about a specific comic. The default header text states:

</noinclude><div style="font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 500; font-size: 16px; width: 760px; line-height: 150%;" class="plainlinks">
:xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.</div><noinclude>

Usually, changes to the header text show up in all comics. However, for certain comics, its header text is changed permanently, which means that comic's page won't be affected by changes to the global header text like the rest of the comics. You can see the list of these [[#Comic-specific header text|Comic-specific header texts]] below.

Usually, the global header text is changed back to the default once the novelty of the news ends. Recently, the default header text has not been used for extended periods of time. The most recent header text change can be found at the top of the [[#Global header text|Global header text section]].

{{incomplete|Someone has created a full list of comic-specific header texts! We have only explained 28 so far, and '''28 are missing'''. [[Talk:Header_text#anc|The full list in on the Talk page!]]. (Also, if you have ''infinite'' spare time, please remove the bullet points on the page and use normal paragraphs.)}}

Use this list to quickly jump to a specific header text, or [[#Comic-specific header text|click here]] to jump to the most recent one.

__TOC__

==Comic-specific header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Place the most recent changes at the top.


===[[2957: A Crossword Puzzle]]===
*This comic's header mentions that it has been inspired by an old comic (by accident, i.e. originally Randall was not aware of his inspiration).
**It was on the front page from from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711100451/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11] until the next comic to come out Friday, so it was still there on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240712141422/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-12].
***Once [[2958: Hatchery]] came out on Friday, the front page header text changed back to the currently active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240713181808/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-13].
*The extra new text:
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!
*It makes it clear that Randall did not wish to take credit for this old idea.
**Although it seems like he did not know where he got the idea from at first, when he posted it.
**Because the addition of this header text was not posted together with the comic, when it was released on Wednesday 2024-07-10 and it was still not there in the early morning of Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711000851/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11].
**That he is a fan of Buttersafe is made clear at the bottom of the xkcd page where it is on Randall's list of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]].
*As a special situation this special header did not replace the current header text, but was added below the active header text at the time [[#Header_text#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
**This has not been the normal way to add comic-specific header text, even though it was something added later due to Randall realizing he had borrowed inspiration from another person.
**A similar situation happened with the comic [[1723: Meteorite Identification]], which got a similar change to the header text, as can be seen [[Header_text#1723:_Meteorite_Identification|here]]. But that did not incorporate this text into the current header text.
*Since this header was related only to explain the inspiration for this comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen here [https://web.archive.org/web/20240714152507/https://xkcd.com/2957/ 2022-07-14], two days after it stopped being on the front page.
**Randall never got around to fixing this, so it would only show the new line, so as of this edit it is still like that as can be seen in the most recent version saved [https://web.archive.org/web/20260408143657/https://xkcd.com/2957/ 2026-04-08].
*So the actual full permanent header text for this comic is now:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!



===[[2916: Machine]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406163326/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06] (although it was supposed to have been a Friday release according to the xkcd archives) until the next comic to come out Monday 2024-04-08, but the earliest archived version of the next comic is from Tuesday [http://web.archive.org/web/20240409060444/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-09].
***It probably changed late on Monday the 8th, but Machine was still up late on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240408225854/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-08].
***It may be like previous years because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?
**When [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]] was released the front page returned to normal header.
**The previous comic [[2915: Eclipse Clouds]] was still on the front page Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06]. So a very late Friday release...
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://github.com/spyhi Ed White], [https://twitter.com/uh_oh_thats_bad Alex Garcia], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [http://burningcandle.io/ Conor & Ami Stokes], [https://liranuna.com/ Liran Nuna], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick], [https://manishearth.github.io/ Manish Goregaokar], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], [https://github.com/ayust Amber], and [https://github.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg] with physics by [https://rapier.rs/ Rapier].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or X or their own home pages. Some of them have also helped with the two previous [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], see below, but there are many more involved in this one than any of the previous.
**Also the Fast 2D and 3D physics engine for the Rust programming language, Rapier, is mentioned as standing for the physics of the comic.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240409010518/https://xkcd.com/2916/ 2022-04-09].


===[[2765: Escape Speed]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230420203744/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-20] (although it was supposed to have been a Wednesday release according to the xkcd archives) until Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230421082400/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-21], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2766: Helium Reserve]] was released the front page returned to normal header. This seems to have not happened until Saturday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20230422121650/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-22] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was put together with help from [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick Clapp], [https://amberyu.st/ Amber], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], and [https://www.aiweirdness.com/ Janelle Shane].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or Twitter or their own home pages. Most of them have also helped with the two previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230423150206/https://xkcd.com/2765/ 2022-04-23].


===[[2601: Instructions]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220401210146/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-01] until Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405031003/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because Instructions was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2602: Linguistics Degree]] was released the front page returned to normal header This seems to have not happened until Tuesday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405125644/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/chromakode @chromakode], [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/xDirtyPunkx Conor], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with an Instagram page, the other seven with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220406021357/https://xkcd.com/2601/ 2022-04-06].


===[[2445: Checkbox]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210401232108/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-01] until Monday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210405130031/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-05], until the new comic was released on Monday.
*The text:
**This comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], and [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with a personal home page, the other six with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header, when the next comic was released, here from the day after that release Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210406143023/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-06].
*But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20210407203547/https://xkcd.com/2445/ 2021-04-07].


===[[2288: Collector's Edition]]===
This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together, and gives links to all of their Twitter profiles, except
Christopher Nights'. It was on the front page only for about a day around April 3rd and
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/http://xkcd.com/#-370,-277vApril 4th 2020].
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber],
[https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin],
[https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat],
[https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
</blockquote>
The header text thanks those who helped Randall create the 2020 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken
two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay, the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released the day after the April Fool's comic, [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]].
Since this header was related only to the April Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header when the next comic was released,
but it stayed up as a permanent header for this comic.



===[[1928: Seven Years]]===
[http://web.archive.org/web/20171214171157/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-12-14]
It was released as a response to another cancer diagnosis, this is explained in the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Header_text|Header text]] which has replaced the standard ''xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.'' The new one is this one, with the active link included:
The text (with link):
* Becky Beaton, sister of fellow cartoonist Kate Beaton, has also been diagnosed with cancer. You can support her treatment [https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 here].
{{w|Kate Beaton}} is the creator of the web comic [http://www.harkavagrant.com/ Hark! A Vagrant].
* Although this comic is not one on Randall's list of ''[[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]]'', he is clearly much influenced by another cancer diagnosis among someone in his own creative field.below.
On [https://web.archive.org/web/20190817141450/https://www.xkcd.com/1928/ 2019-08-17], close to two years later, the message was still there and also [https://web.archive.org/web/20211226120634/https://xkcd.com/1928/ 2021-12-26] just past four years later.
* There was the possibility that it would be removed, when the support page was discontinued...
* But as that already happened before [http://web.archive.org/web/20181106124430/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-11-06] it seems like it will be there to stay.
* Last archived version was from [http://web.archive.org/web/20180305022301/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-03-05].
* Randall has previously done something similar for another friend, Emily, but [[#2014-11-27_-_Help_Emily|that header]] was not made permanent.



===[[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]]===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170428041338/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-04-28]
This header links back to [[1828: ISS Solar Transit]], a comic with the same joke setup released on the Monday of the same week


===[[1723: Meteorite Identification]]===
Randall realized that his comic was almost a copy of some other person. And he has since then acknowledged this on the comics specific page see more [[1723: Meteorite Identification#Trivia|here]].
At the time of this post, in the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161010215516/http://xkcd.com/1723/ 2016-10-10] it is still there and says:
* Note: Jolyon, founder of [http://www.mindat.org/ mindat.org], made a similar chart way before me!


===[[1679: Substitutions 3]]===
This comic is the third installment of the [[:Category:Substitution]] series, and as Randall did with [[#Substitutions 2]],
the header text links to the previous comics in the series, and tells the user about Chrome Browser extensions for substitution.
The header text reads:
<blockquote>
(Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}} and {{xkcd|1625|Substitutions 2}}) 
Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/replacerator/gaajhenbcclienfnniphiiambbbninnp?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
</blockquote>
This header text was on the main page while the comic was on the main page, for instance on
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160512102325/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-05-12]. It remains on the comic page.



===[[1663: Garden]]===
This comic had a header text to help people use the comic when it came out.
For some time this text was the main header text, but after a while is disappeared from the main header, but remained as the header for Garden.
* See more [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-04_-_Protip_on_Garden|below]] or on the Garden page [[Garden#Header_text_after_release|here]]
Today and as of the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161231231600/http://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-12-31] it is still there and says:
* Protip: If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
* You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.


===[[1625: Substitutions 2]]===
This was the second installment of Substitutions and Randall links to the first and tells about browser extensions for this:
The text:
* (Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}})
* Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/xkcd-substitutions/jkgogmboalmaijfgfhfepckdgjeopfhk?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
** He did the same when [[xkcd_Header_text#Substitutions_3|Substitutions 3]] came out, linking to the two previous.
It was on the main page while the comic was up, for instance here on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160104171722/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-01-04].


===[[1079: United Shapes]]===
The header text was unique for this comic on the day it came out:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09].
It read:
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here] (Colorado is [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/ here]). 
It's also available as a [http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap poster].
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap Archived store link, 2012-07-22])

This header text only appeared with the comic, as on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09],
at a time before this comic was released, the previous
[[xkcd_Header_text#2012-04-09 -_Standard_text_plus_store_link|promotion of the store]] header text was still on the main page.

As this comic was still on the main page the day after ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120710063424/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-10]),
a new [[Header_text#2012-07-10_-_New:_what-if.xkcd.com|header text promoting Randall's new what if? blog]]
was not shown on the main page.
The what if? promotion was added to this comic's header text the next day,
on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711123734/http://xkcd.com:80/1079/ 2012-07-11].
However, the part about Colorado was lost in this edit. This is the version still shown on {{xkcd|1079}} today, including the
what if? promotion.
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here]! It's also available as a
[https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster poster]. 
New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions. 
I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20121203164246/https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster Archived store link, 2012-12-03])

The what if? promotion links to the very first ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}'' which was released on 2012-07-10, the day after this comic was released, but before the next comic [[1080: Visual Field]] was released on 2012-07-11.

There is no archived version of comic {{xkcd|1080}} while it was on the front page, so it is not possible to tell what the front page looked like on the 11th and 12th of July 2012. Most likely it was the what if? promotion.
* Maybe there was a time with the final version of the header text the front page, but seems like Randall put the new header text there by hand, and forgot to delete it after, so he probably first changed it when the new comic came out.
* Since the new header was important, promoting his new ''what if'' blog, Randall likely did not wish to have a recent page/the main page without it.
* But this makes it a special unique header, as a relic from the past header text is left together with the text that was supposed to be permanent. It should have been deleted when the link to ''what if'' 1 was removed.



===[[1047: Approximations]]===
It has a permanent text saying that many people emailed Randall about another approximation for one year than the one given in the comic.
* As it was already there from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120425220409/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-25] it seems unlikely that he actually received those e-mails before changing the header text for this comic!
The unique text:
* Lots of emails mention the physicist favorite, 1 year = pi x 107 seconds.
* 75^4 is a hair more accurate, but it's hard to top 3,141,592's elegance.
There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[#2012-04-09_-_Standard_text_plus_store_link|Plus store link]].


===[[1037: Umwelt]]===
It has a permanent promotion of the store already from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01]:
The unique text:
* You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
It stayed on the front page while this comic was the most recent, so for instance also two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03]
* There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-28_-_Visiting_Newport_News|Visiting Newport News]].


===[[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]]===
In response to the idea of having you browser replace keyboard with leopard a reader made a script that could do just that.
Randall seem to have gotten this script before release (or at least on the day of release) as it was already the header text on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319130702/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-19] the day the comic was released.
The unique text is:
* A helpful reader has provided an [https://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 s/keyboard/leopard/ user script].
** The link does not go anywhere useful any longer, but here is the archived version of the link from two days after the release of the comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321174019/http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 2012-03-21]
It was never changed on the other comics so was only on the front while this comic was up until 2012-03-21
* Here also shown on the second day it was up on its own page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320143916/http://xkcd.com:80/1031/ 2012-03-20].
The next comic [[1032: Networking]] came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321205835/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-21] and here the header text has returned to what it was before the leopard comic: [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-12_-_xkcd_Holistic_Browser|xkcd Holistic Browser]].
* Here are examples from dates around this showing it was not used on other pages:
** The last archived version of the front page from before the 19th was this version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317121834/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-17], but here is an example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153256/http://xkcd.com:80/1030/ 2012-03-18] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]), the day before leopard comic came out.
** Both on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319174700/http://xkcd.com/1030/ 2012-03-19] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]) and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320191039/http://xkcd.com:80/1012 2012-03-20] (from comic [[1012: Wrong Superhero]]) during the time leopard was up, the header text currently in used was still shown.


===[[996: Making Things Difficult]]===
To give context to the comic about cancer, Randall links to a [[Blag]] post about his family's struggle with cancer.
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Some context for the cancer comics:
[https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/ https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/]
</blockquote>
This header text appears on the oldest stored version of the comic page from [https://web.archive.org/web/20111229043804/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-12-29] when it was on the main page.


===[[980: Money]]===
Randall notes his thoughts about making it and makes a promotion of the poster.
The unique text:
* This one was fun (and exhausting) to make.
* There's a poster of it in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/money-poster store]!
** It is both at the oldest stored version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404110059/http://xkcd.com:80/980 2012-04-04] and the newest at time of editing [https://web.archive.org/web/20220108132250/https://xkcd.com/980/ 2022-01-08].


===[[977: Map Projections]]===
Randall notes that a person had birthday on the release of this comic about maps, and this guy has maps on his homepage
The unique text:
* It turns out Monday was Steve Waterman's birthday. His [https://web.archive.org/web/20111118003418/http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ site] has posters of his map, plus maybe the world's only Winkel Tripel-critiquing poetry.
** The link goes to [http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ Waterman project] home page. Above the link goes to an archived version from around the time of release of the header text.
** It is at the oldest stored version with the comic on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20111115231643/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-11-15].


===[[851: Na]]===
After Randall released this comic, he realized he could have "made it better," and did so.
He changed the header text alert people to this, saying:
<blockquote>
I can't ''believe'' I forgot Hey Jude.
I don't get do-overs, but I couldn't resist making [https://xkcd.com/851_make_it_better/ a fixed version].
</blockquote>
See more about it in that comic's [[851:_Na#Trivia|trivia section]].


===[[739: Malamanteau]]===
Randall notes that he has changed this comics license, so it can be used on Wikipedia.
The text:
* At Wikipedia's request, I release this comic under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ cc-by-sa] license.
** The link is to the page regarding {{w|Creative Commons license}} in the US.
** Specifically for Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-SA 3.0 US)
*** Usually xkcd is [[Design_of_xkcd.com#License_and_copyright|shared under]] [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License]. This does not allow commercial use, But the 3.0 does.
When the comic came out it had the normal header text from that time, as seen here two days after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20100514072436/http://xkcd.com/ 2010-05-14].
* First archived version with the unique text is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100913003146/http://xkcd.com/739/ 2010-09-13], but the previous archived version of this comic is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100713160533/http://xkcd.com:80/739/ 2010-07-13].
* So it happened somewhere in the two months in between. But at least it was not there the first two months after release, but there before four month after release.


===577–580: [[:Category:The Race|The Race]]: Parts 1–4===
[[:Category:The Race|The Race]] was a 5-comic series published daily over the duration of one week, Monday through Friday. On comics
[[577: The Race: Part 1]], [[578: The Race: Part 2]], [[579: The Race: Part 3]], and [[580: The Race: Part 4]], parts 1–4 of the
series, Randall announced to users that xkcd would update once a day over the course of that week.

The header text for 577, published on Monday of that week, reads:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day.
</blockquote>
The header texts for 578, 579, and 580, published respectively on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, read:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day (through Friday).
</blockquote>

On comic [[581: The Race: Part 5]], this header text does not appear, likely because it wouldn't be useful to inform people of daily
updates for a week at the end of the week.


===[[563: Fermirotica]]===
The header text for this comic informs the reader of prints of this comic in the [[Store]], and gives an example sex calculation.
It reads:
<blockquote>
There are xkcd prints available in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store]. 
[https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sqrt(2%2F(pi*18000%2F(mi^2)*80%2Fyear*30+minutes) Example Google sex calculation].
</blockquote>
The first link is a link to the [[Store|xkcd Store]], which, as of early February 2026, is closed for the time being. The second link is a
Google Search link for an example sex calculation with the formula in the comic, where
''Pd'' = 18000/mi2,
''XF'' = 80/year, and
''Xd'' = 30 minutes.
This calculation results in ''r'' equaling ~142 meters.


===[[488: Steal This Comic]]===
Comic 488 advocates against {{w|Digital rights management}}, or <abbr title="Digital rights management">DRM</abbr>. In the header text, Randall notes that Amazon sells
DRM-free music. It reads:
<blockquote>
Note: the [https://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 Amazon.com MP3 store] sells DRM-free music. Kudos.
</blockquote>
The header text links to Amazon MP3 music. Here is an archived version of the store from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081001083843/http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 2008-10-01],
two weeks prior to the release of the comic.
The header text was on the comic from the release day, here seen the day after on the first archived version from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232952/http://xkcd.com/ 2008-10-14].


===[[472: House of Pancakes|472: House of Pancakes]]===
This comic's header notes its status as a parody:
* (Today's comic is a parody of [https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764 House of Leaves].)
Only on the days this comic was the newest was this header featured on the front page of xkcd for instance as seen here the day after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06].
* But it was only on this comic. The commercial for his new t-shirt was on all the other pages, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06] and presumably returned to the front page with the next comic. But there is a gap in the archive after this comic.

==Global header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the newest comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Position the last comic displaying the header text below the other data and place the most recent change at the top.

===2026-04-07 - Reading Modes===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260401210255/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-04-01].
*[[3227: Creation]] was released as the 2026 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' comic]], but the real April Fools' was a new feature, which was explained in the global header text.
* The text:
** We're pleased to announce a major update to xkcd, with new reading modes to enhance user experience. Select a mode via the menu below the comic.
**Brought to you by our excellent design team: [https://github.com/ayust Amber], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], and [https://github.com/cotrone Kevin]
*At first it would seem that this would be a text, only belonging to the new comic, but since the feature is active on all comics, it was not only on the front page, but on all other comics as well. And it stayed there after the next comic was released.
**So this is not a comic specific header text.

===2026-01-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260107194433/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-01-07].
* [[3191: Superstition]] came out when the header changed.
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2022-01-08_-_Back_to_standard_text|2022-01-08]] that the text had changed back to that, so exactly four years.
**Last time it only lasted a few days before the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] started.
*It was also the first time since December 5th, 2024 that the header text had changed, a span of more than a year (13 months) making it by far the longest time the header text had been left unchanged.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260331171250/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-03-31] when [[3226: Home Solar]] was on the front page.
**Almost two months, a long stretch with the original title text in use!

===2024-12-05 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - order===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241205201038/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-05].
* [[3020: Infinite Armada Chess]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—Out now. Order it here! [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* Only difference in this header compared to the previous version is the last part after the final hypen.
* This header stayed up for exactly 13 months. See link at the bottom.
* With the [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|preorder]] version coming out in mid May 2024 the 10th anniversary edition ended up been in the header text almost 1 year and 7 month (except the month of [[#2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president|endorsing Harris]]), thus it was on the header for 1.5 years in total.
* And before that what if? has been part of the header back to [[#2022-01-31 - What if? 2|2022-01-31]], when what if? 2 was announced.
* And three weeks before that the [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] for what if? 2 began. Of course there was no what if? word on that header as it was a surprise. But it turned out this was also a promotion for what if?
* And up until the day before the countdown (when there was one day with the old standard text) there was promotion for the first what if? book starting on [[#2021-12-20 - What If in stock|2021-12-20]].
** To sum it up, the header has been used to promote what if? continuously from December 2021 until at least the start of January 2026 (except one month with endorsing Harris and three weeks countdown that was for what if?) So more than 4 years in a row, only with a month for something political and the 3 weeks of countdown was also a promotion for what if?
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260106150417/https://xkcd.com/3190/ 2026-01-06] when [[3190: Tensegrity]] was on the front page.
**It had then been up for more than 13 months in a row by a day. There had been no change to the header text at all during 2025.

===2024-11-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page when the text changed.
* It returned to the exact same header text as before: [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241204160618/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-04] when [[3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar]] was on the front page.
** The only change was that the last part after the last hyphen changed from when you had to preorder to now that you could order the book.

===2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241017002108/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-17]
* For some reason the web archive failed to upload xkcd on the day it changed, but that it did change a day before can be seen in this other archive [https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[2999: Bad Map Projection: The United Stralia]] came out when this header was changed.
* Instead of text, it is a three part comic. In the first panel, [[Cueball]] (probably representing [[Randall]]) is shown walking, carrying a sign. In the second panel, he is seen hitting the sign with a hammer into the ground. In the third, Cueball is gone, and the front of the sign can be seen:
** <big>Harris for president</big>
* This is in reference to the 2024 presidential elections and shows that Randall endorses Harris.
* Randall posted the same image on his [https://x.com/xkcd/status/1853098106667114801 Twitter (formally X)] and [https://bsky.app/profile/xkcd.com/post/3la2jku6ace2f Bluesky] accounts on November 3rd, 2024, two days before the presidential election.
* It was up for a month until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241115181146/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2024-11-15] when [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page. It changed while that comic was still up back to the one from before.

===2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240515200351/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-15]
* [[2933: Elementary Physics Paths]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241015192147/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-15] while [[2998: Ravioli-Shaped Objects]] was on the front page.
After a month of endorsing endorses Harris the heder text returned to this again, see [[#2024-11-16_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-110-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? -preorder]].

===2024-03-20 - What If? is on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240320173158/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-20]
* [[2909: Moon Landing Mission Profiles]] came out when the header changed.
The only text version from the previous header was trimmed having some words removed taking it down from four to three lines (and solving the bad alignment that happened five days before at the end of the previous header text).
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is on YouTube! The first video answers
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed Hubble at Earth?]” Follow the
** [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif What If?] channel to be notified about new videos.
* The first link goes to the what if? page on xkcd and the other two links are to the YouTube channel and to its very first video.
The promotion of the what if? franchise continues for the second year running. A few words were taken off as the YouTube channel was no longer new at this point.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240514034349/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-14], while [[2932: Driving PSA]] was on the front page. But the what if? promotion continued

===2023-11-29 - What If? is now on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20231129184009/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-29]
* [[2861: X Value]] came out when the header changed.
There was only text this time.
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is now on YouTube!
** Check out the first video for the answer to
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed the Hubble Telescope at Earth?]”
** and follow [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif xkcd’s What If? The Video Series channel] to be notified about each new video.
* The links goes to the what if page on xkcd and the other two links is to the new YouTube channel with videos of some of the what if articles and to the very first video.
This is thus not a promotion of the what if? 2 book but still promotion of the what if? franchise.
A small change happened on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240314113602/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-14], as the first two lines became one line which made the alignment worse. So it seemed strange to do this. It looked like normal up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20240313113429/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-13]. But it only lasted five days before a change was made that made it into a new although very similar header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240319134138/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-19], while [[2908: Moon Armor Index]] was on the front page, but was replaced by a very similar what if? header.

===2023-08-31 - What if? 2 is now available in paperback in the UK!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230831200321/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-31]
* [[2822: *@gmail.com]] came out when the header changed.
* The image to the right stayed, but after more than a half year with no text, text was added to the left of the picture because the paper back was available in the UK.
** As opposed to the previous headers this was plain text and not a picture.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What if? 2 is [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK now available] in paperback in the UK!
** what if? 2
* The link goes to https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK, the page on xkcd about the What if? 2 book, and directing to the UK order links where there now also it a paper back version.
This version was still up in the middle of November 2023 when this segment was updated.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20231128174224/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-28], while [[2860: Decay Modes]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? header.
* Although it was not specifically related to the new book. Thus it ended a more than 22 month long constant promotion of the book since the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] began in January 2022.

===2023-02-17 - What if? 2 picture only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230217185629/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-17]
* [[2739: Data Quality]] came out when the header changed.
* For the first time in a very long time there is no real header text. Only the small red picture with the plane and the title of the what if? 2 book in the right section of the header. As it has been since [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] stopped.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230830064414/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-30], while [[2821: Path Minimization]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header.

===2022-09-23 - What if? 2 Instant New York Times Bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220923182825/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-23]
* [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page when the header changed.
** The header celebrates that the new what if? 2 book has become an instant New York Times bestseller.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2
** Instant New York Times bestseller.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230216181705/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-16], while [[2738: Omniknot]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header,

===2022-09-13 - What if? 2 is available now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220913142432/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13]
* [[2672: What If? 2 Flowchart]] was released as the header changed, even though it was a Tuesday.
** The header and the comic celebrates the release of the new what if? 2 book, that came out on this day.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2 is available now!
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This thus ended the pre-release promotion of the book, that began on [[#xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|2022-01-31]], plus of course the three weeks of [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] before. For a sum total of 8 months and three days.
* It will be interesting to see how long before any reference to what if? 2 will disappear from the header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220922150042/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-22], but was replaced by another What If? 2 header, while [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page.

===2022-09-12 - One day to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220912125617/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-12]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** One dayuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>I'm going to spend the day with that Les Mis song stuck in my head, aren't I.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-12 it was ''F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of N Bottles of Beer On the wall followed by F(N-1)'' to release day.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
** Les mis song, referring to a song from the musical les miserables titled "One Day More", he now has stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220913134002/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13].
** This was while [[2671: Rotation]] was still up, early on the release day of the new book.

===2022-09-12 - Three days to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220911102450/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-11]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Three daysuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Assuming it's still Saturday. I'm a static png image and can't perceive time.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header only stayed the same for one day and [[2670: Interruption]] was still up when it changed to the next.

===2022-09-07 - Less than one week to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220907211736/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-07]
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was still up.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are four lines of text. With the middle line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over four lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Less than one weekuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Oh no, now I have that song stuck in my head.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-07 it was ''one pico-universe-lifetime'' to release day. But the next day 2022-09-08 it was ''The Baby Shark chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks''.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220910024549/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-10].
** This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was up.

===2022-08-27 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220827232205/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-27]
* [[2664: Cloud Swirls]] came out when it changed.
* The header [[#2022-08-16 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|changed back]] to the preorder image from the previous header, when Randall's book tour ended. See the link.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220906191403/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-06].
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was up.

===2022-08-17 - What if? 2 book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220817161136/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-17]
* [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was out when it changed.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this there is text to the left. Then Cueball is seen flying by holding on to a single balloon (like in [[1110: Click and Drag]]). He flies over five mountain peaks with snow, with three clouds and three distant birds in front of him, as he drifts to the right, as shown with movements lines behind him. In front of him is a dark feature at the bottom of the frame. Above this is a blue square (like a button) with white text.
* The text:
** I'm going on a what if? 2 book tour!
** Click to see where
** what if? 2
*** The image to the left is a link to [https://xkcd.com/events/ randall munroe: events] page on xkcd. Which at the time showed the calendar with the planned stop for his book tour, which covered the US and London.
*** As always the link button in blue is not the only part of the image that is a link, as he just mentioned in the [[#2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|previous header text]], and several times before...
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This header thus continues the promotion of the new book, which was at the time was only 27 days away (or [[2636:_What_If%3F_2_Countdown|6 dog months]]).
* It will be interesting to see how long it takes before promotion for the book disappears from the header. It may still take months.
The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220826202043/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-26].
* This was while [[2663: Tetherball Configurations]] was up.

===2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220811055445/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-11]
* [[2657: Complex Vowels]] came out as it changed.
The message in the header was not really changed, but the meaning of the text from the previous header was now written in an image, although the text did change somewhat.
* The header thus still consist of two parts. To the left the new image with an picture of the book and text. And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this to the right is the new text. To the left is a picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Preorder what if? 2 and enter for a chance to win a comic inspired by your question! Click here to learn more. Or click wherever. This whole image is a link because html is hard.
** what if? 2
*** In the left image there is a blue link font on the word "here" in click here. However the entire left image is a link to the [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 what if 2 contest]. As explained he did not only make the word a link because html is hard! This is something Randall [[xkcd_Header_text#2014-07-23_-_what_if.3F_book_tour|often comments on]].
**** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
**** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
**** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220816124823/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-16].
** This was while [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was up.

===2022-07-19 - Preorder What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220719153239/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-19]
* [[2647: Capri Suns]] came out as it changed.
The header looked a lot like the previous one, only part of the text changed.
* The header thus still consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over four lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** Preorder What If? 2 (all US preorders eligible) and [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 enter our contest] for a chance to win a dedicated comic and What If blog post!
** what if? 2
*** The image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
*** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220810034709/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-10].
** This was while [[2656: Scientific Field Prefixes]] was up.

===2022-01-31 - What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220201000434/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-02-01]
* [[2575: What If? 2]] came out as it changed, and then it [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/36/Countdown_in_header_text_page_when_what_if_comic_came_out.png looked like this] already on 2022-01-31. But there is no archived version from that day after the header changed.
** This was what [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] had been counting down to.
** An announcement that Randall had written a sequel to the first ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book, based on his blog.
* The header consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over three lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in the countdown, but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plan ia the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions comes out 9/13. Preorder [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ here!]
** What If? 2:
*** The link goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about what if? 2: the book. The image is also a link to this page.
*** The entire comic that came out along with the new header text is also a link to that page.
* At the same time the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] in the top left section of xkcd also changed to include links to books, and especially this new book.
It will be interesting to see how long this version of the promotion for the new books stays up. But most likely there will be promotion for the book until release, and then more after the release.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718145816/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-18], for more than 5,5 month. This was while [[2646: Minkowski Space]] was up.
** The change was rather small, but part of the text changed. The promotion continued though.

===2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10].
* [[2565: Latency]] was still up when the [[Countdown in header text]] was added.
* The text was still the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But a countdown was added. This was inserted in a rectangular box, placed at the end of the standard header text.
** In some browsers the box forces the last word "Friday" to jump down to the next line.
* Inside the box the following time was displayed in the version in the link:
** 20d 20h 27m
*** This clock will also count down every minute, although it will return to the time at the time of archive when reloaded!
*** While this was edited into this wiki the time had changed to 20d 19h 12m. So it was a very fresh download in the web archive, only about 1 hour old when it was updated to this wiki.
*** The minutes change without refreshing the page, and follows this editors computers clock exactly, so it will end at 59 minutes, not at a full hour.
** It looks like it started on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ 01-10 17:00 UTC].
*** A calculation shows that this countdown will reach zero on Monday 2022-01-31 at 14:59 (2:59 PM) {{w|UTC}}.
*** This will be at 9:59 (9:59 AM) in [[Randall]]'s home town
**** The last ten minutes it switched to seconds for the last minute so it made the switch 15:00 UTC 10:00 in Boston!
*** From that it can be deduced that the count started at 20d 22h 0m
**** The first image on the archive thus came 1h 33m after the count began.
* At [https://web.archive.org/web/20220111153818/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] a diagonal black bar appeared in the lower left-hand corner of the countdown box.
** After that the [[Countdown in header text]] page was created and any further development on the count down will be mentioned on that page.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220131124817/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-31] when [[2574: Autoresponder]] was on the front page.
* This archived version was when the counter was at 0d 2h 11m, and the last normal frame was already up at this time.
** It stayed like this until the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/1/17/Countdown_in_header_text_page_0_seconds.png counter ran out].
*** Then for a few minutes the final frame, that revealed that all this was a promotion for Randall's new book what if? 2 was up [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/4/48/Countdown_in_header_text_page_just_after_countdown.png while the Friday comic was still up].
*** Then when the new Monday comic came out with the promotion for what if? 2, the header changed.

===2022-01-08 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220108044654/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-08].
* [[2565: Latency]] came out around the time the new header text appeared, on a Friday!
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2018-11-07 - Back to standard text|2018-11-07]] that the text had changed back to that, and at that time it lasted until 2019-02-05.
** That is 1067 days (less than a month short of three years) without the standard text! (Can it be called standard anymore?)
* It was only left in the complete standard version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220109030513/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-09] when Latency was still on the front page.
** Then the next day a [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] was added to it.
*** That was after the weekend on Monday but before the Monday comic came up.
*** So only during the weekend was it normal standard header text.

===2021-12-20 - What If in stock===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20211220211220/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-20].
* [[2557: Immunity]] came out around the time the new header text appeared.
* The text:
** For anyone trying to find What If? this year, it's in stock at [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 Barnes & Noble], [https://m.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Randall-Munroe/9780544272996 Books-a-Million], and [https://bookshop.org/books/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-9781483041827/9780544272996 Bookshop]
* Each store name is a link to the corresponding store's page for ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]''.
It was last seen on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220106100957/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-06] when [[2564: Sunshield]] was up.

===2020-06-03 - Black Lives Matter===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200604003700/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-03].
* [[2315: Eventual Consistency]] came out as a new header text was finally inserted after almost two months without one.
* Cueball is standing to the left and speaks a single line of text: "Black Lives Matter"
* To the right is a gray link button with text: "[https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ How To Help]."
* As always, the entire image (which is only below the xkcd logo) is a link
** The button is thus not needed, but it will also work when clicking the location of the button.
* The link goes to [https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ Join Campaign Zero].
** {{w|Black Lives Matter}} is a loose, grassroots, decentralized confederation of groups and individuals advocating for racial justice. It arose in 2013 after the acquittal of {{w|George Zimmerman}}, who took the life of {{w|Trayvon Martin}}.
** Randall's featuring Black Lives Matter came on the heels of the {{w|Killing of George Floyd}} on May 25th 2020, which had sparked {{w|George Floyd protests|protest in the US}}
** Floyd died while saying "{{w|I can't breathe}}," which was already used due to other Black men's killings, the first was from the {{w|Killing of Eric Garner}}, back in 2014.
It stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200616114945/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-16] when [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200617131438/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-17] the link changed to [https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Black Lives Matter]. [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was still on the front page on that day.
On April 1st 2021 the front page header changed to mention who made the April Fools' Day comic.
* But this was only for this comic [[#Checkbox|Checkbox]].
* The rest of the pages kept the BLM header and it returned to this on the front page once the next comic was released on April 5th. At that time it will have been up for 13 months, making it the longest header different from the standard header.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20211219202204/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-19] when [[2556: Turing Complete]] was on the front page.
* At that time it had been up for 564 days or 1,5 year plus 16 days! This is most likely a record.

===2020-04-05 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042955/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-05].
* [[2289: Scenario 4]] came out and the header belonging to the previous comic was removed.
* But no new header was inserted. Not even the go to [[#Header text|Header text]] about the release days of xkcd.
** Since the previous header was related only to the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[2288: Collector's Edition]], and that had stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book, after first experiencing problems with its release, it seems Randall forgot what he usually put in the header.
It stayed empty like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200602213017/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-02] when [[2314: Carcinization]] was on the front page.
* So almost two month without a header. This had not happened before.

===2020-04-04 - Put together by===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-04].
* [[2288: Collector's Edition]] came out and the header changed.
* The text:
** Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
*** All names have links except the last.
* It thanks those that helped Randall create this years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!
* Since this header was related only to the Fool's comic, it was thus removed from the general header, but it stayed up as [[#Collector.27s_Edition|one of]] the permanent [[#Unique_header_text|unique header texts]].
** However, when it was removed from the general header, the header was left empty.
** Unlike some other headers that stayed on a given comic, this one was on all comics for the duration of the time it stayed on the front page, see for instance the previous comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403232031/https://xkcd.com/2287/ 2020-04-03].

===2020-04-02 - Technical Reasons===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200402234828/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-02].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was up when the header changed.
Randall turned out to, again, have problems with his complicated and interactive [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] for 2020.
* The text:
** Note: For technical reasons Wednesday's comic will be posted Thursday instead. Apologies for the delay!
This finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].
It stayed up a day longer than planed as the fool's comic, [[2288: Collector's Edition]] was first released on Friday, so the note was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403012612/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-03].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] thus stayed two extra day on the front page, and the third comic of that week, [[2289: Scenario 4]] was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!

===2020-01-16 - How To explores - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200116190038/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-16].
* [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was still up when the header changed.
* The ongoing promotion of the book continued but here more than three weeks after Christmas the reference to Christmas was removed.
* The header then returned to the one from before Christmas:
** [[#2019-11-22 - How To explores|How To explores]] - see that for all other details.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200401221435/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-01] when [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was on the front page.
* It was the problems with [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] of 2020 that finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].

===2019-12-02 - Into Science===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191202223745/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-02].
* [[2236: Is it Christmas?]] came out when the header changed. Fitting as the change is about Christmas list.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, continuing to make the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd.
** The links below to order are the same as in the previous header.
** Actually most of the header stays the same with the same four images and the same layout. But the text above has changed completely and the two main text sections between the drawings has changed but only slightly. The description of the images is thus left out, see below. Only new thing is that there are now two red circles connected with a red arrow. The first circle is around the word How To at the end of the first text with the arrow going from that circle to the second circle drawn around the picture of the book.
* The text:
** Is there someone on you Christmas list who's into science? They might like my new book '''''How To'''''
** It explores ridiculous ideas for applying scientific research to everyday problems...
** ...And illustrates what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200115155040/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-15] when [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-22 - How To explores===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191122214439/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22].
* [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] was up when the header changed. It most likely changed when the comic appeared. Earlier on that day it was the previous header over the previous comic.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here again making the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd, after it previously was a link to where to listen to the audio book.
** The links below to order returns to the same as in the header before the previous header with links to audio books, except that the link to an exclusive edition has been removed.
** The header consist of an image with text above five small drawings with two text parts in between them. To the left is the closed How To book which is black with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. To the right of the book is a drawing of Ponytail pole-vaulting with two black helium filled balloons. Next to her is the first text segment. Then after that is the drawing, seen before in the header text, of a truck towing a house up a steep hill. This truck goes above the second text segment, with Cueball somersaulting above the text. Furthest right, above and just right of the text is an explosion with the sound written inside. Below the header image is some black text and then the links to where to get it as regular blue link text.
* The text:
** My new book '''''How To''''' explores the science behind spacecraft heat shields, butterfly metabolisms, and land border surveys...
** ...By imagining ridiculous ideas for applying the research to you everyday life...
** ...And illustrating what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191201191025/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-01] when [[2235: Group Chat Rules]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-06 - Audio clip===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191106204314/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-06].
* [[2224: Software Updates]] was still up when the header changed, but the first archive version was first from after the next comic came out [[2225: Voting Referendum]].
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here making the image a link to the How To book on Penguin Random House's audio book, where an audio clip read by Wil Wheaton can be sampled.
** The links below to order have now changed to those with audio books.
** The header consist of an image with text, with a "blue link", above the How To book that is being folded out from closed; to partially open; to opened up on two full pages; this takes three images. The closed book is the black book with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. The partly open book still has this cover partly visible, but unreadable, as well as come unreadable text in the open side. The open book shows two pages with lots of unreadable text and three figures (maybe one is a table). Next to the open book there is an arrow to the right pointing at an audio icon with three audio lines in front. Below the header image are the links as regular text.
* The text:
** You can click here to hear a clip from the audio version of '''''How To''''', read by Wil Wheaton.
** [https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world/id1475319694 Apple], [https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems/369279 Audiobooks], [https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/How-To-Audiobook/1473680360?qid=1574679523&sr=1-1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=DX3EZ14M14CFQPP9GHJY&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1 Audible], [https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Randall_Munroe_How_To?id=LzSGDwAAQBAJ Google Play], and [https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525635680 Libro.fm]
* The entire image is a link to the [https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576760/how-to/ How To book on Penguin Random House] page, where the audio clip can he played.
** As always it is the entire picture that is a link, and not only the blue underlined text that says click here!
It was last on the archive on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191122044456/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22] when [[2231: the Time Before And After Land]] was on the front page. But it was most likely still up when [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] came out. But then changed during the next day.

===2019-10-02 - Horse vs football team===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191002005854/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-02].
* [[2210: College Athletes]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed. This time the image seems to be from one of the How To explanations in the book.
** The links below to order are the same as the previous header.
** But new text is added after the links to promote two events with Randall in New York the two days after this header came up.
*** These links disappeared after a week leaving only the picture and the link to buy the book. See below.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball riding bareback on a horse. He comes from the left holding an American football. Running towards him from the right are eight American football players with helmets with three stars on the back of the helmet. Two of the players at the back are almost hidden by players in front of them. Beneath them is a line of text that belongs to the image, the period at the end of the sentence hangs in height with the center line of the last letter E... Then below the image follows the link and promotion of the NY events, these are written in regular.
* The text:
** My new book ''How To'' is out now! You can get it here.
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target] I'll be at New York Comic Con! I'm giving [https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Explore/Panels/Panels-And-Screenings/#/event/how-todo-anything-with-randall-munroe-creator-of-xkcd a talk on Thursday], and on
** Friday [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event at Caveat NYC].
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The link to Target still seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably a still undiscovered error on Randall's part?
This header changed, but so slightly that the changes will only be mentioned here rather than in a new section:
* The first link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191004014438/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-04]
* Then the day after only the second link remained from [https://web.archive.org/web/20191005041539/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-10-05]. [[2211: Hours Before Departure]] came out when it changed.
** But the text of this link changed as it had been a continues text from one to the other link. Also it was not entirely on it's own line, thus not as with the first link whose text was directly connected to the line with the links to buy the book.
** The new text of that link was:
*** [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event] Friday night at Caveat NYC!
*** The last link was the same, but now it only covered two words not the entire end of the sentence.
** This other link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191007042707/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-07].
* And then the last link was gone by [https://web.archive.org/web/20191008053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-08], when [[2212: Cell Phone Functions]] came out.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191105164001/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-05] when [[2224: Software Updates]] was up.

===2019-09-30 - Tons of fun===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190930234245/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-30].
* [[2209: Fresh Pears]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed to how much fun it was for Randall to write it and how proud he is of the result. Randall, as Cueball, is saying this in the new header image.
** The links below to order are the same, except a new has been added at the end.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball standing to the left of the book, shown as tall as he is. The book is opened up on two pages with lots of unreadable text as well as three drawings, only one of these, with a circle diagram, can clearly be seen. Cueball is speaking, and the text is above him and the book. Two words are blue with a line under as if they where a link. But as always the entire image is a link. Beneath the image is the links on where to order the book.
* The text:
** Writing my new book '''''How To''''' was tons of fun and I'm so proud of the result. It's out now-Click Here to order!
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The new link to Target seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably an error on Randall's part.
It ended on October 2nd while [[2210: College Athletes]] where up. But there is no archived versions from the 1st of October and the one from the 2nd is with the next version. But the editor of this was making changes to the explanation of College Athletes before the next header change came along.

===2019-09-11 - How To available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190911053115/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-11].
* [[2200: Unreachable State]] was still up when the header changed.
* The release day part of the promotion was changed to telling that the new [[How To]] book was available. With teasers about what is in the book below the heading. On either side of the text a picture of the book is still shown. Also the links below changed, adding three new and removing one old.
** The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the links on where to order it.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font.
* The text:
** How To is available now!
** Learn how to open bottles with nuclear weapons and how to be on time for meetings by altering the Earths rotation. The book also features advice from real-life experts including Chris Hadfield and Serena Williams.
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* {{w|Serena Williams}} is a famous tennis player who was also featured in one of the [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion comics]] for How To: [[2190: Serena Versus the Drones]]
* {{w|Chris Hadfield}} is a Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. The first Canadian to walk in space, Hadfield has flown two Space Shuttle missions and served as commander of the International Space Station.
** The new link to audible probably needs the user to be signed up, else it will go to the front page and ask yo to sign up. But from the archive the page can be seen [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923004816/https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 here].
Up till [https://web.archive.org/web/20190922143253/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-22] it looked like this.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923145251/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-23] and extra link was added after Audible:
** [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target].
* [[2205: Types of Approximation]] was up when this change occurred during a weekend.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190929223547/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-29] when [[2208: Drone Fishing]] was up.

===2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190904051509/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-04].
* [[2198: Throw]] was already up when the header changed slightly, as the text below Happy release day changed.
Most of the header stayed the same as the [[#2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar|day before]], but the reference to the Gregorian/Julian calendar was changed.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text.Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flowing on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan comes who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** Happy How To release day!
** Available wherever books are sold.
** (Mostly bookstores, I assume but you can always try your luck at Wendy's.)
* See below for any other details.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190909211737/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-09] when [[2200: Unreachable State]] was up.

===2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190903051503/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-03]
* [[2197: Game Show]] was still up when the header changed, but it was for sure to coincide with [[2198: Throw]] which came out later on the release day while it still looked like in this version.
* Randall celebrated the release day of [[How To]], coming out the day the header changed.
** The comic is also a reference to a chapter in the book on how to throw things. A very complicated interactive comic where different persons or other living things can be chosen to throw dead or living things. The trow will then be shown below with distance measured in two units, normal and special. That is if the thrower can actually manage to throw the thing.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. The two black books have red stars around them, five on the outer side of the image and 6 on the inner, the stars are mirrored around left and right book. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** How To Randall Munroe
** Happy How To release day!
** (Gregorian calendar. The Julian edition doesn't come out for 13 more days.)
** How To Randall Munroe
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Most of the world uses the {{w|Gregorian calendar}}, but before it was taken into use, the {{w|Julian calendar}} was in use.
** The Julian calendar does not take into account that every 100 years a leap year should be passed as in the Gregorian calendar, and thus it is at the moment 13 days behind, as it has has this many February 29th too many. Since there should actually be a leap year every 400 year, and the last of those was 2000, then it has been 13 days since 1900, and will stay like this until 2100 when it will become 14 days.
** The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Already the next day the part of the header below happy release day about the Gregorian calendar changed. See [[#2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore|above]].

===2019-08-27 - Out in a week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190827082224/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27].
* [[2194: How to Send a File]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], coming out a week from this header.
** It is only three lines of text
* The text:
** My new book, How To, comes out next week!
** Read an exclusive excerpt about transmission [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* Later [https://web.archive.org/web/20190827184229/https://xkcd.com/2194/ on the same day], (and here for the next day [https://web.archive.org/web/20190828095401/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27] for the front page), more text and links where added, plus the order of the text was changed.
* The later text was:
** My new book, [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To], comes out in a week! ([https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/23/book-tour-and-contest-winner/ Book tour info])
** You can preorder it now to get a copy when it's released:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
** You can also read an exclusive excerpt about file transfers [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
* The link to the book tour also include the winner of the [[#2019-06-25 - People with books|contest]] to get Randall to add "your" city to his book tour.
** The winner was {{w|Juneau, Alaska}}.
It ended on the release day 2019-09-03, so this was last on the page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902042108/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-02].

===2019-08-06 - Win a sketch===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06].
* [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was up when the header changed.
** Most likely the header changed when that comic came out on 2019-08-05. But the previous header was also out during that day.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now making a competition where you can win a stick figure sketch of yourself. (Although only for US residents!)
** The image shows Hairy, with a cat at his feet and Megan (or Danish?) with a samurai sword. They are standing with their backs towards each other, the cat on the left, Megan facing right with the sword towards the words.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** Want to win a sketch of yourself as a stick figure? [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ Click here] to find out how!
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''Win an xkcd sketch''
*** That is even though only the click here part of the text is in blue, like a link.
*** Cause as he often has written: I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps, most recently in the [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]] header.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190826062701/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-26] when [[2193: Well-Ordering Principle]] was up.

===2019-08-03 - First look inside===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190803222711/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-03].
* [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now stating that it comes out next month.
** Set to be released on September 3rd 2019, this update was made exactly one month before.
** The image shows text to the left of three drawings of the book: First the closed book showing the black front cover with blue and white text and white drawings, then the book is partly opened, and finally it lays opened up showing two pages, with a readable heading on the right page.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** My new book comes out next month. Click here for a first look inside!
** [On the books front cover only two thins can be read:]
*** How To
*** Randal Munroe.
** [These two words can also partly be read on the opening book.]
** [Only the large heading can be read on the right page of the open book:]
*** How to Dig a Hole.
** [These two pages also became part of a special comic relased during the weekend when this header was up: [[Disappearing Sunday Update]].]
** [The [[Disappearing_Sunday_Update#Transcript|transcript of that comic]] describes the images in the open book.]
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/02/how-to-chapter-list-and-introduction/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''How To: Chapter list and introduction''.
It stayed up like this while the special [[Disappearing Sunday Update]] came out on Sunday 2019-08-04, and was there still on Monday [ https://web.archive.org/web/20190805050812/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-05], at least during the time that the Sudan Update was still up.
* When the next comic came out late that Monday, it probably disappeared along with the Disappearing comic, but the first update with the next header is from Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06], but the Monday comic [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was still on the front page at that time,.

===2019-07-23 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190723205152/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-23].
* [[2179: NWS Warnings]] was up when the header changed.
It returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon header, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]]
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190802192259/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-02] while [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up. The day after when it changed that comic was still up.

===2019-07-15 - ComiCon===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190715181016/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-15].
* [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up when the header changed.
Randall tells that he will be at ComicCon and links to his plans there.
* The text:
** Going to San Diego Comic Con this week? I'll [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/07/15/san-diego-comic-con/ see you there]!
*** The link is to a [[Blag]] post about his plans for the ComicCon
* Randall appeared in a couple of panels, and gave a talk.
* Finally he also handed out signed copies of his new [[How To]] book more than a month before official release.
** So still promoting the book, also in this header...
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190722192637/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-07-22] the day after the ComiCon ended, while [[2178: Expiration Date High Score]] was up.
* Then it returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon announcement when [[2179: NWS Warnings]] came out.

===2019-07-10 - Adding links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190710165920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-10].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was still up when the header changed slightly from that fro the day before.
* Only change was that beneath the picture, see [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]], there is now a list of four links to companies where the book can be preordered.
* The extra text:
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
Note that the day after this change, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190711172451/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-11], a link to [[How To]] was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|links]] in the top left corner of xkcd.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190714175710/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-14] when [[2175: Flag Interpretation]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up.

===2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190709162102/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-09].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]].
** The image shows a small picture of his book with text on either side.
** Below are what appears to be three drawings from the book. [[Ponytail]] pole vaultig with three baloons in one hand, then text, then a truck with a house behind it speeding fast up a hill then text and finally [[Cueball]] somersaulting towards an explosion.
** To the right there is a big blue button to click for preorder, with text below.
* The text:
** New book [Arrow points to book. Title can be read: How To]
** How To: Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** It's a guide to bad ways to do things...
** ...And what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** Click here to preorder
** Or click anywhere. I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps.
*** The entire picture is a [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ link] to the official [[How To]] page on xkcd: https://xkcd.com/how-to/
*** See [[1572: xkcd Survey]] where Randall mentions that he cannot make imagemaps.
It stayed up like this only for a day, then an extra line of links was added the day after while the same comic was still up, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]].
* But the general header stayed up first for five days, and then it returned again for 10 more days after a break to announce a [[#2019-07-15 - ComiCon|ComiCon visit]].
* So a total of 16 days with this drawing.

===2019-06-25 - People with books===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190625190843/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-25].
* [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], and his book tour.
** The image now shows 15 people standing side by side each holding a book up in front of them with unreadable titles.
** From left: [[Megan]], [[Cueball]], a man with blonde hair, [[Jill]], [[Blondie]], [[Hairy]], another Hairy, [[White Hat]], a kid with curly hair, [[Hairbun]], another Cueball, another Megan, a guy with a knit cap, [[Ponytail]], and [[Beret Guy]].
** Above them is a text message.
* The text:
** Want to bring me to your town for my '''''How To''''' book tour? Click to find out how to enter the challenge!
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** A longer sentence will improve your chances.
**** This is indeed what this header picture shows.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190708155517/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-08] when [[2172: Lunar Cycles]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up.

===2019-06-15 - Adding dates===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190615100645/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-15]
* [[2163: Chernobyl]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall only made a small change to the one that had been up for four days at this time.
* The text only changed by adding a line below the first line:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Click here for dates and tickets]
*** The rest of the header is exactly the same as on [[#2019-06-11 - Book tour|2019-06-11]], except everything is a bit smaller to make room in the same place for the extra line.
*** The link is not located on the blue part of the text and it was already there before this update.
*** Best guess is that not many clicked through and Randall then made it obvious that there was a link.
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click. But it is easier to make a place for people to click than tell them this...
The header stayed like this until 2019-06-25, when it changed while [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up. But this one was still up when that comic came out the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20190624162740/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-24].

===2019-06-11 - Book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190611031920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-11]
* [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was up when the header changed.
** '''Note''' when this change happened two new links was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] section of xkcd.
* Randall changed the header text to announce the official book tour for his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 3 months later.
* The text:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Below this header is a map of the mainland USA with 14 labeled black dots indicates the 14 cities that the book tour will take Randall to. One red dot with five red question marks above is located beneath the map to the left, indicating a 15th city to be chosen in a contest. Above the map to the right is a small picture of the book with the blue title on the black cover. Above the book is the release date and with an arrow pointing down to the book.]
** September 3rd
** How to
** Seattle
** Portland
** San Francisco
** Santa Cruz
** Los Angeles
** Salt Lake City
** Kansas City
** Ann Arbor
** Cincinnati
** Louisville
** Cambridge
** New York
** D.C.
** Raleigh
** ????? (Chosen by readers)
** [The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.]
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** Only US cities can apply.
* The header only stayed exactly like this for three days, and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190614094729/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-14] when [[2162: Literary Opinions]] was on the front page.
** Then it changed slightly to indicate that the picture was a link which was not clear before. See above.

===2019-05-17 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190517103928/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-17]:
* [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was still up when the header changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with Google reader here below.
* See [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|2019-02-06]] below for all details.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610055519/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-06-10], while [[2160: Ken Burns Theory]] was still up on the day the next comic [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was to be released (where the new header could be found at least the next day, but maybe from the release of that comic?). Then it changed to announce the book tour for his new book.

===2019-04-23 - Google Reader===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190423155458/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-23]:
* [[2140: Reinvent the Wheel]] came out when it changed, ending a more than two and half month long [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|promotion]] of Randall's new book [[How To]].
* Randall changed the header text to ask if the reader still mourned the loss of {{w|Google Reader}} which closed on 2013-07-01, almost 6 years before this comic..
** He offers the possibility to sign up to receive the newest comic by e-mail.
* The comic may have relation to this, as some where using Google reader for different purposes when they closed it, without any chance of [https://www.google.com/reader/about/ getting your data out].
** The comic "Reinvent the Wheel" mentions that using external dependencies carry risks, such as Google closing down a feature. given the fact that the comic came out as the header changed it is probably not a coincidence.
* The text:
** Still mourning the demise of Google Reader? You can sign up to get new comics delivered by email [https://xkcd.com/newsletter/ here].
* The link is to https://xkcd.com/newsletter, where it is possible to submit your e-mail address and press a subscribe button.
** the following text is written above it:
** To receive the comic and news postings in your inbox, subscribe here.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190516100403/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-16], when [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was up. Then it changed back to the promotion of his new book.

===2019-02-06 - How to book===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06]:
* [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up at the time when it changed, having been up since Monday the 4th of February.
** Here it can be seen being on the front of xkcd on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], without the new text. This was also the last time the standard header text was used in several months.
** [[2108: Carbonated Beverage Language Map]] came up later on the day the header changed.
* Randall changed the header text to promote his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 7 months later.
** He added an image of the book with large text next to it regarding the release and links on how to preorder it.
** There was no direct relation to the comics released at the time, except of course that he kind of launched his new book with all the risk it involves, while having a comic called launch risk up. It was though a very different and more real type of launch risk (of a human carrying space rocket) in the comic.
* The text:
** [The book is shown to the left as a black rectangle with large blue text and smaller gray text. On the book cover, in white drawings, are seen Megan with a ladder and either Black or White Hat (hard to say on black background). Both are looking up on Cueball who is floating in the air with a quadcopter beneath either leg, trying to plug in an electric light bulb in a naked lamp hanging down near him. It seems he has already removed the broken light bulb, as he has one in both hands. And now he tries to put in the new one. He could have let Megan use the ladder...]
** [The header in blue above it all:] How To.
** [Sub header in gray to the left of Cueball:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [Author name in blue below the drawing:] Randall Munroe
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Creator of xkcd
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Author of what if? and Thing Explainer
** [Next to this book image are the following text:]
** [Large heading:] HOW TO
** [Normal size sub header:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [In smaller gray font below:] Available September 3, 2019.
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word still in gray:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* It stayed up for more than two and a half month and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190422030324/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-22], when [[2139: Email Settings]] was up. Then it finally changed to a new header without going back to the standard.

===2018-11-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07]
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], so two days less than three months.
** After this it did not return to the standard text for almost three years, but just short of a month before the third year without it, it returned on [[#2022-01-08 - Back to standard text|2022-01-08]].

===2018-11-06 - Election Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181106122850/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-06]:
* [[2068: Election Night]] (on election day the day after this comic was released).
** It added a larger comic above the two links from the previous header. Those links of the previous header text was still up the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], when [[2067: Challengers]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header once more to try to make more people vote, and in this case help others to vote.
** Once again directly related to the new comic about election night.
* The text:
** [A line of altering blue and red stars, blue first and last of two rows of nine starts around of the heading:]
** Election Day!
** [Below Black Hat and Ponytail to the left and Megan to the right of Cueball is checking their smart phones. Cueball is addressing the reader:]
** Cueball: The biggest thing you can do th help is to check in with friends and family and make sure they know when and where they're voting.
** [Below these four characters there is the following text with two arrows pointing left and right. Both are turning up to text/links on either side of the four:]
** Use these links to answer questions
** [To the left:] Where and how to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ Vote-org]
** [To the right:] What's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
** [Below was the two links from the previous header:]
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* It was only up one day and thus on ended the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07] when the next comic [[2069: Wishlist]] came out.
** The text then returned to the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
*** It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05].

===2018-11-02 - Where to vote===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02]:
* [[2067: Challengers]] (on the Friday, it was released).
** It added another link to the previous header text. That text was still up the day before on Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].
** That was while comic [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to let people know who is on their voting ballot, and as before there is also a link on how to register for voting.
** This is also directly related to the new comic that came out that day, about helping people to decide who to vote for, i.e. who is on their ballot.
* The text:
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, four days after the release of this comic.
* It was still up the day before the election day, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], and then it changed with the next comic.

===2018-10-22 - Register for voting===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181022120935/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-22]:
* [[2061: Tectonics Game]] (on a Monday, the 3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The standard text was still up Sunday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181021141446/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-21].
** The comic [[2062: Barnard's Star]] was released later that day.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to try to get people to register for voting.
* The text:
** Check your registration and find your polling place at [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, about two weeks after the release of this comic.
** It is generally believed that many of those not voting would have chosen democrats on election day, and thus Randall has an interest in getting as many as possible to register, see [[1756: I'm With Her]] (apart from the fact that he also most likely thinks that it is important to use the right to vote).
* It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02], when [[2067: Challengers]] came out.
** It was still there while [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].

===2018-09-13 - NY votes today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20180913133544/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-13]
* [[2045: Social Media Announcement]] (the day after the release of the comic.)
** It was not up when the comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180912131437/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-12].
* It was a short lived reminder that NY votes today below the usual standard text.
* The text:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** NY votes today! Find your polling place [https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ here]. (Zephyr Teachout for AG!)
* It ended with [[2046: Trum-]], the very next comic, on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180914175605/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-14], returning to the standard text.

===2017-11-26 - Christmas gifts===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20171126130857/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-26]
* [[1920: Emoji Sports]] had been up two days [https://web.archive.org/web/20171125125648/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-25] before the message changed from the normal version. But it changed the day before the next comic came up.
** It was changed to a commercial for Christmas shopping with a code for getting 5$ of the price with a codes for different online shops.
* The text:
** To anyone looking for Christmas gifts: Until Monday you can get $5 off
** [https://www.amazon.com/What-International-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544456866 What If?] and [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Thing Explainer] on Amazon with coupon code GIFTBOOK17.
** At Barnes & Noble, until Sunday you can get 20% off [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 What If?] and [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432 Thing Explainer] using code GIVETHANKS.
* It was only up a few days and ended with [[1922: Interferometry]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171130150053/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-30] where it returned to the standard text.
** But it was still up when the comic in between [[1921: The Moon and the Great Wall]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171129140033/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-29].

===2017-09-22 - Visiting the UK===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170922232616/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22]:
* [[1893: Thread]] (with its release).
** It was not up on the previous comic [[1892: USB Cables]], on the day they changed [https://web.archive.org/web/20170922025204/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22].
* It was an announcement that Randall would visit the UK next week.
* The text:
** I'll be visiting the UK next week! You can join me in London from September 30-October 2 (at [https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/randall-munroe New Scientist Live], [https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2017/october/public-lunchtime-talk--randall-munroe The Royal Institution], and [https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/randall-munroe-on-making-complicated-stuff-simple/ Intelligence Squared]), then from October 3-6 in [https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/public_lectures/randall_munroe_thing_explainer York], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thing-explaining-with-randall-munroe-tickets-37832289396 Edinburgh], [https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/randall-murray-thing-explainer/ Cambridge and Ely], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randall-munroe-book-signing-thing-explainer-tickets-38041072873 Oxford], and [https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on/2017/randall-munroe/ Cheltenham].
* Ended with [[1900: Jet Lag]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171010045802/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-10] when the text returned to normal.
** But it was still up the day before with [[1899: Ears]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171009040109/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-09].

===2017-07-31 - Thank you===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170731021227/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31]:
* [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] (3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The comic [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released later that day.
** Megan is holding hand with Cueball and next to them is two words above each other: Thank you.
** The image is also a link.
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170801042453/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/us/politics/senate-votes-repeal-obamacare.html How Each Senator Voted on Obamacare Repeal Proposals], an article showing the senate votes. (here in an archived version).
* Ended with [[1872: Backup Batteries]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170804152509/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-04], but was still up when [[1871: Bun Alert]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170803124342/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-03].

===2017-07-25 - Vote against health care bill===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25]:
* [[1867: Physics Confession]] (2nd day after release of the comic, it was not up on the first day: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-24]).
* Randall modified the xkcd header to ask readers to support voting against Donald Trump's new health care bill.
** The header was replaced with an image which is available in an archived version [https://web.archive.org/web/20170726150959im_/https://imgs.xkcd.com/notes/call-senate.png here].
** The image is also a link (and you can click anywhere on it to go to the link that is mentioned).
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170729003307/https://www.trumpcareten.org/daily TrumpCare Ten] (here in an archived version).
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click.
** Transcript of the image:
*** [Megan is holding hand with Cueball next to three lines of large text, the same height as they are:]
*** Please tell your senators to vote against this health care bill. It will hurt people.
*** [After these three lines there is a phone number in a very large bold font with a line of text below:]
*** 202-224-3121
*** Or click here for more info
*** [Below the above is a gray line which is split in the middle with gray text, and below that four state names in white text inside black boxes:]
*** Know anyone in these states? Ask them to call, too.
*** Alaska Maine Nevada Ohio West Virginia
* Ended while [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170731164828/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31], when it was replaced by a ''Thank you''.
** That comic came out already [https://web.archive.org/web/20170728124230/https://xkcd.com/ three days before] (Friday comic), but was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170730141019/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-30]) when the message changed sometimes between Sunday 30th and Monday 31st (where [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released).

===2017-01-21 - Update on previous===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170122003124/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]:
* [[1788: Barge]]
* It came up almost a month after Christmas but did not really change the sales pitch of the previous. It just removed the link image with the large red text, see previous version below.
* The text:
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
* Ended with [[1867: Physics Confession]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25].
** That comic came up [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ the day before] the above version of the header appeared.
** So the first day after release it was still the T-shirt commercial.
** And it did not return to the standard version in between.

===2016-11-28 - Christmas sale===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128153015/https://xkcd.com 2016-11-28]
* [[1765: Baby Post]]
* This came up in time for the Christmas sale of 2016.
* The text was
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
** Above the text there was an image with two black t-shirts with white print on the chest. They were located at either end of a large red text written in the text type used in the comic. This text said New xkcd shirts.
** The entire image was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* Ended with [[1788: Barge]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20170121114423/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]

===2016-04-23 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160423103108/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-23]
* When [[1671: Arcane ]] came out (probably 2016-04-22, but no earlier archived versions exist) the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this for more than 7 months until [[1764: XKCDE]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20161128093459/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-11-28].

===2016-04-04 - Protip on Garden===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185353/https://www.xkcd.com/#5dbfbb82-fc20-11e5-8001-42010a8e000d 2016-04-04]
* Because of the complexity of the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1663: Garden]], Randall needed to give people some advice, hence a [[:Category:Protip|protip]] was added.
** This came in several versions, not all managed to be documented in the archive. See more in the trivia for garden regarding the [[1663:_Garden#Header_text_after_release|Header text after release]].
* The header text became a protip with the following text (the first version not documented only had the first line):
** '''Protip''': If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
** You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.
* When the next comic, [[1664: Mycology]], was released two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406194653/https://xkcd.com/1664/ 2016-04-06], an extra line of text was added, due to the issues caused by Garden not being on the front page {{xkcd}} but only on the numbered page {{xkcd|1663}}.
** This change was first documented on the front page the day after on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160407010635/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-07]
** The change was of course also on and all the other comic and thus also on the Garden comic from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406192530/https://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-04-06].
* Text added below the other two lines:
** Note: If you're seeing today's comic in place of your garden, change the URL from xkcd.com/#<your code> to xkcd.com/1663/#<your code>.
*** This extra line was only there until next time the comic change, so last day was [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408145017/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08].
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408195958/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08] when [[1665: City Talk Pages]] was released the extra line was removed leaving the two written first here above.
** This was also the case on the Garden comic (and all other comics) from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408204740/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-08].
* The Protip stayed in the main header text until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160422102754/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-22] when [[1670: Laws of Physics]] was up.
** But even though it disappeared from main header and thus from all other comic it stayed on the Garden comic, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160423182630/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-23].
** And it has then turned out to become one of the permanent [[xkcd_Header_text#Garden|Unique header texts]].

===2016-04-04 - Back to standard text as Garden came up===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404123555/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04]
* For a brief period of time, when [[1663: Garden]] was finally released, the Header text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But this lasted less than 13 hours. (Time between the previous and next archived version is 13 hours and 7 minutes).
** As people needed guidance to the new complicated comic.

===2016-04-01 - April 1st comic - technical difficulties===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401204749/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01]
* When Randall had problem releasing [[1663: Garden]] several [[1663:_Garden#April_Fools.27_header_text|April Fools' header text]] arrived in short succession while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was still up.
* Each of these where simple text.
** The first from the link abve:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Please stand by!
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402125723/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2016-04-02] at 12:57:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Status update: Please stand by.
*** Status update: This is fine. Everything is fine.
*** Status update: Everything is on fire.
*** Status update: Searching for calendar systems in which Saturday is April 1st.
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402175822/https://www.xkcd.com 2016-04-02] at 17:58:
*** The Friday xkcd comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties
*** [Editor's note: Everything is on fire] and has been delayed until Sunday night.
* It stayed like the third version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160404054612/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04] three days after the April Fools' Day comic was supposed to come out, so Jack and Jill was up until it changed.
This was what was needed to stop more than 10 months of promotion of the [[Thing Explainer]] book, see below.

===2015-12-13 - Thing Explainer is available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151213194534/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-13]
* [[1615: Red Car]] was still up when the header changed.
** The change was that the promotion for where Randall was last week where removed and left only the promotion the book [[Thing Explainer]]:
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160401125621/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01] while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was on the front page.
** This was the last time that Thing Explainer was [[:Category:Book promotion|promoted]] in the header text.
*** The first time was [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|2015-05-14]], so it had been part of the header text for almost ten and a half month. That is a record!

===2015-12-05 - Thing Explainer is available and Next week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05]
* [[1612: Colds]] was up when the header changed.
** This was also at this time the [[2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer|previous header texts image] was moved below the comic.
* Randall goes back to a simple promotion of the book [[Thing Explainer]] listing where to boy it.'
** But he adds a line about where he will be next week, first to a book shop on Illinois and then later in Toronto, where the host was {{w|Ryan North}} from [https://qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics], one of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|comics Randall enjoys]].
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** I'll be in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151211002159/https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/event/naperville-reads-randall-munroe Naperville, IL] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205205714/https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indigo-exclusive-randall-munroe-tickets-18694384407 Toronto, ON] (with [https://qwantz.com/ Ryan North]!) next week.
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151212133400/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-12-12] while [[1615: Red Car]] was on the front page.

===2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151203234149/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-03]
* [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was still up when the header changed.
** This was a special one comic header text consisting of a large image with pages and excerpts from the book [[Thing Explainer]].
** The image was larger than most comics, and took away the focus of today's comic.
** So already two days after, when [[1612: Colds]] was released, the image was relegated to the being below the comic, but inside the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Main_comic|main comic]] segment, thus not a part of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Bottom_segment|bottom segment]].
*** But it was displayed in the header for all comics, here [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204030024/https://xkcd.com/1609/ an example] from the comic released two comics before 1611, [[1609: Food Combinations]].
*** See more (and the image) [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]] on the page for Thing Explainer.
* Description of the image:
** At the top are shown four pages from the book. Two mainly blue, left and right, with white text and large images and between them two mainly white pages with blue text and smaller images. None of the text is readable, but the two blue pages pictures can be understood even in this size.
*** The first page is number 2 about an animal cell: ''Tiny bags of water you’re made of''. It shows a detailed drawing of a human cell, with text at the top, and then several labels with text beneath that have arrows pointing to different parts of the cell.
*** The second page is number 31 about the cockpit of an airplane: ''Stuff you touch to fly a sky boat''. It shows the inside of a cockpit with view out of the four windows, with lots of buttons in the ceiling, and blue screens and instruments at the bottom. Out the windows can be seen clouds and Cueball hanging from a balloon (a reference to [[1110: Click and Drag]]).
**** A zoom in on this page is shown beneath the four pages, see more below.
*** The third page is page 27. What is on this page is a bit difficult to see, as there are no big drawings with clear meaning. It is the second page in a two page section on Data centers, with the second page focusing on the Computer: ''Computer building''. The pictures shows the data racks, to the right, and the individual computer components put into these, to the top left, with the wiring shown below to the left. Lots of text with arrows to different parts.
*** The fourth page is page 23 about Trees: ''Tree''. It clearly shows the silhouette of a white tree on blue background. Several animal live on, in and beneath it. Cueball is standing on the ground. All the text are beneath labels that points to parts of the tree or the tree dwellers.
** In between the two time two pages there is a readable text, split over five lines, with two arrow at the top going from the corners of the text to the near corners of the white pages to either side. And below three arrows, with two pointing similarly as the two top arrows, but starting at the bottom of the text, and one arrow pointing straight down from the middle of the text to the large image below.
** Beneath all this is a large image which shows a zoom in on the left part of the cockpit from the second page above. The zoom is focused on the two front windows, but only the left is entirely in the picture, and the balloon hanging Cueball, cannot be seen in this part of the right window.
*** At this zoom level, most of the text van be read (that is labels written on things or having arrows pointing to them). Clouds can bee seen out of both windows and in the background a rocket launch with smoke plume below the rocket is visible. The horizon line is well defines across both windows. Some of the instruments can be seen below the windows with text written on them. And some blue areas, mainly screens can be seen.
** Beneath this picture is a line with links to where the book can be ordered, like the one from the previous header text.
* The text:
** Pages from my new book, ''Thing Explainer'': Complicated stuff in simple words.
** [Labels in the cockpit]:
*** Sky
*** Ground (This should be below the sky. If it's above the sky, you're either having a big problem or doing something ''really'' fun.)
*** Use this stuff to tell the sky boat to fly itself.
*** Fly
*** How fast it feels IAS 172
*** Direction HDG 240
*** Fall or rise
*** How high 2500
*** Fly
*** Helpful screen
*** Where the ground is
*** You are: Flying
*** Look here if there is a problem
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image is a link to [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU Thing Explainer on Amazon].
* It was only part of the header for two days until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204050419/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-04].
** It was then moved below the comics as mentioned above from [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05] when the next comic [[1612: Colds]] came out.

===2015-11-24 - Thing Explainer is out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151124201602/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-24]
* [[1607: Supreme Court]] was still up, but [[1608: Hoverboard]] most have come out close to the change.
** See both [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 00:12] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125230753/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 23:07].
** Since this new "comic" was actually a {{w|browser game}} made to celebrate the release of Randall's new book, ''[[Thing Explainer]]'', which was released on the same day as this comic: Tuesday, November 24, 2015. The comic thus appeared on a Tuesday, replacing that week's normal Wednesday release to coincide with the release day.
** Hence it is a shame that there is no archived versions on the 24th showing Hoverboard on the front page. Even though the new version of the Header text is shown on the 24th, but on the previous comic.
* Cause all the header text is about is the release day of Thing Explainer!
** The top part is text with a line with large letters and a line below in brackets and using smaller letters. Below that there is a line dividing the text from the next part.
** Below follows the same header that was up as early as [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] with the open book and three lines of text.
* The text:
** My new book, [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer], is out today!
** (If you're in NYC, you can also [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925015809/https://stores.barnesandnoble.com:80/author/11170358 come see me]!)
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the ten-hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the order line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Already the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25], when [[1608: Hoverboard]] was up, an extra line (a link) was added below the above. A line was separating it from the links above:
** [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ A puzzle for UK readers]
*** This was to a blag post with A puzzle for the UK because he could not go to UK in person. So this was a kind of bonus for those who could solve it. (We need an entry on that here on xkcd...)
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20151127114432/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-27] is still looked like this but then when the next comic, [[1609: Food Combinations]], came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128130851/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-28] the line about seeing him in New York was removed.
* The version with the puzzle, but without the New York line, was then up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151201222148/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-01] when [[1610: Fire Ants]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151202225254/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-12-02] the line with the puzzle at the bottom was changed to:
** I'm doing a [https://www.facebook.com/AndyWeirAuthor/ live Q&A;] at 2:30pm PT with The Martian author Andy Weir.
*** The link is to {{w|Andy Weir}}'s Facebook page. And the Q&A can likely not be seen anymore.
*** Randall has made no less than two comics about the movie {{w|The Martian (film)|The Martian}}, [[1536: The Martian]] and [[1585: Similarities]].
** It only lasted that day, and this became the last day with this header text, so it ended while [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was up.

===2015-10-22 - World Polio Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151022200022/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-22]
* [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up when the header changed.
** Randall mentions World Polio Day and the comic he drew for Bill Gates' blog, [[XKCD Marks the Spot]].
** Although he still keeps mentioning the release date for [[Thing Explainer]].
* The text:
** We've [https://slate.com/technology/2015/08/no-new-polio-in-africa-for-one-year-gates-epidemiologist-on-vaccines-and-surveillance.html almost eradicated polio]. For World Polio Day, I drew a comic
** about the eradication efforts. You can see it on [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/XKCD-Marks-the-Spot Bill Gates's blog].
** My [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ new book] of complex diagrams and simple words comes out Nov 24th.
*** The last line is split from the Polio announcement with a line.
* Was there until [[1607: Supreme Court]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151124065108/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-11-24].
** That was the day that the book was released, and when the next comic [[1608: Hoverboard]] came out, it was a celebration of the book.

===2015-09-23 - Book trip and tool===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923044724/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-23]:
* [[1580: Travel Ghost]] was up when the header changed.
** Announcing the book trip for the [[Thing Explainer]] book as well as linking to a Thing Explainer word checker tool! Two lines of text with links.
* The text:
** News: Announcing my Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/im-going-on-a-book-trip/ book trip]. Come say hi!
** Other news: Announcing the Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/a-thing-explainer-word-checker/ word checker] tool!
*** Both links are to the [[Blag]], the first a schedule for his book trip, and the second telling about Randall's new [https://xkcd.com/simplewriter/ Simple Writer] that could help you ''Write Like Up Goer Five and Thing Explainer''.
* Was there until [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151021164208/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-21].

===2015-09-06 - New links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150906181550/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-06]:
* [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was still up when the header changed.
** The promotion of the book, [[Thing Explainer]], stayed the same with a picture above links to preorder it, but the links was reduced from four to two, the amazon link changed and a new company was added for the second link removing the other three.
** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details on the image.
* The new link text:
** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thing-Explainer-Randall-Munroe/dp/1473620910 Amazon.co.uk}, [https://www.waterstones.com/book/thing-explainer/9781473620919 Waterstones]
* Was there until [[1579: Tech Loops]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150919220105/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-22].

===2015-08-09 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150809230825/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-09]:
* [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was still up when the header changed.
** It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with other news here below.
*** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details.
* Stayed like this until [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154014/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-05], but the only change was that the links to preorder changed from four to only two.

===2015-06-06 - Other news===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150606084120/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-06-06]
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was still up.
** This was just adding some "Other news", but leaving the promotion of [[Thing Explainer]] unchanged as in the [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|previous header]], but adding two news stories in text below the link to preorder.
* The new text:
** In other news, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrdAvmr-MA Space Weird Thing] is delightful, and I feel surprisingly invested in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150720074919/https://twitter.com/xkcdbracket @xkcdbracket's] results.
*** The link to Space Weird Thing is a YouTube video with a simple words version of {{w|David Bowie|David Bowie's}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo Space Oddity] music video, using only the top then hundred words. The creators contributes the idea to the [[1133: Up Goer Five]] diagram which also inspired the book Thing Explainer, also promoted in this header text.
*** The other link is referring to [[1529: Bracket]] released 12 days before this update, as a twitter user made a survey going through all the brackets all the way to a winner was found. Seems Randall became interested in who won. See more on the comics page.
* Was there until [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150807181044/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-07]. Then it returned back to the previous header with only the promotion of the book.

===2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150515060322/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-15]
* [[1525: Emojic 8 Ball]]
* This was a more detailed promotion for Randall's new book: [[Thing Explainer]] to be published in November 2015, more than half a year after the announcement, compared to the previous change which was just a line and a link.
* The text:
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the then hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to preorder the book:
*** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the preorder line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150605082643/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-06-05], but only to add other information. The main promotion of the book stayed the same.

===2015-05-14 - New book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150514053623/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-14]
* [[1524: Dimensions]] was up.
** A single line announced the new [[Thing Explainer]] book, with link to the [[Blag]] post from the day before.
* The text:
** New book: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer!]
The [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion of the book]] stayed up with some changes for [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-12-13_-_Thing_Explainer_is_available|more than 10 month]] first stopping when Randall had [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-01_-_The_xkcd_April_1st_comic_is_currently_experiencing_technical_difficulties|problems with his April Fools' Day comic]] in 2016... It is a record length.
* The first came already the day after so this short announcement was only up on this day and ended with the next comic. See above.
* See more details on the promotion of the book on the Thing Explainer page [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]].

===2015-02-11 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150211154103/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-11]
* When [[1485: Friendship]] came out the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[1523: Microdrones]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184622/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-05-12], so just a day more than three months.

===2015-02-04 - Valentine cards only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150204051152/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-04]
* [[1482: NowPlaying]] came out as it changed.
** After the last day of ordering t-shirt had passed it changed back to the picture with the Valentine cards from the previous header, but without the t-shirt picture.
** See that [[#2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt|header change]], but only the first picture described.
* Ended while [[1484: Apollo Speeches]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150210005540/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-10].

===2015-02-02 - Last day shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-02]
* [[1481: API]] came out as it changed.
** Just letting people know it is the last chance to order the binary t-shirt.
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** Today is the last day to order the limited-run [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart binary heart shirt]!
** The last words is link to the shirt in the shop.
* Ended before the next comic was up, but still the day after, when it was too late to order: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150203022036/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-03].

===2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183442/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-29]
* [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell about both the two previous updates in the same header- Both about the collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards and his new Valentine t-shirt.
** There where two pictures, with a promotion of the two products and a link to them in the shop.
** On the left was text about the cards with a small drawing to the right of the text showing the four cards.
*** An ant talking to an aphids; Earth rotating about the sun but locked so one side melts; an ant with a fungus growing from it's head with a heart, and a Velociraptor skeleton where the last bit of the tail is put on by a person. The text on the cards are unreadable, but they can be seen via the link.
** The text (in three lines) was:
*** Webcomic science Valentine card collaboration
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines link to the cards] from the picture.
** The picture on the left shows binary numbers 0 and 1 in white on a black background. The middle of the three lines of those have message in red text.
** The text:
*** 0 1 0 1 0 Binary heart 1 1 1
*** 1 1 1 Valentine shirt 0 1
*** 0 0 0 1 [limited run] 0 0 1
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart link to the shirt] from the picture.
* Ended while [[1480: Super Bowl]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150201015913/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-01].

===2015-01-27 - Valentine's Day cards===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-27]
* [[1478: P-Values]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell that about a collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** I've teamed up with three other webcomic artists
** to make [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines a set of science-themed Valentine's Day cards]!
* There was a link to the cards on the store.
* Ended while [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128172147/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-28].

===2015-01-24 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150124110707/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-24]
* [[1477: Star Wars]] came out as it changed.
** It was to tell about a new type of t-shirt for Valentine Day.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** For Valentine's Day, you can get a binary heart shirt
** (from {{xkcd|99|comic #99!}}) in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart a limited run on TeeSpring]
* There was a link to [[99: Binary Heart]] and to the relevant t-shirt on the [https://teespring.com/ Teespring] home page.
* Ended while [[1478: P-Values]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150126133139/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-26].

===2014-12-22 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141222233233/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-22]
* [[1463: Altitude]] came out as it changed.
** After the Christmas sale deadline there was still merchandise in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** You can get xkcd shirts, prints, and posters in the [https://shop.xkcd.com/ store]!
* The word store was a link to the shop.
* Ended while [[1476: Ceres]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150123102318/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-23].

===2014-12-19 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141219092349/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-19]:
* [[1462: Blind Trials]] came out as it changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with order now here below.
* See [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|2014-12-17]] below for all details.
* Ended while [[1462: Blind Trials]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141221172450/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-21].

===2014-12-18 - Order now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218090650/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-18]
* [[1461: Payloads]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday and that it was rapidly approaching. This was a follow up on the [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|Wednesdays announcement]] the day before.
** The image was just four lines of text with several red and blue words.
* The text was:
** The xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
** Once it passes, there is no going back. The arrow of time drags us all
** Inexorably forward toward decay and disorder. toward the end of all things.
** Towards the empty silence of the grave. Order now!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text.
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141217085320/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-17]
* [[1461: Payloads]] came out as it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday. This was announced Wednesday two days before the deadline.
** The image was just text with the last word in each line in red and the xkcd store blue as a link.
* The text was:
** Looking for a gift?
** xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up!

===2014-12-03 - Christmas shopping===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141203132024/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-03]
* [[1455: Trolley Problem]] came out as it changed.
** It was to announce the start of the Christmas shopping on the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store]
** Four boxes with shipping details are shown. Two green and two red, alternating from green. Between them are three text messages in two, two and three lines.
* The text was:
** xkcd store
** Christmas shopping
** I will probably not ship you a bobcat.
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* The bobcat is a reference to [[325: A-Minus-Minus]].
* Ended while [[1460: SMFW]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-11-29 - Thanks - Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141129211604/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-29]
* [[1453: fMRI]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to thanks for all the help his friend Emily with cancer got through among other his previous header text [[#2014-11-27 - Help Emily| Help Emily]].
** That only needed to be up two days before the goal was met.
* The text was:
** Thank you for helping my friend Emily.
** It means so much.
* Ended three days later while [[1454: Done]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141202065133/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-02].

===2014-11-27 - Help Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141127005239/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-27]
* [[1452: Jurassic World]] came out as it changed.
** It was to help a friend who got cancer by raising money for her.
* The text was:
** Hey all. My friend Emily—the economist who helped
** me with my {{xkcd|980|money chart}}—has been fighting cancer. She's
** having a rough time and could use some [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128183414/https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk help]. Thank you.
* There are two links, one to the [[980: Money]] comic she helped Randall create, and one for her Go Fund Me page to raise money for her cancer cure.
** The help link above is to the archived version from that time, but the link was still active in August 2019: [https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk Helping Emily Fight Cancer].
* Ended while [[1453: fMRI]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128070838/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-11-28].
** She did thus not get a permanent header as did Becky on the [[#Seven_Years|Seven Years]] comic.

===2014-10-02 - what if? bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141002211139/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-10-02]
* [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out|book is out]].
* This was a month after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It added a line of red text beneath the previous header to announce that the book was the #1 New York bestseller.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
** (#1 New York bestseller!)
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1451: Background Screens]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141125234520/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-25].

===2014-09-04 - what if? book out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140904150600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-04]
* [[1416: Pixels]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out today|book is out today]].
* This was two days after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It only removed to today from the previous header, that had only been up two days.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141001130827/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-09-02 - what if? book out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140902125802/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-02]
* [[1415: Ballooning]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-07-23 - what if? book tour|book tour header]].
* This was the day the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out. [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised shouts this out.. The word Book is underlined and blue to indicate a link.
* The text was:
** My book is out today!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1416: Pixels]] was still [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903134518/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-03].

===2014-07-23 - what if? book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140723180600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-23]
* [[1398: Snake Facts]]
* This was a promotion of his book tour for the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book made by [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised. Several parts of the text was underlined and blue to indicate links.
* The text was:
** I'm going on a book tour! click here for a list of stops.
** Or click anywhere-this whole image is one link because I've never gotten the hang of HTML imagemaps.
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/22/what-if-book-tour/ What If book tour!].
** Later Randall commented on this lacking ability in the comic: [[1572: xkcd Survey]].
** He also mentions it in one of the [[#xkcd_Header_text#2019-07-09_-_Drawings_from_How_To|promotions]] for his [[How To]] book.
** He much later he again mentions that html is hard, thus explaining why the entire image is a link instead of the actual blue highlighted link in one of the promotions for [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-08-11_-_Preorder_What_if.3F_2_-_with_image|what if? 2]].
* Ended while [[1415: Ballooning]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140901113916/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-03-13 - what if? announced===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140313070951/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-13]
* [[1341: Types of Editors]] was up.
* This was the first promotion of Randall's new ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book which is shown next to two lines of text.
* The text was:
** News:
** I'm publishing a ''what if'' book!
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/03/12/what-if-i-wrote-a-book/ What if I wrote a book?]
* Ended while [[1397: Luke]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140722142115/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-22].

===2014-01-09 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140109190927/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-09]
* When [[1314: Photos]] was still up when the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312070248/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-12] when [[1340: Unique Date]] was up, a bit more than two months.

===2013-12-21 - Deadline for Christmas shipping has passed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221043417/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2013-12-21]
* It changed when [[1306: Sigil Cycle]] came out.
* This came up when it was too close to Christmas in 2013 for shipping to arrive in time for Christmas. And Randall makes a note of this, but lets people know that they could still buy presents...
* The text was
** The deadline for guaranteed Christmas shipping has passed, but if you order something from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], we'll get it to you as fast as possible!
* Ended when [[1314: Photos]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181520/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-08].

===2013-12-06 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206213503/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-06]
* It changed when [[1300: Galilean Moons]] came out.
** There was no header text. This happened next on [[Header_text#2020-04-05 - Empty header|2020-04-05]]. It looks really weird.
* Ended when [[1305: Undocumented Feature]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005306/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-20].

===Changes not documented yet 3===
More changes will for sure be here between this and the one below.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131205202730/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-05]: Xmas sale before above
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]: Empty follows below

===2013-03-15 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]
* It changed while [[1186: Bumblebees]] was on the front page.
** After the text saying a comic would be delayed disappeared no text replaced this.
** So the header was left empty!
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318072820/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-18] while [[1187: Aspect Ratio]] was up.

===2013-03-13 - Comic will be delayed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130313133631/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-13]
* It changed when [[1184: Circumference Formula]] came out, likely because the next comic was delayed.
** But there is a gap of three days before where no archived version exist, so cannot say if there where more than a few hours with this text.
* The text:
** The comic will be delayed until late morning EDT.
* Ended when [[1185: Ineffective Sorts]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175306/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-13].
** That was later same day as the first archived version. But could have been longer as mentioned above.

===2012-11-26 - xkcd store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121126235628/https://xkcd.com/1138/ 2012-11-26]
* It changed while [[1138: Heatmap]] was up.
** Notice that the above link is not from the main page, but from {{xkcd|1138}}.
** There was a gap of five days in the archive of the main page.
** The first day that it was archived from the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201111432/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-12-01], while [[1141: Two Years]] was up.
* The standard header text is replaced with an image that makes it seem like a rip is being torn in the white region where the text used to be. Beneath the white material that has now been ripped, some text can partly be seen. It is possible to read it.
* The text:
** xkcd store
*** The image is a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] (tadaaa!)
* Ended when [[1183: Rose Petals]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130311073948/https://xkcd.com:80/1183/ 2013-03-11]
** The above link is from {{xkcd|1183}}.
** Last time the front page was archived with it was though on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130309010403/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-09].

===2012-10-24 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024082017/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-24]
* While [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121126035129/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-11-26] when [[1138: Heatmap]] was up, a few days more than a month.

===2012-10-17 - New What-If - Lightning===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232102/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-17]
* Probably while [[1122: Electoral Precedent]] was up.
** But the link above showing it was up on the 2012-10-17 is from the previous comics page {{xkcd|1121}} [[1121: Identity]].
** But the first version archived with this header is saved on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121018082304/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-18]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|16|Today's topic: Lightning}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/16/ What if lightning struck while you were ...]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023404/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-23] when [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front page
** This link is though from {{xkcd|1121}}.
** The last this version was archived on the front page was the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120008/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-22].

===2012-10-10 - New What-If - Mariana Trench Explosion===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010003837/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-10]
* [[1118: Microsoft]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|15|Mariana Trench Explosion}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/15/ What if you set off a nuclear bomb in the Mariana Trench?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121016055538/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-16] when [[1121: Identity]] was up.

===2012-10-02 - This week's What-If - Short Answer Section===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121002231724/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-10-02]
* [[1115: Sky]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|14|Short Answer Section}}''.
* The text
** In this week's What-If article I [https://what-if.xkcd.com/14/ answer multiple reader questions].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121008112434/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-08] when [[1118: Microsoft]] was up.

===2012-09-26 - New What-If - Laser Pointer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120926163111/https://xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-26]
* [[1113: Killed in Action]] was up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 26th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120928003838/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-28]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|13|Laser Pointer}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ If everyone aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at once, would it change color?]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121001080517/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-01] when [[1115: Sky]] was up.

===2012-09-18 - what-if.xkcd.com - Raindrop===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120918143653/https://www.xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-18]
* [[1109: Refrigerator]] was still up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 18th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120919015232/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-09-19]
* Randall promotes another What-If article on the what-if page.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|12|Raindrop}}''.
* The text
** what-if.xkcd.com: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/12/ What if all of a storm's water fell in a single raindrop?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120925090123/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-25] when [[1112: Think Logically]] was up.

===Changes not documented yet 2===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120917052827/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-17]: What if Droppings ends.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120718231719/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-18] Next stores header text

===2012-07-10 - New: what-if.xkcd.com===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10]
* This was a special change happening over a few days. The above "new" header text from the given date is actually shown on the previous comic [[1078: Knights]].
** Another example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710072249/https://xkcd.com:80/1070 2012-07-10] is shown for [[1070: Words for Small Sets]].
* The comic on the main page released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09] was [[1079: United Shapes]], but that comic had a [[xkcd_Header_text#United_Shapes|unique header text]] upon its release.
** So both on the 9th as shown above and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10] the header text was different on the front than on all other pages.
*** As can be read in the link above, the new header text actually got incorporated into the unique text, so that after the next comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711234408/https://xkcd.com/1079/ 2012-07-11] the current new header text and a smaller version of the original unique header text was now shown on the Unites Shapes page.
*** {{xkcd|1079|And it was never changed back}}.
* The first version of the new text from the 10th was only active one day:
** The text:
*** New site: what-if.xkcd.com, where I abuse science to answer hypothetical questions. I'll answer a new question every Tuesday.
**** The link was not an active link. And this was never shown on the front page, but on all other comics.
* Already on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711223349/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-11] when [[1080: Visual Field]] was released the new header changed a bit
** At this time it most have been shown on the front page, but the link above is again from [[1078: Knights]].
*** For some reason the front page was not saved on either the 11th or 12th, so no version of the front page with Visual Field exist
*** The first archived version of the front page with this new header text was from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154207/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-13] when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was on the front page.
* The final text:
** New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions.
** I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
*** This time the link was active and directs to the new ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' blog and its first entry {{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}
* The whole idea was that Randall released the new what if? blog on the 10th of July 2012. And thus would like to make a promotion of it.
** And then he timed it so poorly that the front page had a different header than the rest of the comics.
** It was so annoying for him that he actually changed the header for Unites Shapes manually so that page also showed the new link. Maybe even before it left the front page, but that has not been documented in the archive.
** And then he forgot about it when the header changed for all the other comics, so it is now a relic of the promotion of his first what if release.
* The what if promotion continued for a long time, but the final version from above only lasted until 17th at the latest. There is again no archived versions of the front page from the 15th, 16th or 17th.
** The last time it was archived on the front page was [https://web.archive.org/web/20120714062857/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-14], when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was still up.
** But on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120715070938/https://xkcd.com:80/1081/ 2012-07-15] it was still shown on the page for Argument Victory and same for [https://web.archive.org/web/20120716235458/https://www.xkcd.com/998/ 2012-07-16] on [[998: 2012]]
*** So seemed it stayed up while [[1082: Geology]] was up on the 16-17/7.

===2012-04-09 - Standard text plus store link===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190952/https://xkcd.com/1026/ 2012-04-09]
* It changed when [[1040: Lakes and Oceans]] came up.
** The above link to prove this is though from comic {{xkcd|1026}} [[1026: Compare and Contrast]] the first to be found that where archived on the 9th.
** The first archived version on the main page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411053543/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-11] when [[1041: Whites of Their Eyes]] was up.
** There where no archived version of the front page on the 9th or 10th while Lake and Oceans was up. So it was also first on the 11th that this new text could be seen, but only when it had moved to its own page number [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411052948/https://xkcd.com/1040/ 1040].
*** The change probably came because of this special comic, which may became a [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/lakes-oceans-poster poster].
* The update was to add a promotion for the store under the standard header text.
* The text
** XKCD updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** You can get prints, posters, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09] when [[1078: Knights]] was up, exactly three months, so although not only the standard text, the standard text was first for three months and three days, see [[#2012-04-05 - Back to standard text|below]].

===2012-04-05 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05]
* While [[1038: Fountain]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* The link above to prove the date is seen on [[1021: Business Plan]].
** The first archived version on front page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406111048/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-06], when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up.
** A version showing Fountain with this can be found on it's own page {{xkcd|1038}} on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085618/https://xkcd.com:80/1038/ 2012-04-06].
*** When it was archived while on the front page it still had the previous header on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-05].
* It stayed up, unchanged, until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120408200414/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-08] when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up. So only three days.
** But [[#2012-04-09- Standard text plus store link|the change]] did not remove the standard text but just added a link to the store. And this version, still with the standard text at the top stayed for three more months.

===2012-03-28 - Visiting Newport News===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328103319/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-28]
* [[1035: Cadbury Eggs]] was on the front when it changed.
** From the end of March 2012, there is a problem with the archived versions of xkcd, so they do not load properly and do not include the comic picture.
* It was to announce a talk Randall gave at his old school.
* The text:
** I'm [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ visiting] Newport News, VA next week, where I'll be speaking at CNU, my old school. If you want to come, reserve a seat [https://web.archive.org/web/20120329214411/https://www.cnu.edu/pcs/xkcd/index.asp here]!
*** The first link it to a post in the [[Blag]]: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ I’m visiting CNU on April 4th].
*** The other link is no longer working, but the link above goes to an archived version.
* There was a special situation with this header text. For three days it was not on the front page, as the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1037: Umwelt]] came out and stayed from April 1st to April 3rd on the front page.
** This comic had it's own [[#Unique header text|unique header text]] from the start, one that has [[#Umwelt|stayed like this]] since!
*** So from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01] to [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03] the front page had another header:
**** You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** But all the other comics kept the Visiting header on all three days as shown here:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401214214/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-01] from[[1036: Reviews]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402150258/https://xkcd.com/1019 2012-04-02] from [[1019: First Post]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403164523/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-03] from [[1036: Reviews]].
**** The one from the 2nd of April was hardest to find, but the most important, because that was clearly in the time period where Umwelt was up, thus definitely proving that the other pages had a different header than the front page. This is rare.
* It returned to the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-04] and stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05] when [[1038: Fountain]] was up.
** The link from the 5th though is from {{xkcd|1021}} [[1021: Business Plan]], the only comic archived on the 5ht to be found.
*** The previous link was the last time it was archived while on the front page.

===2012-03-12 - xkcd Holistic Browser===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312185125/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-12]
* [[1028: Communication]] was up at the time.
** From here the archive doesn't load the page properly so it is really boring to document. This goes for both first and last day of this text.
* The text:
** New: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153220/https://holistic.xkcd.com/ holistic.xkcd.com], the least useful web navigation tool ever.
*** The link is now dead, but the link above is to an archived version.
*** On that page there is the following text:
**** The XKCD Holistic Browser
**** Because we are all one.
**** Type a web address
**** and you'll be taken to one
**** typed by someone else.
**** URL:
**** Warning: This allows strangers to direct your browser!
**** They may send you to pages containing
**** porn, viruses, or Justin Bieber fanfiction.
**** At the very least, turn on private browsing.
* During the time this header was active the comic [[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]] came out.
** It had its own [[xkcd_Header_text#Unique_header_text|unique header text]] which thus replaced this text on the front page for two days.
** But it did not replace it on all the other pages so this was the active header text during the entire period, see more here: [[xkcd_Header_text#s.2Fkeyboard.2Fleopard.2F|s/keyboard/leopard/]]
* This lasted till [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327050311/https://xkcd.com/1033 2012-03-27] while [[1034: Share Buttons]] was up.
* But the last archived version with this on the front page was the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20120326180811/https://xkcd.com// 2012-03-26].
** The link from 27th is from an archived version of [[1033: Formal Logic]].

===Changes not documented yet 1===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120311135259/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-11] Text before. For next entry below...



[[Category:Design of xkcd.com]]{{xkcdmeta}}

Header text

2026-04-12T09:45:24Z

Kynde: /* 2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder */

<noinclude>{{xkcd.com}}[[File:xkcd_header.png|thumb|right|250px|The [[Design of xkcd.com#Header section|Header section]] is one of the [[Design of xkcd.com|four main sections]] of the [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com] website.]]The '''header text''' is usually updated when [[Randall]] has news to share or wants to add information about a specific comic. The default header text states:

</noinclude><div style="font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 500; font-size: 16px; width: 760px; line-height: 150%;" class="plainlinks">
:xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.</div><noinclude>

Usually, changes to the header text show up in all comics. However, for certain comics, its header text is changed permanently, which means that comic's page won't be affected by changes to the global header text like the rest of the comics. You can see the list of these [[#Comic-specific header text|Comic-specific header texts]] below.

Usually, the global header text is changed back to the default once the novelty of the news ends. Recently, the default header text has not been used for extended periods of time. The most recent header text change can be found at the top of the [[#Global header text|Global header text section]].

{{incomplete|Someone has created a full list of comic-specific header texts! We have only explained 28 so far, and '''28 are missing'''. [[Talk:Header_text#anc|The full list in on the Talk page!]]. (Also, if you have ''infinite'' spare time, please remove the bullet points on the page and use normal paragraphs.)}}

Use this list to quickly jump to a specific header text, or [[#Comic-specific header text|click here]] to jump to the most recent one.

__TOC__

==Comic-specific header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Place the most recent changes at the top.


===[[2957: A Crossword Puzzle]]===
*This comic's header mentions that it has been inspired by an old comic (by accident, i.e. originally Randall was not aware of his inspiration).
**It was on the front page from from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711100451/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11] until the next comic to come out Friday [ 2024-07-12]. [ASSUMPTION]
*The text:
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!
*It makes it clear that Randall did not wish to take credit for this old idea
**Although it seems like he did not know where he got the idea from at first, when he posted it.
**Because the addition of this header text was not posted together with the comic, when it was released on Wednesday 2024-07-10 and it was still not there in the early morning of Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711000851/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11].
**That he is a fan of Buttersafe is made clear at the bottom of the xkcd page where it is on Randall's list of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]].
*As a special situation this special header did not replace the current header text, but was added below the active header text at the time about [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F|10th anniversary for what if?]].
**This has not been the normal way to add comic-specific header text. So it will be interesting to see what happens when the next comic is released [UPDATE]
*Since this header was related only to explain the inspiration for this comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released. [ASSUMPTION!!!]
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen [SOME] days after it stopped being on the front page on [?? 2022-07-13???].


===[[2916: Machine]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406163326/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06] (although it was supposed to have been a Friday release according to the xkcd archives) until the next comic to come out Monday 2024-04-08, but the earliest archived version of the next comic is from Tuesday [http://web.archive.org/web/20240409060444/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-09].
***It probably changed late on Monday the 8th, but Machine was still up late on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240408225854/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-08].
***It may be like previous years because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?
**When [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]] was released the front page returned to normal header.
**The previous comic [[2915: Eclipse Clouds]] was still on the front page Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06]. So a very late Friday release...
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://github.com/spyhi Ed White], [https://twitter.com/uh_oh_thats_bad Alex Garcia], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [http://burningcandle.io/ Conor & Ami Stokes], [https://liranuna.com/ Liran Nuna], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick], [https://manishearth.github.io/ Manish Goregaokar], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], [https://github.com/ayust Amber], and [https://github.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg] with physics by [https://rapier.rs/ Rapier].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or X or their own home pages. Some of them have also helped with the two previous [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], see below, but there are many more involved in this one than any of the previous.
**Also the Fast 2D and 3D physics engine for the Rust programming language, Rapier, is mentioned as standing for the physics of the comic.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240409010518/https://xkcd.com/2916/ 2022-04-09].


===[[2765: Escape Speed]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230420203744/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-20] (although it was supposed to have been a Wednesday release according to the xkcd archives) until Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230421082400/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-21], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2766: Helium Reserve]] was released the front page returned to normal header. This seems to have not happened until Saturday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20230422121650/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-22] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was put together with help from [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick Clapp], [https://amberyu.st/ Amber], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], and [https://www.aiweirdness.com/ Janelle Shane].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or Twitter or their own home pages. Most of them have also helped with the two previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230423150206/https://xkcd.com/2765/ 2022-04-23].


===[[2601: Instructions]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220401210146/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-01] until Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405031003/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because Instructions was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2602: Linguistics Degree]] was released the front page returned to normal header This seems to have not happened until Tuesday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405125644/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/chromakode @chromakode], [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/xDirtyPunkx Conor], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with an Instagram page, the other seven with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220406021357/https://xkcd.com/2601/ 2022-04-06].


===[[2445: Checkbox]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210401232108/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-01] until Monday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210405130031/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-05], until the new comic was released on Monday.
*The text:
**This comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], and [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with a personal home page, the other six with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header, when the next comic was released, here from the day after that release Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210406143023/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-06].
*But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20210407203547/https://xkcd.com/2445/ 2021-04-07].


===[[2288: Collector's Edition]]===
This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together, and gives links to all of their Twitter profiles, except
Christopher Nights'. It was on the front page only for about a day around April 3rd and
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/http://xkcd.com/#-370,-277vApril 4th 2020].
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber],
[https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin],
[https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat],
[https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
</blockquote>
The header text thanks those who helped Randall create the 2020 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken
two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay, the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released the day after the April Fool's comic, [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]].
Since this header was related only to the April Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header when the next comic was released,
but it stayed up as a permanent header for this comic.



===[[1928: Seven Years]]===
[http://web.archive.org/web/20171214171157/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-12-14]
It was released as a response to another cancer diagnosis, this is explained in the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Header_text|Header text]] which has replaced the standard ''xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.'' The new one is this one, with the active link included:
The text (with link):
* Becky Beaton, sister of fellow cartoonist Kate Beaton, has also been diagnosed with cancer. You can support her treatment [https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 here].
{{w|Kate Beaton}} is the creator of the web comic [http://www.harkavagrant.com/ Hark! A Vagrant].
* Although this comic is not one on Randall's list of ''[[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]]'', he is clearly much influenced by another cancer diagnosis among someone in his own creative field.below.
On [https://web.archive.org/web/20190817141450/https://www.xkcd.com/1928/ 2019-08-17], close to two years later, the message was still there and also [https://web.archive.org/web/20211226120634/https://xkcd.com/1928/ 2021-12-26] just past four years later.
* There was the possibility that it would be removed, when the support page was discontinued...
* But as that already happened before [http://web.archive.org/web/20181106124430/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-11-06] it seems like it will be there to stay.
* Last archived version was from [http://web.archive.org/web/20180305022301/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-03-05].
* Randall has previously done something similar for another friend, Emily, but [[#2014-11-27_-_Help_Emily|that header]] was not made permanent.



===[[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]]===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170428041338/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-04-28]
This header links back to [[1828: ISS Solar Transit]], a comic with the same joke setup released on the Monday of the same week


===[[1723: Meteorite Identification]]===
Randall realized that his comic was almost a copy of some other person. And he has since then acknowledged this on the comics specific page see more [[1723: Meteorite Identification#Trivia|here]].
At the time of this post, in the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161010215516/http://xkcd.com/1723/ 2016-10-10] it is still there and says:
* Note: Jolyon, founder of [http://www.mindat.org/ mindat.org], made a similar chart way before me!


===[[1679: Substitutions 3]]===
This comic is the third installment of the [[:Category:Substitution]] series, and as Randall did with [[#Substitutions 2]],
the header text links to the previous comics in the series, and tells the user about Chrome Browser extensions for substitution.
The header text reads:
<blockquote>
(Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}} and {{xkcd|1625|Substitutions 2}}) 
Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/replacerator/gaajhenbcclienfnniphiiambbbninnp?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
</blockquote>
This header text was on the main page while the comic was on the main page, for instance on
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160512102325/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-05-12]. It remains on the comic page.



===[[1663: Garden]]===
This comic had a header text to help people use the comic when it came out.
For some time this text was the main header text, but after a while is disappeared from the main header, but remained as the header for Garden.
* See more [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-04_-_Protip_on_Garden|below]] or on the Garden page [[Garden#Header_text_after_release|here]]
Today and as of the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161231231600/http://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-12-31] it is still there and says:
* Protip: If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
* You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.


===[[1625: Substitutions 2]]===
This was the second installment of Substitutions and Randall links to the first and tells about browser extensions for this:
The text:
* (Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}})
* Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/xkcd-substitutions/jkgogmboalmaijfgfhfepckdgjeopfhk?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
** He did the same when [[xkcd_Header_text#Substitutions_3|Substitutions 3]] came out, linking to the two previous.
It was on the main page while the comic was up, for instance here on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160104171722/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-01-04].


===[[1079: United Shapes]]===
The header text was unique for this comic on the day it came out:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09].
It read:
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here] (Colorado is [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/ here]). 
It's also available as a [http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap poster].
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap Archived store link, 2012-07-22])

This header text only appeared with the comic, as on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09],
at a time before this comic was released, the previous
[[xkcd_Header_text#2012-04-09 -_Standard_text_plus_store_link|promotion of the store]] header text was still on the main page.

As this comic was still on the main page the day after ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120710063424/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-10]),
a new [[Header_text#2012-07-10_-_New:_what-if.xkcd.com|header text promoting Randall's new what if? blog]]
was not shown on the main page.
The what if? promotion was added to this comic's header text the next day,
on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711123734/http://xkcd.com:80/1079/ 2012-07-11].
However, the part about Colorado was lost in this edit. This is the version still shown on {{xkcd|1079}} today, including the
what if? promotion.
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here]! It's also available as a
[https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster poster]. 
New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions. 
I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20121203164246/https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster Archived store link, 2012-12-03])

The what if? promotion links to the very first ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}'' which was released on 2012-07-10, the day after this comic was released, but before the next comic [[1080: Visual Field]] was released on 2012-07-11.

There is no archived version of comic {{xkcd|1080}} while it was on the front page, so it is not possible to tell what the front page looked like on the 11th and 12th of July 2012. Most likely it was the what if? promotion.
* Maybe there was a time with the final version of the header text the front page, but seems like Randall put the new header text there by hand, and forgot to delete it after, so he probably first changed it when the new comic came out.
* Since the new header was important, promoting his new ''what if'' blog, Randall likely did not wish to have a recent page/the main page without it.
* But this makes it a special unique header, as a relic from the past header text is left together with the text that was supposed to be permanent. It should have been deleted when the link to ''what if'' 1 was removed.



===[[1047: Approximations]]===
It has a permanent text saying that many people emailed Randall about another approximation for one year than the one given in the comic.
* As it was already there from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120425220409/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-25] it seems unlikely that he actually received those e-mails before changing the header text for this comic!
The unique text:
* Lots of emails mention the physicist favorite, 1 year = pi x 107 seconds.
* 75^4 is a hair more accurate, but it's hard to top 3,141,592's elegance.
There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[#2012-04-09_-_Standard_text_plus_store_link|Plus store link]].


===[[1037: Umwelt]]===
It has a permanent promotion of the store already from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01]:
The unique text:
* You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
It stayed on the front page while this comic was the most recent, so for instance also two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03]
* There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-28_-_Visiting_Newport_News|Visiting Newport News]].


===[[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]]===
In response to the idea of having you browser replace keyboard with leopard a reader made a script that could do just that.
Randall seem to have gotten this script before release (or at least on the day of release) as it was already the header text on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319130702/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-19] the day the comic was released.
The unique text is:
* A helpful reader has provided an [https://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 s/keyboard/leopard/ user script].
** The link does not go anywhere useful any longer, but here is the archived version of the link from two days after the release of the comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321174019/http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 2012-03-21]
It was never changed on the other comics so was only on the front while this comic was up until 2012-03-21
* Here also shown on the second day it was up on its own page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320143916/http://xkcd.com:80/1031/ 2012-03-20].
The next comic [[1032: Networking]] came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321205835/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-21] and here the header text has returned to what it was before the leopard comic: [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-12_-_xkcd_Holistic_Browser|xkcd Holistic Browser]].
* Here are examples from dates around this showing it was not used on other pages:
** The last archived version of the front page from before the 19th was this version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317121834/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-17], but here is an example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153256/http://xkcd.com:80/1030/ 2012-03-18] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]), the day before leopard comic came out.
** Both on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319174700/http://xkcd.com/1030/ 2012-03-19] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]) and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320191039/http://xkcd.com:80/1012 2012-03-20] (from comic [[1012: Wrong Superhero]]) during the time leopard was up, the header text currently in used was still shown.


===[[996: Making Things Difficult]]===
To give context to the comic about cancer, Randall links to a [[Blag]] post about his family's struggle with cancer.
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Some context for the cancer comics:
[https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/ https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/]
</blockquote>
This header text appears on the oldest stored version of the comic page from [https://web.archive.org/web/20111229043804/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-12-29] when it was on the main page.


===[[980: Money]]===
Randall notes his thoughts about making it and makes a promotion of the poster.
The unique text:
* This one was fun (and exhausting) to make.
* There's a poster of it in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/money-poster store]!
** It is both at the oldest stored version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404110059/http://xkcd.com:80/980 2012-04-04] and the newest at time of editing [https://web.archive.org/web/20220108132250/https://xkcd.com/980/ 2022-01-08].


===[[977: Map Projections]]===
Randall notes that a person had birthday on the release of this comic about maps, and this guy has maps on his homepage
The unique text:
* It turns out Monday was Steve Waterman's birthday. His [https://web.archive.org/web/20111118003418/http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ site] has posters of his map, plus maybe the world's only Winkel Tripel-critiquing poetry.
** The link goes to [http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ Waterman project] home page. Above the link goes to an archived version from around the time of release of the header text.
** It is at the oldest stored version with the comic on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20111115231643/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-11-15].


===[[851: Na]]===
After Randall released this comic, he realized he could have "made it better," and did so.
He changed the header text alert people to this, saying:
<blockquote>
I can't ''believe'' I forgot Hey Jude.
I don't get do-overs, but I couldn't resist making [https://xkcd.com/851_make_it_better/ a fixed version].
</blockquote>
See more about it in that comic's [[851:_Na#Trivia|trivia section]].


===[[739: Malamanteau]]===
Randall notes that he has changed this comics license, so it can be used on Wikipedia.
The text:
* At Wikipedia's request, I release this comic under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ cc-by-sa] license.
** The link is to the page regarding {{w|Creative Commons license}} in the US.
** Specifically for Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-SA 3.0 US)
*** Usually xkcd is [[Design_of_xkcd.com#License_and_copyright|shared under]] [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License]. This does not allow commercial use, But the 3.0 does.
When the comic came out it had the normal header text from that time, as seen here two days after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20100514072436/http://xkcd.com/ 2010-05-14].
* First archived version with the unique text is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100913003146/http://xkcd.com/739/ 2010-09-13], but the previous archived version of this comic is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100713160533/http://xkcd.com:80/739/ 2010-07-13].
* So it happened somewhere in the two months in between. But at least it was not there the first two months after release, but there before four month after release.


===577–580: [[:Category:The Race|The Race]]: Parts 1–4===
[[:Category:The Race|The Race]] was a 5-comic series published daily over the duration of one week, Monday through Friday. On comics
[[577: The Race: Part 1]], [[578: The Race: Part 2]], [[579: The Race: Part 3]], and [[580: The Race: Part 4]], parts 1–4 of the
series, Randall announced to users that xkcd would update once a day over the course of that week.

The header text for 577, published on Monday of that week, reads:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day.
</blockquote>
The header texts for 578, 579, and 580, published respectively on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, read:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day (through Friday).
</blockquote>

On comic [[581: The Race: Part 5]], this header text does not appear, likely because it wouldn't be useful to inform people of daily
updates for a week at the end of the week.


===[[563: Fermirotica]]===
The header text for this comic informs the reader of prints of this comic in the [[Store]], and gives an example sex calculation.
It reads:
<blockquote>
There are xkcd prints available in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store]. 
[https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sqrt(2%2F(pi*18000%2F(mi^2)*80%2Fyear*30+minutes) Example Google sex calculation].
</blockquote>
The first link is a link to the [[Store|xkcd Store]], which, as of early February 2026, is closed for the time being. The second link is a
Google Search link for an example sex calculation with the formula in the comic, where
''Pd'' = 18000/mi2,
''XF'' = 80/year, and
''Xd'' = 30 minutes.
This calculation results in ''r'' equaling ~142 meters.


===[[488: Steal This Comic]]===
Comic 488 advocates against {{w|Digital rights management}}, or <abbr title="Digital rights management">DRM</abbr>. In the header text, Randall notes that Amazon sells
DRM-free music. It reads:
<blockquote>
Note: the [https://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 Amazon.com MP3 store] sells DRM-free music. Kudos.
</blockquote>
The header text links to Amazon MP3 music. Here is an archived version of the store from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081001083843/http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 2008-10-01],
two weeks prior to the release of the comic.
The header text was on the comic from the release day, here seen the day after on the first archived version from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232952/http://xkcd.com/ 2008-10-14].


===[[472: House of Pancakes|472: House of Pancakes]]===
This comic's header notes its status as a parody:
* (Today's comic is a parody of [https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764 House of Leaves].)
Only on the days this comic was the newest was this header featured on the front page of xkcd for instance as seen here the day after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06].
* But it was only on this comic. The commercial for his new t-shirt was on all the other pages, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06] and presumably returned to the front page with the next comic. But there is a gap in the archive after this comic.

==Global header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the newest comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Position the last comic displaying the header text below the other data and place the most recent change at the top.

===2026-04-07 - Reading Modes===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260401210255/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-04-01].
*[[3227: Creation]] was released as the 2026 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' comic]], but the real April Fools' was a new feature, which was explained in the global header text.
* The text:
** We're pleased to announce a major update to xkcd, with new reading modes to enhance user experience. Select a mode via the menu below the comic.
**Brought to you by our excellent design team: [https://github.com/ayust Amber], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], and [https://github.com/cotrone Kevin]
*At first it would seem that this would be a text, only belonging to the new comic, but since the feature is active on all comics, it was not only on the front page, but on all other comics as well. And it stayed there after the next comic was released.
**So this is not a comic specific header text.

===2026-01-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260107194433/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-01-07].
* [[3191: Superstition]] came out when the header changed.
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2022-01-08_-_Back_to_standard_text|2022-01-08]] that the text had changed back to that, so exactly four years.
**Last time it only lasted a few days before the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] started.
*It was also the first time since December 5th, 2024 that the header text had changed, a span of more than a year (13 months) making it by far the longest time the header text had been left unchanged.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260331171250/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-03-31] when [[3226: Home Solar]] was on the front page.
**Almost two months, a long stretch with the original title text in use!

===2024-12-05 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - order===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241205201038/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-05].
* [[3020: Infinite Armada Chess]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—Out now. Order it here! [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* Only difference in this header compared to the previous version is the last part after the final hypen.
* This header stayed up for exactly 13 months. See link at the bottom.
* With the [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|preorder]] version coming out in mid May 2024 the 10th anniversary edition ended up been in the header text almost 1 year and 7 month (except the month of [[#2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president|endorsing Harris]]), thus it was on the header for 1.5 years in total.
* And before that what if? has been part of the header back to [[#2022-01-31 - What if? 2|2022-01-31]], when what if? 2 was announced.
* And three weeks before that the [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] for what if? 2 began. Of course there was no what if? word on that header as it was a surprise. But it turned out this was also a promotion for what if?
* And up until the day before the countdown (when there was one day with the old standard text) there was promotion for the first what if? book starting on [[#2021-12-20 - What If in stock|2021-12-20]].
** To sum it up, the header has been used to promote what if? continuously from December 2021 until at least the start of January 2026 (except one month with endorsing Harris and three weeks countdown that was for what if?) So more than 4 years in a row, only with a month for something political and the 3 weeks of countdown was also a promotion for what if?
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260106150417/https://xkcd.com/3190/ 2026-01-06] when [[3190: Tensegrity]] was on the front page.
**It had then been up for more than 13 months in a row by a day. There had been no change to the header text at all during 2025.

===2024-11-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page when the text changed.
* It returned to the exact same header text as before: [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241204160618/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-04] when [[3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar]] was on the front page.
** The only change was that the last part after the last hyphen changed from when you had to preorder to now that you could order the book.

===2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241017002108/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-17]
* For some reason the web archive failed to upload xkcd on the day it changed, but that it did change a day before can be seen in this other archive [https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[2999: Bad Map Projection: The United Stralia]] came out when this header was changed.
* Instead of text, it is a three part comic. In the first panel, [[Cueball]] (probably representing [[Randall]]) is shown walking, carrying a sign. In the second panel, he is seen hitting the sign with a hammer into the ground. In the third, Cueball is gone, and the front of the sign can be seen:
** <big>Harris for president</big>
* This is in reference to the 2024 presidential elections and shows that Randall endorses Harris.
* Randall posted the same image on his [https://x.com/xkcd/status/1853098106667114801 Twitter (formally X)] and [https://bsky.app/profile/xkcd.com/post/3la2jku6ace2f Bluesky] accounts on November 3rd, 2024, two days before the presidential election.
* It was up for a month until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241115181146/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2024-11-15] when [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page. It changed while that comic was still up back to the one from before.

===2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240515200351/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-15]
* [[2933: Elementary Physics Paths]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241015192147/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-15] while [[2998: Ravioli-Shaped Objects]] was on the front page.
After a month of endorsing endorses Harris the heder text returned to this again, see [[#2024-11-16_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-110-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? -preorder]].

===2024-03-20 - What If? is on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240320173158/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-20]
* [[2909: Moon Landing Mission Profiles]] came out when the header changed.
The only text version from the previous header was trimmed having some words removed taking it down from four to three lines (and solving the bad alignment that happened five days before at the end of the previous header text).
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is on YouTube! The first video answers
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed Hubble at Earth?]” Follow the
** [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif What If?] channel to be notified about new videos.
* The first link goes to the what if? page on xkcd and the other two links are to the YouTube channel and to its very first video.
The promotion of the what if? franchise continues for the second year running. A few words were taken off as the YouTube channel was no longer new at this point.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240514034349/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-14], while [[2932: Driving PSA]] was on the front page. But the what if? promotion continued

===2023-11-29 - What If? is now on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20231129184009/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-29]
* [[2861: X Value]] came out when the header changed.
There was only text this time.
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is now on YouTube!
** Check out the first video for the answer to
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed the Hubble Telescope at Earth?]”
** and follow [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif xkcd’s What If? The Video Series channel] to be notified about each new video.
* The links goes to the what if page on xkcd and the other two links is to the new YouTube channel with videos of some of the what if articles and to the very first video.
This is thus not a promotion of the what if? 2 book but still promotion of the what if? franchise.
A small change happened on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240314113602/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-14], as the first two lines became one line which made the alignment worse. So it seemed strange to do this. It looked like normal up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20240313113429/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-13]. But it only lasted five days before a change was made that made it into a new although very similar header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240319134138/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-19], while [[2908: Moon Armor Index]] was on the front page, but was replaced by a very similar what if? header.

===2023-08-31 - What if? 2 is now available in paperback in the UK!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230831200321/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-31]
* [[2822: *@gmail.com]] came out when the header changed.
* The image to the right stayed, but after more than a half year with no text, text was added to the left of the picture because the paper back was available in the UK.
** As opposed to the previous headers this was plain text and not a picture.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What if? 2 is [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK now available] in paperback in the UK!
** what if? 2
* The link goes to https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK, the page on xkcd about the What if? 2 book, and directing to the UK order links where there now also it a paper back version.
This version was still up in the middle of November 2023 when this segment was updated.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20231128174224/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-28], while [[2860: Decay Modes]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? header.
* Although it was not specifically related to the new book. Thus it ended a more than 22 month long constant promotion of the book since the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] began in January 2022.

===2023-02-17 - What if? 2 picture only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230217185629/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-17]
* [[2739: Data Quality]] came out when the header changed.
* For the first time in a very long time there is no real header text. Only the small red picture with the plane and the title of the what if? 2 book in the right section of the header. As it has been since [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] stopped.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230830064414/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-30], while [[2821: Path Minimization]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header.

===2022-09-23 - What if? 2 Instant New York Times Bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220923182825/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-23]
* [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page when the header changed.
** The header celebrates that the new what if? 2 book has become an instant New York Times bestseller.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2
** Instant New York Times bestseller.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230216181705/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-16], while [[2738: Omniknot]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header,

===2022-09-13 - What if? 2 is available now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220913142432/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13]
* [[2672: What If? 2 Flowchart]] was released as the header changed, even though it was a Tuesday.
** The header and the comic celebrates the release of the new what if? 2 book, that came out on this day.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2 is available now!
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This thus ended the pre-release promotion of the book, that began on [[#xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|2022-01-31]], plus of course the three weeks of [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] before. For a sum total of 8 months and three days.
* It will be interesting to see how long before any reference to what if? 2 will disappear from the header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220922150042/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-22], but was replaced by another What If? 2 header, while [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page.

===2022-09-12 - One day to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220912125617/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-12]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** One dayuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>I'm going to spend the day with that Les Mis song stuck in my head, aren't I.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-12 it was ''F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of N Bottles of Beer On the wall followed by F(N-1)'' to release day.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
** Les mis song, referring to a song from the musical les miserables titled "One Day More", he now has stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220913134002/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13].
** This was while [[2671: Rotation]] was still up, early on the release day of the new book.

===2022-09-12 - Three days to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220911102450/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-11]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Three daysuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Assuming it's still Saturday. I'm a static png image and can't perceive time.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header only stayed the same for one day and [[2670: Interruption]] was still up when it changed to the next.

===2022-09-07 - Less than one week to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220907211736/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-07]
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was still up.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are four lines of text. With the middle line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over four lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Less than one weekuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Oh no, now I have that song stuck in my head.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-07 it was ''one pico-universe-lifetime'' to release day. But the next day 2022-09-08 it was ''The Baby Shark chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks''.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220910024549/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-10].
** This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was up.

===2022-08-27 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220827232205/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-27]
* [[2664: Cloud Swirls]] came out when it changed.
* The header [[#2022-08-16 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|changed back]] to the preorder image from the previous header, when Randall's book tour ended. See the link.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220906191403/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-06].
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was up.

===2022-08-17 - What if? 2 book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220817161136/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-17]
* [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was out when it changed.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this there is text to the left. Then Cueball is seen flying by holding on to a single balloon (like in [[1110: Click and Drag]]). He flies over five mountain peaks with snow, with three clouds and three distant birds in front of him, as he drifts to the right, as shown with movements lines behind him. In front of him is a dark feature at the bottom of the frame. Above this is a blue square (like a button) with white text.
* The text:
** I'm going on a what if? 2 book tour!
** Click to see where
** what if? 2
*** The image to the left is a link to [https://xkcd.com/events/ randall munroe: events] page on xkcd. Which at the time showed the calendar with the planned stop for his book tour, which covered the US and London.
*** As always the link button in blue is not the only part of the image that is a link, as he just mentioned in the [[#2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|previous header text]], and several times before...
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This header thus continues the promotion of the new book, which was at the time was only 27 days away (or [[2636:_What_If%3F_2_Countdown|6 dog months]]).
* It will be interesting to see how long it takes before promotion for the book disappears from the header. It may still take months.
The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220826202043/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-26].
* This was while [[2663: Tetherball Configurations]] was up.

===2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220811055445/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-11]
* [[2657: Complex Vowels]] came out as it changed.
The message in the header was not really changed, but the meaning of the text from the previous header was now written in an image, although the text did change somewhat.
* The header thus still consist of two parts. To the left the new image with an picture of the book and text. And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this to the right is the new text. To the left is a picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Preorder what if? 2 and enter for a chance to win a comic inspired by your question! Click here to learn more. Or click wherever. This whole image is a link because html is hard.
** what if? 2
*** In the left image there is a blue link font on the word "here" in click here. However the entire left image is a link to the [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 what if 2 contest]. As explained he did not only make the word a link because html is hard! This is something Randall [[xkcd_Header_text#2014-07-23_-_what_if.3F_book_tour|often comments on]].
**** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
**** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
**** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220816124823/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-16].
** This was while [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was up.

===2022-07-19 - Preorder What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220719153239/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-19]
* [[2647: Capri Suns]] came out as it changed.
The header looked a lot like the previous one, only part of the text changed.
* The header thus still consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over four lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** Preorder What If? 2 (all US preorders eligible) and [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 enter our contest] for a chance to win a dedicated comic and What If blog post!
** what if? 2
*** The image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
*** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220810034709/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-10].
** This was while [[2656: Scientific Field Prefixes]] was up.

===2022-01-31 - What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220201000434/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-02-01]
* [[2575: What If? 2]] came out as it changed, and then it [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/36/Countdown_in_header_text_page_when_what_if_comic_came_out.png looked like this] already on 2022-01-31. But there is no archived version from that day after the header changed.
** This was what [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] had been counting down to.
** An announcement that Randall had written a sequel to the first ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book, based on his blog.
* The header consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over three lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in the countdown, but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plan ia the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions comes out 9/13. Preorder [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ here!]
** What If? 2:
*** The link goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about what if? 2: the book. The image is also a link to this page.
*** The entire comic that came out along with the new header text is also a link to that page.
* At the same time the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] in the top left section of xkcd also changed to include links to books, and especially this new book.
It will be interesting to see how long this version of the promotion for the new books stays up. But most likely there will be promotion for the book until release, and then more after the release.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718145816/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-18], for more than 5,5 month. This was while [[2646: Minkowski Space]] was up.
** The change was rather small, but part of the text changed. The promotion continued though.

===2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10].
* [[2565: Latency]] was still up when the [[Countdown in header text]] was added.
* The text was still the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But a countdown was added. This was inserted in a rectangular box, placed at the end of the standard header text.
** In some browsers the box forces the last word "Friday" to jump down to the next line.
* Inside the box the following time was displayed in the version in the link:
** 20d 20h 27m
*** This clock will also count down every minute, although it will return to the time at the time of archive when reloaded!
*** While this was edited into this wiki the time had changed to 20d 19h 12m. So it was a very fresh download in the web archive, only about 1 hour old when it was updated to this wiki.
*** The minutes change without refreshing the page, and follows this editors computers clock exactly, so it will end at 59 minutes, not at a full hour.
** It looks like it started on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ 01-10 17:00 UTC].
*** A calculation shows that this countdown will reach zero on Monday 2022-01-31 at 14:59 (2:59 PM) {{w|UTC}}.
*** This will be at 9:59 (9:59 AM) in [[Randall]]'s home town
**** The last ten minutes it switched to seconds for the last minute so it made the switch 15:00 UTC 10:00 in Boston!
*** From that it can be deduced that the count started at 20d 22h 0m
**** The first image on the archive thus came 1h 33m after the count began.
* At [https://web.archive.org/web/20220111153818/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] a diagonal black bar appeared in the lower left-hand corner of the countdown box.
** After that the [[Countdown in header text]] page was created and any further development on the count down will be mentioned on that page.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220131124817/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-31] when [[2574: Autoresponder]] was on the front page.
* This archived version was when the counter was at 0d 2h 11m, and the last normal frame was already up at this time.
** It stayed like this until the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/1/17/Countdown_in_header_text_page_0_seconds.png counter ran out].
*** Then for a few minutes the final frame, that revealed that all this was a promotion for Randall's new book what if? 2 was up [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/4/48/Countdown_in_header_text_page_just_after_countdown.png while the Friday comic was still up].
*** Then when the new Monday comic came out with the promotion for what if? 2, the header changed.

===2022-01-08 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220108044654/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-08].
* [[2565: Latency]] came out around the time the new header text appeared, on a Friday!
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2018-11-07 - Back to standard text|2018-11-07]] that the text had changed back to that, and at that time it lasted until 2019-02-05.
** That is 1067 days (less than a month short of three years) without the standard text! (Can it be called standard anymore?)
* It was only left in the complete standard version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220109030513/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-09] when Latency was still on the front page.
** Then the next day a [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] was added to it.
*** That was after the weekend on Monday but before the Monday comic came up.
*** So only during the weekend was it normal standard header text.

===2021-12-20 - What If in stock===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20211220211220/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-20].
* [[2557: Immunity]] came out around the time the new header text appeared.
* The text:
** For anyone trying to find What If? this year, it's in stock at [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 Barnes & Noble], [https://m.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Randall-Munroe/9780544272996 Books-a-Million], and [https://bookshop.org/books/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-9781483041827/9780544272996 Bookshop]
* Each store name is a link to the corresponding store's page for ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]''.
It was last seen on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220106100957/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-06] when [[2564: Sunshield]] was up.

===2020-06-03 - Black Lives Matter===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200604003700/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-03].
* [[2315: Eventual Consistency]] came out as a new header text was finally inserted after almost two months without one.
* Cueball is standing to the left and speaks a single line of text: "Black Lives Matter"
* To the right is a gray link button with text: "[https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ How To Help]."
* As always, the entire image (which is only below the xkcd logo) is a link
** The button is thus not needed, but it will also work when clicking the location of the button.
* The link goes to [https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ Join Campaign Zero].
** {{w|Black Lives Matter}} is a loose, grassroots, decentralized confederation of groups and individuals advocating for racial justice. It arose in 2013 after the acquittal of {{w|George Zimmerman}}, who took the life of {{w|Trayvon Martin}}.
** Randall's featuring Black Lives Matter came on the heels of the {{w|Killing of George Floyd}} on May 25th 2020, which had sparked {{w|George Floyd protests|protest in the US}}
** Floyd died while saying "{{w|I can't breathe}}," which was already used due to other Black men's killings, the first was from the {{w|Killing of Eric Garner}}, back in 2014.
It stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200616114945/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-16] when [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200617131438/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-17] the link changed to [https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Black Lives Matter]. [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was still on the front page on that day.
On April 1st 2021 the front page header changed to mention who made the April Fools' Day comic.
* But this was only for this comic [[#Checkbox|Checkbox]].
* The rest of the pages kept the BLM header and it returned to this on the front page once the next comic was released on April 5th. At that time it will have been up for 13 months, making it the longest header different from the standard header.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20211219202204/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-19] when [[2556: Turing Complete]] was on the front page.
* At that time it had been up for 564 days or 1,5 year plus 16 days! This is most likely a record.

===2020-04-05 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042955/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-05].
* [[2289: Scenario 4]] came out and the header belonging to the previous comic was removed.
* But no new header was inserted. Not even the go to [[#Header text|Header text]] about the release days of xkcd.
** Since the previous header was related only to the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[2288: Collector's Edition]], and that had stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book, after first experiencing problems with its release, it seems Randall forgot what he usually put in the header.
It stayed empty like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200602213017/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-02] when [[2314: Carcinization]] was on the front page.
* So almost two month without a header. This had not happened before.

===2020-04-04 - Put together by===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-04].
* [[2288: Collector's Edition]] came out and the header changed.
* The text:
** Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
*** All names have links except the last.
* It thanks those that helped Randall create this years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!
* Since this header was related only to the Fool's comic, it was thus removed from the general header, but it stayed up as [[#Collector.27s_Edition|one of]] the permanent [[#Unique_header_text|unique header texts]].
** However, when it was removed from the general header, the header was left empty.
** Unlike some other headers that stayed on a given comic, this one was on all comics for the duration of the time it stayed on the front page, see for instance the previous comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403232031/https://xkcd.com/2287/ 2020-04-03].

===2020-04-02 - Technical Reasons===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200402234828/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-02].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was up when the header changed.
Randall turned out to, again, have problems with his complicated and interactive [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] for 2020.
* The text:
** Note: For technical reasons Wednesday's comic will be posted Thursday instead. Apologies for the delay!
This finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].
It stayed up a day longer than planed as the fool's comic, [[2288: Collector's Edition]] was first released on Friday, so the note was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403012612/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-03].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] thus stayed two extra day on the front page, and the third comic of that week, [[2289: Scenario 4]] was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!

===2020-01-16 - How To explores - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200116190038/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-16].
* [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was still up when the header changed.
* The ongoing promotion of the book continued but here more than three weeks after Christmas the reference to Christmas was removed.
* The header then returned to the one from before Christmas:
** [[#2019-11-22 - How To explores|How To explores]] - see that for all other details.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200401221435/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-01] when [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was on the front page.
* It was the problems with [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] of 2020 that finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].

===2019-12-02 - Into Science===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191202223745/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-02].
* [[2236: Is it Christmas?]] came out when the header changed. Fitting as the change is about Christmas list.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, continuing to make the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd.
** The links below to order are the same as in the previous header.
** Actually most of the header stays the same with the same four images and the same layout. But the text above has changed completely and the two main text sections between the drawings has changed but only slightly. The description of the images is thus left out, see below. Only new thing is that there are now two red circles connected with a red arrow. The first circle is around the word How To at the end of the first text with the arrow going from that circle to the second circle drawn around the picture of the book.
* The text:
** Is there someone on you Christmas list who's into science? They might like my new book '''''How To'''''
** It explores ridiculous ideas for applying scientific research to everyday problems...
** ...And illustrates what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200115155040/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-15] when [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-22 - How To explores===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191122214439/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22].
* [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] was up when the header changed. It most likely changed when the comic appeared. Earlier on that day it was the previous header over the previous comic.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here again making the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd, after it previously was a link to where to listen to the audio book.
** The links below to order returns to the same as in the header before the previous header with links to audio books, except that the link to an exclusive edition has been removed.
** The header consist of an image with text above five small drawings with two text parts in between them. To the left is the closed How To book which is black with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. To the right of the book is a drawing of Ponytail pole-vaulting with two black helium filled balloons. Next to her is the first text segment. Then after that is the drawing, seen before in the header text, of a truck towing a house up a steep hill. This truck goes above the second text segment, with Cueball somersaulting above the text. Furthest right, above and just right of the text is an explosion with the sound written inside. Below the header image is some black text and then the links to where to get it as regular blue link text.
* The text:
** My new book '''''How To''''' explores the science behind spacecraft heat shields, butterfly metabolisms, and land border surveys...
** ...By imagining ridiculous ideas for applying the research to you everyday life...
** ...And illustrating what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191201191025/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-01] when [[2235: Group Chat Rules]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-06 - Audio clip===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191106204314/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-06].
* [[2224: Software Updates]] was still up when the header changed, but the first archive version was first from after the next comic came out [[2225: Voting Referendum]].
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here making the image a link to the How To book on Penguin Random House's audio book, where an audio clip read by Wil Wheaton can be sampled.
** The links below to order have now changed to those with audio books.
** The header consist of an image with text, with a "blue link", above the How To book that is being folded out from closed; to partially open; to opened up on two full pages; this takes three images. The closed book is the black book with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. The partly open book still has this cover partly visible, but unreadable, as well as come unreadable text in the open side. The open book shows two pages with lots of unreadable text and three figures (maybe one is a table). Next to the open book there is an arrow to the right pointing at an audio icon with three audio lines in front. Below the header image are the links as regular text.
* The text:
** You can click here to hear a clip from the audio version of '''''How To''''', read by Wil Wheaton.
** [https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world/id1475319694 Apple], [https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems/369279 Audiobooks], [https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/How-To-Audiobook/1473680360?qid=1574679523&sr=1-1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=DX3EZ14M14CFQPP9GHJY&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1 Audible], [https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Randall_Munroe_How_To?id=LzSGDwAAQBAJ Google Play], and [https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525635680 Libro.fm]
* The entire image is a link to the [https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576760/how-to/ How To book on Penguin Random House] page, where the audio clip can he played.
** As always it is the entire picture that is a link, and not only the blue underlined text that says click here!
It was last on the archive on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191122044456/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22] when [[2231: the Time Before And After Land]] was on the front page. But it was most likely still up when [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] came out. But then changed during the next day.

===2019-10-02 - Horse vs football team===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191002005854/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-02].
* [[2210: College Athletes]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed. This time the image seems to be from one of the How To explanations in the book.
** The links below to order are the same as the previous header.
** But new text is added after the links to promote two events with Randall in New York the two days after this header came up.
*** These links disappeared after a week leaving only the picture and the link to buy the book. See below.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball riding bareback on a horse. He comes from the left holding an American football. Running towards him from the right are eight American football players with helmets with three stars on the back of the helmet. Two of the players at the back are almost hidden by players in front of them. Beneath them is a line of text that belongs to the image, the period at the end of the sentence hangs in height with the center line of the last letter E... Then below the image follows the link and promotion of the NY events, these are written in regular.
* The text:
** My new book ''How To'' is out now! You can get it here.
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target] I'll be at New York Comic Con! I'm giving [https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Explore/Panels/Panels-And-Screenings/#/event/how-todo-anything-with-randall-munroe-creator-of-xkcd a talk on Thursday], and on
** Friday [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event at Caveat NYC].
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The link to Target still seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably a still undiscovered error on Randall's part?
This header changed, but so slightly that the changes will only be mentioned here rather than in a new section:
* The first link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191004014438/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-04]
* Then the day after only the second link remained from [https://web.archive.org/web/20191005041539/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-10-05]. [[2211: Hours Before Departure]] came out when it changed.
** But the text of this link changed as it had been a continues text from one to the other link. Also it was not entirely on it's own line, thus not as with the first link whose text was directly connected to the line with the links to buy the book.
** The new text of that link was:
*** [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event] Friday night at Caveat NYC!
*** The last link was the same, but now it only covered two words not the entire end of the sentence.
** This other link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191007042707/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-07].
* And then the last link was gone by [https://web.archive.org/web/20191008053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-08], when [[2212: Cell Phone Functions]] came out.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191105164001/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-05] when [[2224: Software Updates]] was up.

===2019-09-30 - Tons of fun===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190930234245/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-30].
* [[2209: Fresh Pears]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed to how much fun it was for Randall to write it and how proud he is of the result. Randall, as Cueball, is saying this in the new header image.
** The links below to order are the same, except a new has been added at the end.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball standing to the left of the book, shown as tall as he is. The book is opened up on two pages with lots of unreadable text as well as three drawings, only one of these, with a circle diagram, can clearly be seen. Cueball is speaking, and the text is above him and the book. Two words are blue with a line under as if they where a link. But as always the entire image is a link. Beneath the image is the links on where to order the book.
* The text:
** Writing my new book '''''How To''''' was tons of fun and I'm so proud of the result. It's out now-Click Here to order!
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The new link to Target seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably an error on Randall's part.
It ended on October 2nd while [[2210: College Athletes]] where up. But there is no archived versions from the 1st of October and the one from the 2nd is with the next version. But the editor of this was making changes to the explanation of College Athletes before the next header change came along.

===2019-09-11 - How To available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190911053115/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-11].
* [[2200: Unreachable State]] was still up when the header changed.
* The release day part of the promotion was changed to telling that the new [[How To]] book was available. With teasers about what is in the book below the heading. On either side of the text a picture of the book is still shown. Also the links below changed, adding three new and removing one old.
** The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the links on where to order it.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font.
* The text:
** How To is available now!
** Learn how to open bottles with nuclear weapons and how to be on time for meetings by altering the Earths rotation. The book also features advice from real-life experts including Chris Hadfield and Serena Williams.
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* {{w|Serena Williams}} is a famous tennis player who was also featured in one of the [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion comics]] for How To: [[2190: Serena Versus the Drones]]
* {{w|Chris Hadfield}} is a Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. The first Canadian to walk in space, Hadfield has flown two Space Shuttle missions and served as commander of the International Space Station.
** The new link to audible probably needs the user to be signed up, else it will go to the front page and ask yo to sign up. But from the archive the page can be seen [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923004816/https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 here].
Up till [https://web.archive.org/web/20190922143253/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-22] it looked like this.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923145251/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-23] and extra link was added after Audible:
** [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target].
* [[2205: Types of Approximation]] was up when this change occurred during a weekend.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190929223547/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-29] when [[2208: Drone Fishing]] was up.

===2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190904051509/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-04].
* [[2198: Throw]] was already up when the header changed slightly, as the text below Happy release day changed.
Most of the header stayed the same as the [[#2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar|day before]], but the reference to the Gregorian/Julian calendar was changed.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text.Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flowing on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan comes who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** Happy How To release day!
** Available wherever books are sold.
** (Mostly bookstores, I assume but you can always try your luck at Wendy's.)
* See below for any other details.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190909211737/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-09] when [[2200: Unreachable State]] was up.

===2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190903051503/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-03]
* [[2197: Game Show]] was still up when the header changed, but it was for sure to coincide with [[2198: Throw]] which came out later on the release day while it still looked like in this version.
* Randall celebrated the release day of [[How To]], coming out the day the header changed.
** The comic is also a reference to a chapter in the book on how to throw things. A very complicated interactive comic where different persons or other living things can be chosen to throw dead or living things. The trow will then be shown below with distance measured in two units, normal and special. That is if the thrower can actually manage to throw the thing.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. The two black books have red stars around them, five on the outer side of the image and 6 on the inner, the stars are mirrored around left and right book. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** How To Randall Munroe
** Happy How To release day!
** (Gregorian calendar. The Julian edition doesn't come out for 13 more days.)
** How To Randall Munroe
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Most of the world uses the {{w|Gregorian calendar}}, but before it was taken into use, the {{w|Julian calendar}} was in use.
** The Julian calendar does not take into account that every 100 years a leap year should be passed as in the Gregorian calendar, and thus it is at the moment 13 days behind, as it has has this many February 29th too many. Since there should actually be a leap year every 400 year, and the last of those was 2000, then it has been 13 days since 1900, and will stay like this until 2100 when it will become 14 days.
** The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Already the next day the part of the header below happy release day about the Gregorian calendar changed. See [[#2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore|above]].

===2019-08-27 - Out in a week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190827082224/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27].
* [[2194: How to Send a File]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], coming out a week from this header.
** It is only three lines of text
* The text:
** My new book, How To, comes out next week!
** Read an exclusive excerpt about transmission [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* Later [https://web.archive.org/web/20190827184229/https://xkcd.com/2194/ on the same day], (and here for the next day [https://web.archive.org/web/20190828095401/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27] for the front page), more text and links where added, plus the order of the text was changed.
* The later text was:
** My new book, [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To], comes out in a week! ([https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/23/book-tour-and-contest-winner/ Book tour info])
** You can preorder it now to get a copy when it's released:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
** You can also read an exclusive excerpt about file transfers [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
* The link to the book tour also include the winner of the [[#2019-06-25 - People with books|contest]] to get Randall to add "your" city to his book tour.
** The winner was {{w|Juneau, Alaska}}.
It ended on the release day 2019-09-03, so this was last on the page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902042108/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-02].

===2019-08-06 - Win a sketch===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06].
* [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was up when the header changed.
** Most likely the header changed when that comic came out on 2019-08-05. But the previous header was also out during that day.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now making a competition where you can win a stick figure sketch of yourself. (Although only for US residents!)
** The image shows Hairy, with a cat at his feet and Megan (or Danish?) with a samurai sword. They are standing with their backs towards each other, the cat on the left, Megan facing right with the sword towards the words.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** Want to win a sketch of yourself as a stick figure? [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ Click here] to find out how!
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''Win an xkcd sketch''
*** That is even though only the click here part of the text is in blue, like a link.
*** Cause as he often has written: I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps, most recently in the [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]] header.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190826062701/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-26] when [[2193: Well-Ordering Principle]] was up.

===2019-08-03 - First look inside===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190803222711/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-03].
* [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now stating that it comes out next month.
** Set to be released on September 3rd 2019, this update was made exactly one month before.
** The image shows text to the left of three drawings of the book: First the closed book showing the black front cover with blue and white text and white drawings, then the book is partly opened, and finally it lays opened up showing two pages, with a readable heading on the right page.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** My new book comes out next month. Click here for a first look inside!
** [On the books front cover only two thins can be read:]
*** How To
*** Randal Munroe.
** [These two words can also partly be read on the opening book.]
** [Only the large heading can be read on the right page of the open book:]
*** How to Dig a Hole.
** [These two pages also became part of a special comic relased during the weekend when this header was up: [[Disappearing Sunday Update]].]
** [The [[Disappearing_Sunday_Update#Transcript|transcript of that comic]] describes the images in the open book.]
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/02/how-to-chapter-list-and-introduction/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''How To: Chapter list and introduction''.
It stayed up like this while the special [[Disappearing Sunday Update]] came out on Sunday 2019-08-04, and was there still on Monday [ https://web.archive.org/web/20190805050812/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-05], at least during the time that the Sudan Update was still up.
* When the next comic came out late that Monday, it probably disappeared along with the Disappearing comic, but the first update with the next header is from Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06], but the Monday comic [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was still on the front page at that time,.

===2019-07-23 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190723205152/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-23].
* [[2179: NWS Warnings]] was up when the header changed.
It returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon header, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]]
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190802192259/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-02] while [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up. The day after when it changed that comic was still up.

===2019-07-15 - ComiCon===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190715181016/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-15].
* [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up when the header changed.
Randall tells that he will be at ComicCon and links to his plans there.
* The text:
** Going to San Diego Comic Con this week? I'll [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/07/15/san-diego-comic-con/ see you there]!
*** The link is to a [[Blag]] post about his plans for the ComicCon
* Randall appeared in a couple of panels, and gave a talk.
* Finally he also handed out signed copies of his new [[How To]] book more than a month before official release.
** So still promoting the book, also in this header...
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190722192637/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-07-22] the day after the ComiCon ended, while [[2178: Expiration Date High Score]] was up.
* Then it returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon announcement when [[2179: NWS Warnings]] came out.

===2019-07-10 - Adding links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190710165920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-10].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was still up when the header changed slightly from that fro the day before.
* Only change was that beneath the picture, see [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]], there is now a list of four links to companies where the book can be preordered.
* The extra text:
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
Note that the day after this change, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190711172451/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-11], a link to [[How To]] was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|links]] in the top left corner of xkcd.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190714175710/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-14] when [[2175: Flag Interpretation]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up.

===2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190709162102/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-09].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]].
** The image shows a small picture of his book with text on either side.
** Below are what appears to be three drawings from the book. [[Ponytail]] pole vaultig with three baloons in one hand, then text, then a truck with a house behind it speeding fast up a hill then text and finally [[Cueball]] somersaulting towards an explosion.
** To the right there is a big blue button to click for preorder, with text below.
* The text:
** New book [Arrow points to book. Title can be read: How To]
** How To: Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** It's a guide to bad ways to do things...
** ...And what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** Click here to preorder
** Or click anywhere. I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps.
*** The entire picture is a [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ link] to the official [[How To]] page on xkcd: https://xkcd.com/how-to/
*** See [[1572: xkcd Survey]] where Randall mentions that he cannot make imagemaps.
It stayed up like this only for a day, then an extra line of links was added the day after while the same comic was still up, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]].
* But the general header stayed up first for five days, and then it returned again for 10 more days after a break to announce a [[#2019-07-15 - ComiCon|ComiCon visit]].
* So a total of 16 days with this drawing.

===2019-06-25 - People with books===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190625190843/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-25].
* [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], and his book tour.
** The image now shows 15 people standing side by side each holding a book up in front of them with unreadable titles.
** From left: [[Megan]], [[Cueball]], a man with blonde hair, [[Jill]], [[Blondie]], [[Hairy]], another Hairy, [[White Hat]], a kid with curly hair, [[Hairbun]], another Cueball, another Megan, a guy with a knit cap, [[Ponytail]], and [[Beret Guy]].
** Above them is a text message.
* The text:
** Want to bring me to your town for my '''''How To''''' book tour? Click to find out how to enter the challenge!
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** A longer sentence will improve your chances.
**** This is indeed what this header picture shows.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190708155517/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-08] when [[2172: Lunar Cycles]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up.

===2019-06-15 - Adding dates===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190615100645/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-15]
* [[2163: Chernobyl]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall only made a small change to the one that had been up for four days at this time.
* The text only changed by adding a line below the first line:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Click here for dates and tickets]
*** The rest of the header is exactly the same as on [[#2019-06-11 - Book tour|2019-06-11]], except everything is a bit smaller to make room in the same place for the extra line.
*** The link is not located on the blue part of the text and it was already there before this update.
*** Best guess is that not many clicked through and Randall then made it obvious that there was a link.
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click. But it is easier to make a place for people to click than tell them this...
The header stayed like this until 2019-06-25, when it changed while [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up. But this one was still up when that comic came out the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20190624162740/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-24].

===2019-06-11 - Book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190611031920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-11]
* [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was up when the header changed.
** '''Note''' when this change happened two new links was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] section of xkcd.
* Randall changed the header text to announce the official book tour for his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 3 months later.
* The text:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Below this header is a map of the mainland USA with 14 labeled black dots indicates the 14 cities that the book tour will take Randall to. One red dot with five red question marks above is located beneath the map to the left, indicating a 15th city to be chosen in a contest. Above the map to the right is a small picture of the book with the blue title on the black cover. Above the book is the release date and with an arrow pointing down to the book.]
** September 3rd
** How to
** Seattle
** Portland
** San Francisco
** Santa Cruz
** Los Angeles
** Salt Lake City
** Kansas City
** Ann Arbor
** Cincinnati
** Louisville
** Cambridge
** New York
** D.C.
** Raleigh
** ????? (Chosen by readers)
** [The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.]
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** Only US cities can apply.
* The header only stayed exactly like this for three days, and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190614094729/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-14] when [[2162: Literary Opinions]] was on the front page.
** Then it changed slightly to indicate that the picture was a link which was not clear before. See above.

===2019-05-17 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190517103928/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-17]:
* [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was still up when the header changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with Google reader here below.
* See [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|2019-02-06]] below for all details.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610055519/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-06-10], while [[2160: Ken Burns Theory]] was still up on the day the next comic [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was to be released (where the new header could be found at least the next day, but maybe from the release of that comic?). Then it changed to announce the book tour for his new book.

===2019-04-23 - Google Reader===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190423155458/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-23]:
* [[2140: Reinvent the Wheel]] came out when it changed, ending a more than two and half month long [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|promotion]] of Randall's new book [[How To]].
* Randall changed the header text to ask if the reader still mourned the loss of {{w|Google Reader}} which closed on 2013-07-01, almost 6 years before this comic..
** He offers the possibility to sign up to receive the newest comic by e-mail.
* The comic may have relation to this, as some where using Google reader for different purposes when they closed it, without any chance of [https://www.google.com/reader/about/ getting your data out].
** The comic "Reinvent the Wheel" mentions that using external dependencies carry risks, such as Google closing down a feature. given the fact that the comic came out as the header changed it is probably not a coincidence.
* The text:
** Still mourning the demise of Google Reader? You can sign up to get new comics delivered by email [https://xkcd.com/newsletter/ here].
* The link is to https://xkcd.com/newsletter, where it is possible to submit your e-mail address and press a subscribe button.
** the following text is written above it:
** To receive the comic and news postings in your inbox, subscribe here.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190516100403/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-16], when [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was up. Then it changed back to the promotion of his new book.

===2019-02-06 - How to book===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06]:
* [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up at the time when it changed, having been up since Monday the 4th of February.
** Here it can be seen being on the front of xkcd on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], without the new text. This was also the last time the standard header text was used in several months.
** [[2108: Carbonated Beverage Language Map]] came up later on the day the header changed.
* Randall changed the header text to promote his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 7 months later.
** He added an image of the book with large text next to it regarding the release and links on how to preorder it.
** There was no direct relation to the comics released at the time, except of course that he kind of launched his new book with all the risk it involves, while having a comic called launch risk up. It was though a very different and more real type of launch risk (of a human carrying space rocket) in the comic.
* The text:
** [The book is shown to the left as a black rectangle with large blue text and smaller gray text. On the book cover, in white drawings, are seen Megan with a ladder and either Black or White Hat (hard to say on black background). Both are looking up on Cueball who is floating in the air with a quadcopter beneath either leg, trying to plug in an electric light bulb in a naked lamp hanging down near him. It seems he has already removed the broken light bulb, as he has one in both hands. And now he tries to put in the new one. He could have let Megan use the ladder...]
** [The header in blue above it all:] How To.
** [Sub header in gray to the left of Cueball:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [Author name in blue below the drawing:] Randall Munroe
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Creator of xkcd
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Author of what if? and Thing Explainer
** [Next to this book image are the following text:]
** [Large heading:] HOW TO
** [Normal size sub header:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [In smaller gray font below:] Available September 3, 2019.
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word still in gray:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* It stayed up for more than two and a half month and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190422030324/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-22], when [[2139: Email Settings]] was up. Then it finally changed to a new header without going back to the standard.

===2018-11-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07]
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], so two days less than three months.
** After this it did not return to the standard text for almost three years, but just short of a month before the third year without it, it returned on [[#2022-01-08 - Back to standard text|2022-01-08]].

===2018-11-06 - Election Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181106122850/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-06]:
* [[2068: Election Night]] (on election day the day after this comic was released).
** It added a larger comic above the two links from the previous header. Those links of the previous header text was still up the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], when [[2067: Challengers]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header once more to try to make more people vote, and in this case help others to vote.
** Once again directly related to the new comic about election night.
* The text:
** [A line of altering blue and red stars, blue first and last of two rows of nine starts around of the heading:]
** Election Day!
** [Below Black Hat and Ponytail to the left and Megan to the right of Cueball is checking their smart phones. Cueball is addressing the reader:]
** Cueball: The biggest thing you can do th help is to check in with friends and family and make sure they know when and where they're voting.
** [Below these four characters there is the following text with two arrows pointing left and right. Both are turning up to text/links on either side of the four:]
** Use these links to answer questions
** [To the left:] Where and how to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ Vote-org]
** [To the right:] What's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
** [Below was the two links from the previous header:]
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* It was only up one day and thus on ended the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07] when the next comic [[2069: Wishlist]] came out.
** The text then returned to the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
*** It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05].

===2018-11-02 - Where to vote===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02]:
* [[2067: Challengers]] (on the Friday, it was released).
** It added another link to the previous header text. That text was still up the day before on Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].
** That was while comic [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to let people know who is on their voting ballot, and as before there is also a link on how to register for voting.
** This is also directly related to the new comic that came out that day, about helping people to decide who to vote for, i.e. who is on their ballot.
* The text:
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, four days after the release of this comic.
* It was still up the day before the election day, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], and then it changed with the next comic.

===2018-10-22 - Register for voting===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181022120935/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-22]:
* [[2061: Tectonics Game]] (on a Monday, the 3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The standard text was still up Sunday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181021141446/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-21].
** The comic [[2062: Barnard's Star]] was released later that day.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to try to get people to register for voting.
* The text:
** Check your registration and find your polling place at [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, about two weeks after the release of this comic.
** It is generally believed that many of those not voting would have chosen democrats on election day, and thus Randall has an interest in getting as many as possible to register, see [[1756: I'm With Her]] (apart from the fact that he also most likely thinks that it is important to use the right to vote).
* It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02], when [[2067: Challengers]] came out.
** It was still there while [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].

===2018-09-13 - NY votes today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20180913133544/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-13]
* [[2045: Social Media Announcement]] (the day after the release of the comic.)
** It was not up when the comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180912131437/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-12].
* It was a short lived reminder that NY votes today below the usual standard text.
* The text:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** NY votes today! Find your polling place [https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ here]. (Zephyr Teachout for AG!)
* It ended with [[2046: Trum-]], the very next comic, on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180914175605/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-14], returning to the standard text.

===2017-11-26 - Christmas gifts===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20171126130857/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-26]
* [[1920: Emoji Sports]] had been up two days [https://web.archive.org/web/20171125125648/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-25] before the message changed from the normal version. But it changed the day before the next comic came up.
** It was changed to a commercial for Christmas shopping with a code for getting 5$ of the price with a codes for different online shops.
* The text:
** To anyone looking for Christmas gifts: Until Monday you can get $5 off
** [https://www.amazon.com/What-International-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544456866 What If?] and [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Thing Explainer] on Amazon with coupon code GIFTBOOK17.
** At Barnes & Noble, until Sunday you can get 20% off [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 What If?] and [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432 Thing Explainer] using code GIVETHANKS.
* It was only up a few days and ended with [[1922: Interferometry]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171130150053/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-30] where it returned to the standard text.
** But it was still up when the comic in between [[1921: The Moon and the Great Wall]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171129140033/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-29].

===2017-09-22 - Visiting the UK===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170922232616/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22]:
* [[1893: Thread]] (with its release).
** It was not up on the previous comic [[1892: USB Cables]], on the day they changed [https://web.archive.org/web/20170922025204/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22].
* It was an announcement that Randall would visit the UK next week.
* The text:
** I'll be visiting the UK next week! You can join me in London from September 30-October 2 (at [https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/randall-munroe New Scientist Live], [https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2017/october/public-lunchtime-talk--randall-munroe The Royal Institution], and [https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/randall-munroe-on-making-complicated-stuff-simple/ Intelligence Squared]), then from October 3-6 in [https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/public_lectures/randall_munroe_thing_explainer York], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thing-explaining-with-randall-munroe-tickets-37832289396 Edinburgh], [https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/randall-murray-thing-explainer/ Cambridge and Ely], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randall-munroe-book-signing-thing-explainer-tickets-38041072873 Oxford], and [https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on/2017/randall-munroe/ Cheltenham].
* Ended with [[1900: Jet Lag]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171010045802/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-10] when the text returned to normal.
** But it was still up the day before with [[1899: Ears]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171009040109/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-09].

===2017-07-31 - Thank you===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170731021227/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31]:
* [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] (3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The comic [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released later that day.
** Megan is holding hand with Cueball and next to them is two words above each other: Thank you.
** The image is also a link.
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170801042453/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/us/politics/senate-votes-repeal-obamacare.html How Each Senator Voted on Obamacare Repeal Proposals], an article showing the senate votes. (here in an archived version).
* Ended with [[1872: Backup Batteries]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170804152509/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-04], but was still up when [[1871: Bun Alert]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170803124342/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-03].

===2017-07-25 - Vote against health care bill===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25]:
* [[1867: Physics Confession]] (2nd day after release of the comic, it was not up on the first day: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-24]).
* Randall modified the xkcd header to ask readers to support voting against Donald Trump's new health care bill.
** The header was replaced with an image which is available in an archived version [https://web.archive.org/web/20170726150959im_/https://imgs.xkcd.com/notes/call-senate.png here].
** The image is also a link (and you can click anywhere on it to go to the link that is mentioned).
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170729003307/https://www.trumpcareten.org/daily TrumpCare Ten] (here in an archived version).
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click.
** Transcript of the image:
*** [Megan is holding hand with Cueball next to three lines of large text, the same height as they are:]
*** Please tell your senators to vote against this health care bill. It will hurt people.
*** [After these three lines there is a phone number in a very large bold font with a line of text below:]
*** 202-224-3121
*** Or click here for more info
*** [Below the above is a gray line which is split in the middle with gray text, and below that four state names in white text inside black boxes:]
*** Know anyone in these states? Ask them to call, too.
*** Alaska Maine Nevada Ohio West Virginia
* Ended while [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170731164828/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31], when it was replaced by a ''Thank you''.
** That comic came out already [https://web.archive.org/web/20170728124230/https://xkcd.com/ three days before] (Friday comic), but was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170730141019/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-30]) when the message changed sometimes between Sunday 30th and Monday 31st (where [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released).

===2017-01-21 - Update on previous===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170122003124/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]:
* [[1788: Barge]]
* It came up almost a month after Christmas but did not really change the sales pitch of the previous. It just removed the link image with the large red text, see previous version below.
* The text:
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
* Ended with [[1867: Physics Confession]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25].
** That comic came up [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ the day before] the above version of the header appeared.
** So the first day after release it was still the T-shirt commercial.
** And it did not return to the standard version in between.

===2016-11-28 - Christmas sale===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128153015/https://xkcd.com 2016-11-28]
* [[1765: Baby Post]]
* This came up in time for the Christmas sale of 2016.
* The text was
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
** Above the text there was an image with two black t-shirts with white print on the chest. They were located at either end of a large red text written in the text type used in the comic. This text said New xkcd shirts.
** The entire image was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* Ended with [[1788: Barge]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20170121114423/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]

===2016-04-23 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160423103108/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-23]
* When [[1671: Arcane ]] came out (probably 2016-04-22, but no earlier archived versions exist) the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this for more than 7 months until [[1764: XKCDE]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20161128093459/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-11-28].

===2016-04-04 - Protip on Garden===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185353/https://www.xkcd.com/#5dbfbb82-fc20-11e5-8001-42010a8e000d 2016-04-04]
* Because of the complexity of the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1663: Garden]], Randall needed to give people some advice, hence a [[:Category:Protip|protip]] was added.
** This came in several versions, not all managed to be documented in the archive. See more in the trivia for garden regarding the [[1663:_Garden#Header_text_after_release|Header text after release]].
* The header text became a protip with the following text (the first version not documented only had the first line):
** '''Protip''': If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
** You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.
* When the next comic, [[1664: Mycology]], was released two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406194653/https://xkcd.com/1664/ 2016-04-06], an extra line of text was added, due to the issues caused by Garden not being on the front page {{xkcd}} but only on the numbered page {{xkcd|1663}}.
** This change was first documented on the front page the day after on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160407010635/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-07]
** The change was of course also on and all the other comic and thus also on the Garden comic from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406192530/https://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-04-06].
* Text added below the other two lines:
** Note: If you're seeing today's comic in place of your garden, change the URL from xkcd.com/#<your code> to xkcd.com/1663/#<your code>.
*** This extra line was only there until next time the comic change, so last day was [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408145017/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08].
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408195958/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08] when [[1665: City Talk Pages]] was released the extra line was removed leaving the two written first here above.
** This was also the case on the Garden comic (and all other comics) from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408204740/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-08].
* The Protip stayed in the main header text until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160422102754/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-22] when [[1670: Laws of Physics]] was up.
** But even though it disappeared from main header and thus from all other comic it stayed on the Garden comic, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160423182630/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-23].
** And it has then turned out to become one of the permanent [[xkcd_Header_text#Garden|Unique header texts]].

===2016-04-04 - Back to standard text as Garden came up===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404123555/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04]
* For a brief period of time, when [[1663: Garden]] was finally released, the Header text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But this lasted less than 13 hours. (Time between the previous and next archived version is 13 hours and 7 minutes).
** As people needed guidance to the new complicated comic.

===2016-04-01 - April 1st comic - technical difficulties===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401204749/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01]
* When Randall had problem releasing [[1663: Garden]] several [[1663:_Garden#April_Fools.27_header_text|April Fools' header text]] arrived in short succession while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was still up.
* Each of these where simple text.
** The first from the link abve:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Please stand by!
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402125723/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2016-04-02] at 12:57:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Status update: Please stand by.
*** Status update: This is fine. Everything is fine.
*** Status update: Everything is on fire.
*** Status update: Searching for calendar systems in which Saturday is April 1st.
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402175822/https://www.xkcd.com 2016-04-02] at 17:58:
*** The Friday xkcd comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties
*** [Editor's note: Everything is on fire] and has been delayed until Sunday night.
* It stayed like the third version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160404054612/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04] three days after the April Fools' Day comic was supposed to come out, so Jack and Jill was up until it changed.
This was what was needed to stop more than 10 months of promotion of the [[Thing Explainer]] book, see below.

===2015-12-13 - Thing Explainer is available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151213194534/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-13]
* [[1615: Red Car]] was still up when the header changed.
** The change was that the promotion for where Randall was last week where removed and left only the promotion the book [[Thing Explainer]]:
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160401125621/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01] while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was on the front page.
** This was the last time that Thing Explainer was [[:Category:Book promotion|promoted]] in the header text.
*** The first time was [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|2015-05-14]], so it had been part of the header text for almost ten and a half month. That is a record!

===2015-12-05 - Thing Explainer is available and Next week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05]
* [[1612: Colds]] was up when the header changed.
** This was also at this time the [[2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer|previous header texts image] was moved below the comic.
* Randall goes back to a simple promotion of the book [[Thing Explainer]] listing where to boy it.'
** But he adds a line about where he will be next week, first to a book shop on Illinois and then later in Toronto, where the host was {{w|Ryan North}} from [https://qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics], one of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|comics Randall enjoys]].
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** I'll be in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151211002159/https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/event/naperville-reads-randall-munroe Naperville, IL] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205205714/https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indigo-exclusive-randall-munroe-tickets-18694384407 Toronto, ON] (with [https://qwantz.com/ Ryan North]!) next week.
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151212133400/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-12-12] while [[1615: Red Car]] was on the front page.

===2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151203234149/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-03]
* [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was still up when the header changed.
** This was a special one comic header text consisting of a large image with pages and excerpts from the book [[Thing Explainer]].
** The image was larger than most comics, and took away the focus of today's comic.
** So already two days after, when [[1612: Colds]] was released, the image was relegated to the being below the comic, but inside the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Main_comic|main comic]] segment, thus not a part of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Bottom_segment|bottom segment]].
*** But it was displayed in the header for all comics, here [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204030024/https://xkcd.com/1609/ an example] from the comic released two comics before 1611, [[1609: Food Combinations]].
*** See more (and the image) [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]] on the page for Thing Explainer.
* Description of the image:
** At the top are shown four pages from the book. Two mainly blue, left and right, with white text and large images and between them two mainly white pages with blue text and smaller images. None of the text is readable, but the two blue pages pictures can be understood even in this size.
*** The first page is number 2 about an animal cell: ''Tiny bags of water you’re made of''. It shows a detailed drawing of a human cell, with text at the top, and then several labels with text beneath that have arrows pointing to different parts of the cell.
*** The second page is number 31 about the cockpit of an airplane: ''Stuff you touch to fly a sky boat''. It shows the inside of a cockpit with view out of the four windows, with lots of buttons in the ceiling, and blue screens and instruments at the bottom. Out the windows can be seen clouds and Cueball hanging from a balloon (a reference to [[1110: Click and Drag]]).
**** A zoom in on this page is shown beneath the four pages, see more below.
*** The third page is page 27. What is on this page is a bit difficult to see, as there are no big drawings with clear meaning. It is the second page in a two page section on Data centers, with the second page focusing on the Computer: ''Computer building''. The pictures shows the data racks, to the right, and the individual computer components put into these, to the top left, with the wiring shown below to the left. Lots of text with arrows to different parts.
*** The fourth page is page 23 about Trees: ''Tree''. It clearly shows the silhouette of a white tree on blue background. Several animal live on, in and beneath it. Cueball is standing on the ground. All the text are beneath labels that points to parts of the tree or the tree dwellers.
** In between the two time two pages there is a readable text, split over five lines, with two arrow at the top going from the corners of the text to the near corners of the white pages to either side. And below three arrows, with two pointing similarly as the two top arrows, but starting at the bottom of the text, and one arrow pointing straight down from the middle of the text to the large image below.
** Beneath all this is a large image which shows a zoom in on the left part of the cockpit from the second page above. The zoom is focused on the two front windows, but only the left is entirely in the picture, and the balloon hanging Cueball, cannot be seen in this part of the right window.
*** At this zoom level, most of the text van be read (that is labels written on things or having arrows pointing to them). Clouds can bee seen out of both windows and in the background a rocket launch with smoke plume below the rocket is visible. The horizon line is well defines across both windows. Some of the instruments can be seen below the windows with text written on them. And some blue areas, mainly screens can be seen.
** Beneath this picture is a line with links to where the book can be ordered, like the one from the previous header text.
* The text:
** Pages from my new book, ''Thing Explainer'': Complicated stuff in simple words.
** [Labels in the cockpit]:
*** Sky
*** Ground (This should be below the sky. If it's above the sky, you're either having a big problem or doing something ''really'' fun.)
*** Use this stuff to tell the sky boat to fly itself.
*** Fly
*** How fast it feels IAS 172
*** Direction HDG 240
*** Fall or rise
*** How high 2500
*** Fly
*** Helpful screen
*** Where the ground is
*** You are: Flying
*** Look here if there is a problem
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image is a link to [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU Thing Explainer on Amazon].
* It was only part of the header for two days until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204050419/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-04].
** It was then moved below the comics as mentioned above from [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05] when the next comic [[1612: Colds]] came out.

===2015-11-24 - Thing Explainer is out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151124201602/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-24]
* [[1607: Supreme Court]] was still up, but [[1608: Hoverboard]] most have come out close to the change.
** See both [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 00:12] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125230753/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 23:07].
** Since this new "comic" was actually a {{w|browser game}} made to celebrate the release of Randall's new book, ''[[Thing Explainer]]'', which was released on the same day as this comic: Tuesday, November 24, 2015. The comic thus appeared on a Tuesday, replacing that week's normal Wednesday release to coincide with the release day.
** Hence it is a shame that there is no archived versions on the 24th showing Hoverboard on the front page. Even though the new version of the Header text is shown on the 24th, but on the previous comic.
* Cause all the header text is about is the release day of Thing Explainer!
** The top part is text with a line with large letters and a line below in brackets and using smaller letters. Below that there is a line dividing the text from the next part.
** Below follows the same header that was up as early as [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] with the open book and three lines of text.
* The text:
** My new book, [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer], is out today!
** (If you're in NYC, you can also [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925015809/https://stores.barnesandnoble.com:80/author/11170358 come see me]!)
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the ten-hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the order line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Already the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25], when [[1608: Hoverboard]] was up, an extra line (a link) was added below the above. A line was separating it from the links above:
** [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ A puzzle for UK readers]
*** This was to a blag post with A puzzle for the UK because he could not go to UK in person. So this was a kind of bonus for those who could solve it. (We need an entry on that here on xkcd...)
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20151127114432/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-27] is still looked like this but then when the next comic, [[1609: Food Combinations]], came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128130851/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-28] the line about seeing him in New York was removed.
* The version with the puzzle, but without the New York line, was then up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151201222148/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-01] when [[1610: Fire Ants]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151202225254/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-12-02] the line with the puzzle at the bottom was changed to:
** I'm doing a [https://www.facebook.com/AndyWeirAuthor/ live Q&A;] at 2:30pm PT with The Martian author Andy Weir.
*** The link is to {{w|Andy Weir}}'s Facebook page. And the Q&A can likely not be seen anymore.
*** Randall has made no less than two comics about the movie {{w|The Martian (film)|The Martian}}, [[1536: The Martian]] and [[1585: Similarities]].
** It only lasted that day, and this became the last day with this header text, so it ended while [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was up.

===2015-10-22 - World Polio Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151022200022/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-22]
* [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up when the header changed.
** Randall mentions World Polio Day and the comic he drew for Bill Gates' blog, [[XKCD Marks the Spot]].
** Although he still keeps mentioning the release date for [[Thing Explainer]].
* The text:
** We've [https://slate.com/technology/2015/08/no-new-polio-in-africa-for-one-year-gates-epidemiologist-on-vaccines-and-surveillance.html almost eradicated polio]. For World Polio Day, I drew a comic
** about the eradication efforts. You can see it on [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/XKCD-Marks-the-Spot Bill Gates's blog].
** My [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ new book] of complex diagrams and simple words comes out Nov 24th.
*** The last line is split from the Polio announcement with a line.
* Was there until [[1607: Supreme Court]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151124065108/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-11-24].
** That was the day that the book was released, and when the next comic [[1608: Hoverboard]] came out, it was a celebration of the book.

===2015-09-23 - Book trip and tool===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923044724/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-23]:
* [[1580: Travel Ghost]] was up when the header changed.
** Announcing the book trip for the [[Thing Explainer]] book as well as linking to a Thing Explainer word checker tool! Two lines of text with links.
* The text:
** News: Announcing my Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/im-going-on-a-book-trip/ book trip]. Come say hi!
** Other news: Announcing the Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/a-thing-explainer-word-checker/ word checker] tool!
*** Both links are to the [[Blag]], the first a schedule for his book trip, and the second telling about Randall's new [https://xkcd.com/simplewriter/ Simple Writer] that could help you ''Write Like Up Goer Five and Thing Explainer''.
* Was there until [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151021164208/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-21].

===2015-09-06 - New links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150906181550/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-06]:
* [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was still up when the header changed.
** The promotion of the book, [[Thing Explainer]], stayed the same with a picture above links to preorder it, but the links was reduced from four to two, the amazon link changed and a new company was added for the second link removing the other three.
** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details on the image.
* The new link text:
** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thing-Explainer-Randall-Munroe/dp/1473620910 Amazon.co.uk}, [https://www.waterstones.com/book/thing-explainer/9781473620919 Waterstones]
* Was there until [[1579: Tech Loops]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150919220105/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-22].

===2015-08-09 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150809230825/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-09]:
* [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was still up when the header changed.
** It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with other news here below.
*** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details.
* Stayed like this until [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154014/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-05], but the only change was that the links to preorder changed from four to only two.

===2015-06-06 - Other news===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150606084120/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-06-06]
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was still up.
** This was just adding some "Other news", but leaving the promotion of [[Thing Explainer]] unchanged as in the [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|previous header]], but adding two news stories in text below the link to preorder.
* The new text:
** In other news, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrdAvmr-MA Space Weird Thing] is delightful, and I feel surprisingly invested in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150720074919/https://twitter.com/xkcdbracket @xkcdbracket's] results.
*** The link to Space Weird Thing is a YouTube video with a simple words version of {{w|David Bowie|David Bowie's}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo Space Oddity] music video, using only the top then hundred words. The creators contributes the idea to the [[1133: Up Goer Five]] diagram which also inspired the book Thing Explainer, also promoted in this header text.
*** The other link is referring to [[1529: Bracket]] released 12 days before this update, as a twitter user made a survey going through all the brackets all the way to a winner was found. Seems Randall became interested in who won. See more on the comics page.
* Was there until [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150807181044/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-07]. Then it returned back to the previous header with only the promotion of the book.

===2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150515060322/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-15]
* [[1525: Emojic 8 Ball]]
* This was a more detailed promotion for Randall's new book: [[Thing Explainer]] to be published in November 2015, more than half a year after the announcement, compared to the previous change which was just a line and a link.
* The text:
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the then hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to preorder the book:
*** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the preorder line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150605082643/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-06-05], but only to add other information. The main promotion of the book stayed the same.

===2015-05-14 - New book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150514053623/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-14]
* [[1524: Dimensions]] was up.
** A single line announced the new [[Thing Explainer]] book, with link to the [[Blag]] post from the day before.
* The text:
** New book: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer!]
The [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion of the book]] stayed up with some changes for [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-12-13_-_Thing_Explainer_is_available|more than 10 month]] first stopping when Randall had [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-01_-_The_xkcd_April_1st_comic_is_currently_experiencing_technical_difficulties|problems with his April Fools' Day comic]] in 2016... It is a record length.
* The first came already the day after so this short announcement was only up on this day and ended with the next comic. See above.
* See more details on the promotion of the book on the Thing Explainer page [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]].

===2015-02-11 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150211154103/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-11]
* When [[1485: Friendship]] came out the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[1523: Microdrones]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184622/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-05-12], so just a day more than three months.

===2015-02-04 - Valentine cards only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150204051152/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-04]
* [[1482: NowPlaying]] came out as it changed.
** After the last day of ordering t-shirt had passed it changed back to the picture with the Valentine cards from the previous header, but without the t-shirt picture.
** See that [[#2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt|header change]], but only the first picture described.
* Ended while [[1484: Apollo Speeches]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150210005540/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-10].

===2015-02-02 - Last day shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-02]
* [[1481: API]] came out as it changed.
** Just letting people know it is the last chance to order the binary t-shirt.
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** Today is the last day to order the limited-run [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart binary heart shirt]!
** The last words is link to the shirt in the shop.
* Ended before the next comic was up, but still the day after, when it was too late to order: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150203022036/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-03].

===2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183442/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-29]
* [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell about both the two previous updates in the same header- Both about the collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards and his new Valentine t-shirt.
** There where two pictures, with a promotion of the two products and a link to them in the shop.
** On the left was text about the cards with a small drawing to the right of the text showing the four cards.
*** An ant talking to an aphids; Earth rotating about the sun but locked so one side melts; an ant with a fungus growing from it's head with a heart, and a Velociraptor skeleton where the last bit of the tail is put on by a person. The text on the cards are unreadable, but they can be seen via the link.
** The text (in three lines) was:
*** Webcomic science Valentine card collaboration
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines link to the cards] from the picture.
** The picture on the left shows binary numbers 0 and 1 in white on a black background. The middle of the three lines of those have message in red text.
** The text:
*** 0 1 0 1 0 Binary heart 1 1 1
*** 1 1 1 Valentine shirt 0 1
*** 0 0 0 1 [limited run] 0 0 1
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart link to the shirt] from the picture.
* Ended while [[1480: Super Bowl]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150201015913/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-01].

===2015-01-27 - Valentine's Day cards===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-27]
* [[1478: P-Values]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell that about a collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** I've teamed up with three other webcomic artists
** to make [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines a set of science-themed Valentine's Day cards]!
* There was a link to the cards on the store.
* Ended while [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128172147/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-28].

===2015-01-24 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150124110707/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-24]
* [[1477: Star Wars]] came out as it changed.
** It was to tell about a new type of t-shirt for Valentine Day.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** For Valentine's Day, you can get a binary heart shirt
** (from {{xkcd|99|comic #99!}}) in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart a limited run on TeeSpring]
* There was a link to [[99: Binary Heart]] and to the relevant t-shirt on the [https://teespring.com/ Teespring] home page.
* Ended while [[1478: P-Values]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150126133139/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-26].

===2014-12-22 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141222233233/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-22]
* [[1463: Altitude]] came out as it changed.
** After the Christmas sale deadline there was still merchandise in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** You can get xkcd shirts, prints, and posters in the [https://shop.xkcd.com/ store]!
* The word store was a link to the shop.
* Ended while [[1476: Ceres]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150123102318/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-23].

===2014-12-19 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141219092349/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-19]:
* [[1462: Blind Trials]] came out as it changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with order now here below.
* See [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|2014-12-17]] below for all details.
* Ended while [[1462: Blind Trials]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141221172450/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-21].

===2014-12-18 - Order now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218090650/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-18]
* [[1461: Payloads]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday and that it was rapidly approaching. This was a follow up on the [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|Wednesdays announcement]] the day before.
** The image was just four lines of text with several red and blue words.
* The text was:
** The xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
** Once it passes, there is no going back. The arrow of time drags us all
** Inexorably forward toward decay and disorder. toward the end of all things.
** Towards the empty silence of the grave. Order now!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text.
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141217085320/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-17]
* [[1461: Payloads]] came out as it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday. This was announced Wednesday two days before the deadline.
** The image was just text with the last word in each line in red and the xkcd store blue as a link.
* The text was:
** Looking for a gift?
** xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up!

===2014-12-03 - Christmas shopping===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141203132024/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-03]
* [[1455: Trolley Problem]] came out as it changed.
** It was to announce the start of the Christmas shopping on the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store]
** Four boxes with shipping details are shown. Two green and two red, alternating from green. Between them are three text messages in two, two and three lines.
* The text was:
** xkcd store
** Christmas shopping
** I will probably not ship you a bobcat.
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* The bobcat is a reference to [[325: A-Minus-Minus]].
* Ended while [[1460: SMFW]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-11-29 - Thanks - Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141129211604/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-29]
* [[1453: fMRI]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to thanks for all the help his friend Emily with cancer got through among other his previous header text [[#2014-11-27 - Help Emily| Help Emily]].
** That only needed to be up two days before the goal was met.
* The text was:
** Thank you for helping my friend Emily.
** It means so much.
* Ended three days later while [[1454: Done]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141202065133/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-02].

===2014-11-27 - Help Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141127005239/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-27]
* [[1452: Jurassic World]] came out as it changed.
** It was to help a friend who got cancer by raising money for her.
* The text was:
** Hey all. My friend Emily—the economist who helped
** me with my {{xkcd|980|money chart}}—has been fighting cancer. She's
** having a rough time and could use some [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128183414/https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk help]. Thank you.
* There are two links, one to the [[980: Money]] comic she helped Randall create, and one for her Go Fund Me page to raise money for her cancer cure.
** The help link above is to the archived version from that time, but the link was still active in August 2019: [https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk Helping Emily Fight Cancer].
* Ended while [[1453: fMRI]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128070838/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-11-28].
** She did thus not get a permanent header as did Becky on the [[#Seven_Years|Seven Years]] comic.

===2014-10-02 - what if? bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141002211139/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-10-02]
* [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out|book is out]].
* This was a month after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It added a line of red text beneath the previous header to announce that the book was the #1 New York bestseller.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
** (#1 New York bestseller!)
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1451: Background Screens]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141125234520/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-25].

===2014-09-04 - what if? book out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140904150600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-04]
* [[1416: Pixels]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out today|book is out today]].
* This was two days after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It only removed to today from the previous header, that had only been up two days.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141001130827/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-09-02 - what if? book out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140902125802/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-02]
* [[1415: Ballooning]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-07-23 - what if? book tour|book tour header]].
* This was the day the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out. [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised shouts this out.. The word Book is underlined and blue to indicate a link.
* The text was:
** My book is out today!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1416: Pixels]] was still [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903134518/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-03].

===2014-07-23 - what if? book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140723180600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-23]
* [[1398: Snake Facts]]
* This was a promotion of his book tour for the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book made by [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised. Several parts of the text was underlined and blue to indicate links.
* The text was:
** I'm going on a book tour! click here for a list of stops.
** Or click anywhere-this whole image is one link because I've never gotten the hang of HTML imagemaps.
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/22/what-if-book-tour/ What If book tour!].
** Later Randall commented on this lacking ability in the comic: [[1572: xkcd Survey]].
** He also mentions it in one of the [[#xkcd_Header_text#2019-07-09_-_Drawings_from_How_To|promotions]] for his [[How To]] book.
** He much later he again mentions that html is hard, thus explaining why the entire image is a link instead of the actual blue highlighted link in one of the promotions for [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-08-11_-_Preorder_What_if.3F_2_-_with_image|what if? 2]].
* Ended while [[1415: Ballooning]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140901113916/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-03-13 - what if? announced===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140313070951/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-13]
* [[1341: Types of Editors]] was up.
* This was the first promotion of Randall's new ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book which is shown next to two lines of text.
* The text was:
** News:
** I'm publishing a ''what if'' book!
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/03/12/what-if-i-wrote-a-book/ What if I wrote a book?]
* Ended while [[1397: Luke]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140722142115/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-22].

===2014-01-09 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140109190927/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-09]
* When [[1314: Photos]] was still up when the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312070248/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-12] when [[1340: Unique Date]] was up, a bit more than two months.

===2013-12-21 - Deadline for Christmas shipping has passed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221043417/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2013-12-21]
* It changed when [[1306: Sigil Cycle]] came out.
* This came up when it was too close to Christmas in 2013 for shipping to arrive in time for Christmas. And Randall makes a note of this, but lets people know that they could still buy presents...
* The text was
** The deadline for guaranteed Christmas shipping has passed, but if you order something from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], we'll get it to you as fast as possible!
* Ended when [[1314: Photos]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181520/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-08].

===2013-12-06 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206213503/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-06]
* It changed when [[1300: Galilean Moons]] came out.
** There was no header text. This happened next on [[Header_text#2020-04-05 - Empty header|2020-04-05]]. It looks really weird.
* Ended when [[1305: Undocumented Feature]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005306/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-20].

===Changes not documented yet 3===
More changes will for sure be here between this and the one below.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131205202730/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-05]: Xmas sale before above
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]: Empty follows below

===2013-03-15 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]
* It changed while [[1186: Bumblebees]] was on the front page.
** After the text saying a comic would be delayed disappeared no text replaced this.
** So the header was left empty!
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318072820/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-18] while [[1187: Aspect Ratio]] was up.

===2013-03-13 - Comic will be delayed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130313133631/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-13]
* It changed when [[1184: Circumference Formula]] came out, likely because the next comic was delayed.
** But there is a gap of three days before where no archived version exist, so cannot say if there where more than a few hours with this text.
* The text:
** The comic will be delayed until late morning EDT.
* Ended when [[1185: Ineffective Sorts]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175306/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-13].
** That was later same day as the first archived version. But could have been longer as mentioned above.

===2012-11-26 - xkcd store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121126235628/https://xkcd.com/1138/ 2012-11-26]
* It changed while [[1138: Heatmap]] was up.
** Notice that the above link is not from the main page, but from {{xkcd|1138}}.
** There was a gap of five days in the archive of the main page.
** The first day that it was archived from the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201111432/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-12-01], while [[1141: Two Years]] was up.
* The standard header text is replaced with an image that makes it seem like a rip is being torn in the white region where the text used to be. Beneath the white material that has now been ripped, some text can partly be seen. It is possible to read it.
* The text:
** xkcd store
*** The image is a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] (tadaaa!)
* Ended when [[1183: Rose Petals]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130311073948/https://xkcd.com:80/1183/ 2013-03-11]
** The above link is from {{xkcd|1183}}.
** Last time the front page was archived with it was though on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130309010403/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-09].

===2012-10-24 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024082017/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-24]
* While [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121126035129/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-11-26] when [[1138: Heatmap]] was up, a few days more than a month.

===2012-10-17 - New What-If - Lightning===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232102/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-17]
* Probably while [[1122: Electoral Precedent]] was up.
** But the link above showing it was up on the 2012-10-17 is from the previous comics page {{xkcd|1121}} [[1121: Identity]].
** But the first version archived with this header is saved on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121018082304/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-18]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|16|Today's topic: Lightning}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/16/ What if lightning struck while you were ...]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023404/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-23] when [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front page
** This link is though from {{xkcd|1121}}.
** The last this version was archived on the front page was the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120008/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-22].

===2012-10-10 - New What-If - Mariana Trench Explosion===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010003837/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-10]
* [[1118: Microsoft]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|15|Mariana Trench Explosion}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/15/ What if you set off a nuclear bomb in the Mariana Trench?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121016055538/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-16] when [[1121: Identity]] was up.

===2012-10-02 - This week's What-If - Short Answer Section===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121002231724/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-10-02]
* [[1115: Sky]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|14|Short Answer Section}}''.
* The text
** In this week's What-If article I [https://what-if.xkcd.com/14/ answer multiple reader questions].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121008112434/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-08] when [[1118: Microsoft]] was up.

===2012-09-26 - New What-If - Laser Pointer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120926163111/https://xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-26]
* [[1113: Killed in Action]] was up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 26th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120928003838/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-28]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|13|Laser Pointer}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ If everyone aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at once, would it change color?]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121001080517/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-01] when [[1115: Sky]] was up.

===2012-09-18 - what-if.xkcd.com - Raindrop===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120918143653/https://www.xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-18]
* [[1109: Refrigerator]] was still up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 18th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120919015232/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-09-19]
* Randall promotes another What-If article on the what-if page.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|12|Raindrop}}''.
* The text
** what-if.xkcd.com: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/12/ What if all of a storm's water fell in a single raindrop?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120925090123/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-25] when [[1112: Think Logically]] was up.

===Changes not documented yet 2===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120917052827/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-17]: What if Droppings ends.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120718231719/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-18] Next stores header text

===2012-07-10 - New: what-if.xkcd.com===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10]
* This was a special change happening over a few days. The above "new" header text from the given date is actually shown on the previous comic [[1078: Knights]].
** Another example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710072249/https://xkcd.com:80/1070 2012-07-10] is shown for [[1070: Words for Small Sets]].
* The comic on the main page released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09] was [[1079: United Shapes]], but that comic had a [[xkcd_Header_text#United_Shapes|unique header text]] upon its release.
** So both on the 9th as shown above and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10] the header text was different on the front than on all other pages.
*** As can be read in the link above, the new header text actually got incorporated into the unique text, so that after the next comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711234408/https://xkcd.com/1079/ 2012-07-11] the current new header text and a smaller version of the original unique header text was now shown on the Unites Shapes page.
*** {{xkcd|1079|And it was never changed back}}.
* The first version of the new text from the 10th was only active one day:
** The text:
*** New site: what-if.xkcd.com, where I abuse science to answer hypothetical questions. I'll answer a new question every Tuesday.
**** The link was not an active link. And this was never shown on the front page, but on all other comics.
* Already on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711223349/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-11] when [[1080: Visual Field]] was released the new header changed a bit
** At this time it most have been shown on the front page, but the link above is again from [[1078: Knights]].
*** For some reason the front page was not saved on either the 11th or 12th, so no version of the front page with Visual Field exist
*** The first archived version of the front page with this new header text was from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154207/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-13] when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was on the front page.
* The final text:
** New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions.
** I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
*** This time the link was active and directs to the new ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' blog and its first entry {{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}
* The whole idea was that Randall released the new what if? blog on the 10th of July 2012. And thus would like to make a promotion of it.
** And then he timed it so poorly that the front page had a different header than the rest of the comics.
** It was so annoying for him that he actually changed the header for Unites Shapes manually so that page also showed the new link. Maybe even before it left the front page, but that has not been documented in the archive.
** And then he forgot about it when the header changed for all the other comics, so it is now a relic of the promotion of his first what if release.
* The what if promotion continued for a long time, but the final version from above only lasted until 17th at the latest. There is again no archived versions of the front page from the 15th, 16th or 17th.
** The last time it was archived on the front page was [https://web.archive.org/web/20120714062857/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-14], when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was still up.
** But on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120715070938/https://xkcd.com:80/1081/ 2012-07-15] it was still shown on the page for Argument Victory and same for [https://web.archive.org/web/20120716235458/https://www.xkcd.com/998/ 2012-07-16] on [[998: 2012]]
*** So seemed it stayed up while [[1082: Geology]] was up on the 16-17/7.

===2012-04-09 - Standard text plus store link===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190952/https://xkcd.com/1026/ 2012-04-09]
* It changed when [[1040: Lakes and Oceans]] came up.
** The above link to prove this is though from comic {{xkcd|1026}} [[1026: Compare and Contrast]] the first to be found that where archived on the 9th.
** The first archived version on the main page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411053543/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-11] when [[1041: Whites of Their Eyes]] was up.
** There where no archived version of the front page on the 9th or 10th while Lake and Oceans was up. So it was also first on the 11th that this new text could be seen, but only when it had moved to its own page number [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411052948/https://xkcd.com/1040/ 1040].
*** The change probably came because of this special comic, which may became a [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/lakes-oceans-poster poster].
* The update was to add a promotion for the store under the standard header text.
* The text
** XKCD updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** You can get prints, posters, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09] when [[1078: Knights]] was up, exactly three months, so although not only the standard text, the standard text was first for three months and three days, see [[#2012-04-05 - Back to standard text|below]].

===2012-04-05 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05]
* While [[1038: Fountain]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* The link above to prove the date is seen on [[1021: Business Plan]].
** The first archived version on front page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406111048/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-06], when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up.
** A version showing Fountain with this can be found on it's own page {{xkcd|1038}} on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085618/https://xkcd.com:80/1038/ 2012-04-06].
*** When it was archived while on the front page it still had the previous header on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-05].
* It stayed up, unchanged, until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120408200414/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-08] when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up. So only three days.
** But [[#2012-04-09- Standard text plus store link|the change]] did not remove the standard text but just added a link to the store. And this version, still with the standard text at the top stayed for three more months.

===2012-03-28 - Visiting Newport News===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328103319/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-28]
* [[1035: Cadbury Eggs]] was on the front when it changed.
** From the end of March 2012, there is a problem with the archived versions of xkcd, so they do not load properly and do not include the comic picture.
* It was to announce a talk Randall gave at his old school.
* The text:
** I'm [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ visiting] Newport News, VA next week, where I'll be speaking at CNU, my old school. If you want to come, reserve a seat [https://web.archive.org/web/20120329214411/https://www.cnu.edu/pcs/xkcd/index.asp here]!
*** The first link it to a post in the [[Blag]]: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ I’m visiting CNU on April 4th].
*** The other link is no longer working, but the link above goes to an archived version.
* There was a special situation with this header text. For three days it was not on the front page, as the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1037: Umwelt]] came out and stayed from April 1st to April 3rd on the front page.
** This comic had it's own [[#Unique header text|unique header text]] from the start, one that has [[#Umwelt|stayed like this]] since!
*** So from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01] to [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03] the front page had another header:
**** You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** But all the other comics kept the Visiting header on all three days as shown here:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401214214/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-01] from[[1036: Reviews]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402150258/https://xkcd.com/1019 2012-04-02] from [[1019: First Post]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403164523/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-03] from [[1036: Reviews]].
**** The one from the 2nd of April was hardest to find, but the most important, because that was clearly in the time period where Umwelt was up, thus definitely proving that the other pages had a different header than the front page. This is rare.
* It returned to the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-04] and stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05] when [[1038: Fountain]] was up.
** The link from the 5th though is from {{xkcd|1021}} [[1021: Business Plan]], the only comic archived on the 5ht to be found.
*** The previous link was the last time it was archived while on the front page.

===2012-03-12 - xkcd Holistic Browser===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312185125/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-12]
* [[1028: Communication]] was up at the time.
** From here the archive doesn't load the page properly so it is really boring to document. This goes for both first and last day of this text.
* The text:
** New: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153220/https://holistic.xkcd.com/ holistic.xkcd.com], the least useful web navigation tool ever.
*** The link is now dead, but the link above is to an archived version.
*** On that page there is the following text:
**** The XKCD Holistic Browser
**** Because we are all one.
**** Type a web address
**** and you'll be taken to one
**** typed by someone else.
**** URL:
**** Warning: This allows strangers to direct your browser!
**** They may send you to pages containing
**** porn, viruses, or Justin Bieber fanfiction.
**** At the very least, turn on private browsing.
* During the time this header was active the comic [[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]] came out.
** It had its own [[xkcd_Header_text#Unique_header_text|unique header text]] which thus replaced this text on the front page for two days.
** But it did not replace it on all the other pages so this was the active header text during the entire period, see more here: [[xkcd_Header_text#s.2Fkeyboard.2Fleopard.2F|s/keyboard/leopard/]]
* This lasted till [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327050311/https://xkcd.com/1033 2012-03-27] while [[1034: Share Buttons]] was up.
* But the last archived version with this on the front page was the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20120326180811/https://xkcd.com// 2012-03-26].
** The link from 27th is from an archived version of [[1033: Formal Logic]].

===Changes not documented yet 1===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120311135259/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-11] Text before. For next entry below...



[[Category:Design of xkcd.com]]{{xkcdmeta}}

3227: Creation

2026-04-12T09:31:22Z

Kynde: /* Explanation */ reference the change in header text

{{comic
| number = 3227
| date = April 1, 2026
| title = Creation
| image = creation_2x.png
| imagesize = 567x198px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = This xkcd.com update introduces a variety of new reading modes which can be activated through the menu.
}}
{{series
| series = April
| number = 18
| date = April 1, 2026
| days_late =
| day_category = Wednesday
| prev_title = 3074: Push Notifications
| prev_date = April 9, 2025
| next_title =
| next_date =
}}
To experience the interactivity of the web page, visit the {{xkcd|3227|original comic}}!

==Explanation==
In this {{w|April Fool's Day}} comic, several new viewing modes have been added to the xkcd website, accessible through a {{w|drop-down list}} beneath the comic (not visible on Explain xkcd). This allows various different viewing experiences for the entire website, including older comics. Some are "normal" viewing modes, like the typical "light" and "dark" modes, but others take such things further and/or in more esoteric ways. This includes an "airplane mode" (see below) that parodies and subverts the {{w|Airplane mode|normal implementation}}.

The accompanying comic references one of the first lines of the {{w|Bible}} (Genesis 1:3), wherein God creates light. Here, though, before God has a chance to fully appreciate their work, a person on Earth immediately requests an implementation of {{w|dark mode}}. Dark mode is a feature on many websites and devices which displays text in white against a black background instead of the default black text on a white background. In low ambient light this makes for a less intense viewing experience that is easier on the eyes, so many people who spend a lot of time looking at screens prefer dark mode (whereas casual users often find light mode easier to read). On OLED screens, another benefit is that less battery life is consumed because of the primarily low brightness of the screen, which makes it useful for those who want to be energy-efficient or extend their battery life.

This demand represents a common experience for web and app designers, who spend a lot of time creating something that looks beautiful to them, and in their particular use case, only to find when it is put out into the wild that it doesn't suit the needs of many of their actual users, who don't particularly care about the effort they've put in.

Dark mode is not usually implemented on planets,{{cn}} although one could argue that night-time is effectively Earth's "dark mode", which could have been created by God as a response to the person. (That seems likely, in fact, given that the very next words in Genesis 1:4 are "and he separated the light from the darkness".) The comic deviates somewhat from traditional Judeo-Christian theology, as in Genesis the day/night cycle was created on the first day, but humans were created on the sixth day - thus, the "dark mode" (night-time) would already have been implemented by the time humans existed. Possibly the person is actually requesting a dark mode that can be toggled at will, rather than one which occurs automatically each day.

Unlike most comics, the title text contains no jokes, but rather explains the update and gives basic instructions.

The comic credits the "Excellent Design Team", consisting of Amber, Benjamin Staffin, and Kevin who helped create the modes.

This credit was also implemented as the new [[Header text]], so that the explanation for the new mode would be visible when viewing all other comics on xkcd, as well as the credit to the design team, see more details [[Header_text#2026-04-07_-_Reading_Modes|here]].

===List of Modes===
; Light Mode
: The usual site experience. Typically, where sites have light and dark modes, light is the default option, so as to mimic ink on paper (such as printed {{w|newspaper comic strip}}s).

; Lighter Mode
: The entire web page is filtered to look {{w|Exposure (photography)#Overexposure and underexposure|overexposed}}, making colors wash out and reducing the contrast.

; Dark Mode
: A standard "white content on black background" dark mode. Specifically, Dark Mode inverts the colors of the page (which makes a {{w|Negative (photography)|colour-negative}} and then hue-rotates it by 180 degrees (to make hue return to normal, only brightness-reversed. (For example, see comic [[556: Alternative Energy Revolution|556]], with dark mode enabled, to see how the hue is maintained.) The background of the page, normally light blue, becomes a dark blue; (near-)whites become (near-)blacks, and vice-versa, only mid-tones staying the same. This inversion makes the content of this particular comic, with the original transition from a dark pane to "let there be light" panes and the subsequent request for this very feature, particularly nonsensical, as it seems to start fully bright, then darken as God creates light.

; Darkest Mode
: Everything on the webpage turns completely black (severely 'underexposed', in effect, the opposite to "Lighter mode" but also even more extreme). The exception is the drop-down menu widget, which may appear as merely a dark gray — and depending upon the browser itself, the dropped-down menu may be its 'natural' appearance when it becomes fully active — which is of course extremely helpful for navigating back out of this mode or onward onto others.

; Blurry Mode
: {{w|Blur (photographic effect)|Blurs}} the entire webpage. This is not conventionally desirable as it makes it harder to read text and interpret visuals. Whereas light and dark mode support can improve {{w|Web accessibility|accessibility}} for certain vision conditions, this mode makes already poor vision even worse.

; Grayscale Mode
: Applies a standard {{w|grayscale}}/{{w|Colorfulness#Saturation|desaturation}} conversion filter to the entire webpage. Many devices provide a grayscale mode as one of their color filter settings, which can simulate different {{w|color vision deficiencies}}. Grayscale specifically can also help improve focus by preventing colors from catching the eye and making distractions less visually appealing.

; Greyscale Mode
: Operates identically to Grayscale Mode, but also changes the spelling of "math" in the slogan at the top of the page to "maths" (to go along with the respective {{w|American and British English spelling differences|British English}} use of ''{{wiktionary|gray}}/{{wiktionary|grey}}'').

; Dorian Greyscale Mode
: Makes the webpage slowly turn grey, including darkening/fading-to-grey 'white' areas. This refers to ''{{w|The Picture of Dorian Gray}}'', in which the titular character has a portrait that slowly ages and fades out while the character stays young and handsome. The transformation finishes after 5 minutes.

: Of note is that the surname of the titular character is "{{w|Grey (disambiguation)#People|Gray}}" (as is still common, if not dominant, in Britain), but the mode itself is named for the primary British/non-American standard English version of the word for such a hueless shade.

: No relation to the {{w|Dorian mode}}, a musical scale.

; Space Opera Mode
: Turns the entire page into a ''{{w|Star Wars}}''-style opening scroll, which loops round until you change the mode. Scrolling the mouse scrolls up or down through the page content. {{w|Space opera}} is a genre of sci-fi that ''Star Wars'' falls under. Opera is the name of a web browser, though it does not usually display content in this way.

; 3D Mode
: Makes the comic render in {{w|Anaglyph 3D|anaglyphic stereoscopy}}. [[Randall]] has used 3D space before for [[848|another joke comic]].

; Origami Mode
: Rotates and folds various pieces of the webpage, as if it were {{w|origami}}-folded.

; Ink Mode
: Recolors the webpage as if drawn in blue ink, which is often used for the initial roughing-out of a drawing.

; Spring Mode
: Gives the comic a simple physics simulation, making it slightly rotate around an axis when the page is scrolled, and giving it a {{w|springboard}} look, hence the name. The axis around which the page precesses is perpendicular to the axis the user scrolls on. This means that when the page is scrolled vertically (the usual direction), the comic wobbles around a horizontal axis, but when scrolled horizontally (if your screen size or zoom allows it), the comic precesses about the vertical axis.

; Antipodes Mode
: Turns the entire webpage upside down. An {{w|antipodes|antipode}} is the point on the Earth's surface directly opposite of another, but "The Antipodes" is also a term used to refer to {{w|Australia}} and {{w|New Zealand}} by inhabitants of the northern hemisphere. Note: When the comic was first published this was labeled "Southern Hemisphere Mode".

; Hacker Mode
: Recolors the entire webpage in the stereotypical green-on-black coding environment color scheme often used by {{w|hacker}}s on film and TV. This visual shorthand is a holdover from early {{w|monochrome monitor}}s that used P1 phosphor. (Modern terminal software has no such limitations, and many programmers today use {{w|syntax highlighting}} to color-code operators and keywords.)

; Screensaver Mode
: Makes the comic float around on the webpage, bouncing as it hits the edges. A common type of {{w|screensaver}} has some text or other element drifting around the screen in this way. Many people ended up watching such screensavers, waiting for the bouncing graphic to hit the corner of the screen. Like with Hacker Mode, there is an element of nostalgia to this; screensavers are less necessary on modern LCD screens, so fewer setups use them.

; Modem Mode
: Slowly reveals the comic from top to bottom, as if slowly loading (but [[598: Porn|only in approximation]]) the way images often used to have to be progressively rendered from a low-rate stream of image data in the days of more limited dial-up connections and also a lower-performance {{w|internet backbone}} in general. This is accompanied by audio of the sound of a {{w|modem}} communicating over such a connection. NB - this mode does not appear to function correctly/reliably for some viewers.

; Stained Glass Mode
: Fills each closed area of the comic with a separate color to mimic the look of {{w|stained glass}} imagery. The colors vary each time this mode is selected or the page is reloaded in this mode, which works by flooding a single pseudorandom hue over all areas of near-white, each flood bounded only by any sufficiently dark or saturated drawn line/border. Strangely enough, on this mode you can't see the title text. This is because the canvas used to apply the hues is functionally covering the image: the javascript used to do this should have been made to copy the comic image's title attribute and make it apply to the overlaid canvas for the benefit of the browser.

; Airplane Mode
: Makes the comic fly around on the page, with the {{w|onomatopoeia}} "NYOOM!" written next to it, as if it were an {{w|airplane}}. This is unlike the usual use of {{w|airplane mode}} to refer to disabling the cellphone (or all {{w|radio frequency}}) features of a mobile device, as required on most flights. Of course, the website's "Airplane Mode" does no such thing, and would be pointless to enable on an airplane.{{cn}}

; Boat Mode
: Makes the entire webpage tilt back and forth, emulating the way a boat rolls on the water. While [[165: Turn Signals|extremely unlikely]], this could theoretically counteract the rocking motion of a boat, stabilizing the page content. In practice, it is unlikely to help with {{w|seasickness}}. (As of 2024, some smart devices started offering a "vehicle motion cues" feature that is meant to reduce motion sickness, although it is designed for road vehicles rather than watercraft.)

: This mode is a reference to the longstanding mention of a Boat Mode in the [[footnote]], which says "Remove your device from Airplane Mode and set it to Boat Mode".

==Transcript==
:[Black background with white caption boxes.]
:Caption: And God said,
:Caption:"Let there be light,"

:[A bright explosion of light from a star in the center, with a white caption box.]
:Caption: And there was light.

:[The star with bright rays of light is shown against the horizon of a planet.]
:[The same planet horizon is shown with a clear sky above.]
:Caption: God saw that the light was-
:Voice from the planet: Can you add support for dark mode?

<noinclude>{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Dynamic comics]]
[[Category:April Fools' Day comics]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Comics with custom header texts]]
</noinclude>

April Fools' Day comics

2026-04-12T09:28:02Z

Kynde:

<noinclude>:''For a list of comics, see [[:Category:April Fools' Day comics]].''

</noinclude>The [[xkcd]] [[April Fools' Day comics]] are special releases that commemorate {{w|April Fools' Day}}, often using experimental formats and interactive features. They have been posted almost yearly since 2007, starting with the unnumbered comic [[Syndication]]. The most recent April Fools' Day comics are often [[:Category:Interactive comics|interactive]] and engage readers through collaborative editing, voting systems, or games. Several comics have been significantly delayed, sometimes by weeks, due to their complex features, with the most delayed being [[2765: Escape Speed]] in 2023, which arrived 18 days late. However, with the exception of 2009 and 2017, an April Fools' Day comic has been released every year since 2007.<noinclude> 

The table below explains all April Fools' Day comics, including their release dates and schedule changes. Hover over the column headers to learn what the colors mean, or click to sort in ascending and descending order.

{| class="sortable wikitable"
! scope="col" data-sort-type=number | {{abbr|#|Number of past April Fools' Day comics}}
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" | {{abbr|Released on|GREEN means it was released in time for April 1st ㅤ ㅤ RED means it was delayed ㅤ ㅤ GRAY means it didn't come out.}}
! scope="col" | Comic
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Explanation
! scope="col" | {{abbr|April 1st fell on a|GREEN means it fell on Monday/Wednesday/Friday ㅤ ㅤ RED means outside the standard xkcd release schedule.}}
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Replaced regular comic?|Did the April Fools' Day comic replace a standard comic that was planned, or were they both posted? FOR EXAMPLE, if April 1st fell on a Sunday, the April Fools' Day comic could have delayed the Monday comic until Wednesday, or they could have both been posted (one on Sunday and the next on Monday)}}
|-
|
| <center>2006-04-01</center>
|
| No special April Fools' comic was released in 2006. The closest surrounding comics were [[83: Katamari]], published on March 31, and [[84: National Language]], published on April 3. Neither references April Fools' Day or contains any unusual features, indicating that no April-themed content was posted that year. This was also before any April Fools' tradition was established on the site.
| {{No|Saturday}}
|-
! 1
| {{Yes|2007-04-01 ([[:Category:Sunday comics|Sunday]])}}
| <center>[[Syndication]]</center>
| The first April Fools' Day comic was posted as an unnumbered entry titled [[Syndication]]. It was published on a Sunday, deviating from the normal Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule specifically to honor April Fools' Day. The comic no longer exists on the site and is preserved only through a forum archive. This marked the beginning of xkcd's April Fools' tradition and introduced the idea of experimenting with the site's format. It came sequentially between [[242: The Difference]] and [[243: Appropriate Term]].
| {{No|Sunday}}
| Monday
|-
! 2
| {{Yes|2008-04-01 ([[:Category:Tuesday comics|Tuesday]])}}
| <center>[[404: Not Found]]</center>
| The second April Fools' Day comic was [[404: Not Found]], a meta-joke in which the comic appears not to exist. Rather than displaying an image, the page produces a standard "404 Not Found" error, making it a self-referential gag. Although technically a numbered comic, it was unique in being both a published entry and a hidden absence. This was not a regular comic replacement but an extra comic released between Monday and Wednesday. It is later referenced in the April Fools' Day menus of [[1193: Externalities]] and [[1975: Right Click]], establishing its place in the recurring joke canon.
| {{No|Tuesday}}
| | <center>No</center>
|-
|
| <center>2009-04-01</center>
|
| No April Fools' Day comic was released in 2009. Although [[563: Fermirotica]] was published on April 1 and contains some unconventional content, it lacks any thematic connection to April Fools' Day. However, he did make an April Fools' joke in another way that day: Randall, Jeph Jacques, and Ryan North [[563: Fermirotica#Trivia|altered their DNS records to point to each others' websites]].
| {{Yes|Wednesday}}
|-
! 3
| {{Yes|2010-04-01 ([[:Category:Thursday comics|Thursday]])}}
| <center>[[unixkcd]]</center>
| The third April Fools' entry introduced a full-site transformation known as [[unixkcd]]. The website was replaced with a simulated command-line interface that allowed for basic interaction using typed commands. This marked the first April Fools' joke involving a major change to the site itself, rather than a single comic. It was released while [[721: Flatland]] was the newest comic, which had been published March 31st and had no connection to April Fools' Day.
| {{No|Thursday}}
| rowspan="2"| <center>No</center>
|-
! 4
| {{Yes|2011-04-01 ([[:Category:Friday comics|Friday]])}}
| <center>[[880: Headache]]</center>
| [[880: Headache]] was the fourth April Fools' Day comic and the first to fall on a regular Friday release day. The comic featured a 3D viewing effect that made every xkcd comic up to and including this one appear in 3D, forcing readers to endure 3D viewing on their computer screens. The 3D view remains available at [https://3d.xkcd.com 3d.xkcd.com] for all comics prior to this one. This began the practice of releasing April Fools' comics annually, except for 2017.
| {{Yes|Friday}}
|-
! 5
| {{Yes|2012-04-01 ([[:Category:Sunday comics|Sunday]])}}
| <center>[[1037: Umwelt]]</center>
| [[1037: Umwelt]] was posted on Sunday, replacing the expected Monday comic. It featured dynamically generated content based on the reader's browser, location, and other metadata, making each viewer's version vastly different. This was the first April Fools' comic to use adaptive web technology. The next release was not Monday but Wednesday, so it replaced the Monday release. This comic displays the previous comic [[1036: Reviews]] when viewed on unixkcd.
| {{No|Sunday}}
| Monday
|-
! 6
| {{Yes|2013-04-01 ([[:Category:Monday comics|Monday]])}}
| <center>[[1193: Externalities]]</center>
| [[1193: Externalities]] included a dropdown menu linking to previous April Fools' comics such as [[404: Not Found]] and [[1037: Umwelt]]. This comic acknowledged the growing tradition of April Fools' specials and embedded a summary of past jokes in its interface. It retained the regular publishing schedule but used site features for a layered experience.
| {{Yes|Monday}}
|-
! 7
| {{Yes|2014-04-01 ([[:Category:Tuesday comics|Tuesday]])}}
| <center>[[1350: Lorenz]]</center>
| [[1350: Lorenz]] introduced the ability to collaboratively edit a comic in real time with others. It featured a grid of editable tiles based on user-drawn contributions and was named after Edward Lorenz of chaos theory fame. This was the first Tuesday release, but the other two releases that week fell normally on Monday and Friday, so it replaced Wednesday's release.
| {{No|Tuesday}}
| Wednesday
|-
! 8
| {{Yes|2015-04-01 ([[:Category:Wednesday comics|Wednesday]])}}
| <center>[[1506: xkcloud]]</center>
| [[1506: xkcloud]] was an interactive comic that allowed users to submit panels and vote, generating a "cloud" of storylines. It included massive audience participation, expanding on the collaborative experiment from [[1350: Lorenz]]. The interface was part of the growing series of collaborative April Fools' projects.
| {{Yes|Wednesday}}
| <center>No</center>
|-
! 9
| {{No|2016-04-04 ([[:Category:Monday comics|Monday]])}} (3d late)
| <center>[[1663: Garden]]</center>
| [[1663: Garden]] was a delayed release originally planned for April 1, which fell on a Friday. It featured a living digital ecosystem where users planted and grew text-based plants. The delay was attributed to technical difficulties, with header text explaining the delay and changing multiple times before release. Due to the delayed launch, [[1662: Jack and Jill]] received more attention than usual. There were only two comics released in the week before this Monday release.
| {{Yes|Friday}}
| Monday
|-
|
| <center>2017-04-01</center>
|
| No April Fools' comic was released in 2017. [[1818: Rayleigh Scattering]] came out on March 31 and [[1819: Sweet 16]] on April 3, but neither referenced April 1 or included any joke or interactive elements. This year marked a rare break in the annual tradition that had formed since 2010. There was also no delayed April Fools' comic as has been the case in other years.
| {{No|Saturday}}
|
|-
! 10
| {{Yes|2018-04-01 ([[:Category:Sunday comics|Sunday]])}}
| <center>[[1975: Right Click]]</center>
| [[1975: Right Click]] presented a mock right-click context menu on the comic page, referencing several previous April Fools' jokes including [[404: Not Found]], [[1037: Umwelt]], and [[1193: Externalities]]. The interface blended nostalgia and humor while being fully interactive. It was the first April Fools' menu to acknowledge the complete tradition in a single interface. This marked the resumption of annual April Fools' comics after the 2017 break. The next release was not Monday but Wednesday, so it replaced the Monday release.
| {{No|Sunday}}
| Monday
|-
! 11
| {{Yes|2019-04-01 ([[:Category:Monday comics|Monday]])}}
| <center>[[2131: Emojidome]]</center>
| [[2131: Emojidome]] featured emoji-based battle tournaments where users voted between pairs of emojis in a bracket system. The interactive comic ran for 24 hours starting on April 1, 2019, with 512 different emojis competing in elimination rounds. The title referenced "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome", and the Milky Way emoji ultimately won the tournament.
| {{Yes|Monday}}
| <center>No</center>
|-
! 12
| {{No|2020-04-03 ([[:Category:Friday comics|Friday]])}} (2d late)
| <center>[[2288: Collector's Edition]]</center>
| [[2288: Collector's Edition]] was published two days late due to technical problems and included a parody of media collector culture with multiple "variant covers" that randomized on reload. The original planned Friday comic [[2289: Scenario 4]] was then released on Saturday April 4th. One of the developers, Max Goodhart, [[2765:_Escape_Speed#Trivia|confirmed]] this was the intended April Fools' Day comic.
| {{Yes|Wednesday}}
| Friday
|-
! 13
| {{Yes|2021-04-01 ([[:Category:Thursday comics|Thursday]])}}
| <center>[[2445: Checkbox]]</center>
| [[2445: Checkbox]] was the first April Fools' Day comic to be released on a Thursday. It featured a clickable checkbox that dramatically altered the comic when toggled. The comic's UI-based humor and hidden functionality continued the tradition of April 1 experiments. Only Saturday has yet to see a special release. The next release was not Friday but Monday, so it replaced the Friday release.
| {{No|Thursday}}
| rowspan="3" |<center>No</center>
|-
! 14
| {{Yes|2022-04-01 ([[:Category:Friday comics|Friday]])}}
| <center>[[2601: Instructions]]</center>
| [[2601: Instructions]] introduced an audio narration feature, making it one of only two xkcd comics to include audio at the time. It built on the prior year's [[2445: Checkbox]] and expanded the experimental features of April Fools' entries. Visually it was similar to the previous year's comic, having only a radio button initially. The audio was a vital part of the joke, and both this comic and Checkbox had mute buttons that worked in reverse of each other, making audio/muting a recurring April Fools' theme.
| {{Yes|Friday}}
|-
! 15
| {{No|2023-04-19 ([[:Category:Wednesday comics|Wednesday]])}} (18d late)
| <center>[[2765: Escape Speed]]</center>
| [[2765: Escape Speed]] was not published until April 19, a full 18 days late. Its release went unannounced at the time, leading to debate about whether it was meant to be an April Fools' comic. The debate was settled when a developer confirmed it was an April Fools' Day comic. The delay was likely due to its complex game-like interface and interactive design. [[2757: Towed Message]] was released closest to April 1st on March 31st, followed by [[2758: My Favorite Things]] on April 3rd. This is the most delayed April Fools' Day comic.
| {{No|Saturday}}
|-
! 16
| {{No|2024-04-05 ([[:Category:Friday comics|Friday]])}} (4d late)
| <center>[[2916: Machine]]</center>
| [[2916: Machine]] was released four days after April 1. Despite the delay, it was acknowledged on the xkcd Facebook page as that year's April Fools' entry with the message "Happy Belated April Fool's Day!" [[2914: Eclipse Coolness]] had been published on April 1st but was unrelated. Hidden keyboard shortcuts were discovered, including follow balls and debug overlay functions.
| {{Yes|Monday}}
| {{Yes|Friday}}
|-
! 17
| {{No|2025-04-09 ([[:Category:Wednesday comics|Wednesday]])}} (8d late)
| <center>[[3074: Push Notifications]]</center>
| [[3074: Push Notifications]] appeared eight days late and was explicitly labeled "April 1st (observed)" in the comic's introduction. There was no comic released on April 1st; the surrounding comics were [[3070: Orogeny]] from March 31st and [[3071: Decay Chain]] from April 2nd. Since delaying April Fools' Day comics had become common, xkcd readers were still hoping for a late comic, marking the fifth time such a comic has been delayed since [[1663: Garden]] in 2016.
| {{No|Tuesday}}
| Wednesday
|-
! 18
| {{Yes|2026-04-01 ([[:Category:Wednesday comics|Wednesday]])}}
| <center>[[3227: Creation]]</center>
| [[3227: Creation]] was released on time, and ostensibly consists of a 'normal' static comic, referencing the biblical quote "{{w|Let there be light}}" and then parodying this with someone's request for a {{w|Wikipedia:Dark mode|Dark Mode}} option. This option for a Dark Mode, and various other 'modes' with varying degrees of usefulness, are implemented by a drop-down selection box immediately below the comic, which also will go on to apply to any other comic then being viewed through the standard inter-comic navigation links (including the "Random" button). Thus to explain this feature the [[Header text]] was changed for all comics, see more about that [[Header_text#2026-04-07_-_Reading_Modes|here]].
| {{Yes|Wednesday}}
| <center>No</center>
|}

[[Category:April Fools' Day comics| ]]
[[Category:Comics by holiday]]
[[Category:Comics from April]]
[[Category:Dynamic comics]]
[[Category:Holidays]]

April Fools' Day comics

2026-04-12T09:27:31Z

Kynde:

<noinclude>:''For a list of comics, see [[:Category:April Fools' Day comics]].''

</noinclude>The [[xkcd]] [[April Fools' Day comics]] are special releases that commemorate {{w|April Fools' Day}}, often using experimental formats and interactive features. They have been posted almost yearly since 2007, starting with the unnumbered comic [[Syndication]]. The most recent April Fools' Day comics are often [[:Category:Interactive comics|interactive]] and engage readers through collaborative editing, voting systems, or games. Several comics have been significantly delayed, sometimes by weeks, due to their complex features, with the most delayed being [[2765: Escape Speed]] in 2023, which arrived 18 days late. However, with the exception of 2009 and 2017, an April Fools' Day comic has been released every year since 2007.<noinclude> 

The table below explains all April Fools' Day comics, including their release dates and schedule changes. Hover over the column headers to learn what the colors mean, or click to sort in ascending and descending order.

{| class="sortable wikitable"
! scope="col" data-sort-type=number | {{abbr|#|Number of past April Fools' Day comics}}
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" | {{abbr|Released on|GREEN means it was released in time for April 1st ㅤ ㅤ RED means it was delayed ㅤ ㅤ GRAY means it didn't come out.}}
! scope="col" | Comic
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Explanation
! scope="col" | {{abbr|April 1st fell on a|GREEN means it fell on Monday/Wednesday/Friday ㅤ ㅤ RED means outside the standard xkcd release schedule.}}
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Replaced regular comic?|Did the April Fools' Day comic replace a standard comic that was planned, or were they both posted? FOR EXAMPLE, if April 1st fell on a Sunday, the April Fools' Day comic could have delayed the Monday comic until Wednesday, or they could have both been posted (one on Sunday and the next on Monday)}}
|-
|
| <center>2006-04-01</center>
|
| No special April Fools' comic was released in 2006. The closest surrounding comics were [[83: Katamari]], published on March 31, and [[84: National Language]], published on April 3. Neither references April Fools' Day or contains any unusual features, indicating that no April-themed content was posted that year. This was also before any April Fools' tradition was established on the site.
| {{No|Saturday}}
|-
! 1
| {{Yes|2007-04-01 ([[:Category:Sunday comics|Sunday]])}}
| <center>[[Syndication]]</center>
| The first April Fools' Day comic was posted as an unnumbered entry titled [[Syndication]]. It was published on a Sunday, deviating from the normal Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule specifically to honor April Fools' Day. The comic no longer exists on the site and is preserved only through a forum archive. This marked the beginning of xkcd's April Fools' tradition and introduced the idea of experimenting with the site's format. It came sequentially between [[242: The Difference]] and [[243: Appropriate Term]].
| {{No|Sunday}}
| Monday
|-
! 2
| {{Yes|2008-04-01 ([[:Category:Tuesday comics|Tuesday]])}}
| <center>[[404: Not Found]]</center>
| The second April Fools' Day comic was [[404: Not Found]], a meta-joke in which the comic appears not to exist. Rather than displaying an image, the page produces a standard "404 Not Found" error, making it a self-referential gag. Although technically a numbered comic, it was unique in being both a published entry and a hidden absence. This was not a regular comic replacement but an extra comic released between Monday and Wednesday. It is later referenced in the April Fools' Day menus of [[1193: Externalities]] and [[1975: Right Click]], establishing its place in the recurring joke canon.
| {{No|Tuesday}}
| | <center>No</center>
|-
|
| <center>2009-04-01</center>
|
| No April Fools' Day comic was released in 2009. Although [[563: Fermirotica]] was published on April 1 and contains some unconventional content, it lacks any thematic connection to April Fools' Day. However, he did make an April Fools' joke in another way that day: Randall, Jeph Jacques, and Ryan North [[563: Fermirotica#Trivia|altered their DNS records to point to each others' websites]].
| {{Yes|Wednesday}}
|-
! 3
| {{Yes|2010-04-01 ([[:Category:Thursday comics|Thursday]])}}
| <center>[[unixkcd]]</center>
| The third April Fools' entry introduced a full-site transformation known as [[unixkcd]]. The website was replaced with a simulated command-line interface that allowed for basic interaction using typed commands. This marked the first April Fools' joke involving a major change to the site itself, rather than a single comic. It was released while [[721: Flatland]] was the newest comic, which had been published March 31st and had no connection to April Fools' Day.
| {{No|Thursday}}
| rowspan="2"| <center>No</center>
|-
! 4
| {{Yes|2011-04-01 ([[:Category:Friday comics|Friday]])}}
| <center>[[880: Headache]]</center>
| [[880: Headache]] was the fourth April Fools' Day comic and the first to fall on a regular Friday release day. The comic featured a 3D viewing effect that made every xkcd comic up to and including this one appear in 3D, forcing readers to endure 3D viewing on their computer screens. The 3D view remains available at [https://3d.xkcd.com 3d.xkcd.com] for all comics prior to this one. This began the practice of releasing April Fools' comics annually, except for 2017.
| {{Yes|Friday}}
|-
! 5
| {{Yes|2012-04-01 ([[:Category:Sunday comics|Sunday]])}}
| <center>[[1037: Umwelt]]</center>
| [[1037: Umwelt]] was posted on Sunday, replacing the expected Monday comic. It featured dynamically generated content based on the reader's browser, location, and other metadata, making each viewer's version vastly different. This was the first April Fools' comic to use adaptive web technology. The next release was not Monday but Wednesday, so it replaced the Monday release. This comic displays the previous comic [[1036: Reviews]] when viewed on unixkcd.
| {{No|Sunday}}
| Monday
|-
! 6
| {{Yes|2013-04-01 ([[:Category:Monday comics|Monday]])}}
| <center>[[1193: Externalities]]</center>
| [[1193: Externalities]] included a dropdown menu linking to previous April Fools' comics such as [[404: Not Found]] and [[1037: Umwelt]]. This comic acknowledged the growing tradition of April Fools' specials and embedded a summary of past jokes in its interface. It retained the regular publishing schedule but used site features for a layered experience.
| {{Yes|Monday}}
|-
! 7
| {{Yes|2014-04-01 ([[:Category:Tuesday comics|Tuesday]])}}
| <center>[[1350: Lorenz]]</center>
| [[1350: Lorenz]] introduced the ability to collaboratively edit a comic in real time with others. It featured a grid of editable tiles based on user-drawn contributions and was named after Edward Lorenz of chaos theory fame. This was the first Tuesday release, but the other two releases that week fell normally on Monday and Friday, so it replaced Wednesday's release.
| {{No|Tuesday}}
| Wednesday
|-
! 8
| {{Yes|2015-04-01 ([[:Category:Wednesday comics|Wednesday]])}}
| <center>[[1506: xkcloud]]</center>
| [[1506: xkcloud]] was an interactive comic that allowed users to submit panels and vote, generating a "cloud" of storylines. It included massive audience participation, expanding on the collaborative experiment from [[1350: Lorenz]]. The interface was part of the growing series of collaborative April Fools' projects.
| {{Yes|Wednesday}}
| <center>No</center>
|-
! 9
| {{No|2016-04-04 ([[:Category:Monday comics|Monday]])}} (3d late)
| <center>[[1663: Garden]]</center>
| [[1663: Garden]] was a delayed release originally planned for April 1, which fell on a Friday. It featured a living digital ecosystem where users planted and grew text-based plants. The delay was attributed to technical difficulties, with header text explaining the delay and changing multiple times before release. Due to the delayed launch, [[1662: Jack and Jill]] received more attention than usual. There were only two comics released in the week before this Monday release.
| {{Yes|Friday}}
| Monday
|-
|
| <center>2017-04-01</center>
|
| No April Fools' comic was released in 2017. [[1818: Rayleigh Scattering]] came out on March 31 and [[1819: Sweet 16]] on April 3, but neither referenced April 1 or included any joke or interactive elements. This year marked a rare break in the annual tradition that had formed since 2010. There was also no delayed April Fools' comic as has been the case in other years.
| {{No|Saturday}}
|
|-
! 10
| {{Yes|2018-04-01 ([[:Category:Sunday comics|Sunday]])}}
| <center>[[1975: Right Click]]</center>
| [[1975: Right Click]] presented a mock right-click context menu on the comic page, referencing several previous April Fools' jokes including [[404: Not Found]], [[1037: Umwelt]], and [[1193: Externalities]]. The interface blended nostalgia and humor while being fully interactive. It was the first April Fools' menu to acknowledge the complete tradition in a single interface. This marked the resumption of annual April Fools' comics after the 2017 break. The next release was not Monday but Wednesday, so it replaced the Monday release.
| {{No|Sunday}}
| Monday
|-
! 11
| {{Yes|2019-04-01 ([[:Category:Monday comics|Monday]])}}
| <center>[[2131: Emojidome]]</center>
| [[2131: Emojidome]] featured emoji-based battle tournaments where users voted between pairs of emojis in a bracket system. The interactive comic ran for 24 hours starting on April 1, 2019, with 512 different emojis competing in elimination rounds. The title referenced "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome", and the Milky Way emoji ultimately won the tournament.
| {{Yes|Monday}}
| <center>No</center>
|-
! 12
| {{No|2020-04-03 ([[:Category:Friday comics|Friday]])}} (2d late)
| <center>[[2288: Collector's Edition]]</center>
| [[2288: Collector's Edition]] was published two days late due to technical problems and included a parody of media collector culture with multiple "variant covers" that randomized on reload. The original planned Friday comic [[2289: Scenario 4]] was then released on Saturday April 4th. One of the developers, Max Goodhart, [[2765:_Escape_Speed#Trivia|confirmed]] this was the intended April Fools' Day comic.
| {{Yes|Wednesday}}
| Friday
|-
! 13
| {{Yes|2021-04-01 ([[:Category:Thursday comics|Thursday]])}}
| <center>[[2445: Checkbox]]</center>
| [[2445: Checkbox]] was the first April Fools' Day comic to be released on a Thursday. It featured a clickable checkbox that dramatically altered the comic when toggled. The comic's UI-based humor and hidden functionality continued the tradition of April 1 experiments. Only Saturday has yet to see a special release. The next release was not Friday but Monday, so it replaced the Friday release.
| {{No|Thursday}}
| rowspan="3" |<center>No</center>
|-
! 14
| {{Yes|2022-04-01 ([[:Category:Friday comics|Friday]])}}
| <center>[[2601: Instructions]]</center>
| [[2601: Instructions]] introduced an audio narration feature, making it one of only two xkcd comics to include audio at the time. It built on the prior year's [[2445: Checkbox]] and expanded the experimental features of April Fools' entries. Visually it was similar to the previous year's comic, having only a radio button initially. The audio was a vital part of the joke, and both this comic and Checkbox had mute buttons that worked in reverse of each other, making audio/muting a recurring April Fools' theme.
| {{Yes|Friday}}
|-
! 15
| {{No|2023-04-19 ([[:Category:Wednesday comics|Wednesday]])}} (18d late)
| <center>[[2765: Escape Speed]]</center>
| [[2765: Escape Speed]] was not published until April 19, a full 18 days late. Its release went unannounced at the time, leading to debate about whether it was meant to be an April Fools' comic. The debate was settled when a developer confirmed it was an April Fools' Day comic. The delay was likely due to its complex game-like interface and interactive design. [[2757: Towed Message]] was released closest to April 1st on March 31st, followed by [[2758: My Favorite Things]] on April 3rd. This is the most delayed April Fools' Day comic.
| {{No|Saturday}}
|-
! 16
| {{No|2024-04-05 ([[:Category:Friday comics|Friday]])}} (4d late)
| <center>[[2916: Machine]]</center>
| [[2916: Machine]] was released four days after April 1. Despite the delay, it was acknowledged on the xkcd Facebook page as that year's April Fools' entry with the message "Happy Belated April Fool's Day!" [[2914: Eclipse Coolness]] had been published on April 1st but was unrelated. Hidden keyboard shortcuts were discovered, including follow balls and debug overlay functions.
| {{Yes|Monday}}
| {{Yes|Friday}}
|-
! 17
| {{No|2025-04-09 ([[:Category:Wednesday comics|Wednesday]])}} (8d late)
| <center>[[3074: Push Notifications]]</center>
| [[3074: Push Notifications]] appeared eight days late and was explicitly labeled "April 1st (observed)" in the comic's introduction. There was no comic released on April 1st; the surrounding comics were [[3070: Orogeny]] from March 31st and [[3071: Decay Chain]] from April 2nd. Since delaying April Fools' Day comics had become common, xkcd readers were still hoping for a late comic, marking the fifth time such a comic has been delayed since [[1663: Garden]] in 2016.
| {{No|Tuesday}}
| Wednesday
|-
! 18
| {{Yes|2026-04-01 ([[:Category:Wednesday comics|Wednesday]])}}
| <center>[[3227: Creation]]</center>
| [[3227: Creation]] was released on time, and ostensibly consists of a 'normal' static comic, referencing the biblical quote "{{w|Let there be light}}" and then parodying this with someone's request for a {{w|Wikipedia:Dark mode|Dark Mode}} option. This option for a Dark Mode, and various other 'modes' with varying degrees of usefulness, are implemented by a drop-down selection box immediately below the comic, which also will go on to apply to any other comic then being viewed through the standard inter-comic navigation links (including the "Random" button). Thus to explain this feature the [[Header_text]] was changed for all comics, see more about that [[Header_text#2026-04-07_-_Reading_Modes|here]].
| {{Yes|Wednesday}}
| <center>No</center>
|}

[[Category:April Fools' Day comics| ]]
[[Category:Comics by holiday]]
[[Category:Comics from April]]
[[Category:Dynamic comics]]
[[Category:Holidays]]

Header text

2026-04-12T09:26:24Z

Kynde: /* 2026-04-07 - Reading Modes */

<noinclude>{{xkcd.com}}[[File:xkcd_header.png|thumb|right|250px|The [[Design of xkcd.com#Header section|Header section]] is one of the [[Design of xkcd.com|four main sections]] of the [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com] website.]]The '''header text''' is usually updated when [[Randall]] has news to share or wants to add information about a specific comic. The default header text states:

</noinclude><div style="font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 500; font-size: 16px; width: 760px; line-height: 150%;" class="plainlinks">
:xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.</div><noinclude>

Usually, changes to the header text show up in all comics. However, for certain comics, its header text is changed permanently, which means that comic's page won't be affected by changes to the global header text like the rest of the comics. You can see the list of these [[#Comic-specific header text|Comic-specific header texts]] below.

Usually, the global header text is changed back to the default once the novelty of the news ends. Recently, the default header text has not been used for extended periods of time. The most recent header text change can be found at the top of the [[#Global header text|Global header text section]].

{{incomplete|Someone has created a full list of comic-specific header texts! We have only explained 28 so far, and '''28 are missing'''. [[Talk:Header_text#anc|The full list in on the Talk page!]]. (Also, if you have ''infinite'' spare time, please remove the bullet points on the page and use normal paragraphs.)}}

Use this list to quickly jump to a specific header text, or [[#Comic-specific header text|click here]] to jump to the most recent one.

__TOC__

==Comic-specific header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Place the most recent changes at the top.


===[[2957: A Crossword Puzzle]]===
*This comic's header mentions that it has been inspired by an old comic (by accident, i.e. originally Randall was not aware of his inspiration).
**It was on the front page from from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711100451/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11] until the next comic to come out Friday [ 2024-07-12]. [ASSUMPTION]
*The text:
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!
*It makes it clear that Randall did not wish to take credit for this old idea
**Although it seems like he did not know where he got the idea from at first, when he posted it.
**Because the addition of this header text was not posted together with the comic, when it was released on Wednesday 2024-07-10 and it was still not there in the early morning of Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711000851/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11].
**That he is a fan of Buttersafe is made clear at the bottom of the xkcd page where it is on Randall's list of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]].
*As a special situation this special header did not replace the current header text, but was added below the active header text at the time about [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F|10th anniversary for what if?]].
**This has not been the normal way to add comic-specific header text. So it will be interesting to see what happens when the next comic is released [UPDATE]
*Since this header was related only to explain the inspiration for this comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released. [ASSUMPTION!!!]
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen [SOME] days after it stopped being on the front page on [?? 2022-07-13???].


===[[2916: Machine]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406163326/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06] (although it was supposed to have been a Friday release according to the xkcd archives) until the next comic to come out Monday 2024-04-08, but the earliest archived version of the next comic is from Tuesday [http://web.archive.org/web/20240409060444/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-09].
***It probably changed late on Monday the 8th, but Machine was still up late on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240408225854/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-08].
***It may be like previous years because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?
**When [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]] was released the front page returned to normal header.
**The previous comic [[2915: Eclipse Clouds]] was still on the front page Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06]. So a very late Friday release...
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://github.com/spyhi Ed White], [https://twitter.com/uh_oh_thats_bad Alex Garcia], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [http://burningcandle.io/ Conor & Ami Stokes], [https://liranuna.com/ Liran Nuna], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick], [https://manishearth.github.io/ Manish Goregaokar], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], [https://github.com/ayust Amber], and [https://github.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg] with physics by [https://rapier.rs/ Rapier].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or X or their own home pages. Some of them have also helped with the two previous [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], see below, but there are many more involved in this one than any of the previous.
**Also the Fast 2D and 3D physics engine for the Rust programming language, Rapier, is mentioned as standing for the physics of the comic.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240409010518/https://xkcd.com/2916/ 2022-04-09].


===[[2765: Escape Speed]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230420203744/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-20] (although it was supposed to have been a Wednesday release according to the xkcd archives) until Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230421082400/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-21], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2766: Helium Reserve]] was released the front page returned to normal header. This seems to have not happened until Saturday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20230422121650/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-22] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was put together with help from [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick Clapp], [https://amberyu.st/ Amber], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], and [https://www.aiweirdness.com/ Janelle Shane].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or Twitter or their own home pages. Most of them have also helped with the two previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230423150206/https://xkcd.com/2765/ 2022-04-23].


===[[2601: Instructions]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220401210146/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-01] until Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405031003/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because Instructions was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2602: Linguistics Degree]] was released the front page returned to normal header This seems to have not happened until Tuesday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405125644/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/chromakode @chromakode], [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/xDirtyPunkx Conor], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with an Instagram page, the other seven with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220406021357/https://xkcd.com/2601/ 2022-04-06].


===[[2445: Checkbox]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210401232108/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-01] until Monday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210405130031/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-05], until the new comic was released on Monday.
*The text:
**This comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], and [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with a personal home page, the other six with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header, when the next comic was released, here from the day after that release Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210406143023/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-06].
*But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20210407203547/https://xkcd.com/2445/ 2021-04-07].


===[[2288: Collector's Edition]]===
This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together, and gives links to all of their Twitter profiles, except
Christopher Nights'. It was on the front page only for about a day around April 3rd and
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/http://xkcd.com/#-370,-277vApril 4th 2020].
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber],
[https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin],
[https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat],
[https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
</blockquote>
The header text thanks those who helped Randall create the 2020 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken
two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay, the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released the day after the April Fool's comic, [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]].
Since this header was related only to the April Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header when the next comic was released,
but it stayed up as a permanent header for this comic.



===[[1928: Seven Years]]===
[http://web.archive.org/web/20171214171157/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-12-14]
It was released as a response to another cancer diagnosis, this is explained in the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Header_text|Header text]] which has replaced the standard ''xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.'' The new one is this one, with the active link included:
The text (with link):
* Becky Beaton, sister of fellow cartoonist Kate Beaton, has also been diagnosed with cancer. You can support her treatment [https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 here].
{{w|Kate Beaton}} is the creator of the web comic [http://www.harkavagrant.com/ Hark! A Vagrant].
* Although this comic is not one on Randall's list of ''[[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]]'', he is clearly much influenced by another cancer diagnosis among someone in his own creative field.below.
On [https://web.archive.org/web/20190817141450/https://www.xkcd.com/1928/ 2019-08-17], close to two years later, the message was still there and also [https://web.archive.org/web/20211226120634/https://xkcd.com/1928/ 2021-12-26] just past four years later.
* There was the possibility that it would be removed, when the support page was discontinued...
* But as that already happened before [http://web.archive.org/web/20181106124430/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-11-06] it seems like it will be there to stay.
* Last archived version was from [http://web.archive.org/web/20180305022301/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-03-05].
* Randall has previously done something similar for another friend, Emily, but [[#2014-11-27_-_Help_Emily|that header]] was not made permanent.



===[[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]]===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170428041338/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-04-28]
This header links back to [[1828: ISS Solar Transit]], a comic with the same joke setup released on the Monday of the same week


===[[1723: Meteorite Identification]]===
Randall realized that his comic was almost a copy of some other person. And he has since then acknowledged this on the comics specific page see more [[1723: Meteorite Identification#Trivia|here]].
At the time of this post, in the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161010215516/http://xkcd.com/1723/ 2016-10-10] it is still there and says:
* Note: Jolyon, founder of [http://www.mindat.org/ mindat.org], made a similar chart way before me!


===[[1679: Substitutions 3]]===
This comic is the third installment of the [[:Category:Substitution]] series, and as Randall did with [[#Substitutions 2]],
the header text links to the previous comics in the series, and tells the user about Chrome Browser extensions for substitution.
The header text reads:
<blockquote>
(Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}} and {{xkcd|1625|Substitutions 2}}) 
Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/replacerator/gaajhenbcclienfnniphiiambbbninnp?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
</blockquote>
This header text was on the main page while the comic was on the main page, for instance on
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160512102325/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-05-12]. It remains on the comic page.



===[[1663: Garden]]===
This comic had a header text to help people use the comic when it came out.
For some time this text was the main header text, but after a while is disappeared from the main header, but remained as the header for Garden.
* See more [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-04_-_Protip_on_Garden|below]] or on the Garden page [[Garden#Header_text_after_release|here]]
Today and as of the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161231231600/http://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-12-31] it is still there and says:
* Protip: If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
* You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.


===[[1625: Substitutions 2]]===
This was the second installment of Substitutions and Randall links to the first and tells about browser extensions for this:
The text:
* (Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}})
* Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/xkcd-substitutions/jkgogmboalmaijfgfhfepckdgjeopfhk?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
** He did the same when [[xkcd_Header_text#Substitutions_3|Substitutions 3]] came out, linking to the two previous.
It was on the main page while the comic was up, for instance here on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160104171722/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-01-04].


===[[1079: United Shapes]]===
The header text was unique for this comic on the day it came out:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09].
It read:
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here] (Colorado is [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/ here]). 
It's also available as a [http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap poster].
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap Archived store link, 2012-07-22])

This header text only appeared with the comic, as on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09],
at a time before this comic was released, the previous
[[xkcd_Header_text#2012-04-09 -_Standard_text_plus_store_link|promotion of the store]] header text was still on the main page.

As this comic was still on the main page the day after ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120710063424/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-10]),
a new [[Header_text#2012-07-10_-_New:_what-if.xkcd.com|header text promoting Randall's new what if? blog]]
was not shown on the main page.
The what if? promotion was added to this comic's header text the next day,
on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711123734/http://xkcd.com:80/1079/ 2012-07-11].
However, the part about Colorado was lost in this edit. This is the version still shown on {{xkcd|1079}} today, including the
what if? promotion.
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here]! It's also available as a
[https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster poster]. 
New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions. 
I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20121203164246/https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster Archived store link, 2012-12-03])

The what if? promotion links to the very first ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}'' which was released on 2012-07-10, the day after this comic was released, but before the next comic [[1080: Visual Field]] was released on 2012-07-11.

There is no archived version of comic {{xkcd|1080}} while it was on the front page, so it is not possible to tell what the front page looked like on the 11th and 12th of July 2012. Most likely it was the what if? promotion.
* Maybe there was a time with the final version of the header text the front page, but seems like Randall put the new header text there by hand, and forgot to delete it after, so he probably first changed it when the new comic came out.
* Since the new header was important, promoting his new ''what if'' blog, Randall likely did not wish to have a recent page/the main page without it.
* But this makes it a special unique header, as a relic from the past header text is left together with the text that was supposed to be permanent. It should have been deleted when the link to ''what if'' 1 was removed.



===[[1047: Approximations]]===
It has a permanent text saying that many people emailed Randall about another approximation for one year than the one given in the comic.
* As it was already there from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120425220409/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-25] it seems unlikely that he actually received those e-mails before changing the header text for this comic!
The unique text:
* Lots of emails mention the physicist favorite, 1 year = pi x 107 seconds.
* 75^4 is a hair more accurate, but it's hard to top 3,141,592's elegance.
There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[#2012-04-09_-_Standard_text_plus_store_link|Plus store link]].


===[[1037: Umwelt]]===
It has a permanent promotion of the store already from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01]:
The unique text:
* You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
It stayed on the front page while this comic was the most recent, so for instance also two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03]
* There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-28_-_Visiting_Newport_News|Visiting Newport News]].


===[[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]]===
In response to the idea of having you browser replace keyboard with leopard a reader made a script that could do just that.
Randall seem to have gotten this script before release (or at least on the day of release) as it was already the header text on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319130702/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-19] the day the comic was released.
The unique text is:
* A helpful reader has provided an [https://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 s/keyboard/leopard/ user script].
** The link does not go anywhere useful any longer, but here is the archived version of the link from two days after the release of the comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321174019/http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 2012-03-21]
It was never changed on the other comics so was only on the front while this comic was up until 2012-03-21
* Here also shown on the second day it was up on its own page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320143916/http://xkcd.com:80/1031/ 2012-03-20].
The next comic [[1032: Networking]] came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321205835/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-21] and here the header text has returned to what it was before the leopard comic: [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-12_-_xkcd_Holistic_Browser|xkcd Holistic Browser]].
* Here are examples from dates around this showing it was not used on other pages:
** The last archived version of the front page from before the 19th was this version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317121834/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-17], but here is an example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153256/http://xkcd.com:80/1030/ 2012-03-18] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]), the day before leopard comic came out.
** Both on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319174700/http://xkcd.com/1030/ 2012-03-19] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]) and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320191039/http://xkcd.com:80/1012 2012-03-20] (from comic [[1012: Wrong Superhero]]) during the time leopard was up, the header text currently in used was still shown.


===[[996: Making Things Difficult]]===
To give context to the comic about cancer, Randall links to a [[Blag]] post about his family's struggle with cancer.
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Some context for the cancer comics:
[https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/ https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/]
</blockquote>
This header text appears on the oldest stored version of the comic page from [https://web.archive.org/web/20111229043804/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-12-29] when it was on the main page.


===[[980: Money]]===
Randall notes his thoughts about making it and makes a promotion of the poster.
The unique text:
* This one was fun (and exhausting) to make.
* There's a poster of it in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/money-poster store]!
** It is both at the oldest stored version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404110059/http://xkcd.com:80/980 2012-04-04] and the newest at time of editing [https://web.archive.org/web/20220108132250/https://xkcd.com/980/ 2022-01-08].


===[[977: Map Projections]]===
Randall notes that a person had birthday on the release of this comic about maps, and this guy has maps on his homepage
The unique text:
* It turns out Monday was Steve Waterman's birthday. His [https://web.archive.org/web/20111118003418/http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ site] has posters of his map, plus maybe the world's only Winkel Tripel-critiquing poetry.
** The link goes to [http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ Waterman project] home page. Above the link goes to an archived version from around the time of release of the header text.
** It is at the oldest stored version with the comic on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20111115231643/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-11-15].


===[[851: Na]]===
After Randall released this comic, he realized he could have "made it better," and did so.
He changed the header text alert people to this, saying:
<blockquote>
I can't ''believe'' I forgot Hey Jude.
I don't get do-overs, but I couldn't resist making [https://xkcd.com/851_make_it_better/ a fixed version].
</blockquote>
See more about it in that comic's [[851:_Na#Trivia|trivia section]].


===[[739: Malamanteau]]===
Randall notes that he has changed this comics license, so it can be used on Wikipedia.
The text:
* At Wikipedia's request, I release this comic under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ cc-by-sa] license.
** The link is to the page regarding {{w|Creative Commons license}} in the US.
** Specifically for Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-SA 3.0 US)
*** Usually xkcd is [[Design_of_xkcd.com#License_and_copyright|shared under]] [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License]. This does not allow commercial use, But the 3.0 does.
When the comic came out it had the normal header text from that time, as seen here two days after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20100514072436/http://xkcd.com/ 2010-05-14].
* First archived version with the unique text is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100913003146/http://xkcd.com/739/ 2010-09-13], but the previous archived version of this comic is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100713160533/http://xkcd.com:80/739/ 2010-07-13].
* So it happened somewhere in the two months in between. But at least it was not there the first two months after release, but there before four month after release.


===577–580: [[:Category:The Race|The Race]]: Parts 1–4===
[[:Category:The Race|The Race]] was a 5-comic series published daily over the duration of one week, Monday through Friday. On comics
[[577: The Race: Part 1]], [[578: The Race: Part 2]], [[579: The Race: Part 3]], and [[580: The Race: Part 4]], parts 1–4 of the
series, Randall announced to users that xkcd would update once a day over the course of that week.

The header text for 577, published on Monday of that week, reads:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day.
</blockquote>
The header texts for 578, 579, and 580, published respectively on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, read:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day (through Friday).
</blockquote>

On comic [[581: The Race: Part 5]], this header text does not appear, likely because it wouldn't be useful to inform people of daily
updates for a week at the end of the week.


===[[563: Fermirotica]]===
The header text for this comic informs the reader of prints of this comic in the [[Store]], and gives an example sex calculation.
It reads:
<blockquote>
There are xkcd prints available in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store]. 
[https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sqrt(2%2F(pi*18000%2F(mi^2)*80%2Fyear*30+minutes) Example Google sex calculation].
</blockquote>
The first link is a link to the [[Store|xkcd Store]], which, as of early February 2026, is closed for the time being. The second link is a
Google Search link for an example sex calculation with the formula in the comic, where
''Pd'' = 18000/mi2,
''XF'' = 80/year, and
''Xd'' = 30 minutes.
This calculation results in ''r'' equaling ~142 meters.


===[[488: Steal This Comic]]===
Comic 488 advocates against {{w|Digital rights management}}, or <abbr title="Digital rights management">DRM</abbr>. In the header text, Randall notes that Amazon sells
DRM-free music. It reads:
<blockquote>
Note: the [https://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 Amazon.com MP3 store] sells DRM-free music. Kudos.
</blockquote>
The header text links to Amazon MP3 music. Here is an archived version of the store from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081001083843/http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 2008-10-01],
two weeks prior to the release of the comic.
The header text was on the comic from the release day, here seen the day after on the first archived version from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232952/http://xkcd.com/ 2008-10-14].


===[[472: House of Pancakes|472: House of Pancakes]]===
This comic's header notes its status as a parody:
* (Today's comic is a parody of [https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764 House of Leaves].)
Only on the days this comic was the newest was this header featured on the front page of xkcd for instance as seen here the day after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06].
* But it was only on this comic. The commercial for his new t-shirt was on all the other pages, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06] and presumably returned to the front page with the next comic. But there is a gap in the archive after this comic.

==Global header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the newest comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Position the last comic displaying the header text below the other data and place the most recent change at the top.

===2026-04-07 - Reading Modes===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260401210255/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-04-01].
*[[3227: Creation]] was released as the 2026 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' comic]], but the real April Fools' was a new feature, which was explained in the global header text.
* The text:
** We're pleased to announce a major update to xkcd, with new reading modes to enhance user experience. Select a mode via the menu below the comic.
**Brought to you by our excellent design team: [https://github.com/ayust Amber], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], and [https://github.com/cotrone Kevin]
*At first it would seem that this would be a text, only belonging to the new comic, but since the feature is active on all comics, it was not only on the front page, but on all other comics as well. And it stayed there after the next comic was released.
**So this is not a comic specific header text.

===2026-01-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260107194433/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-01-07].
* [[3191: Superstition]] came out when the header changed.
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2022-01-08_-_Back_to_standard_text|2022-01-08]] that the text had changed back to that, so exactly four years.
**Last time it only lasted a few days before the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] started.
*It was also the first time since December 5th, 2024 that the header text had changed, a span of more than a year (13 months) making it by far the longest time the header text had been left unchanged.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260331171250/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-03-31] when [[3226: Home Solar]] was on the front page.
**Almost two months, a long stretch with the original title text in use!

===2024-12-05 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - order===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241205201038/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-05].
* [[3020: Infinite Armada Chess]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—Out now. Order it here! [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* Only difference in this header compared to the previous version is the last part after the final hypen.
* This header stayed up for exactly 13 months. See link at the bottom.
* With the [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|preorder]] version coming out in mid May 2024 the 10th anniversary edition ended up been in the header text almost 1 year and 7 month (except the month of [[#2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president|endorsing Harris]]), thus it was on the header for 1.5 years in total.
* And before that what if? has been part of the header back to [[#2022-01-31 - What if? 2|2022-01-31]], when what if? 2 was announced.
* And three weeks before that the [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] for what if? 2 began. Of course there was no what if? word on that header as it was a surprise. But it turned out this was also a promotion for what if?
* And up until the day before the countdown (when there was one day with the old standard text) there was promotion for the first what if? book starting on [[#2021-12-20 - What If in stock|2021-12-20]].
** To sum it up, the header has been used to promote what if? continuously from December 2021 until at least the start of January 2026 (except one month with endorsing Harris and three weeks countdown that was for what if?) So more than 4 years in a row, only with a month for something political and the 3 weeks of countdown was also a promotion for what if?
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260106150417/https://xkcd.com/3190/ 2026-01-06] when [[3190: Tensegrity]] was on the front page.
**It had then been up for more than 13 months in a row by a day. There had been no change to the header text at all during 2025.

===2024-11-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page when the text changed.
* It returned to the exact same header text as before: [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241204160618/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-04] when [[3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar]] was on the front page.
** The only change was that the last part after the last hyphen changed from when you had to preorder to now that you could order the book.

===2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241017002108/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-17]
* For some reason the web archive failed to upload xkcd on the day it changed, but that it did change a day before can be seen in this other archive [https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[2999: Bad Map Projection: The United Stralia]] came out when this header was changed.
* Instead of text, it is a three part comic. In the first panel, [[Cueball]] (probably representing [[Randall]]) is shown walking, carrying a sign. In the second panel, he is seen hitting the sign with a hammer into the ground. In the third, Cueball is gone, and the front of the sign can be seen:
** <big>Harris for president</big>
* This is in reference to the 2024 presidential elections and shows that Randall endorses Harris.
* Randall posted the same image on his [https://x.com/xkcd/status/1853098106667114801 Twitter (formally X)] and [https://bsky.app/profile/xkcd.com/post/3la2jku6ace2f Bluesky] accounts on November 3rd, 2024, two days before the presidential election.
* It was up for a month until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241115181146/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2024-11-15] when [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page. It changed while that comic was still up back to the one from before.

===2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240515200351/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-15]
* [[2933: Elementary Physics Paths]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241015192147/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-15] while [[2998: Ravioli-Shaped Objects]] was on the front page.
After a month of endorsing endorses Harris the heder text returned to this again, see [[#2024-11-16_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-110-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? -preorder]].

===2024-03-20 - What If? is on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240320173158/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-20]
* [[2909: Moon Landing Mission Profiles]] came out when the header changed.
The only text version from the previous header was trimmed having some words removed taking it down from four to three lines (and solving the bad alignment that happened five days before at the end of the previous header text).
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is on YouTube! The first video answers
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed Hubble at Earth?]” Follow the
** [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif What If?] channel to be notified about new videos.
* The first link goes to the what if? page on xkcd and the other two links are to the YouTube channel and to its very first video.
The promotion of the what if? franchise continues for the second year running. A few words were taken off as the YouTube channel was no longer new at this point.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240514034349/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-14], while [[2932: Driving PSA]] was on the front page. But the what if? promotion continued

===2023-11-29 - What If? is now on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20231129184009/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-29]
* [[2861: X Value]] came out when the header changed.
There was only text this time.
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is now on YouTube!
** Check out the first video for the answer to
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed the Hubble Telescope at Earth?]”
** and follow [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif xkcd’s What If? The Video Series channel] to be notified about each new video.
* The links goes to the what if page on xkcd and the other two links is to the new YouTube channel with videos of some of the what if articles and to the very first video.
This is thus not a promotion of the what if? 2 book but still promotion of the what if? franchise.
A small change happened on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240314113602/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-14], as the first two lines became one line which made the alignment worse. So it seemed strange to do this. It looked like normal up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20240313113429/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-13]. But it only lasted five days before a change was made that made it into a new although very similar header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240319134138/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-19], while [[2908: Moon Armor Index]] was on the front page, but was replaced by a very similar what if? header.

===2023-08-31 - What if? 2 is now available in paperback in the UK!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230831200321/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-31]
* [[2822: *@gmail.com]] came out when the header changed.
* The image to the right stayed, but after more than a half year with no text, text was added to the left of the picture because the paper back was available in the UK.
** As opposed to the previous headers this was plain text and not a picture.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What if? 2 is [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK now available] in paperback in the UK!
** what if? 2
* The link goes to https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK, the page on xkcd about the What if? 2 book, and directing to the UK order links where there now also it a paper back version.
This version was still up in the middle of November 2023 when this segment was updated.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20231128174224/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-28], while [[2860: Decay Modes]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? header.
* Although it was not specifically related to the new book. Thus it ended a more than 22 month long constant promotion of the book since the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] began in January 2022.

===2023-02-17 - What if? 2 picture only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230217185629/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-17]
* [[2739: Data Quality]] came out when the header changed.
* For the first time in a very long time there is no real header text. Only the small red picture with the plane and the title of the what if? 2 book in the right section of the header. As it has been since [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] stopped.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230830064414/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-30], while [[2821: Path Minimization]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header.

===2022-09-23 - What if? 2 Instant New York Times Bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220923182825/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-23]
* [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page when the header changed.
** The header celebrates that the new what if? 2 book has become an instant New York Times bestseller.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2
** Instant New York Times bestseller.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230216181705/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-16], while [[2738: Omniknot]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header,

===2022-09-13 - What if? 2 is available now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220913142432/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13]
* [[2672: What If? 2 Flowchart]] was released as the header changed, even though it was a Tuesday.
** The header and the comic celebrates the release of the new what if? 2 book, that came out on this day.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2 is available now!
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This thus ended the pre-release promotion of the book, that began on [[#xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|2022-01-31]], plus of course the three weeks of [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] before. For a sum total of 8 months and three days.
* It will be interesting to see how long before any reference to what if? 2 will disappear from the header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220922150042/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-22], but was replaced by another What If? 2 header, while [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page.

===2022-09-12 - One day to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220912125617/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-12]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** One dayuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>I'm going to spend the day with that Les Mis song stuck in my head, aren't I.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-12 it was ''F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of N Bottles of Beer On the wall followed by F(N-1)'' to release day.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
** Les mis song, referring to a song from the musical les miserables titled "One Day More", he now has stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220913134002/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13].
** This was while [[2671: Rotation]] was still up, early on the release day of the new book.

===2022-09-12 - Three days to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220911102450/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-11]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Three daysuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Assuming it's still Saturday. I'm a static png image and can't perceive time.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header only stayed the same for one day and [[2670: Interruption]] was still up when it changed to the next.

===2022-09-07 - Less than one week to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220907211736/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-07]
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was still up.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are four lines of text. With the middle line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over four lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Less than one weekuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Oh no, now I have that song stuck in my head.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-07 it was ''one pico-universe-lifetime'' to release day. But the next day 2022-09-08 it was ''The Baby Shark chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks''.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220910024549/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-10].
** This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was up.

===2022-08-27 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220827232205/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-27]
* [[2664: Cloud Swirls]] came out when it changed.
* The header [[#2022-08-16 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|changed back]] to the preorder image from the previous header, when Randall's book tour ended. See the link.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220906191403/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-06].
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was up.

===2022-08-17 - What if? 2 book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220817161136/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-17]
* [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was out when it changed.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this there is text to the left. Then Cueball is seen flying by holding on to a single balloon (like in [[1110: Click and Drag]]). He flies over five mountain peaks with snow, with three clouds and three distant birds in front of him, as he drifts to the right, as shown with movements lines behind him. In front of him is a dark feature at the bottom of the frame. Above this is a blue square (like a button) with white text.
* The text:
** I'm going on a what if? 2 book tour!
** Click to see where
** what if? 2
*** The image to the left is a link to [https://xkcd.com/events/ randall munroe: events] page on xkcd. Which at the time showed the calendar with the planned stop for his book tour, which covered the US and London.
*** As always the link button in blue is not the only part of the image that is a link, as he just mentioned in the [[#2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|previous header text]], and several times before...
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This header thus continues the promotion of the new book, which was at the time was only 27 days away (or [[2636:_What_If%3F_2_Countdown|6 dog months]]).
* It will be interesting to see how long it takes before promotion for the book disappears from the header. It may still take months.
The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220826202043/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-26].
* This was while [[2663: Tetherball Configurations]] was up.

===2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220811055445/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-11]
* [[2657: Complex Vowels]] came out as it changed.
The message in the header was not really changed, but the meaning of the text from the previous header was now written in an image, although the text did change somewhat.
* The header thus still consist of two parts. To the left the new image with an picture of the book and text. And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this to the right is the new text. To the left is a picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Preorder what if? 2 and enter for a chance to win a comic inspired by your question! Click here to learn more. Or click wherever. This whole image is a link because html is hard.
** what if? 2
*** In the left image there is a blue link font on the word "here" in click here. However the entire left image is a link to the [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 what if 2 contest]. As explained he did not only make the word a link because html is hard! This is something Randall [[xkcd_Header_text#2014-07-23_-_what_if.3F_book_tour|often comments on]].
**** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
**** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
**** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220816124823/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-16].
** This was while [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was up.

===2022-07-19 - Preorder What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220719153239/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-19]
* [[2647: Capri Suns]] came out as it changed.
The header looked a lot like the previous one, only part of the text changed.
* The header thus still consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over four lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** Preorder What If? 2 (all US preorders eligible) and [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 enter our contest] for a chance to win a dedicated comic and What If blog post!
** what if? 2
*** The image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
*** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220810034709/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-10].
** This was while [[2656: Scientific Field Prefixes]] was up.

===2022-01-31 - What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220201000434/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-02-01]
* [[2575: What If? 2]] came out as it changed, and then it [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/36/Countdown_in_header_text_page_when_what_if_comic_came_out.png looked like this] already on 2022-01-31. But there is no archived version from that day after the header changed.
** This was what [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] had been counting down to.
** An announcement that Randall had written a sequel to the first ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book, based on his blog.
* The header consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over three lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in the countdown, but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plan ia the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions comes out 9/13. Preorder [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ here!]
** What If? 2:
*** The link goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about what if? 2: the book. The image is also a link to this page.
*** The entire comic that came out along with the new header text is also a link to that page.
* At the same time the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] in the top left section of xkcd also changed to include links to books, and especially this new book.
It will be interesting to see how long this version of the promotion for the new books stays up. But most likely there will be promotion for the book until release, and then more after the release.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718145816/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-18], for more than 5,5 month. This was while [[2646: Minkowski Space]] was up.
** The change was rather small, but part of the text changed. The promotion continued though.

===2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10].
* [[2565: Latency]] was still up when the [[Countdown in header text]] was added.
* The text was still the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But a countdown was added. This was inserted in a rectangular box, placed at the end of the standard header text.
** In some browsers the box forces the last word "Friday" to jump down to the next line.
* Inside the box the following time was displayed in the version in the link:
** 20d 20h 27m
*** This clock will also count down every minute, although it will return to the time at the time of archive when reloaded!
*** While this was edited into this wiki the time had changed to 20d 19h 12m. So it was a very fresh download in the web archive, only about 1 hour old when it was updated to this wiki.
*** The minutes change without refreshing the page, and follows this editors computers clock exactly, so it will end at 59 minutes, not at a full hour.
** It looks like it started on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ 01-10 17:00 UTC].
*** A calculation shows that this countdown will reach zero on Monday 2022-01-31 at 14:59 (2:59 PM) {{w|UTC}}.
*** This will be at 9:59 (9:59 AM) in [[Randall]]'s home town
**** The last ten minutes it switched to seconds for the last minute so it made the switch 15:00 UTC 10:00 in Boston!
*** From that it can be deduced that the count started at 20d 22h 0m
**** The first image on the archive thus came 1h 33m after the count began.
* At [https://web.archive.org/web/20220111153818/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] a diagonal black bar appeared in the lower left-hand corner of the countdown box.
** After that the [[Countdown in header text]] page was created and any further development on the count down will be mentioned on that page.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220131124817/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-31] when [[2574: Autoresponder]] was on the front page.
* This archived version was when the counter was at 0d 2h 11m, and the last normal frame was already up at this time.
** It stayed like this until the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/1/17/Countdown_in_header_text_page_0_seconds.png counter ran out].
*** Then for a few minutes the final frame, that revealed that all this was a promotion for Randall's new book what if? 2 was up [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/4/48/Countdown_in_header_text_page_just_after_countdown.png while the Friday comic was still up].
*** Then when the new Monday comic came out with the promotion for what if? 2, the header changed.

===2022-01-08 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220108044654/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-08].
* [[2565: Latency]] came out around the time the new header text appeared, on a Friday!
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2018-11-07 - Back to standard text|2018-11-07]] that the text had changed back to that, and at that time it lasted until 2019-02-05.
** That is 1067 days (less than a month short of three years) without the standard text! (Can it be called standard anymore?)
* It was only left in the complete standard version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220109030513/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-09] when Latency was still on the front page.
** Then the next day a [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] was added to it.
*** That was after the weekend on Monday but before the Monday comic came up.
*** So only during the weekend was it normal standard header text.

===2021-12-20 - What If in stock===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20211220211220/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-20].
* [[2557: Immunity]] came out around the time the new header text appeared.
* The text:
** For anyone trying to find What If? this year, it's in stock at [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 Barnes & Noble], [https://m.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Randall-Munroe/9780544272996 Books-a-Million], and [https://bookshop.org/books/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-9781483041827/9780544272996 Bookshop]
* Each store name is a link to the corresponding store's page for ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]''.
It was last seen on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220106100957/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-06] when [[2564: Sunshield]] was up.

===2020-06-03 - Black Lives Matter===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200604003700/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-03].
* [[2315: Eventual Consistency]] came out as a new header text was finally inserted after almost two months without one.
* Cueball is standing to the left and speaks a single line of text: "Black Lives Matter"
* To the right is a gray link button with text: "[https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ How To Help]."
* As always, the entire image (which is only below the xkcd logo) is a link
** The button is thus not needed, but it will also work when clicking the location of the button.
* The link goes to [https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ Join Campaign Zero].
** {{w|Black Lives Matter}} is a loose, grassroots, decentralized confederation of groups and individuals advocating for racial justice. It arose in 2013 after the acquittal of {{w|George Zimmerman}}, who took the life of {{w|Trayvon Martin}}.
** Randall's featuring Black Lives Matter came on the heels of the {{w|Killing of George Floyd}} on May 25th 2020, which had sparked {{w|George Floyd protests|protest in the US}}
** Floyd died while saying "{{w|I can't breathe}}," which was already used due to other Black men's killings, the first was from the {{w|Killing of Eric Garner}}, back in 2014.
It stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200616114945/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-16] when [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200617131438/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-17] the link changed to [https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Black Lives Matter]. [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was still on the front page on that day.
On April 1st 2021 the front page header changed to mention who made the April Fools' Day comic.
* But this was only for this comic [[#Checkbox|Checkbox]].
* The rest of the pages kept the BLM header and it returned to this on the front page once the next comic was released on April 5th. At that time it will have been up for 13 months, making it the longest header different from the standard header.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20211219202204/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-19] when [[2556: Turing Complete]] was on the front page.
* At that time it had been up for 564 days or 1,5 year plus 16 days! This is most likely a record.

===2020-04-05 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042955/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-05].
* [[2289: Scenario 4]] came out and the header belonging to the previous comic was removed.
* But no new header was inserted. Not even the go to [[#Header text|Header text]] about the release days of xkcd.
** Since the previous header was related only to the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[2288: Collector's Edition]], and that had stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book, after first experiencing problems with its release, it seems Randall forgot what he usually put in the header.
It stayed empty like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200602213017/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-02] when [[2314: Carcinization]] was on the front page.
* So almost two month without a header. This had not happened before.

===2020-04-04 - Put together by===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-04].
* [[2288: Collector's Edition]] came out and the header changed.
* The text:
** Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
*** All names have links except the last.
* It thanks those that helped Randall create this years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!
* Since this header was related only to the Fool's comic, it was thus removed from the general header, but it stayed up as [[#Collector.27s_Edition|one of]] the permanent [[#Unique_header_text|unique header texts]].
** However, when it was removed from the general header, the header was left empty.
** Unlike some other headers that stayed on a given comic, this one was on all comics for the duration of the time it stayed on the front page, see for instance the previous comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403232031/https://xkcd.com/2287/ 2020-04-03].

===2020-04-02 - Technical Reasons===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200402234828/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-02].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was up when the header changed.
Randall turned out to, again, have problems with his complicated and interactive [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] for 2020.
* The text:
** Note: For technical reasons Wednesday's comic will be posted Thursday instead. Apologies for the delay!
This finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].
It stayed up a day longer than planed as the fool's comic, [[2288: Collector's Edition]] was first released on Friday, so the note was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403012612/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-03].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] thus stayed two extra day on the front page, and the third comic of that week, [[2289: Scenario 4]] was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!

===2020-01-16 - How To explores - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200116190038/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-16].
* [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was still up when the header changed.
* The ongoing promotion of the book continued but here more than three weeks after Christmas the reference to Christmas was removed.
* The header then returned to the one from before Christmas:
** [[#2019-11-22 - How To explores|How To explores]] - see that for all other details.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200401221435/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-01] when [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was on the front page.
* It was the problems with [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] of 2020 that finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].

===2019-12-02 - Into Science===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191202223745/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-02].
* [[2236: Is it Christmas?]] came out when the header changed. Fitting as the change is about Christmas list.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, continuing to make the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd.
** The links below to order are the same as in the previous header.
** Actually most of the header stays the same with the same four images and the same layout. But the text above has changed completely and the two main text sections between the drawings has changed but only slightly. The description of the images is thus left out, see below. Only new thing is that there are now two red circles connected with a red arrow. The first circle is around the word How To at the end of the first text with the arrow going from that circle to the second circle drawn around the picture of the book.
* The text:
** Is there someone on you Christmas list who's into science? They might like my new book '''''How To'''''
** It explores ridiculous ideas for applying scientific research to everyday problems...
** ...And illustrates what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200115155040/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-15] when [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-22 - How To explores===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191122214439/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22].
* [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] was up when the header changed. It most likely changed when the comic appeared. Earlier on that day it was the previous header over the previous comic.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here again making the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd, after it previously was a link to where to listen to the audio book.
** The links below to order returns to the same as in the header before the previous header with links to audio books, except that the link to an exclusive edition has been removed.
** The header consist of an image with text above five small drawings with two text parts in between them. To the left is the closed How To book which is black with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. To the right of the book is a drawing of Ponytail pole-vaulting with two black helium filled balloons. Next to her is the first text segment. Then after that is the drawing, seen before in the header text, of a truck towing a house up a steep hill. This truck goes above the second text segment, with Cueball somersaulting above the text. Furthest right, above and just right of the text is an explosion with the sound written inside. Below the header image is some black text and then the links to where to get it as regular blue link text.
* The text:
** My new book '''''How To''''' explores the science behind spacecraft heat shields, butterfly metabolisms, and land border surveys...
** ...By imagining ridiculous ideas for applying the research to you everyday life...
** ...And illustrating what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191201191025/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-01] when [[2235: Group Chat Rules]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-06 - Audio clip===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191106204314/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-06].
* [[2224: Software Updates]] was still up when the header changed, but the first archive version was first from after the next comic came out [[2225: Voting Referendum]].
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here making the image a link to the How To book on Penguin Random House's audio book, where an audio clip read by Wil Wheaton can be sampled.
** The links below to order have now changed to those with audio books.
** The header consist of an image with text, with a "blue link", above the How To book that is being folded out from closed; to partially open; to opened up on two full pages; this takes three images. The closed book is the black book with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. The partly open book still has this cover partly visible, but unreadable, as well as come unreadable text in the open side. The open book shows two pages with lots of unreadable text and three figures (maybe one is a table). Next to the open book there is an arrow to the right pointing at an audio icon with three audio lines in front. Below the header image are the links as regular text.
* The text:
** You can click here to hear a clip from the audio version of '''''How To''''', read by Wil Wheaton.
** [https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world/id1475319694 Apple], [https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems/369279 Audiobooks], [https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/How-To-Audiobook/1473680360?qid=1574679523&sr=1-1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=DX3EZ14M14CFQPP9GHJY&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1 Audible], [https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Randall_Munroe_How_To?id=LzSGDwAAQBAJ Google Play], and [https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525635680 Libro.fm]
* The entire image is a link to the [https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576760/how-to/ How To book on Penguin Random House] page, where the audio clip can he played.
** As always it is the entire picture that is a link, and not only the blue underlined text that says click here!
It was last on the archive on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191122044456/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22] when [[2231: the Time Before And After Land]] was on the front page. But it was most likely still up when [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] came out. But then changed during the next day.

===2019-10-02 - Horse vs football team===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191002005854/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-02].
* [[2210: College Athletes]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed. This time the image seems to be from one of the How To explanations in the book.
** The links below to order are the same as the previous header.
** But new text is added after the links to promote two events with Randall in New York the two days after this header came up.
*** These links disappeared after a week leaving only the picture and the link to buy the book. See below.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball riding bareback on a horse. He comes from the left holding an American football. Running towards him from the right are eight American football players with helmets with three stars on the back of the helmet. Two of the players at the back are almost hidden by players in front of them. Beneath them is a line of text that belongs to the image, the period at the end of the sentence hangs in height with the center line of the last letter E... Then below the image follows the link and promotion of the NY events, these are written in regular.
* The text:
** My new book ''How To'' is out now! You can get it here.
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target] I'll be at New York Comic Con! I'm giving [https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Explore/Panels/Panels-And-Screenings/#/event/how-todo-anything-with-randall-munroe-creator-of-xkcd a talk on Thursday], and on
** Friday [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event at Caveat NYC].
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The link to Target still seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably a still undiscovered error on Randall's part?
This header changed, but so slightly that the changes will only be mentioned here rather than in a new section:
* The first link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191004014438/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-04]
* Then the day after only the second link remained from [https://web.archive.org/web/20191005041539/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-10-05]. [[2211: Hours Before Departure]] came out when it changed.
** But the text of this link changed as it had been a continues text from one to the other link. Also it was not entirely on it's own line, thus not as with the first link whose text was directly connected to the line with the links to buy the book.
** The new text of that link was:
*** [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event] Friday night at Caveat NYC!
*** The last link was the same, but now it only covered two words not the entire end of the sentence.
** This other link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191007042707/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-07].
* And then the last link was gone by [https://web.archive.org/web/20191008053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-08], when [[2212: Cell Phone Functions]] came out.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191105164001/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-05] when [[2224: Software Updates]] was up.

===2019-09-30 - Tons of fun===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190930234245/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-30].
* [[2209: Fresh Pears]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed to how much fun it was for Randall to write it and how proud he is of the result. Randall, as Cueball, is saying this in the new header image.
** The links below to order are the same, except a new has been added at the end.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball standing to the left of the book, shown as tall as he is. The book is opened up on two pages with lots of unreadable text as well as three drawings, only one of these, with a circle diagram, can clearly be seen. Cueball is speaking, and the text is above him and the book. Two words are blue with a line under as if they where a link. But as always the entire image is a link. Beneath the image is the links on where to order the book.
* The text:
** Writing my new book '''''How To''''' was tons of fun and I'm so proud of the result. It's out now-Click Here to order!
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The new link to Target seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably an error on Randall's part.
It ended on October 2nd while [[2210: College Athletes]] where up. But there is no archived versions from the 1st of October and the one from the 2nd is with the next version. But the editor of this was making changes to the explanation of College Athletes before the next header change came along.

===2019-09-11 - How To available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190911053115/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-11].
* [[2200: Unreachable State]] was still up when the header changed.
* The release day part of the promotion was changed to telling that the new [[How To]] book was available. With teasers about what is in the book below the heading. On either side of the text a picture of the book is still shown. Also the links below changed, adding three new and removing one old.
** The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the links on where to order it.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font.
* The text:
** How To is available now!
** Learn how to open bottles with nuclear weapons and how to be on time for meetings by altering the Earths rotation. The book also features advice from real-life experts including Chris Hadfield and Serena Williams.
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* {{w|Serena Williams}} is a famous tennis player who was also featured in one of the [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion comics]] for How To: [[2190: Serena Versus the Drones]]
* {{w|Chris Hadfield}} is a Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. The first Canadian to walk in space, Hadfield has flown two Space Shuttle missions and served as commander of the International Space Station.
** The new link to audible probably needs the user to be signed up, else it will go to the front page and ask yo to sign up. But from the archive the page can be seen [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923004816/https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 here].
Up till [https://web.archive.org/web/20190922143253/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-22] it looked like this.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923145251/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-23] and extra link was added after Audible:
** [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target].
* [[2205: Types of Approximation]] was up when this change occurred during a weekend.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190929223547/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-29] when [[2208: Drone Fishing]] was up.

===2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190904051509/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-04].
* [[2198: Throw]] was already up when the header changed slightly, as the text below Happy release day changed.
Most of the header stayed the same as the [[#2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar|day before]], but the reference to the Gregorian/Julian calendar was changed.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text.Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flowing on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan comes who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** Happy How To release day!
** Available wherever books are sold.
** (Mostly bookstores, I assume but you can always try your luck at Wendy's.)
* See below for any other details.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190909211737/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-09] when [[2200: Unreachable State]] was up.

===2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190903051503/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-03]
* [[2197: Game Show]] was still up when the header changed, but it was for sure to coincide with [[2198: Throw]] which came out later on the release day while it still looked like in this version.
* Randall celebrated the release day of [[How To]], coming out the day the header changed.
** The comic is also a reference to a chapter in the book on how to throw things. A very complicated interactive comic where different persons or other living things can be chosen to throw dead or living things. The trow will then be shown below with distance measured in two units, normal and special. That is if the thrower can actually manage to throw the thing.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. The two black books have red stars around them, five on the outer side of the image and 6 on the inner, the stars are mirrored around left and right book. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** How To Randall Munroe
** Happy How To release day!
** (Gregorian calendar. The Julian edition doesn't come out for 13 more days.)
** How To Randall Munroe
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Most of the world uses the {{w|Gregorian calendar}}, but before it was taken into use, the {{w|Julian calendar}} was in use.
** The Julian calendar does not take into account that every 100 years a leap year should be passed as in the Gregorian calendar, and thus it is at the moment 13 days behind, as it has has this many February 29th too many. Since there should actually be a leap year every 400 year, and the last of those was 2000, then it has been 13 days since 1900, and will stay like this until 2100 when it will become 14 days.
** The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Already the next day the part of the header below happy release day about the Gregorian calendar changed. See [[#2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore|above]].

===2019-08-27 - Out in a week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190827082224/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27].
* [[2194: How to Send a File]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], coming out a week from this header.
** It is only three lines of text
* The text:
** My new book, How To, comes out next week!
** Read an exclusive excerpt about transmission [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* Later [https://web.archive.org/web/20190827184229/https://xkcd.com/2194/ on the same day], (and here for the next day [https://web.archive.org/web/20190828095401/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27] for the front page), more text and links where added, plus the order of the text was changed.
* The later text was:
** My new book, [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To], comes out in a week! ([https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/23/book-tour-and-contest-winner/ Book tour info])
** You can preorder it now to get a copy when it's released:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
** You can also read an exclusive excerpt about file transfers [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
* The link to the book tour also include the winner of the [[#2019-06-25 - People with books|contest]] to get Randall to add "your" city to his book tour.
** The winner was {{w|Juneau, Alaska}}.
It ended on the release day 2019-09-03, so this was last on the page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902042108/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-02].

===2019-08-06 - Win a sketch===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06].
* [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was up when the header changed.
** Most likely the header changed when that comic came out on 2019-08-05. But the previous header was also out during that day.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now making a competition where you can win a stick figure sketch of yourself. (Although only for US residents!)
** The image shows Hairy, with a cat at his feet and Megan (or Danish?) with a samurai sword. They are standing with their backs towards each other, the cat on the left, Megan facing right with the sword towards the words.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** Want to win a sketch of yourself as a stick figure? [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ Click here] to find out how!
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''Win an xkcd sketch''
*** That is even though only the click here part of the text is in blue, like a link.
*** Cause as he often has written: I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps, most recently in the [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]] header.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190826062701/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-26] when [[2193: Well-Ordering Principle]] was up.

===2019-08-03 - First look inside===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190803222711/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-03].
* [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now stating that it comes out next month.
** Set to be released on September 3rd 2019, this update was made exactly one month before.
** The image shows text to the left of three drawings of the book: First the closed book showing the black front cover with blue and white text and white drawings, then the book is partly opened, and finally it lays opened up showing two pages, with a readable heading on the right page.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** My new book comes out next month. Click here for a first look inside!
** [On the books front cover only two thins can be read:]
*** How To
*** Randal Munroe.
** [These two words can also partly be read on the opening book.]
** [Only the large heading can be read on the right page of the open book:]
*** How to Dig a Hole.
** [These two pages also became part of a special comic relased during the weekend when this header was up: [[Disappearing Sunday Update]].]
** [The [[Disappearing_Sunday_Update#Transcript|transcript of that comic]] describes the images in the open book.]
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/02/how-to-chapter-list-and-introduction/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''How To: Chapter list and introduction''.
It stayed up like this while the special [[Disappearing Sunday Update]] came out on Sunday 2019-08-04, and was there still on Monday [ https://web.archive.org/web/20190805050812/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-05], at least during the time that the Sudan Update was still up.
* When the next comic came out late that Monday, it probably disappeared along with the Disappearing comic, but the first update with the next header is from Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06], but the Monday comic [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was still on the front page at that time,.

===2019-07-23 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190723205152/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-23].
* [[2179: NWS Warnings]] was up when the header changed.
It returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon header, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]]
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190802192259/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-02] while [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up. The day after when it changed that comic was still up.

===2019-07-15 - ComiCon===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190715181016/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-15].
* [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up when the header changed.
Randall tells that he will be at ComicCon and links to his plans there.
* The text:
** Going to San Diego Comic Con this week? I'll [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/07/15/san-diego-comic-con/ see you there]!
*** The link is to a [[Blag]] post about his plans for the ComicCon
* Randall appeared in a couple of panels, and gave a talk.
* Finally he also handed out signed copies of his new [[How To]] book more than a month before official release.
** So still promoting the book, also in this header...
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190722192637/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-07-22] the day after the ComiCon ended, while [[2178: Expiration Date High Score]] was up.
* Then it returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon announcement when [[2179: NWS Warnings]] came out.

===2019-07-10 - Adding links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190710165920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-10].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was still up when the header changed slightly from that fro the day before.
* Only change was that beneath the picture, see [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]], there is now a list of four links to companies where the book can be preordered.
* The extra text:
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
Note that the day after this change, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190711172451/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-11], a link to [[How To]] was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|links]] in the top left corner of xkcd.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190714175710/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-14] when [[2175: Flag Interpretation]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up.

===2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190709162102/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-09].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]].
** The image shows a small picture of his book with text on either side.
** Below are what appears to be three drawings from the book. [[Ponytail]] pole vaultig with three baloons in one hand, then text, then a truck with a house behind it speeding fast up a hill then text and finally [[Cueball]] somersaulting towards an explosion.
** To the right there is a big blue button to click for preorder, with text below.
* The text:
** New book [Arrow points to book. Title can be read: How To]
** How To: Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** It's a guide to bad ways to do things...
** ...And what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** Click here to preorder
** Or click anywhere. I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps.
*** The entire picture is a [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ link] to the official [[How To]] page on xkcd: https://xkcd.com/how-to/
*** See [[1572: xkcd Survey]] where Randall mentions that he cannot make imagemaps.
It stayed up like this only for a day, then an extra line of links was added the day after while the same comic was still up, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]].
* But the general header stayed up first for five days, and then it returned again for 10 more days after a break to announce a [[#2019-07-15 - ComiCon|ComiCon visit]].
* So a total of 16 days with this drawing.

===2019-06-25 - People with books===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190625190843/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-25].
* [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], and his book tour.
** The image now shows 15 people standing side by side each holding a book up in front of them with unreadable titles.
** From left: [[Megan]], [[Cueball]], a man with blonde hair, [[Jill]], [[Blondie]], [[Hairy]], another Hairy, [[White Hat]], a kid with curly hair, [[Hairbun]], another Cueball, another Megan, a guy with a knit cap, [[Ponytail]], and [[Beret Guy]].
** Above them is a text message.
* The text:
** Want to bring me to your town for my '''''How To''''' book tour? Click to find out how to enter the challenge!
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** A longer sentence will improve your chances.
**** This is indeed what this header picture shows.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190708155517/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-08] when [[2172: Lunar Cycles]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up.

===2019-06-15 - Adding dates===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190615100645/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-15]
* [[2163: Chernobyl]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall only made a small change to the one that had been up for four days at this time.
* The text only changed by adding a line below the first line:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Click here for dates and tickets]
*** The rest of the header is exactly the same as on [[#2019-06-11 - Book tour|2019-06-11]], except everything is a bit smaller to make room in the same place for the extra line.
*** The link is not located on the blue part of the text and it was already there before this update.
*** Best guess is that not many clicked through and Randall then made it obvious that there was a link.
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click. But it is easier to make a place for people to click than tell them this...
The header stayed like this until 2019-06-25, when it changed while [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up. But this one was still up when that comic came out the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20190624162740/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-24].

===2019-06-11 - Book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190611031920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-11]
* [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was up when the header changed.
** '''Note''' when this change happened two new links was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] section of xkcd.
* Randall changed the header text to announce the official book tour for his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 3 months later.
* The text:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Below this header is a map of the mainland USA with 14 labeled black dots indicates the 14 cities that the book tour will take Randall to. One red dot with five red question marks above is located beneath the map to the left, indicating a 15th city to be chosen in a contest. Above the map to the right is a small picture of the book with the blue title on the black cover. Above the book is the release date and with an arrow pointing down to the book.]
** September 3rd
** How to
** Seattle
** Portland
** San Francisco
** Santa Cruz
** Los Angeles
** Salt Lake City
** Kansas City
** Ann Arbor
** Cincinnati
** Louisville
** Cambridge
** New York
** D.C.
** Raleigh
** ????? (Chosen by readers)
** [The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.]
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** Only US cities can apply.
* The header only stayed exactly like this for three days, and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190614094729/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-14] when [[2162: Literary Opinions]] was on the front page.
** Then it changed slightly to indicate that the picture was a link which was not clear before. See above.

===2019-05-17 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190517103928/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-17]:
* [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was still up when the header changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with Google reader here below.
* See [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|2019-02-06]] below for all details.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610055519/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-06-10], while [[2160: Ken Burns Theory]] was still up on the day the next comic [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was to be released (where the new header could be found at least the next day, but maybe from the release of that comic?). Then it changed to announce the book tour for his new book.

===2019-04-23 - Google Reader===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190423155458/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-23]:
* [[2140: Reinvent the Wheel]] came out when it changed, ending a more than two and half month long [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|promotion]] of Randall's new book [[How To]].
* Randall changed the header text to ask if the reader still mourned the loss of {{w|Google Reader}} which closed on 2013-07-01, almost 6 years before this comic..
** He offers the possibility to sign up to receive the newest comic by e-mail.
* The comic may have relation to this, as some where using Google reader for different purposes when they closed it, without any chance of [https://www.google.com/reader/about/ getting your data out].
** The comic "Reinvent the Wheel" mentions that using external dependencies carry risks, such as Google closing down a feature. given the fact that the comic came out as the header changed it is probably not a coincidence.
* The text:
** Still mourning the demise of Google Reader? You can sign up to get new comics delivered by email [https://xkcd.com/newsletter/ here].
* The link is to https://xkcd.com/newsletter, where it is possible to submit your e-mail address and press a subscribe button.
** the following text is written above it:
** To receive the comic and news postings in your inbox, subscribe here.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190516100403/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-16], when [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was up. Then it changed back to the promotion of his new book.

===2019-02-06 - How to book===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06]:
* [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up at the time when it changed, having been up since Monday the 4th of February.
** Here it can be seen being on the front of xkcd on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], without the new text. This was also the last time the standard header text was used in several months.
** [[2108: Carbonated Beverage Language Map]] came up later on the day the header changed.
* Randall changed the header text to promote his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 7 months later.
** He added an image of the book with large text next to it regarding the release and links on how to preorder it.
** There was no direct relation to the comics released at the time, except of course that he kind of launched his new book with all the risk it involves, while having a comic called launch risk up. It was though a very different and more real type of launch risk (of a human carrying space rocket) in the comic.
* The text:
** [The book is shown to the left as a black rectangle with large blue text and smaller gray text. On the book cover, in white drawings, are seen Megan with a ladder and either Black or White Hat (hard to say on black background). Both are looking up on Cueball who is floating in the air with a quadcopter beneath either leg, trying to plug in an electric light bulb in a naked lamp hanging down near him. It seems he has already removed the broken light bulb, as he has one in both hands. And now he tries to put in the new one. He could have let Megan use the ladder...]
** [The header in blue above it all:] How To.
** [Sub header in gray to the left of Cueball:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [Author name in blue below the drawing:] Randall Munroe
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Creator of xkcd
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Author of what if? and Thing Explainer
** [Next to this book image are the following text:]
** [Large heading:] HOW TO
** [Normal size sub header:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [In smaller gray font below:] Available September 3, 2019.
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word still in gray:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* It stayed up for more than two and a half month and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190422030324/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-22], when [[2139: Email Settings]] was up. Then it finally changed to a new header without going back to the standard.

===2018-11-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07]
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], so two days less than three months.
** After this it did not return to the standard text for almost three years, but just short of a month before the third year without it, it returned on [[#2022-01-08 - Back to standard text|2022-01-08]].

===2018-11-06 - Election Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181106122850/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-06]:
* [[2068: Election Night]] (on election day the day after this comic was released).
** It added a larger comic above the two links from the previous header. Those links of the previous header text was still up the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], when [[2067: Challengers]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header once more to try to make more people vote, and in this case help others to vote.
** Once again directly related to the new comic about election night.
* The text:
** [A line of altering blue and red stars, blue first and last of two rows of nine starts around of the heading:]
** Election Day!
** [Below Black Hat and Ponytail to the left and Megan to the right of Cueball is checking their smart phones. Cueball is addressing the reader:]
** Cueball: The biggest thing you can do th help is to check in with friends and family and make sure they know when and where they're voting.
** [Below these four characters there is the following text with two arrows pointing left and right. Both are turning up to text/links on either side of the four:]
** Use these links to answer questions
** [To the left:] Where and how to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ Vote-org]
** [To the right:] What's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
** [Below was the two links from the previous header:]
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* It was only up one day and thus on ended the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07] when the next comic [[2069: Wishlist]] came out.
** The text then returned to the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
*** It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05].

===2018-11-02 - Where to vote===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02]:
* [[2067: Challengers]] (on the Friday, it was released).
** It added another link to the previous header text. That text was still up the day before on Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].
** That was while comic [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to let people know who is on their voting ballot, and as before there is also a link on how to register for voting.
** This is also directly related to the new comic that came out that day, about helping people to decide who to vote for, i.e. who is on their ballot.
* The text:
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, four days after the release of this comic.
* It was still up the day before the election day, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], and then it changed with the next comic.

===2018-10-22 - Register for voting===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181022120935/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-22]:
* [[2061: Tectonics Game]] (on a Monday, the 3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The standard text was still up Sunday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181021141446/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-21].
** The comic [[2062: Barnard's Star]] was released later that day.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to try to get people to register for voting.
* The text:
** Check your registration and find your polling place at [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, about two weeks after the release of this comic.
** It is generally believed that many of those not voting would have chosen democrats on election day, and thus Randall has an interest in getting as many as possible to register, see [[1756: I'm With Her]] (apart from the fact that he also most likely thinks that it is important to use the right to vote).
* It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02], when [[2067: Challengers]] came out.
** It was still there while [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].

===2018-09-13 - NY votes today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20180913133544/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-13]
* [[2045: Social Media Announcement]] (the day after the release of the comic.)
** It was not up when the comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180912131437/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-12].
* It was a short lived reminder that NY votes today below the usual standard text.
* The text:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** NY votes today! Find your polling place [https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ here]. (Zephyr Teachout for AG!)
* It ended with [[2046: Trum-]], the very next comic, on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180914175605/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-14], returning to the standard text.

===2017-11-26 - Christmas gifts===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20171126130857/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-26]
* [[1920: Emoji Sports]] had been up two days [https://web.archive.org/web/20171125125648/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-25] before the message changed from the normal version. But it changed the day before the next comic came up.
** It was changed to a commercial for Christmas shopping with a code for getting 5$ of the price with a codes for different online shops.
* The text:
** To anyone looking for Christmas gifts: Until Monday you can get $5 off
** [https://www.amazon.com/What-International-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544456866 What If?] and [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Thing Explainer] on Amazon with coupon code GIFTBOOK17.
** At Barnes & Noble, until Sunday you can get 20% off [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 What If?] and [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432 Thing Explainer] using code GIVETHANKS.
* It was only up a few days and ended with [[1922: Interferometry]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171130150053/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-30] where it returned to the standard text.
** But it was still up when the comic in between [[1921: The Moon and the Great Wall]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171129140033/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-29].

===2017-09-22 - Visiting the UK===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170922232616/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22]:
* [[1893: Thread]] (with its release).
** It was not up on the previous comic [[1892: USB Cables]], on the day they changed [https://web.archive.org/web/20170922025204/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22].
* It was an announcement that Randall would visit the UK next week.
* The text:
** I'll be visiting the UK next week! You can join me in London from September 30-October 2 (at [https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/randall-munroe New Scientist Live], [https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2017/october/public-lunchtime-talk--randall-munroe The Royal Institution], and [https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/randall-munroe-on-making-complicated-stuff-simple/ Intelligence Squared]), then from October 3-6 in [https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/public_lectures/randall_munroe_thing_explainer York], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thing-explaining-with-randall-munroe-tickets-37832289396 Edinburgh], [https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/randall-murray-thing-explainer/ Cambridge and Ely], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randall-munroe-book-signing-thing-explainer-tickets-38041072873 Oxford], and [https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on/2017/randall-munroe/ Cheltenham].
* Ended with [[1900: Jet Lag]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171010045802/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-10] when the text returned to normal.
** But it was still up the day before with [[1899: Ears]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171009040109/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-09].

===2017-07-31 - Thank you===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170731021227/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31]:
* [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] (3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The comic [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released later that day.
** Megan is holding hand with Cueball and next to them is two words above each other: Thank you.
** The image is also a link.
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170801042453/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/us/politics/senate-votes-repeal-obamacare.html How Each Senator Voted on Obamacare Repeal Proposals], an article showing the senate votes. (here in an archived version).
* Ended with [[1872: Backup Batteries]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170804152509/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-04], but was still up when [[1871: Bun Alert]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170803124342/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-03].

===2017-07-25 - Vote against health care bill===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25]:
* [[1867: Physics Confession]] (2nd day after release of the comic, it was not up on the first day: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-24]).
* Randall modified the xkcd header to ask readers to support voting against Donald Trump's new health care bill.
** The header was replaced with an image which is available in an archived version [https://web.archive.org/web/20170726150959im_/https://imgs.xkcd.com/notes/call-senate.png here].
** The image is also a link (and you can click anywhere on it to go to the link that is mentioned).
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170729003307/https://www.trumpcareten.org/daily TrumpCare Ten] (here in an archived version).
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click.
** Transcript of the image:
*** [Megan is holding hand with Cueball next to three lines of large text, the same height as they are:]
*** Please tell your senators to vote against this health care bill. It will hurt people.
*** [After these three lines there is a phone number in a very large bold font with a line of text below:]
*** 202-224-3121
*** Or click here for more info
*** [Below the above is a gray line which is split in the middle with gray text, and below that four state names in white text inside black boxes:]
*** Know anyone in these states? Ask them to call, too.
*** Alaska Maine Nevada Ohio West Virginia
* Ended while [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170731164828/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31], when it was replaced by a ''Thank you''.
** That comic came out already [https://web.archive.org/web/20170728124230/https://xkcd.com/ three days before] (Friday comic), but was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170730141019/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-30]) when the message changed sometimes between Sunday 30th and Monday 31st (where [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released).

===2017-01-21 - Update on previous===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170122003124/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]:
* [[1788: Barge]]
* It came up almost a month after Christmas but did not really change the sales pitch of the previous. It just removed the link image with the large red text, see previous version below.
* The text:
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
* Ended with [[1867: Physics Confession]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25].
** That comic came up [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ the day before] the above version of the header appeared.
** So the first day after release it was still the T-shirt commercial.
** And it did not return to the standard version in between.

===2016-11-28 - Christmas sale===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128153015/https://xkcd.com 2016-11-28]
* [[1765: Baby Post]]
* This came up in time for the Christmas sale of 2016.
* The text was
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
** Above the text there was an image with two black t-shirts with white print on the chest. They were located at either end of a large red text written in the text type used in the comic. This text said New xkcd shirts.
** The entire image was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* Ended with [[1788: Barge]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20170121114423/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]

===2016-04-23 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160423103108/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-23]
* When [[1671: Arcane ]] came out (probably 2016-04-22, but no earlier archived versions exist) the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this for more than 7 months until [[1764: XKCDE]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20161128093459/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-11-28].

===2016-04-04 - Protip on Garden===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185353/https://www.xkcd.com/#5dbfbb82-fc20-11e5-8001-42010a8e000d 2016-04-04]
* Because of the complexity of the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1663: Garden]], Randall needed to give people some advice, hence a [[:Category:Protip|protip]] was added.
** This came in several versions, not all managed to be documented in the archive. See more in the trivia for garden regarding the [[1663:_Garden#Header_text_after_release|Header text after release]].
* The header text became a protip with the following text (the first version not documented only had the first line):
** '''Protip''': If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
** You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.
* When the next comic, [[1664: Mycology]], was released two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406194653/https://xkcd.com/1664/ 2016-04-06], an extra line of text was added, due to the issues caused by Garden not being on the front page {{xkcd}} but only on the numbered page {{xkcd|1663}}.
** This change was first documented on the front page the day after on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160407010635/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-07]
** The change was of course also on and all the other comic and thus also on the Garden comic from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406192530/https://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-04-06].
* Text added below the other two lines:
** Note: If you're seeing today's comic in place of your garden, change the URL from xkcd.com/#<your code> to xkcd.com/1663/#<your code>.
*** This extra line was only there until next time the comic change, so last day was [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408145017/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08].
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408195958/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08] when [[1665: City Talk Pages]] was released the extra line was removed leaving the two written first here above.
** This was also the case on the Garden comic (and all other comics) from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408204740/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-08].
* The Protip stayed in the main header text until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160422102754/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-22] when [[1670: Laws of Physics]] was up.
** But even though it disappeared from main header and thus from all other comic it stayed on the Garden comic, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160423182630/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-23].
** And it has then turned out to become one of the permanent [[xkcd_Header_text#Garden|Unique header texts]].

===2016-04-04 - Back to standard text as Garden came up===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404123555/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04]
* For a brief period of time, when [[1663: Garden]] was finally released, the Header text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But this lasted less than 13 hours. (Time between the previous and next archived version is 13 hours and 7 minutes).
** As people needed guidance to the new complicated comic.

===2016-04-01 - April 1st comic - technical difficulties===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401204749/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01]
* When Randall had problem releasing [[1663: Garden]] several [[1663:_Garden#April_Fools.27_header_text|April Fools' header text]] arrived in short succession while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was still up.
* Each of these where simple text.
** The first from the link abve:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Please stand by!
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402125723/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2016-04-02] at 12:57:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Status update: Please stand by.
*** Status update: This is fine. Everything is fine.
*** Status update: Everything is on fire.
*** Status update: Searching for calendar systems in which Saturday is April 1st.
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402175822/https://www.xkcd.com 2016-04-02] at 17:58:
*** The Friday xkcd comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties
*** [Editor's note: Everything is on fire] and has been delayed until Sunday night.
* It stayed like the third version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160404054612/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04] three days after the April Fools' Day comic was supposed to come out, so Jack and Jill was up until it changed.
This was what was needed to stop more than 10 months of promotion of the [[Thing Explainer]] book, see below.

===2015-12-13 - Thing Explainer is available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151213194534/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-13]
* [[1615: Red Car]] was still up when the header changed.
** The change was that the promotion for where Randall was last week where removed and left only the promotion the book [[Thing Explainer]]:
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160401125621/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01] while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was on the front page.
** This was the last time that Thing Explainer was [[:Category:Book promotion|promoted]] in the header text.
*** The first time was [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|2015-05-14]], so it had been part of the header text for almost ten and a half month. That is a record!

===2015-12-05 - Thing Explainer is available and Next week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05]
* [[1612: Colds]] was up when the header changed.
** This was also at this time the [[2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer|previous header texts image] was moved below the comic.
* Randall goes back to a simple promotion of the book [[Thing Explainer]] listing where to boy it.'
** But he adds a line about where he will be next week, first to a book shop on Illinois and then later in Toronto, where the host was {{w|Ryan North}} from [https://qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics], one of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|comics Randall enjoys]].
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** I'll be in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151211002159/https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/event/naperville-reads-randall-munroe Naperville, IL] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205205714/https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indigo-exclusive-randall-munroe-tickets-18694384407 Toronto, ON] (with [https://qwantz.com/ Ryan North]!) next week.
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151212133400/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-12-12] while [[1615: Red Car]] was on the front page.

===2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151203234149/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-03]
* [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was still up when the header changed.
** This was a special one comic header text consisting of a large image with pages and excerpts from the book [[Thing Explainer]].
** The image was larger than most comics, and took away the focus of today's comic.
** So already two days after, when [[1612: Colds]] was released, the image was relegated to the being below the comic, but inside the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Main_comic|main comic]] segment, thus not a part of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Bottom_segment|bottom segment]].
*** But it was displayed in the header for all comics, here [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204030024/https://xkcd.com/1609/ an example] from the comic released two comics before 1611, [[1609: Food Combinations]].
*** See more (and the image) [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]] on the page for Thing Explainer.
* Description of the image:
** At the top are shown four pages from the book. Two mainly blue, left and right, with white text and large images and between them two mainly white pages with blue text and smaller images. None of the text is readable, but the two blue pages pictures can be understood even in this size.
*** The first page is number 2 about an animal cell: ''Tiny bags of water you’re made of''. It shows a detailed drawing of a human cell, with text at the top, and then several labels with text beneath that have arrows pointing to different parts of the cell.
*** The second page is number 31 about the cockpit of an airplane: ''Stuff you touch to fly a sky boat''. It shows the inside of a cockpit with view out of the four windows, with lots of buttons in the ceiling, and blue screens and instruments at the bottom. Out the windows can be seen clouds and Cueball hanging from a balloon (a reference to [[1110: Click and Drag]]).
**** A zoom in on this page is shown beneath the four pages, see more below.
*** The third page is page 27. What is on this page is a bit difficult to see, as there are no big drawings with clear meaning. It is the second page in a two page section on Data centers, with the second page focusing on the Computer: ''Computer building''. The pictures shows the data racks, to the right, and the individual computer components put into these, to the top left, with the wiring shown below to the left. Lots of text with arrows to different parts.
*** The fourth page is page 23 about Trees: ''Tree''. It clearly shows the silhouette of a white tree on blue background. Several animal live on, in and beneath it. Cueball is standing on the ground. All the text are beneath labels that points to parts of the tree or the tree dwellers.
** In between the two time two pages there is a readable text, split over five lines, with two arrow at the top going from the corners of the text to the near corners of the white pages to either side. And below three arrows, with two pointing similarly as the two top arrows, but starting at the bottom of the text, and one arrow pointing straight down from the middle of the text to the large image below.
** Beneath all this is a large image which shows a zoom in on the left part of the cockpit from the second page above. The zoom is focused on the two front windows, but only the left is entirely in the picture, and the balloon hanging Cueball, cannot be seen in this part of the right window.
*** At this zoom level, most of the text van be read (that is labels written on things or having arrows pointing to them). Clouds can bee seen out of both windows and in the background a rocket launch with smoke plume below the rocket is visible. The horizon line is well defines across both windows. Some of the instruments can be seen below the windows with text written on them. And some blue areas, mainly screens can be seen.
** Beneath this picture is a line with links to where the book can be ordered, like the one from the previous header text.
* The text:
** Pages from my new book, ''Thing Explainer'': Complicated stuff in simple words.
** [Labels in the cockpit]:
*** Sky
*** Ground (This should be below the sky. If it's above the sky, you're either having a big problem or doing something ''really'' fun.)
*** Use this stuff to tell the sky boat to fly itself.
*** Fly
*** How fast it feels IAS 172
*** Direction HDG 240
*** Fall or rise
*** How high 2500
*** Fly
*** Helpful screen
*** Where the ground is
*** You are: Flying
*** Look here if there is a problem
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image is a link to [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU Thing Explainer on Amazon].
* It was only part of the header for two days until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204050419/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-04].
** It was then moved below the comics as mentioned above from [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05] when the next comic [[1612: Colds]] came out.

===2015-11-24 - Thing Explainer is out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151124201602/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-24]
* [[1607: Supreme Court]] was still up, but [[1608: Hoverboard]] most have come out close to the change.
** See both [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 00:12] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125230753/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 23:07].
** Since this new "comic" was actually a {{w|browser game}} made to celebrate the release of Randall's new book, ''[[Thing Explainer]]'', which was released on the same day as this comic: Tuesday, November 24, 2015. The comic thus appeared on a Tuesday, replacing that week's normal Wednesday release to coincide with the release day.
** Hence it is a shame that there is no archived versions on the 24th showing Hoverboard on the front page. Even though the new version of the Header text is shown on the 24th, but on the previous comic.
* Cause all the header text is about is the release day of Thing Explainer!
** The top part is text with a line with large letters and a line below in brackets and using smaller letters. Below that there is a line dividing the text from the next part.
** Below follows the same header that was up as early as [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] with the open book and three lines of text.
* The text:
** My new book, [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer], is out today!
** (If you're in NYC, you can also [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925015809/https://stores.barnesandnoble.com:80/author/11170358 come see me]!)
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the ten-hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the order line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Already the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25], when [[1608: Hoverboard]] was up, an extra line (a link) was added below the above. A line was separating it from the links above:
** [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ A puzzle for UK readers]
*** This was to a blag post with A puzzle for the UK because he could not go to UK in person. So this was a kind of bonus for those who could solve it. (We need an entry on that here on xkcd...)
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20151127114432/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-27] is still looked like this but then when the next comic, [[1609: Food Combinations]], came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128130851/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-28] the line about seeing him in New York was removed.
* The version with the puzzle, but without the New York line, was then up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151201222148/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-01] when [[1610: Fire Ants]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151202225254/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-12-02] the line with the puzzle at the bottom was changed to:
** I'm doing a [https://www.facebook.com/AndyWeirAuthor/ live Q&A;] at 2:30pm PT with The Martian author Andy Weir.
*** The link is to {{w|Andy Weir}}'s Facebook page. And the Q&A can likely not be seen anymore.
*** Randall has made no less than two comics about the movie {{w|The Martian (film)|The Martian}}, [[1536: The Martian]] and [[1585: Similarities]].
** It only lasted that day, and this became the last day with this header text, so it ended while [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was up.

===2015-10-22 - World Polio Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151022200022/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-22]
* [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up when the header changed.
** Randall mentions World Polio Day and the comic he drew for Bill Gates' blog, [[XKCD Marks the Spot]].
** Although he still keeps mentioning the release date for [[Thing Explainer]].
* The text:
** We've [https://slate.com/technology/2015/08/no-new-polio-in-africa-for-one-year-gates-epidemiologist-on-vaccines-and-surveillance.html almost eradicated polio]. For World Polio Day, I drew a comic
** about the eradication efforts. You can see it on [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/XKCD-Marks-the-Spot Bill Gates's blog].
** My [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ new book] of complex diagrams and simple words comes out Nov 24th.
*** The last line is split from the Polio announcement with a line.
* Was there until [[1607: Supreme Court]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151124065108/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-11-24].
** That was the day that the book was released, and when the next comic [[1608: Hoverboard]] came out, it was a celebration of the book.

===2015-09-23 - Book trip and tool===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923044724/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-23]:
* [[1580: Travel Ghost]] was up when the header changed.
** Announcing the book trip for the [[Thing Explainer]] book as well as linking to a Thing Explainer word checker tool! Two lines of text with links.
* The text:
** News: Announcing my Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/im-going-on-a-book-trip/ book trip]. Come say hi!
** Other news: Announcing the Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/a-thing-explainer-word-checker/ word checker] tool!
*** Both links are to the [[Blag]], the first a schedule for his book trip, and the second telling about Randall's new [https://xkcd.com/simplewriter/ Simple Writer] that could help you ''Write Like Up Goer Five and Thing Explainer''.
* Was there until [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151021164208/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-21].

===2015-09-06 - New links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150906181550/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-06]:
* [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was still up when the header changed.
** The promotion of the book, [[Thing Explainer]], stayed the same with a picture above links to preorder it, but the links was reduced from four to two, the amazon link changed and a new company was added for the second link removing the other three.
** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details on the image.
* The new link text:
** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thing-Explainer-Randall-Munroe/dp/1473620910 Amazon.co.uk}, [https://www.waterstones.com/book/thing-explainer/9781473620919 Waterstones]
* Was there until [[1579: Tech Loops]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150919220105/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-22].

===2015-08-09 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150809230825/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-09]:
* [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was still up when the header changed.
** It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with other news here below.
*** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details.
* Stayed like this until [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154014/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-05], but the only change was that the links to preorder changed from four to only two.

===2015-06-06 - Other news===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150606084120/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-06-06]
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was still up.
** This was just adding some "Other news", but leaving the promotion of [[Thing Explainer]] unchanged as in the [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|previous header]], but adding two news stories in text below the link to preorder.
* The new text:
** In other news, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrdAvmr-MA Space Weird Thing] is delightful, and I feel surprisingly invested in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150720074919/https://twitter.com/xkcdbracket @xkcdbracket's] results.
*** The link to Space Weird Thing is a YouTube video with a simple words version of {{w|David Bowie|David Bowie's}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo Space Oddity] music video, using only the top then hundred words. The creators contributes the idea to the [[1133: Up Goer Five]] diagram which also inspired the book Thing Explainer, also promoted in this header text.
*** The other link is referring to [[1529: Bracket]] released 12 days before this update, as a twitter user made a survey going through all the brackets all the way to a winner was found. Seems Randall became interested in who won. See more on the comics page.
* Was there until [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150807181044/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-07]. Then it returned back to the previous header with only the promotion of the book.

===2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150515060322/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-15]
* [[1525: Emojic 8 Ball]]
* This was a more detailed promotion for Randall's new book: [[Thing Explainer]] to be published in November 2015, more than half a year after the announcement, compared to the previous change which was just a line and a link.
* The text:
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the then hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to preorder the book:
*** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the preorder line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150605082643/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-06-05], but only to add other information. The main promotion of the book stayed the same.

===2015-05-14 - New book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150514053623/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-14]
* [[1524: Dimensions]] was up.
** A single line announced the new [[Thing Explainer]] book, with link to the [[Blag]] post from the day before.
* The text:
** New book: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer!]
The [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion of the book]] stayed up with some changes for [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-12-13_-_Thing_Explainer_is_available|more than 10 month]] first stopping when Randall had [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-01_-_The_xkcd_April_1st_comic_is_currently_experiencing_technical_difficulties|problems with his April Fools' Day comic]] in 2016... It is a record length.
* The first came already the day after so this short announcement was only up on this day and ended with the next comic. See above.
* See more details on the promotion of the book on the Thing Explainer page [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]].

===2015-02-11 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150211154103/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-11]
* When [[1485: Friendship]] came out the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[1523: Microdrones]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184622/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-05-12], so just a day more than three months.

===2015-02-04 - Valentine cards only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150204051152/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-04]
* [[1482: NowPlaying]] came out as it changed.
** After the last day of ordering t-shirt had passed it changed back to the picture with the Valentine cards from the previous header, but without the t-shirt picture.
** See that [[#2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt|header change]], but only the first picture described.
* Ended while [[1484: Apollo Speeches]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150210005540/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-10].

===2015-02-02 - Last day shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-02]
* [[1481: API]] came out as it changed.
** Just letting people know it is the last chance to order the binary t-shirt.
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** Today is the last day to order the limited-run [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart binary heart shirt]!
** The last words is link to the shirt in the shop.
* Ended before the next comic was up, but still the day after, when it was too late to order: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150203022036/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-03].

===2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183442/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-29]
* [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell about both the two previous updates in the same header- Both about the collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards and his new Valentine t-shirt.
** There where two pictures, with a promotion of the two products and a link to them in the shop.
** On the left was text about the cards with a small drawing to the right of the text showing the four cards.
*** An ant talking to an aphids; Earth rotating about the sun but locked so one side melts; an ant with a fungus growing from it's head with a heart, and a Velociraptor skeleton where the last bit of the tail is put on by a person. The text on the cards are unreadable, but they can be seen via the link.
** The text (in three lines) was:
*** Webcomic science Valentine card collaboration
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines link to the cards] from the picture.
** The picture on the left shows binary numbers 0 and 1 in white on a black background. The middle of the three lines of those have message in red text.
** The text:
*** 0 1 0 1 0 Binary heart 1 1 1
*** 1 1 1 Valentine shirt 0 1
*** 0 0 0 1 [limited run] 0 0 1
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart link to the shirt] from the picture.
* Ended while [[1480: Super Bowl]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150201015913/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-01].

===2015-01-27 - Valentine's Day cards===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-27]
* [[1478: P-Values]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell that about a collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** I've teamed up with three other webcomic artists
** to make [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines a set of science-themed Valentine's Day cards]!
* There was a link to the cards on the store.
* Ended while [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128172147/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-28].

===2015-01-24 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150124110707/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-24]
* [[1477: Star Wars]] came out as it changed.
** It was to tell about a new type of t-shirt for Valentine Day.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** For Valentine's Day, you can get a binary heart shirt
** (from {{xkcd|99|comic #99!}}) in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart a limited run on TeeSpring]
* There was a link to [[99: Binary Heart]] and to the relevant t-shirt on the [https://teespring.com/ Teespring] home page.
* Ended while [[1478: P-Values]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150126133139/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-26].

===2014-12-22 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141222233233/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-22]
* [[1463: Altitude]] came out as it changed.
** After the Christmas sale deadline there was still merchandise in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** You can get xkcd shirts, prints, and posters in the [https://shop.xkcd.com/ store]!
* The word store was a link to the shop.
* Ended while [[1476: Ceres]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150123102318/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-23].

===2014-12-19 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141219092349/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-19]:
* [[1462: Blind Trials]] came out as it changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with order now here below.
* See [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|2014-12-17]] below for all details.
* Ended while [[1462: Blind Trials]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141221172450/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-21].

===2014-12-18 - Order now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218090650/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-18]
* [[1461: Payloads]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday and that it was rapidly approaching. This was a follow up on the [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|Wednesdays announcement]] the day before.
** The image was just four lines of text with several red and blue words.
* The text was:
** The xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
** Once it passes, there is no going back. The arrow of time drags us all
** Inexorably forward toward decay and disorder. toward the end of all things.
** Towards the empty silence of the grave. Order now!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text.
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141217085320/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-17]
* [[1461: Payloads]] came out as it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday. This was announced Wednesday two days before the deadline.
** The image was just text with the last word in each line in red and the xkcd store blue as a link.
* The text was:
** Looking for a gift?
** xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up!

===2014-12-03 - Christmas shopping===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141203132024/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-03]
* [[1455: Trolley Problem]] came out as it changed.
** It was to announce the start of the Christmas shopping on the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store]
** Four boxes with shipping details are shown. Two green and two red, alternating from green. Between them are three text messages in two, two and three lines.
* The text was:
** xkcd store
** Christmas shopping
** I will probably not ship you a bobcat.
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* The bobcat is a reference to [[325: A-Minus-Minus]].
* Ended while [[1460: SMFW]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-11-29 - Thanks - Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141129211604/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-29]
* [[1453: fMRI]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to thanks for all the help his friend Emily with cancer got through among other his previous header text [[#2014-11-27 - Help Emily| Help Emily]].
** That only needed to be up two days before the goal was met.
* The text was:
** Thank you for helping my friend Emily.
** It means so much.
* Ended three days later while [[1454: Done]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141202065133/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-02].

===2014-11-27 - Help Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141127005239/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-27]
* [[1452: Jurassic World]] came out as it changed.
** It was to help a friend who got cancer by raising money for her.
* The text was:
** Hey all. My friend Emily—the economist who helped
** me with my {{xkcd|980|money chart}}—has been fighting cancer. She's
** having a rough time and could use some [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128183414/https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk help]. Thank you.
* There are two links, one to the [[980: Money]] comic she helped Randall create, and one for her Go Fund Me page to raise money for her cancer cure.
** The help link above is to the archived version from that time, but the link was still active in August 2019: [https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk Helping Emily Fight Cancer].
* Ended while [[1453: fMRI]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128070838/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-11-28].
** She did thus not get a permanent header as did Becky on the [[#Seven_Years|Seven Years]] comic.

===2014-10-02 - what if? bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141002211139/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-10-02]
* [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out|book is out]].
* This was a month after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It added a line of red text beneath the previous header to announce that the book was the #1 New York bestseller.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
** (#1 New York bestseller!)
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1451: Background Screens]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141125234520/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-25].

===2014-09-04 - what if? book out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140904150600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-04]
* [[1416: Pixels]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out today|book is out today]].
* This was two days after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It only removed to today from the previous header, that had only been up two days.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141001130827/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-09-02 - what if? book out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140902125802/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-02]
* [[1415: Ballooning]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-07-23 - what if? book tour|book tour header]].
* This was the day the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out. [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised shouts this out.. The word Book is underlined and blue to indicate a link.
* The text was:
** My book is out today!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1416: Pixels]] was still [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903134518/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-03].

===2014-07-23 - what if? book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140723180600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-23]
* [[1398: Snake Facts]]
* This was a promotion of his book tour for the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book made by [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised. Several parts of the text was underlined and blue to indicate links.
* The text was:
** I'm going on a book tour! click here for a list of stops.
** Or click anywhere-this whole image is one link because I've never gotten the hang of HTML imagemaps.
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/22/what-if-book-tour/ What If book tour!].
** Later Randall commented on this lacking ability in the comic: [[1572: xkcd Survey]].
** He also mentions it in one of the [[#xkcd_Header_text#2019-07-09_-_Drawings_from_How_To|promotions]] for his [[How To]] book.
** He much later he again mentions that html is hard, thus explaining why the entire image is a link instead of the actual blue highlighted link in one of the promotions for [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-08-11_-_Preorder_What_if.3F_2_-_with_image|what if? 2]].
* Ended while [[1415: Ballooning]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140901113916/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-03-13 - what if? announced===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140313070951/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-13]
* [[1341: Types of Editors]] was up.
* This was the first promotion of Randall's new ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book which is shown next to two lines of text.
* The text was:
** News:
** I'm publishing a ''what if'' book!
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/03/12/what-if-i-wrote-a-book/ What if I wrote a book?]
* Ended while [[1397: Luke]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140722142115/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-22].

===2014-01-09 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140109190927/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-09]
* When [[1314: Photos]] was still up when the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312070248/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-12] when [[1340: Unique Date]] was up, a bit more than two months.

===2013-12-21 - Deadline for Christmas shipping has passed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221043417/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2013-12-21]
* It changed when [[1306: Sigil Cycle]] came out.
* This came up when it was too close to Christmas in 2013 for shipping to arrive in time for Christmas. And Randall makes a note of this, but lets people know that they could still buy presents...
* The text was
** The deadline for guaranteed Christmas shipping has passed, but if you order something from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], we'll get it to you as fast as possible!
* Ended when [[1314: Photos]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181520/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-08].

===2013-12-06 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206213503/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-06]
* It changed when [[1300: Galilean Moons]] came out.
** There was no header text. This happened next on [[Header_text#2020-04-05 - Empty header|2020-04-05]]. It looks really weird.
* Ended when [[1305: Undocumented Feature]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005306/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-20].

===Changes not documented yet 3===
More changes will for sure be here between this and the one below.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131205202730/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-05]: Xmas sale before above
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]: Empty follows below

===2013-03-15 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]
* It changed while [[1186: Bumblebees]] was on the front page.
** After the text saying a comic would be delayed disappeared no text replaced this.
** So the header was left empty!
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318072820/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-18] while [[1187: Aspect Ratio]] was up.

===2013-03-13 - Comic will be delayed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130313133631/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-13]
* It changed when [[1184: Circumference Formula]] came out, likely because the next comic was delayed.
** But there is a gap of three days before where no archived version exist, so cannot say if there where more than a few hours with this text.
* The text:
** The comic will be delayed until late morning EDT.
* Ended when [[1185: Ineffective Sorts]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175306/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-13].
** That was later same day as the first archived version. But could have been longer as mentioned above.

===2012-11-26 - xkcd store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121126235628/https://xkcd.com/1138/ 2012-11-26]
* It changed while [[1138: Heatmap]] was up.
** Notice that the above link is not from the main page, but from {{xkcd|1138}}.
** There was a gap of five days in the archive of the main page.
** The first day that it was archived from the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201111432/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-12-01], while [[1141: Two Years]] was up.
* The standard header text is replaced with an image that makes it seem like a rip is being torn in the white region where the text used to be. Beneath the white material that has now been ripped, some text can partly be seen. It is possible to read it.
* The text:
** xkcd store
*** The image is a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] (tadaaa!)
* Ended when [[1183: Rose Petals]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130311073948/https://xkcd.com:80/1183/ 2013-03-11]
** The above link is from {{xkcd|1183}}.
** Last time the front page was archived with it was though on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130309010403/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-09].

===2012-10-24 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024082017/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-24]
* While [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121126035129/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-11-26] when [[1138: Heatmap]] was up, a few days more than a month.

===2012-10-17 - New What-If - Lightning===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232102/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-17]
* Probably while [[1122: Electoral Precedent]] was up.
** But the link above showing it was up on the 2012-10-17 is from the previous comics page {{xkcd|1121}} [[1121: Identity]].
** But the first version archived with this header is saved on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121018082304/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-18]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|16|Today's topic: Lightning}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/16/ What if lightning struck while you were ...]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023404/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-23] when [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front page
** This link is though from {{xkcd|1121}}.
** The last this version was archived on the front page was the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120008/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-22].

===2012-10-10 - New What-If - Mariana Trench Explosion===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010003837/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-10]
* [[1118: Microsoft]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|15|Mariana Trench Explosion}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/15/ What if you set off a nuclear bomb in the Mariana Trench?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121016055538/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-16] when [[1121: Identity]] was up.

===2012-10-02 - This week's What-If - Short Answer Section===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121002231724/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-10-02]
* [[1115: Sky]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|14|Short Answer Section}}''.
* The text
** In this week's What-If article I [https://what-if.xkcd.com/14/ answer multiple reader questions].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121008112434/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-08] when [[1118: Microsoft]] was up.

===2012-09-26 - New What-If - Laser Pointer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120926163111/https://xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-26]
* [[1113: Killed in Action]] was up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 26th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120928003838/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-28]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|13|Laser Pointer}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ If everyone aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at once, would it change color?]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121001080517/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-01] when [[1115: Sky]] was up.

===2012-09-18 - what-if.xkcd.com - Raindrop===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120918143653/https://www.xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-18]
* [[1109: Refrigerator]] was still up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 18th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120919015232/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-09-19]
* Randall promotes another What-If article on the what-if page.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|12|Raindrop}}''.
* The text
** what-if.xkcd.com: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/12/ What if all of a storm's water fell in a single raindrop?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120925090123/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-25] when [[1112: Think Logically]] was up.

===Changes not documented yet 2===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120917052827/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-17]: What if Droppings ends.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120718231719/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-18] Next stores header text

===2012-07-10 - New: what-if.xkcd.com===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10]
* This was a special change happening over a few days. The above "new" header text from the given date is actually shown on the previous comic [[1078: Knights]].
** Another example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710072249/https://xkcd.com:80/1070 2012-07-10] is shown for [[1070: Words for Small Sets]].
* The comic on the main page released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09] was [[1079: United Shapes]], but that comic had a [[xkcd_Header_text#United_Shapes|unique header text]] upon its release.
** So both on the 9th as shown above and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10] the header text was different on the front than on all other pages.
*** As can be read in the link above, the new header text actually got incorporated into the unique text, so that after the next comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711234408/https://xkcd.com/1079/ 2012-07-11] the current new header text and a smaller version of the original unique header text was now shown on the Unites Shapes page.
*** {{xkcd|1079|And it was never changed back}}.
* The first version of the new text from the 10th was only active one day:
** The text:
*** New site: what-if.xkcd.com, where I abuse science to answer hypothetical questions. I'll answer a new question every Tuesday.
**** The link was not an active link. And this was never shown on the front page, but on all other comics.
* Already on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711223349/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-11] when [[1080: Visual Field]] was released the new header changed a bit
** At this time it most have been shown on the front page, but the link above is again from [[1078: Knights]].
*** For some reason the front page was not saved on either the 11th or 12th, so no version of the front page with Visual Field exist
*** The first archived version of the front page with this new header text was from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154207/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-13] when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was on the front page.
* The final text:
** New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions.
** I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
*** This time the link was active and directs to the new ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' blog and its first entry {{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}
* The whole idea was that Randall released the new what if? blog on the 10th of July 2012. And thus would like to make a promotion of it.
** And then he timed it so poorly that the front page had a different header than the rest of the comics.
** It was so annoying for him that he actually changed the header for Unites Shapes manually so that page also showed the new link. Maybe even before it left the front page, but that has not been documented in the archive.
** And then he forgot about it when the header changed for all the other comics, so it is now a relic of the promotion of his first what if release.
* The what if promotion continued for a long time, but the final version from above only lasted until 17th at the latest. There is again no archived versions of the front page from the 15th, 16th or 17th.
** The last time it was archived on the front page was [https://web.archive.org/web/20120714062857/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-14], when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was still up.
** But on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120715070938/https://xkcd.com:80/1081/ 2012-07-15] it was still shown on the page for Argument Victory and same for [https://web.archive.org/web/20120716235458/https://www.xkcd.com/998/ 2012-07-16] on [[998: 2012]]
*** So seemed it stayed up while [[1082: Geology]] was up on the 16-17/7.

===2012-04-09 - Standard text plus store link===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190952/https://xkcd.com/1026/ 2012-04-09]
* It changed when [[1040: Lakes and Oceans]] came up.
** The above link to prove this is though from comic {{xkcd|1026}} [[1026: Compare and Contrast]] the first to be found that where archived on the 9th.
** The first archived version on the main page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411053543/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-11] when [[1041: Whites of Their Eyes]] was up.
** There where no archived version of the front page on the 9th or 10th while Lake and Oceans was up. So it was also first on the 11th that this new text could be seen, but only when it had moved to its own page number [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411052948/https://xkcd.com/1040/ 1040].
*** The change probably came because of this special comic, which may became a [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/lakes-oceans-poster poster].
* The update was to add a promotion for the store under the standard header text.
* The text
** XKCD updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** You can get prints, posters, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09] when [[1078: Knights]] was up, exactly three months, so although not only the standard text, the standard text was first for three months and three days, see [[#2012-04-05 - Back to standard text|below]].

===2012-04-05 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05]
* While [[1038: Fountain]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* The link above to prove the date is seen on [[1021: Business Plan]].
** The first archived version on front page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406111048/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-06], when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up.
** A version showing Fountain with this can be found on it's own page {{xkcd|1038}} on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085618/https://xkcd.com:80/1038/ 2012-04-06].
*** When it was archived while on the front page it still had the previous header on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-05].
* It stayed up, unchanged, until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120408200414/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-08] when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up. So only three days.
** But [[#2012-04-09- Standard text plus store link|the change]] did not remove the standard text but just added a link to the store. And this version, still with the standard text at the top stayed for three more months.

===2012-03-28 - Visiting Newport News===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328103319/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-28]
* [[1035: Cadbury Eggs]] was on the front when it changed.
** From the end of March 2012, there is a problem with the archived versions of xkcd, so they do not load properly and do not include the comic picture.
* It was to announce a talk Randall gave at his old school.
* The text:
** I'm [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ visiting] Newport News, VA next week, where I'll be speaking at CNU, my old school. If you want to come, reserve a seat [https://web.archive.org/web/20120329214411/https://www.cnu.edu/pcs/xkcd/index.asp here]!
*** The first link it to a post in the [[Blag]]: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ I’m visiting CNU on April 4th].
*** The other link is no longer working, but the link above goes to an archived version.
* There was a special situation with this header text. For three days it was not on the front page, as the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1037: Umwelt]] came out and stayed from April 1st to April 3rd on the front page.
** This comic had it's own [[#Unique header text|unique header text]] from the start, one that has [[#Umwelt|stayed like this]] since!
*** So from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01] to [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03] the front page had another header:
**** You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** But all the other comics kept the Visiting header on all three days as shown here:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401214214/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-01] from[[1036: Reviews]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402150258/https://xkcd.com/1019 2012-04-02] from [[1019: First Post]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403164523/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-03] from [[1036: Reviews]].
**** The one from the 2nd of April was hardest to find, but the most important, because that was clearly in the time period where Umwelt was up, thus definitely proving that the other pages had a different header than the front page. This is rare.
* It returned to the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-04] and stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05] when [[1038: Fountain]] was up.
** The link from the 5th though is from {{xkcd|1021}} [[1021: Business Plan]], the only comic archived on the 5ht to be found.
*** The previous link was the last time it was archived while on the front page.

===2012-03-12 - xkcd Holistic Browser===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312185125/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-12]
* [[1028: Communication]] was up at the time.
** From here the archive doesn't load the page properly so it is really boring to document. This goes for both first and last day of this text.
* The text:
** New: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153220/https://holistic.xkcd.com/ holistic.xkcd.com], the least useful web navigation tool ever.
*** The link is now dead, but the link above is to an archived version.
*** On that page there is the following text:
**** The XKCD Holistic Browser
**** Because we are all one.
**** Type a web address
**** and you'll be taken to one
**** typed by someone else.
**** URL:
**** Warning: This allows strangers to direct your browser!
**** They may send you to pages containing
**** porn, viruses, or Justin Bieber fanfiction.
**** At the very least, turn on private browsing.
* During the time this header was active the comic [[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]] came out.
** It had its own [[xkcd_Header_text#Unique_header_text|unique header text]] which thus replaced this text on the front page for two days.
** But it did not replace it on all the other pages so this was the active header text during the entire period, see more here: [[xkcd_Header_text#s.2Fkeyboard.2Fleopard.2F|s/keyboard/leopard/]]
* This lasted till [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327050311/https://xkcd.com/1033 2012-03-27] while [[1034: Share Buttons]] was up.
* But the last archived version with this on the front page was the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20120326180811/https://xkcd.com// 2012-03-26].
** The link from 27th is from an archived version of [[1033: Formal Logic]].

===Changes not documented yet 1===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120311135259/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-11] Text before. For next entry below...



[[Category:Design of xkcd.com]]{{xkcdmeta}}

Header text

2026-04-12T09:26:16Z

Kynde: /* 2026-04-07 - Reading Modes */

<noinclude>{{xkcd.com}}[[File:xkcd_header.png|thumb|right|250px|The [[Design of xkcd.com#Header section|Header section]] is one of the [[Design of xkcd.com|four main sections]] of the [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com] website.]]The '''header text''' is usually updated when [[Randall]] has news to share or wants to add information about a specific comic. The default header text states:

</noinclude><div style="font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 500; font-size: 16px; width: 760px; line-height: 150%;" class="plainlinks">
:xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.</div><noinclude>

Usually, changes to the header text show up in all comics. However, for certain comics, its header text is changed permanently, which means that comic's page won't be affected by changes to the global header text like the rest of the comics. You can see the list of these [[#Comic-specific header text|Comic-specific header texts]] below.

Usually, the global header text is changed back to the default once the novelty of the news ends. Recently, the default header text has not been used for extended periods of time. The most recent header text change can be found at the top of the [[#Global header text|Global header text section]].

{{incomplete|Someone has created a full list of comic-specific header texts! We have only explained 28 so far, and '''28 are missing'''. [[Talk:Header_text#anc|The full list in on the Talk page!]]. (Also, if you have ''infinite'' spare time, please remove the bullet points on the page and use normal paragraphs.)}}

Use this list to quickly jump to a specific header text, or [[#Comic-specific header text|click here]] to jump to the most recent one.

__TOC__

==Comic-specific header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Place the most recent changes at the top.


===[[2957: A Crossword Puzzle]]===
*This comic's header mentions that it has been inspired by an old comic (by accident, i.e. originally Randall was not aware of his inspiration).
**It was on the front page from from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711100451/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11] until the next comic to come out Friday [ 2024-07-12]. [ASSUMPTION]
*The text:
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!
*It makes it clear that Randall did not wish to take credit for this old idea
**Although it seems like he did not know where he got the idea from at first, when he posted it.
**Because the addition of this header text was not posted together with the comic, when it was released on Wednesday 2024-07-10 and it was still not there in the early morning of Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711000851/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11].
**That he is a fan of Buttersafe is made clear at the bottom of the xkcd page where it is on Randall's list of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]].
*As a special situation this special header did not replace the current header text, but was added below the active header text at the time about [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F|10th anniversary for what if?]].
**This has not been the normal way to add comic-specific header text. So it will be interesting to see what happens when the next comic is released [UPDATE]
*Since this header was related only to explain the inspiration for this comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released. [ASSUMPTION!!!]
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen [SOME] days after it stopped being on the front page on [?? 2022-07-13???].


===[[2916: Machine]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406163326/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06] (although it was supposed to have been a Friday release according to the xkcd archives) until the next comic to come out Monday 2024-04-08, but the earliest archived version of the next comic is from Tuesday [http://web.archive.org/web/20240409060444/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-09].
***It probably changed late on Monday the 8th, but Machine was still up late on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240408225854/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-08].
***It may be like previous years because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?
**When [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]] was released the front page returned to normal header.
**The previous comic [[2915: Eclipse Clouds]] was still on the front page Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06]. So a very late Friday release...
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://github.com/spyhi Ed White], [https://twitter.com/uh_oh_thats_bad Alex Garcia], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [http://burningcandle.io/ Conor & Ami Stokes], [https://liranuna.com/ Liran Nuna], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick], [https://manishearth.github.io/ Manish Goregaokar], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], [https://github.com/ayust Amber], and [https://github.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg] with physics by [https://rapier.rs/ Rapier].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or X or their own home pages. Some of them have also helped with the two previous [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], see below, but there are many more involved in this one than any of the previous.
**Also the Fast 2D and 3D physics engine for the Rust programming language, Rapier, is mentioned as standing for the physics of the comic.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240409010518/https://xkcd.com/2916/ 2022-04-09].


===[[2765: Escape Speed]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230420203744/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-20] (although it was supposed to have been a Wednesday release according to the xkcd archives) until Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230421082400/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-21], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2766: Helium Reserve]] was released the front page returned to normal header. This seems to have not happened until Saturday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20230422121650/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-22] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was put together with help from [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick Clapp], [https://amberyu.st/ Amber], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], and [https://www.aiweirdness.com/ Janelle Shane].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or Twitter or their own home pages. Most of them have also helped with the two previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230423150206/https://xkcd.com/2765/ 2022-04-23].


===[[2601: Instructions]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220401210146/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-01] until Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405031003/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because Instructions was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2602: Linguistics Degree]] was released the front page returned to normal header This seems to have not happened until Tuesday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405125644/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/chromakode @chromakode], [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/xDirtyPunkx Conor], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with an Instagram page, the other seven with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220406021357/https://xkcd.com/2601/ 2022-04-06].


===[[2445: Checkbox]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210401232108/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-01] until Monday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210405130031/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-05], until the new comic was released on Monday.
*The text:
**This comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], and [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with a personal home page, the other six with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header, when the next comic was released, here from the day after that release Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210406143023/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-06].
*But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20210407203547/https://xkcd.com/2445/ 2021-04-07].


===[[2288: Collector's Edition]]===
This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together, and gives links to all of their Twitter profiles, except
Christopher Nights'. It was on the front page only for about a day around April 3rd and
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/http://xkcd.com/#-370,-277vApril 4th 2020].
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber],
[https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin],
[https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat],
[https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
</blockquote>
The header text thanks those who helped Randall create the 2020 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken
two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay, the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released the day after the April Fool's comic, [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]].
Since this header was related only to the April Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header when the next comic was released,
but it stayed up as a permanent header for this comic.



===[[1928: Seven Years]]===
[http://web.archive.org/web/20171214171157/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-12-14]
It was released as a response to another cancer diagnosis, this is explained in the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Header_text|Header text]] which has replaced the standard ''xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.'' The new one is this one, with the active link included:
The text (with link):
* Becky Beaton, sister of fellow cartoonist Kate Beaton, has also been diagnosed with cancer. You can support her treatment [https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 here].
{{w|Kate Beaton}} is the creator of the web comic [http://www.harkavagrant.com/ Hark! A Vagrant].
* Although this comic is not one on Randall's list of ''[[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]]'', he is clearly much influenced by another cancer diagnosis among someone in his own creative field.below.
On [https://web.archive.org/web/20190817141450/https://www.xkcd.com/1928/ 2019-08-17], close to two years later, the message was still there and also [https://web.archive.org/web/20211226120634/https://xkcd.com/1928/ 2021-12-26] just past four years later.
* There was the possibility that it would be removed, when the support page was discontinued...
* But as that already happened before [http://web.archive.org/web/20181106124430/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-11-06] it seems like it will be there to stay.
* Last archived version was from [http://web.archive.org/web/20180305022301/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-03-05].
* Randall has previously done something similar for another friend, Emily, but [[#2014-11-27_-_Help_Emily|that header]] was not made permanent.



===[[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]]===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170428041338/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-04-28]
This header links back to [[1828: ISS Solar Transit]], a comic with the same joke setup released on the Monday of the same week


===[[1723: Meteorite Identification]]===
Randall realized that his comic was almost a copy of some other person. And he has since then acknowledged this on the comics specific page see more [[1723: Meteorite Identification#Trivia|here]].
At the time of this post, in the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161010215516/http://xkcd.com/1723/ 2016-10-10] it is still there and says:
* Note: Jolyon, founder of [http://www.mindat.org/ mindat.org], made a similar chart way before me!


===[[1679: Substitutions 3]]===
This comic is the third installment of the [[:Category:Substitution]] series, and as Randall did with [[#Substitutions 2]],
the header text links to the previous comics in the series, and tells the user about Chrome Browser extensions for substitution.
The header text reads:
<blockquote>
(Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}} and {{xkcd|1625|Substitutions 2}}) 
Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/replacerator/gaajhenbcclienfnniphiiambbbninnp?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
</blockquote>
This header text was on the main page while the comic was on the main page, for instance on
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160512102325/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-05-12]. It remains on the comic page.



===[[1663: Garden]]===
This comic had a header text to help people use the comic when it came out.
For some time this text was the main header text, but after a while is disappeared from the main header, but remained as the header for Garden.
* See more [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-04_-_Protip_on_Garden|below]] or on the Garden page [[Garden#Header_text_after_release|here]]
Today and as of the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161231231600/http://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-12-31] it is still there and says:
* Protip: If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
* You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.


===[[1625: Substitutions 2]]===
This was the second installment of Substitutions and Randall links to the first and tells about browser extensions for this:
The text:
* (Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}})
* Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/xkcd-substitutions/jkgogmboalmaijfgfhfepckdgjeopfhk?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
** He did the same when [[xkcd_Header_text#Substitutions_3|Substitutions 3]] came out, linking to the two previous.
It was on the main page while the comic was up, for instance here on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160104171722/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-01-04].


===[[1079: United Shapes]]===
The header text was unique for this comic on the day it came out:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09].
It read:
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here] (Colorado is [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/ here]). 
It's also available as a [http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap poster].
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap Archived store link, 2012-07-22])

This header text only appeared with the comic, as on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09],
at a time before this comic was released, the previous
[[xkcd_Header_text#2012-04-09 -_Standard_text_plus_store_link|promotion of the store]] header text was still on the main page.

As this comic was still on the main page the day after ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120710063424/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-10]),
a new [[Header_text#2012-07-10_-_New:_what-if.xkcd.com|header text promoting Randall's new what if? blog]]
was not shown on the main page.
The what if? promotion was added to this comic's header text the next day,
on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711123734/http://xkcd.com:80/1079/ 2012-07-11].
However, the part about Colorado was lost in this edit. This is the version still shown on {{xkcd|1079}} today, including the
what if? promotion.
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here]! It's also available as a
[https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster poster]. 
New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions. 
I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20121203164246/https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster Archived store link, 2012-12-03])

The what if? promotion links to the very first ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}'' which was released on 2012-07-10, the day after this comic was released, but before the next comic [[1080: Visual Field]] was released on 2012-07-11.

There is no archived version of comic {{xkcd|1080}} while it was on the front page, so it is not possible to tell what the front page looked like on the 11th and 12th of July 2012. Most likely it was the what if? promotion.
* Maybe there was a time with the final version of the header text the front page, but seems like Randall put the new header text there by hand, and forgot to delete it after, so he probably first changed it when the new comic came out.
* Since the new header was important, promoting his new ''what if'' blog, Randall likely did not wish to have a recent page/the main page without it.
* But this makes it a special unique header, as a relic from the past header text is left together with the text that was supposed to be permanent. It should have been deleted when the link to ''what if'' 1 was removed.



===[[1047: Approximations]]===
It has a permanent text saying that many people emailed Randall about another approximation for one year than the one given in the comic.
* As it was already there from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120425220409/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-25] it seems unlikely that he actually received those e-mails before changing the header text for this comic!
The unique text:
* Lots of emails mention the physicist favorite, 1 year = pi x 107 seconds.
* 75^4 is a hair more accurate, but it's hard to top 3,141,592's elegance.
There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[#2012-04-09_-_Standard_text_plus_store_link|Plus store link]].


===[[1037: Umwelt]]===
It has a permanent promotion of the store already from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01]:
The unique text:
* You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
It stayed on the front page while this comic was the most recent, so for instance also two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03]
* There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-28_-_Visiting_Newport_News|Visiting Newport News]].


===[[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]]===
In response to the idea of having you browser replace keyboard with leopard a reader made a script that could do just that.
Randall seem to have gotten this script before release (or at least on the day of release) as it was already the header text on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319130702/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-19] the day the comic was released.
The unique text is:
* A helpful reader has provided an [https://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 s/keyboard/leopard/ user script].
** The link does not go anywhere useful any longer, but here is the archived version of the link from two days after the release of the comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321174019/http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 2012-03-21]
It was never changed on the other comics so was only on the front while this comic was up until 2012-03-21
* Here also shown on the second day it was up on its own page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320143916/http://xkcd.com:80/1031/ 2012-03-20].
The next comic [[1032: Networking]] came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321205835/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-21] and here the header text has returned to what it was before the leopard comic: [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-12_-_xkcd_Holistic_Browser|xkcd Holistic Browser]].
* Here are examples from dates around this showing it was not used on other pages:
** The last archived version of the front page from before the 19th was this version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317121834/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-17], but here is an example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153256/http://xkcd.com:80/1030/ 2012-03-18] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]), the day before leopard comic came out.
** Both on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319174700/http://xkcd.com/1030/ 2012-03-19] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]) and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320191039/http://xkcd.com:80/1012 2012-03-20] (from comic [[1012: Wrong Superhero]]) during the time leopard was up, the header text currently in used was still shown.


===[[996: Making Things Difficult]]===
To give context to the comic about cancer, Randall links to a [[Blag]] post about his family's struggle with cancer.
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Some context for the cancer comics:
[https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/ https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/]
</blockquote>
This header text appears on the oldest stored version of the comic page from [https://web.archive.org/web/20111229043804/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-12-29] when it was on the main page.


===[[980: Money]]===
Randall notes his thoughts about making it and makes a promotion of the poster.
The unique text:
* This one was fun (and exhausting) to make.
* There's a poster of it in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/money-poster store]!
** It is both at the oldest stored version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404110059/http://xkcd.com:80/980 2012-04-04] and the newest at time of editing [https://web.archive.org/web/20220108132250/https://xkcd.com/980/ 2022-01-08].


===[[977: Map Projections]]===
Randall notes that a person had birthday on the release of this comic about maps, and this guy has maps on his homepage
The unique text:
* It turns out Monday was Steve Waterman's birthday. His [https://web.archive.org/web/20111118003418/http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ site] has posters of his map, plus maybe the world's only Winkel Tripel-critiquing poetry.
** The link goes to [http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ Waterman project] home page. Above the link goes to an archived version from around the time of release of the header text.
** It is at the oldest stored version with the comic on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20111115231643/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-11-15].


===[[851: Na]]===
After Randall released this comic, he realized he could have "made it better," and did so.
He changed the header text alert people to this, saying:
<blockquote>
I can't ''believe'' I forgot Hey Jude.
I don't get do-overs, but I couldn't resist making [https://xkcd.com/851_make_it_better/ a fixed version].
</blockquote>
See more about it in that comic's [[851:_Na#Trivia|trivia section]].


===[[739: Malamanteau]]===
Randall notes that he has changed this comics license, so it can be used on Wikipedia.
The text:
* At Wikipedia's request, I release this comic under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ cc-by-sa] license.
** The link is to the page regarding {{w|Creative Commons license}} in the US.
** Specifically for Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-SA 3.0 US)
*** Usually xkcd is [[Design_of_xkcd.com#License_and_copyright|shared under]] [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License]. This does not allow commercial use, But the 3.0 does.
When the comic came out it had the normal header text from that time, as seen here two days after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20100514072436/http://xkcd.com/ 2010-05-14].
* First archived version with the unique text is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100913003146/http://xkcd.com/739/ 2010-09-13], but the previous archived version of this comic is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100713160533/http://xkcd.com:80/739/ 2010-07-13].
* So it happened somewhere in the two months in between. But at least it was not there the first two months after release, but there before four month after release.


===577–580: [[:Category:The Race|The Race]]: Parts 1–4===
[[:Category:The Race|The Race]] was a 5-comic series published daily over the duration of one week, Monday through Friday. On comics
[[577: The Race: Part 1]], [[578: The Race: Part 2]], [[579: The Race: Part 3]], and [[580: The Race: Part 4]], parts 1–4 of the
series, Randall announced to users that xkcd would update once a day over the course of that week.

The header text for 577, published on Monday of that week, reads:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day.
</blockquote>
The header texts for 578, 579, and 580, published respectively on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, read:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day (through Friday).
</blockquote>

On comic [[581: The Race: Part 5]], this header text does not appear, likely because it wouldn't be useful to inform people of daily
updates for a week at the end of the week.


===[[563: Fermirotica]]===
The header text for this comic informs the reader of prints of this comic in the [[Store]], and gives an example sex calculation.
It reads:
<blockquote>
There are xkcd prints available in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store]. 
[https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sqrt(2%2F(pi*18000%2F(mi^2)*80%2Fyear*30+minutes) Example Google sex calculation].
</blockquote>
The first link is a link to the [[Store|xkcd Store]], which, as of early February 2026, is closed for the time being. The second link is a
Google Search link for an example sex calculation with the formula in the comic, where
''Pd'' = 18000/mi2,
''XF'' = 80/year, and
''Xd'' = 30 minutes.
This calculation results in ''r'' equaling ~142 meters.


===[[488: Steal This Comic]]===
Comic 488 advocates against {{w|Digital rights management}}, or <abbr title="Digital rights management">DRM</abbr>. In the header text, Randall notes that Amazon sells
DRM-free music. It reads:
<blockquote>
Note: the [https://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 Amazon.com MP3 store] sells DRM-free music. Kudos.
</blockquote>
The header text links to Amazon MP3 music. Here is an archived version of the store from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081001083843/http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 2008-10-01],
two weeks prior to the release of the comic.
The header text was on the comic from the release day, here seen the day after on the first archived version from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232952/http://xkcd.com/ 2008-10-14].


===[[472: House of Pancakes|472: House of Pancakes]]===
This comic's header notes its status as a parody:
* (Today's comic is a parody of [https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764 House of Leaves].)
Only on the days this comic was the newest was this header featured on the front page of xkcd for instance as seen here the day after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06].
* But it was only on this comic. The commercial for his new t-shirt was on all the other pages, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06] and presumably returned to the front page with the next comic. But there is a gap in the archive after this comic.

==Global header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the newest comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Position the last comic displaying the header text below the other data and place the most recent change at the top.

===2026-04-07 - Reading Modes===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260401210255/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-04-01].
*[[3227: Creation]] was released as the 2026 [[April Fools' Day comics´|April Fools' comic]], but the real April Fools' was a new feature, which was explained in the global header text.
* The text:
** We're pleased to announce a major update to xkcd, with new reading modes to enhance user experience. Select a mode via the menu below the comic.
**Brought to you by our excellent design team: [https://github.com/ayust Amber], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], and [https://github.com/cotrone Kevin]
*At first it would seem that this would be a text, only belonging to the new comic, but since the feature is active on all comics, it was not only on the front page, but on all other comics as well. And it stayed there after the next comic was released.
**So this is not a comic specific header text.

===2026-01-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260107194433/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-01-07].
* [[3191: Superstition]] came out when the header changed.
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2022-01-08_-_Back_to_standard_text|2022-01-08]] that the text had changed back to that, so exactly four years.
**Last time it only lasted a few days before the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] started.
*It was also the first time since December 5th, 2024 that the header text had changed, a span of more than a year (13 months) making it by far the longest time the header text had been left unchanged.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260331171250/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-03-31] when [[3226: Home Solar]] was on the front page.
**Almost two months, a long stretch with the original title text in use!

===2024-12-05 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - order===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241205201038/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-05].
* [[3020: Infinite Armada Chess]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—Out now. Order it here! [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* Only difference in this header compared to the previous version is the last part after the final hypen.
* This header stayed up for exactly 13 months. See link at the bottom.
* With the [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|preorder]] version coming out in mid May 2024 the 10th anniversary edition ended up been in the header text almost 1 year and 7 month (except the month of [[#2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president|endorsing Harris]]), thus it was on the header for 1.5 years in total.
* And before that what if? has been part of the header back to [[#2022-01-31 - What if? 2|2022-01-31]], when what if? 2 was announced.
* And three weeks before that the [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] for what if? 2 began. Of course there was no what if? word on that header as it was a surprise. But it turned out this was also a promotion for what if?
* And up until the day before the countdown (when there was one day with the old standard text) there was promotion for the first what if? book starting on [[#2021-12-20 - What If in stock|2021-12-20]].
** To sum it up, the header has been used to promote what if? continuously from December 2021 until at least the start of January 2026 (except one month with endorsing Harris and three weeks countdown that was for what if?) So more than 4 years in a row, only with a month for something political and the 3 weeks of countdown was also a promotion for what if?
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260106150417/https://xkcd.com/3190/ 2026-01-06] when [[3190: Tensegrity]] was on the front page.
**It had then been up for more than 13 months in a row by a day. There had been no change to the header text at all during 2025.

===2024-11-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page when the text changed.
* It returned to the exact same header text as before: [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241204160618/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-04] when [[3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar]] was on the front page.
** The only change was that the last part after the last hyphen changed from when you had to preorder to now that you could order the book.

===2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241017002108/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-17]
* For some reason the web archive failed to upload xkcd on the day it changed, but that it did change a day before can be seen in this other archive [https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[2999: Bad Map Projection: The United Stralia]] came out when this header was changed.
* Instead of text, it is a three part comic. In the first panel, [[Cueball]] (probably representing [[Randall]]) is shown walking, carrying a sign. In the second panel, he is seen hitting the sign with a hammer into the ground. In the third, Cueball is gone, and the front of the sign can be seen:
** <big>Harris for president</big>
* This is in reference to the 2024 presidential elections and shows that Randall endorses Harris.
* Randall posted the same image on his [https://x.com/xkcd/status/1853098106667114801 Twitter (formally X)] and [https://bsky.app/profile/xkcd.com/post/3la2jku6ace2f Bluesky] accounts on November 3rd, 2024, two days before the presidential election.
* It was up for a month until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241115181146/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2024-11-15] when [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page. It changed while that comic was still up back to the one from before.

===2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240515200351/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-15]
* [[2933: Elementary Physics Paths]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241015192147/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-15] while [[2998: Ravioli-Shaped Objects]] was on the front page.
After a month of endorsing endorses Harris the heder text returned to this again, see [[#2024-11-16_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-110-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? -preorder]].

===2024-03-20 - What If? is on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240320173158/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-20]
* [[2909: Moon Landing Mission Profiles]] came out when the header changed.
The only text version from the previous header was trimmed having some words removed taking it down from four to three lines (and solving the bad alignment that happened five days before at the end of the previous header text).
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is on YouTube! The first video answers
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed Hubble at Earth?]” Follow the
** [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif What If?] channel to be notified about new videos.
* The first link goes to the what if? page on xkcd and the other two links are to the YouTube channel and to its very first video.
The promotion of the what if? franchise continues for the second year running. A few words were taken off as the YouTube channel was no longer new at this point.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240514034349/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-14], while [[2932: Driving PSA]] was on the front page. But the what if? promotion continued

===2023-11-29 - What If? is now on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20231129184009/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-29]
* [[2861: X Value]] came out when the header changed.
There was only text this time.
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is now on YouTube!
** Check out the first video for the answer to
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed the Hubble Telescope at Earth?]”
** and follow [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif xkcd’s What If? The Video Series channel] to be notified about each new video.
* The links goes to the what if page on xkcd and the other two links is to the new YouTube channel with videos of some of the what if articles and to the very first video.
This is thus not a promotion of the what if? 2 book but still promotion of the what if? franchise.
A small change happened on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240314113602/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-14], as the first two lines became one line which made the alignment worse. So it seemed strange to do this. It looked like normal up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20240313113429/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-13]. But it only lasted five days before a change was made that made it into a new although very similar header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240319134138/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-19], while [[2908: Moon Armor Index]] was on the front page, but was replaced by a very similar what if? header.

===2023-08-31 - What if? 2 is now available in paperback in the UK!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230831200321/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-31]
* [[2822: *@gmail.com]] came out when the header changed.
* The image to the right stayed, but after more than a half year with no text, text was added to the left of the picture because the paper back was available in the UK.
** As opposed to the previous headers this was plain text and not a picture.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What if? 2 is [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK now available] in paperback in the UK!
** what if? 2
* The link goes to https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK, the page on xkcd about the What if? 2 book, and directing to the UK order links where there now also it a paper back version.
This version was still up in the middle of November 2023 when this segment was updated.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20231128174224/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-28], while [[2860: Decay Modes]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? header.
* Although it was not specifically related to the new book. Thus it ended a more than 22 month long constant promotion of the book since the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] began in January 2022.

===2023-02-17 - What if? 2 picture only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230217185629/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-17]
* [[2739: Data Quality]] came out when the header changed.
* For the first time in a very long time there is no real header text. Only the small red picture with the plane and the title of the what if? 2 book in the right section of the header. As it has been since [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] stopped.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230830064414/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-30], while [[2821: Path Minimization]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header.

===2022-09-23 - What if? 2 Instant New York Times Bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220923182825/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-23]
* [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page when the header changed.
** The header celebrates that the new what if? 2 book has become an instant New York Times bestseller.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2
** Instant New York Times bestseller.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230216181705/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-16], while [[2738: Omniknot]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header,

===2022-09-13 - What if? 2 is available now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220913142432/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13]
* [[2672: What If? 2 Flowchart]] was released as the header changed, even though it was a Tuesday.
** The header and the comic celebrates the release of the new what if? 2 book, that came out on this day.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2 is available now!
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This thus ended the pre-release promotion of the book, that began on [[#xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|2022-01-31]], plus of course the three weeks of [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] before. For a sum total of 8 months and three days.
* It will be interesting to see how long before any reference to what if? 2 will disappear from the header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220922150042/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-22], but was replaced by another What If? 2 header, while [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page.

===2022-09-12 - One day to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220912125617/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-12]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** One dayuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>I'm going to spend the day with that Les Mis song stuck in my head, aren't I.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-12 it was ''F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of N Bottles of Beer On the wall followed by F(N-1)'' to release day.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
** Les mis song, referring to a song from the musical les miserables titled "One Day More", he now has stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220913134002/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13].
** This was while [[2671: Rotation]] was still up, early on the release day of the new book.

===2022-09-12 - Three days to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220911102450/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-11]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Three daysuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Assuming it's still Saturday. I'm a static png image and can't perceive time.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header only stayed the same for one day and [[2670: Interruption]] was still up when it changed to the next.

===2022-09-07 - Less than one week to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220907211736/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-07]
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was still up.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are four lines of text. With the middle line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over four lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Less than one weekuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Oh no, now I have that song stuck in my head.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-07 it was ''one pico-universe-lifetime'' to release day. But the next day 2022-09-08 it was ''The Baby Shark chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks''.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220910024549/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-10].
** This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was up.

===2022-08-27 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220827232205/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-27]
* [[2664: Cloud Swirls]] came out when it changed.
* The header [[#2022-08-16 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|changed back]] to the preorder image from the previous header, when Randall's book tour ended. See the link.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220906191403/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-06].
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was up.

===2022-08-17 - What if? 2 book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220817161136/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-17]
* [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was out when it changed.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this there is text to the left. Then Cueball is seen flying by holding on to a single balloon (like in [[1110: Click and Drag]]). He flies over five mountain peaks with snow, with three clouds and three distant birds in front of him, as he drifts to the right, as shown with movements lines behind him. In front of him is a dark feature at the bottom of the frame. Above this is a blue square (like a button) with white text.
* The text:
** I'm going on a what if? 2 book tour!
** Click to see where
** what if? 2
*** The image to the left is a link to [https://xkcd.com/events/ randall munroe: events] page on xkcd. Which at the time showed the calendar with the planned stop for his book tour, which covered the US and London.
*** As always the link button in blue is not the only part of the image that is a link, as he just mentioned in the [[#2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|previous header text]], and several times before...
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This header thus continues the promotion of the new book, which was at the time was only 27 days away (or [[2636:_What_If%3F_2_Countdown|6 dog months]]).
* It will be interesting to see how long it takes before promotion for the book disappears from the header. It may still take months.
The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220826202043/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-26].
* This was while [[2663: Tetherball Configurations]] was up.

===2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220811055445/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-11]
* [[2657: Complex Vowels]] came out as it changed.
The message in the header was not really changed, but the meaning of the text from the previous header was now written in an image, although the text did change somewhat.
* The header thus still consist of two parts. To the left the new image with an picture of the book and text. And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this to the right is the new text. To the left is a picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Preorder what if? 2 and enter for a chance to win a comic inspired by your question! Click here to learn more. Or click wherever. This whole image is a link because html is hard.
** what if? 2
*** In the left image there is a blue link font on the word "here" in click here. However the entire left image is a link to the [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 what if 2 contest]. As explained he did not only make the word a link because html is hard! This is something Randall [[xkcd_Header_text#2014-07-23_-_what_if.3F_book_tour|often comments on]].
**** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
**** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
**** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220816124823/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-16].
** This was while [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was up.

===2022-07-19 - Preorder What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220719153239/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-19]
* [[2647: Capri Suns]] came out as it changed.
The header looked a lot like the previous one, only part of the text changed.
* The header thus still consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over four lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** Preorder What If? 2 (all US preorders eligible) and [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 enter our contest] for a chance to win a dedicated comic and What If blog post!
** what if? 2
*** The image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
*** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220810034709/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-10].
** This was while [[2656: Scientific Field Prefixes]] was up.

===2022-01-31 - What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220201000434/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-02-01]
* [[2575: What If? 2]] came out as it changed, and then it [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/36/Countdown_in_header_text_page_when_what_if_comic_came_out.png looked like this] already on 2022-01-31. But there is no archived version from that day after the header changed.
** This was what [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] had been counting down to.
** An announcement that Randall had written a sequel to the first ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book, based on his blog.
* The header consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over three lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in the countdown, but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plan ia the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions comes out 9/13. Preorder [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ here!]
** What If? 2:
*** The link goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about what if? 2: the book. The image is also a link to this page.
*** The entire comic that came out along with the new header text is also a link to that page.
* At the same time the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] in the top left section of xkcd also changed to include links to books, and especially this new book.
It will be interesting to see how long this version of the promotion for the new books stays up. But most likely there will be promotion for the book until release, and then more after the release.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718145816/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-18], for more than 5,5 month. This was while [[2646: Minkowski Space]] was up.
** The change was rather small, but part of the text changed. The promotion continued though.

===2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10].
* [[2565: Latency]] was still up when the [[Countdown in header text]] was added.
* The text was still the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But a countdown was added. This was inserted in a rectangular box, placed at the end of the standard header text.
** In some browsers the box forces the last word "Friday" to jump down to the next line.
* Inside the box the following time was displayed in the version in the link:
** 20d 20h 27m
*** This clock will also count down every minute, although it will return to the time at the time of archive when reloaded!
*** While this was edited into this wiki the time had changed to 20d 19h 12m. So it was a very fresh download in the web archive, only about 1 hour old when it was updated to this wiki.
*** The minutes change without refreshing the page, and follows this editors computers clock exactly, so it will end at 59 minutes, not at a full hour.
** It looks like it started on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ 01-10 17:00 UTC].
*** A calculation shows that this countdown will reach zero on Monday 2022-01-31 at 14:59 (2:59 PM) {{w|UTC}}.
*** This will be at 9:59 (9:59 AM) in [[Randall]]'s home town
**** The last ten minutes it switched to seconds for the last minute so it made the switch 15:00 UTC 10:00 in Boston!
*** From that it can be deduced that the count started at 20d 22h 0m
**** The first image on the archive thus came 1h 33m after the count began.
* At [https://web.archive.org/web/20220111153818/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] a diagonal black bar appeared in the lower left-hand corner of the countdown box.
** After that the [[Countdown in header text]] page was created and any further development on the count down will be mentioned on that page.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220131124817/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-31] when [[2574: Autoresponder]] was on the front page.
* This archived version was when the counter was at 0d 2h 11m, and the last normal frame was already up at this time.
** It stayed like this until the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/1/17/Countdown_in_header_text_page_0_seconds.png counter ran out].
*** Then for a few minutes the final frame, that revealed that all this was a promotion for Randall's new book what if? 2 was up [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/4/48/Countdown_in_header_text_page_just_after_countdown.png while the Friday comic was still up].
*** Then when the new Monday comic came out with the promotion for what if? 2, the header changed.

===2022-01-08 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220108044654/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-08].
* [[2565: Latency]] came out around the time the new header text appeared, on a Friday!
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2018-11-07 - Back to standard text|2018-11-07]] that the text had changed back to that, and at that time it lasted until 2019-02-05.
** That is 1067 days (less than a month short of three years) without the standard text! (Can it be called standard anymore?)
* It was only left in the complete standard version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220109030513/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-09] when Latency was still on the front page.
** Then the next day a [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] was added to it.
*** That was after the weekend on Monday but before the Monday comic came up.
*** So only during the weekend was it normal standard header text.

===2021-12-20 - What If in stock===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20211220211220/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-20].
* [[2557: Immunity]] came out around the time the new header text appeared.
* The text:
** For anyone trying to find What If? this year, it's in stock at [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 Barnes & Noble], [https://m.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Randall-Munroe/9780544272996 Books-a-Million], and [https://bookshop.org/books/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-9781483041827/9780544272996 Bookshop]
* Each store name is a link to the corresponding store's page for ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]''.
It was last seen on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220106100957/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-06] when [[2564: Sunshield]] was up.

===2020-06-03 - Black Lives Matter===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200604003700/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-03].
* [[2315: Eventual Consistency]] came out as a new header text was finally inserted after almost two months without one.
* Cueball is standing to the left and speaks a single line of text: "Black Lives Matter"
* To the right is a gray link button with text: "[https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ How To Help]."
* As always, the entire image (which is only below the xkcd logo) is a link
** The button is thus not needed, but it will also work when clicking the location of the button.
* The link goes to [https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ Join Campaign Zero].
** {{w|Black Lives Matter}} is a loose, grassroots, decentralized confederation of groups and individuals advocating for racial justice. It arose in 2013 after the acquittal of {{w|George Zimmerman}}, who took the life of {{w|Trayvon Martin}}.
** Randall's featuring Black Lives Matter came on the heels of the {{w|Killing of George Floyd}} on May 25th 2020, which had sparked {{w|George Floyd protests|protest in the US}}
** Floyd died while saying "{{w|I can't breathe}}," which was already used due to other Black men's killings, the first was from the {{w|Killing of Eric Garner}}, back in 2014.
It stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200616114945/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-16] when [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200617131438/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-17] the link changed to [https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Black Lives Matter]. [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was still on the front page on that day.
On April 1st 2021 the front page header changed to mention who made the April Fools' Day comic.
* But this was only for this comic [[#Checkbox|Checkbox]].
* The rest of the pages kept the BLM header and it returned to this on the front page once the next comic was released on April 5th. At that time it will have been up for 13 months, making it the longest header different from the standard header.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20211219202204/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-19] when [[2556: Turing Complete]] was on the front page.
* At that time it had been up for 564 days or 1,5 year plus 16 days! This is most likely a record.

===2020-04-05 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042955/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-05].
* [[2289: Scenario 4]] came out and the header belonging to the previous comic was removed.
* But no new header was inserted. Not even the go to [[#Header text|Header text]] about the release days of xkcd.
** Since the previous header was related only to the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[2288: Collector's Edition]], and that had stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book, after first experiencing problems with its release, it seems Randall forgot what he usually put in the header.
It stayed empty like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200602213017/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-02] when [[2314: Carcinization]] was on the front page.
* So almost two month without a header. This had not happened before.

===2020-04-04 - Put together by===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-04].
* [[2288: Collector's Edition]] came out and the header changed.
* The text:
** Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
*** All names have links except the last.
* It thanks those that helped Randall create this years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!
* Since this header was related only to the Fool's comic, it was thus removed from the general header, but it stayed up as [[#Collector.27s_Edition|one of]] the permanent [[#Unique_header_text|unique header texts]].
** However, when it was removed from the general header, the header was left empty.
** Unlike some other headers that stayed on a given comic, this one was on all comics for the duration of the time it stayed on the front page, see for instance the previous comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403232031/https://xkcd.com/2287/ 2020-04-03].

===2020-04-02 - Technical Reasons===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200402234828/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-02].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was up when the header changed.
Randall turned out to, again, have problems with his complicated and interactive [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] for 2020.
* The text:
** Note: For technical reasons Wednesday's comic will be posted Thursday instead. Apologies for the delay!
This finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].
It stayed up a day longer than planed as the fool's comic, [[2288: Collector's Edition]] was first released on Friday, so the note was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403012612/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-03].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] thus stayed two extra day on the front page, and the third comic of that week, [[2289: Scenario 4]] was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!

===2020-01-16 - How To explores - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200116190038/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-16].
* [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was still up when the header changed.
* The ongoing promotion of the book continued but here more than three weeks after Christmas the reference to Christmas was removed.
* The header then returned to the one from before Christmas:
** [[#2019-11-22 - How To explores|How To explores]] - see that for all other details.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200401221435/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-01] when [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was on the front page.
* It was the problems with [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] of 2020 that finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].

===2019-12-02 - Into Science===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191202223745/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-02].
* [[2236: Is it Christmas?]] came out when the header changed. Fitting as the change is about Christmas list.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, continuing to make the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd.
** The links below to order are the same as in the previous header.
** Actually most of the header stays the same with the same four images and the same layout. But the text above has changed completely and the two main text sections between the drawings has changed but only slightly. The description of the images is thus left out, see below. Only new thing is that there are now two red circles connected with a red arrow. The first circle is around the word How To at the end of the first text with the arrow going from that circle to the second circle drawn around the picture of the book.
* The text:
** Is there someone on you Christmas list who's into science? They might like my new book '''''How To'''''
** It explores ridiculous ideas for applying scientific research to everyday problems...
** ...And illustrates what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200115155040/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-15] when [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-22 - How To explores===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191122214439/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22].
* [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] was up when the header changed. It most likely changed when the comic appeared. Earlier on that day it was the previous header over the previous comic.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here again making the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd, after it previously was a link to where to listen to the audio book.
** The links below to order returns to the same as in the header before the previous header with links to audio books, except that the link to an exclusive edition has been removed.
** The header consist of an image with text above five small drawings with two text parts in between them. To the left is the closed How To book which is black with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. To the right of the book is a drawing of Ponytail pole-vaulting with two black helium filled balloons. Next to her is the first text segment. Then after that is the drawing, seen before in the header text, of a truck towing a house up a steep hill. This truck goes above the second text segment, with Cueball somersaulting above the text. Furthest right, above and just right of the text is an explosion with the sound written inside. Below the header image is some black text and then the links to where to get it as regular blue link text.
* The text:
** My new book '''''How To''''' explores the science behind spacecraft heat shields, butterfly metabolisms, and land border surveys...
** ...By imagining ridiculous ideas for applying the research to you everyday life...
** ...And illustrating what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191201191025/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-01] when [[2235: Group Chat Rules]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-06 - Audio clip===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191106204314/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-06].
* [[2224: Software Updates]] was still up when the header changed, but the first archive version was first from after the next comic came out [[2225: Voting Referendum]].
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here making the image a link to the How To book on Penguin Random House's audio book, where an audio clip read by Wil Wheaton can be sampled.
** The links below to order have now changed to those with audio books.
** The header consist of an image with text, with a "blue link", above the How To book that is being folded out from closed; to partially open; to opened up on two full pages; this takes three images. The closed book is the black book with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. The partly open book still has this cover partly visible, but unreadable, as well as come unreadable text in the open side. The open book shows two pages with lots of unreadable text and three figures (maybe one is a table). Next to the open book there is an arrow to the right pointing at an audio icon with three audio lines in front. Below the header image are the links as regular text.
* The text:
** You can click here to hear a clip from the audio version of '''''How To''''', read by Wil Wheaton.
** [https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world/id1475319694 Apple], [https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems/369279 Audiobooks], [https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/How-To-Audiobook/1473680360?qid=1574679523&sr=1-1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=DX3EZ14M14CFQPP9GHJY&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1 Audible], [https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Randall_Munroe_How_To?id=LzSGDwAAQBAJ Google Play], and [https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525635680 Libro.fm]
* The entire image is a link to the [https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576760/how-to/ How To book on Penguin Random House] page, where the audio clip can he played.
** As always it is the entire picture that is a link, and not only the blue underlined text that says click here!
It was last on the archive on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191122044456/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22] when [[2231: the Time Before And After Land]] was on the front page. But it was most likely still up when [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] came out. But then changed during the next day.

===2019-10-02 - Horse vs football team===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191002005854/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-02].
* [[2210: College Athletes]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed. This time the image seems to be from one of the How To explanations in the book.
** The links below to order are the same as the previous header.
** But new text is added after the links to promote two events with Randall in New York the two days after this header came up.
*** These links disappeared after a week leaving only the picture and the link to buy the book. See below.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball riding bareback on a horse. He comes from the left holding an American football. Running towards him from the right are eight American football players with helmets with three stars on the back of the helmet. Two of the players at the back are almost hidden by players in front of them. Beneath them is a line of text that belongs to the image, the period at the end of the sentence hangs in height with the center line of the last letter E... Then below the image follows the link and promotion of the NY events, these are written in regular.
* The text:
** My new book ''How To'' is out now! You can get it here.
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target] I'll be at New York Comic Con! I'm giving [https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Explore/Panels/Panels-And-Screenings/#/event/how-todo-anything-with-randall-munroe-creator-of-xkcd a talk on Thursday], and on
** Friday [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event at Caveat NYC].
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The link to Target still seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably a still undiscovered error on Randall's part?
This header changed, but so slightly that the changes will only be mentioned here rather than in a new section:
* The first link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191004014438/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-04]
* Then the day after only the second link remained from [https://web.archive.org/web/20191005041539/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-10-05]. [[2211: Hours Before Departure]] came out when it changed.
** But the text of this link changed as it had been a continues text from one to the other link. Also it was not entirely on it's own line, thus not as with the first link whose text was directly connected to the line with the links to buy the book.
** The new text of that link was:
*** [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event] Friday night at Caveat NYC!
*** The last link was the same, but now it only covered two words not the entire end of the sentence.
** This other link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191007042707/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-07].
* And then the last link was gone by [https://web.archive.org/web/20191008053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-08], when [[2212: Cell Phone Functions]] came out.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191105164001/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-05] when [[2224: Software Updates]] was up.

===2019-09-30 - Tons of fun===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190930234245/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-30].
* [[2209: Fresh Pears]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed to how much fun it was for Randall to write it and how proud he is of the result. Randall, as Cueball, is saying this in the new header image.
** The links below to order are the same, except a new has been added at the end.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball standing to the left of the book, shown as tall as he is. The book is opened up on two pages with lots of unreadable text as well as three drawings, only one of these, with a circle diagram, can clearly be seen. Cueball is speaking, and the text is above him and the book. Two words are blue with a line under as if they where a link. But as always the entire image is a link. Beneath the image is the links on where to order the book.
* The text:
** Writing my new book '''''How To''''' was tons of fun and I'm so proud of the result. It's out now-Click Here to order!
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The new link to Target seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably an error on Randall's part.
It ended on October 2nd while [[2210: College Athletes]] where up. But there is no archived versions from the 1st of October and the one from the 2nd is with the next version. But the editor of this was making changes to the explanation of College Athletes before the next header change came along.

===2019-09-11 - How To available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190911053115/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-11].
* [[2200: Unreachable State]] was still up when the header changed.
* The release day part of the promotion was changed to telling that the new [[How To]] book was available. With teasers about what is in the book below the heading. On either side of the text a picture of the book is still shown. Also the links below changed, adding three new and removing one old.
** The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the links on where to order it.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font.
* The text:
** How To is available now!
** Learn how to open bottles with nuclear weapons and how to be on time for meetings by altering the Earths rotation. The book also features advice from real-life experts including Chris Hadfield and Serena Williams.
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* {{w|Serena Williams}} is a famous tennis player who was also featured in one of the [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion comics]] for How To: [[2190: Serena Versus the Drones]]
* {{w|Chris Hadfield}} is a Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. The first Canadian to walk in space, Hadfield has flown two Space Shuttle missions and served as commander of the International Space Station.
** The new link to audible probably needs the user to be signed up, else it will go to the front page and ask yo to sign up. But from the archive the page can be seen [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923004816/https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 here].
Up till [https://web.archive.org/web/20190922143253/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-22] it looked like this.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923145251/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-23] and extra link was added after Audible:
** [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target].
* [[2205: Types of Approximation]] was up when this change occurred during a weekend.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190929223547/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-29] when [[2208: Drone Fishing]] was up.

===2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190904051509/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-04].
* [[2198: Throw]] was already up when the header changed slightly, as the text below Happy release day changed.
Most of the header stayed the same as the [[#2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar|day before]], but the reference to the Gregorian/Julian calendar was changed.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text.Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flowing on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan comes who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** Happy How To release day!
** Available wherever books are sold.
** (Mostly bookstores, I assume but you can always try your luck at Wendy's.)
* See below for any other details.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190909211737/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-09] when [[2200: Unreachable State]] was up.

===2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190903051503/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-03]
* [[2197: Game Show]] was still up when the header changed, but it was for sure to coincide with [[2198: Throw]] which came out later on the release day while it still looked like in this version.
* Randall celebrated the release day of [[How To]], coming out the day the header changed.
** The comic is also a reference to a chapter in the book on how to throw things. A very complicated interactive comic where different persons or other living things can be chosen to throw dead or living things. The trow will then be shown below with distance measured in two units, normal and special. That is if the thrower can actually manage to throw the thing.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. The two black books have red stars around them, five on the outer side of the image and 6 on the inner, the stars are mirrored around left and right book. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** How To Randall Munroe
** Happy How To release day!
** (Gregorian calendar. The Julian edition doesn't come out for 13 more days.)
** How To Randall Munroe
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Most of the world uses the {{w|Gregorian calendar}}, but before it was taken into use, the {{w|Julian calendar}} was in use.
** The Julian calendar does not take into account that every 100 years a leap year should be passed as in the Gregorian calendar, and thus it is at the moment 13 days behind, as it has has this many February 29th too many. Since there should actually be a leap year every 400 year, and the last of those was 2000, then it has been 13 days since 1900, and will stay like this until 2100 when it will become 14 days.
** The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Already the next day the part of the header below happy release day about the Gregorian calendar changed. See [[#2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore|above]].

===2019-08-27 - Out in a week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190827082224/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27].
* [[2194: How to Send a File]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], coming out a week from this header.
** It is only three lines of text
* The text:
** My new book, How To, comes out next week!
** Read an exclusive excerpt about transmission [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* Later [https://web.archive.org/web/20190827184229/https://xkcd.com/2194/ on the same day], (and here for the next day [https://web.archive.org/web/20190828095401/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27] for the front page), more text and links where added, plus the order of the text was changed.
* The later text was:
** My new book, [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To], comes out in a week! ([https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/23/book-tour-and-contest-winner/ Book tour info])
** You can preorder it now to get a copy when it's released:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
** You can also read an exclusive excerpt about file transfers [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
* The link to the book tour also include the winner of the [[#2019-06-25 - People with books|contest]] to get Randall to add "your" city to his book tour.
** The winner was {{w|Juneau, Alaska}}.
It ended on the release day 2019-09-03, so this was last on the page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902042108/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-02].

===2019-08-06 - Win a sketch===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06].
* [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was up when the header changed.
** Most likely the header changed when that comic came out on 2019-08-05. But the previous header was also out during that day.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now making a competition where you can win a stick figure sketch of yourself. (Although only for US residents!)
** The image shows Hairy, with a cat at his feet and Megan (or Danish?) with a samurai sword. They are standing with their backs towards each other, the cat on the left, Megan facing right with the sword towards the words.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** Want to win a sketch of yourself as a stick figure? [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ Click here] to find out how!
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''Win an xkcd sketch''
*** That is even though only the click here part of the text is in blue, like a link.
*** Cause as he often has written: I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps, most recently in the [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]] header.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190826062701/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-26] when [[2193: Well-Ordering Principle]] was up.

===2019-08-03 - First look inside===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190803222711/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-03].
* [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now stating that it comes out next month.
** Set to be released on September 3rd 2019, this update was made exactly one month before.
** The image shows text to the left of three drawings of the book: First the closed book showing the black front cover with blue and white text and white drawings, then the book is partly opened, and finally it lays opened up showing two pages, with a readable heading on the right page.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** My new book comes out next month. Click here for a first look inside!
** [On the books front cover only two thins can be read:]
*** How To
*** Randal Munroe.
** [These two words can also partly be read on the opening book.]
** [Only the large heading can be read on the right page of the open book:]
*** How to Dig a Hole.
** [These two pages also became part of a special comic relased during the weekend when this header was up: [[Disappearing Sunday Update]].]
** [The [[Disappearing_Sunday_Update#Transcript|transcript of that comic]] describes the images in the open book.]
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/02/how-to-chapter-list-and-introduction/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''How To: Chapter list and introduction''.
It stayed up like this while the special [[Disappearing Sunday Update]] came out on Sunday 2019-08-04, and was there still on Monday [ https://web.archive.org/web/20190805050812/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-05], at least during the time that the Sudan Update was still up.
* When the next comic came out late that Monday, it probably disappeared along with the Disappearing comic, but the first update with the next header is from Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06], but the Monday comic [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was still on the front page at that time,.

===2019-07-23 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190723205152/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-23].
* [[2179: NWS Warnings]] was up when the header changed.
It returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon header, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]]
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190802192259/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-02] while [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up. The day after when it changed that comic was still up.

===2019-07-15 - ComiCon===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190715181016/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-15].
* [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up when the header changed.
Randall tells that he will be at ComicCon and links to his plans there.
* The text:
** Going to San Diego Comic Con this week? I'll [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/07/15/san-diego-comic-con/ see you there]!
*** The link is to a [[Blag]] post about his plans for the ComicCon
* Randall appeared in a couple of panels, and gave a talk.
* Finally he also handed out signed copies of his new [[How To]] book more than a month before official release.
** So still promoting the book, also in this header...
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190722192637/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-07-22] the day after the ComiCon ended, while [[2178: Expiration Date High Score]] was up.
* Then it returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon announcement when [[2179: NWS Warnings]] came out.

===2019-07-10 - Adding links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190710165920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-10].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was still up when the header changed slightly from that fro the day before.
* Only change was that beneath the picture, see [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]], there is now a list of four links to companies where the book can be preordered.
* The extra text:
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
Note that the day after this change, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190711172451/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-11], a link to [[How To]] was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|links]] in the top left corner of xkcd.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190714175710/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-14] when [[2175: Flag Interpretation]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up.

===2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190709162102/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-09].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]].
** The image shows a small picture of his book with text on either side.
** Below are what appears to be three drawings from the book. [[Ponytail]] pole vaultig with three baloons in one hand, then text, then a truck with a house behind it speeding fast up a hill then text and finally [[Cueball]] somersaulting towards an explosion.
** To the right there is a big blue button to click for preorder, with text below.
* The text:
** New book [Arrow points to book. Title can be read: How To]
** How To: Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** It's a guide to bad ways to do things...
** ...And what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** Click here to preorder
** Or click anywhere. I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps.
*** The entire picture is a [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ link] to the official [[How To]] page on xkcd: https://xkcd.com/how-to/
*** See [[1572: xkcd Survey]] where Randall mentions that he cannot make imagemaps.
It stayed up like this only for a day, then an extra line of links was added the day after while the same comic was still up, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]].
* But the general header stayed up first for five days, and then it returned again for 10 more days after a break to announce a [[#2019-07-15 - ComiCon|ComiCon visit]].
* So a total of 16 days with this drawing.

===2019-06-25 - People with books===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190625190843/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-25].
* [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], and his book tour.
** The image now shows 15 people standing side by side each holding a book up in front of them with unreadable titles.
** From left: [[Megan]], [[Cueball]], a man with blonde hair, [[Jill]], [[Blondie]], [[Hairy]], another Hairy, [[White Hat]], a kid with curly hair, [[Hairbun]], another Cueball, another Megan, a guy with a knit cap, [[Ponytail]], and [[Beret Guy]].
** Above them is a text message.
* The text:
** Want to bring me to your town for my '''''How To''''' book tour? Click to find out how to enter the challenge!
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** A longer sentence will improve your chances.
**** This is indeed what this header picture shows.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190708155517/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-08] when [[2172: Lunar Cycles]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up.

===2019-06-15 - Adding dates===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190615100645/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-15]
* [[2163: Chernobyl]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall only made a small change to the one that had been up for four days at this time.
* The text only changed by adding a line below the first line:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Click here for dates and tickets]
*** The rest of the header is exactly the same as on [[#2019-06-11 - Book tour|2019-06-11]], except everything is a bit smaller to make room in the same place for the extra line.
*** The link is not located on the blue part of the text and it was already there before this update.
*** Best guess is that not many clicked through and Randall then made it obvious that there was a link.
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click. But it is easier to make a place for people to click than tell them this...
The header stayed like this until 2019-06-25, when it changed while [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up. But this one was still up when that comic came out the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20190624162740/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-24].

===2019-06-11 - Book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190611031920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-11]
* [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was up when the header changed.
** '''Note''' when this change happened two new links was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] section of xkcd.
* Randall changed the header text to announce the official book tour for his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 3 months later.
* The text:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Below this header is a map of the mainland USA with 14 labeled black dots indicates the 14 cities that the book tour will take Randall to. One red dot with five red question marks above is located beneath the map to the left, indicating a 15th city to be chosen in a contest. Above the map to the right is a small picture of the book with the blue title on the black cover. Above the book is the release date and with an arrow pointing down to the book.]
** September 3rd
** How to
** Seattle
** Portland
** San Francisco
** Santa Cruz
** Los Angeles
** Salt Lake City
** Kansas City
** Ann Arbor
** Cincinnati
** Louisville
** Cambridge
** New York
** D.C.
** Raleigh
** ????? (Chosen by readers)
** [The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.]
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** Only US cities can apply.
* The header only stayed exactly like this for three days, and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190614094729/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-14] when [[2162: Literary Opinions]] was on the front page.
** Then it changed slightly to indicate that the picture was a link which was not clear before. See above.

===2019-05-17 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190517103928/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-17]:
* [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was still up when the header changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with Google reader here below.
* See [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|2019-02-06]] below for all details.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610055519/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-06-10], while [[2160: Ken Burns Theory]] was still up on the day the next comic [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was to be released (where the new header could be found at least the next day, but maybe from the release of that comic?). Then it changed to announce the book tour for his new book.

===2019-04-23 - Google Reader===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190423155458/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-23]:
* [[2140: Reinvent the Wheel]] came out when it changed, ending a more than two and half month long [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|promotion]] of Randall's new book [[How To]].
* Randall changed the header text to ask if the reader still mourned the loss of {{w|Google Reader}} which closed on 2013-07-01, almost 6 years before this comic..
** He offers the possibility to sign up to receive the newest comic by e-mail.
* The comic may have relation to this, as some where using Google reader for different purposes when they closed it, without any chance of [https://www.google.com/reader/about/ getting your data out].
** The comic "Reinvent the Wheel" mentions that using external dependencies carry risks, such as Google closing down a feature. given the fact that the comic came out as the header changed it is probably not a coincidence.
* The text:
** Still mourning the demise of Google Reader? You can sign up to get new comics delivered by email [https://xkcd.com/newsletter/ here].
* The link is to https://xkcd.com/newsletter, where it is possible to submit your e-mail address and press a subscribe button.
** the following text is written above it:
** To receive the comic and news postings in your inbox, subscribe here.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190516100403/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-16], when [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was up. Then it changed back to the promotion of his new book.

===2019-02-06 - How to book===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06]:
* [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up at the time when it changed, having been up since Monday the 4th of February.
** Here it can be seen being on the front of xkcd on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], without the new text. This was also the last time the standard header text was used in several months.
** [[2108: Carbonated Beverage Language Map]] came up later on the day the header changed.
* Randall changed the header text to promote his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 7 months later.
** He added an image of the book with large text next to it regarding the release and links on how to preorder it.
** There was no direct relation to the comics released at the time, except of course that he kind of launched his new book with all the risk it involves, while having a comic called launch risk up. It was though a very different and more real type of launch risk (of a human carrying space rocket) in the comic.
* The text:
** [The book is shown to the left as a black rectangle with large blue text and smaller gray text. On the book cover, in white drawings, are seen Megan with a ladder and either Black or White Hat (hard to say on black background). Both are looking up on Cueball who is floating in the air with a quadcopter beneath either leg, trying to plug in an electric light bulb in a naked lamp hanging down near him. It seems he has already removed the broken light bulb, as he has one in both hands. And now he tries to put in the new one. He could have let Megan use the ladder...]
** [The header in blue above it all:] How To.
** [Sub header in gray to the left of Cueball:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [Author name in blue below the drawing:] Randall Munroe
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Creator of xkcd
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Author of what if? and Thing Explainer
** [Next to this book image are the following text:]
** [Large heading:] HOW TO
** [Normal size sub header:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [In smaller gray font below:] Available September 3, 2019.
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word still in gray:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* It stayed up for more than two and a half month and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190422030324/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-22], when [[2139: Email Settings]] was up. Then it finally changed to a new header without going back to the standard.

===2018-11-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07]
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], so two days less than three months.
** After this it did not return to the standard text for almost three years, but just short of a month before the third year without it, it returned on [[#2022-01-08 - Back to standard text|2022-01-08]].

===2018-11-06 - Election Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181106122850/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-06]:
* [[2068: Election Night]] (on election day the day after this comic was released).
** It added a larger comic above the two links from the previous header. Those links of the previous header text was still up the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], when [[2067: Challengers]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header once more to try to make more people vote, and in this case help others to vote.
** Once again directly related to the new comic about election night.
* The text:
** [A line of altering blue and red stars, blue first and last of two rows of nine starts around of the heading:]
** Election Day!
** [Below Black Hat and Ponytail to the left and Megan to the right of Cueball is checking their smart phones. Cueball is addressing the reader:]
** Cueball: The biggest thing you can do th help is to check in with friends and family and make sure they know when and where they're voting.
** [Below these four characters there is the following text with two arrows pointing left and right. Both are turning up to text/links on either side of the four:]
** Use these links to answer questions
** [To the left:] Where and how to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ Vote-org]
** [To the right:] What's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
** [Below was the two links from the previous header:]
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* It was only up one day and thus on ended the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07] when the next comic [[2069: Wishlist]] came out.
** The text then returned to the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
*** It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05].

===2018-11-02 - Where to vote===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02]:
* [[2067: Challengers]] (on the Friday, it was released).
** It added another link to the previous header text. That text was still up the day before on Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].
** That was while comic [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to let people know who is on their voting ballot, and as before there is also a link on how to register for voting.
** This is also directly related to the new comic that came out that day, about helping people to decide who to vote for, i.e. who is on their ballot.
* The text:
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, four days after the release of this comic.
* It was still up the day before the election day, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], and then it changed with the next comic.

===2018-10-22 - Register for voting===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181022120935/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-22]:
* [[2061: Tectonics Game]] (on a Monday, the 3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The standard text was still up Sunday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181021141446/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-21].
** The comic [[2062: Barnard's Star]] was released later that day.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to try to get people to register for voting.
* The text:
** Check your registration and find your polling place at [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, about two weeks after the release of this comic.
** It is generally believed that many of those not voting would have chosen democrats on election day, and thus Randall has an interest in getting as many as possible to register, see [[1756: I'm With Her]] (apart from the fact that he also most likely thinks that it is important to use the right to vote).
* It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02], when [[2067: Challengers]] came out.
** It was still there while [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].

===2018-09-13 - NY votes today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20180913133544/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-13]
* [[2045: Social Media Announcement]] (the day after the release of the comic.)
** It was not up when the comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180912131437/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-12].
* It was a short lived reminder that NY votes today below the usual standard text.
* The text:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** NY votes today! Find your polling place [https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ here]. (Zephyr Teachout for AG!)
* It ended with [[2046: Trum-]], the very next comic, on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180914175605/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-14], returning to the standard text.

===2017-11-26 - Christmas gifts===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20171126130857/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-26]
* [[1920: Emoji Sports]] had been up two days [https://web.archive.org/web/20171125125648/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-25] before the message changed from the normal version. But it changed the day before the next comic came up.
** It was changed to a commercial for Christmas shopping with a code for getting 5$ of the price with a codes for different online shops.
* The text:
** To anyone looking for Christmas gifts: Until Monday you can get $5 off
** [https://www.amazon.com/What-International-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544456866 What If?] and [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Thing Explainer] on Amazon with coupon code GIFTBOOK17.
** At Barnes & Noble, until Sunday you can get 20% off [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 What If?] and [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432 Thing Explainer] using code GIVETHANKS.
* It was only up a few days and ended with [[1922: Interferometry]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171130150053/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-30] where it returned to the standard text.
** But it was still up when the comic in between [[1921: The Moon and the Great Wall]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171129140033/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-29].

===2017-09-22 - Visiting the UK===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170922232616/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22]:
* [[1893: Thread]] (with its release).
** It was not up on the previous comic [[1892: USB Cables]], on the day they changed [https://web.archive.org/web/20170922025204/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22].
* It was an announcement that Randall would visit the UK next week.
* The text:
** I'll be visiting the UK next week! You can join me in London from September 30-October 2 (at [https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/randall-munroe New Scientist Live], [https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2017/october/public-lunchtime-talk--randall-munroe The Royal Institution], and [https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/randall-munroe-on-making-complicated-stuff-simple/ Intelligence Squared]), then from October 3-6 in [https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/public_lectures/randall_munroe_thing_explainer York], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thing-explaining-with-randall-munroe-tickets-37832289396 Edinburgh], [https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/randall-murray-thing-explainer/ Cambridge and Ely], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randall-munroe-book-signing-thing-explainer-tickets-38041072873 Oxford], and [https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on/2017/randall-munroe/ Cheltenham].
* Ended with [[1900: Jet Lag]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171010045802/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-10] when the text returned to normal.
** But it was still up the day before with [[1899: Ears]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171009040109/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-09].

===2017-07-31 - Thank you===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170731021227/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31]:
* [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] (3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The comic [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released later that day.
** Megan is holding hand with Cueball and next to them is two words above each other: Thank you.
** The image is also a link.
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170801042453/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/us/politics/senate-votes-repeal-obamacare.html How Each Senator Voted on Obamacare Repeal Proposals], an article showing the senate votes. (here in an archived version).
* Ended with [[1872: Backup Batteries]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170804152509/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-04], but was still up when [[1871: Bun Alert]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170803124342/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-03].

===2017-07-25 - Vote against health care bill===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25]:
* [[1867: Physics Confession]] (2nd day after release of the comic, it was not up on the first day: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-24]).
* Randall modified the xkcd header to ask readers to support voting against Donald Trump's new health care bill.
** The header was replaced with an image which is available in an archived version [https://web.archive.org/web/20170726150959im_/https://imgs.xkcd.com/notes/call-senate.png here].
** The image is also a link (and you can click anywhere on it to go to the link that is mentioned).
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170729003307/https://www.trumpcareten.org/daily TrumpCare Ten] (here in an archived version).
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click.
** Transcript of the image:
*** [Megan is holding hand with Cueball next to three lines of large text, the same height as they are:]
*** Please tell your senators to vote against this health care bill. It will hurt people.
*** [After these three lines there is a phone number in a very large bold font with a line of text below:]
*** 202-224-3121
*** Or click here for more info
*** [Below the above is a gray line which is split in the middle with gray text, and below that four state names in white text inside black boxes:]
*** Know anyone in these states? Ask them to call, too.
*** Alaska Maine Nevada Ohio West Virginia
* Ended while [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170731164828/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31], when it was replaced by a ''Thank you''.
** That comic came out already [https://web.archive.org/web/20170728124230/https://xkcd.com/ three days before] (Friday comic), but was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170730141019/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-30]) when the message changed sometimes between Sunday 30th and Monday 31st (where [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released).

===2017-01-21 - Update on previous===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170122003124/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]:
* [[1788: Barge]]
* It came up almost a month after Christmas but did not really change the sales pitch of the previous. It just removed the link image with the large red text, see previous version below.
* The text:
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
* Ended with [[1867: Physics Confession]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25].
** That comic came up [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ the day before] the above version of the header appeared.
** So the first day after release it was still the T-shirt commercial.
** And it did not return to the standard version in between.

===2016-11-28 - Christmas sale===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128153015/https://xkcd.com 2016-11-28]
* [[1765: Baby Post]]
* This came up in time for the Christmas sale of 2016.
* The text was
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
** Above the text there was an image with two black t-shirts with white print on the chest. They were located at either end of a large red text written in the text type used in the comic. This text said New xkcd shirts.
** The entire image was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* Ended with [[1788: Barge]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20170121114423/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]

===2016-04-23 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160423103108/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-23]
* When [[1671: Arcane ]] came out (probably 2016-04-22, but no earlier archived versions exist) the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this for more than 7 months until [[1764: XKCDE]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20161128093459/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-11-28].

===2016-04-04 - Protip on Garden===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185353/https://www.xkcd.com/#5dbfbb82-fc20-11e5-8001-42010a8e000d 2016-04-04]
* Because of the complexity of the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1663: Garden]], Randall needed to give people some advice, hence a [[:Category:Protip|protip]] was added.
** This came in several versions, not all managed to be documented in the archive. See more in the trivia for garden regarding the [[1663:_Garden#Header_text_after_release|Header text after release]].
* The header text became a protip with the following text (the first version not documented only had the first line):
** '''Protip''': If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
** You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.
* When the next comic, [[1664: Mycology]], was released two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406194653/https://xkcd.com/1664/ 2016-04-06], an extra line of text was added, due to the issues caused by Garden not being on the front page {{xkcd}} but only on the numbered page {{xkcd|1663}}.
** This change was first documented on the front page the day after on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160407010635/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-07]
** The change was of course also on and all the other comic and thus also on the Garden comic from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406192530/https://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-04-06].
* Text added below the other two lines:
** Note: If you're seeing today's comic in place of your garden, change the URL from xkcd.com/#<your code> to xkcd.com/1663/#<your code>.
*** This extra line was only there until next time the comic change, so last day was [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408145017/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08].
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408195958/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08] when [[1665: City Talk Pages]] was released the extra line was removed leaving the two written first here above.
** This was also the case on the Garden comic (and all other comics) from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408204740/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-08].
* The Protip stayed in the main header text until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160422102754/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-22] when [[1670: Laws of Physics]] was up.
** But even though it disappeared from main header and thus from all other comic it stayed on the Garden comic, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160423182630/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-23].
** And it has then turned out to become one of the permanent [[xkcd_Header_text#Garden|Unique header texts]].

===2016-04-04 - Back to standard text as Garden came up===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404123555/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04]
* For a brief period of time, when [[1663: Garden]] was finally released, the Header text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But this lasted less than 13 hours. (Time between the previous and next archived version is 13 hours and 7 minutes).
** As people needed guidance to the new complicated comic.

===2016-04-01 - April 1st comic - technical difficulties===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401204749/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01]
* When Randall had problem releasing [[1663: Garden]] several [[1663:_Garden#April_Fools.27_header_text|April Fools' header text]] arrived in short succession while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was still up.
* Each of these where simple text.
** The first from the link abve:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Please stand by!
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402125723/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2016-04-02] at 12:57:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Status update: Please stand by.
*** Status update: This is fine. Everything is fine.
*** Status update: Everything is on fire.
*** Status update: Searching for calendar systems in which Saturday is April 1st.
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402175822/https://www.xkcd.com 2016-04-02] at 17:58:
*** The Friday xkcd comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties
*** [Editor's note: Everything is on fire] and has been delayed until Sunday night.
* It stayed like the third version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160404054612/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04] three days after the April Fools' Day comic was supposed to come out, so Jack and Jill was up until it changed.
This was what was needed to stop more than 10 months of promotion of the [[Thing Explainer]] book, see below.

===2015-12-13 - Thing Explainer is available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151213194534/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-13]
* [[1615: Red Car]] was still up when the header changed.
** The change was that the promotion for where Randall was last week where removed and left only the promotion the book [[Thing Explainer]]:
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160401125621/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01] while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was on the front page.
** This was the last time that Thing Explainer was [[:Category:Book promotion|promoted]] in the header text.
*** The first time was [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|2015-05-14]], so it had been part of the header text for almost ten and a half month. That is a record!

===2015-12-05 - Thing Explainer is available and Next week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05]
* [[1612: Colds]] was up when the header changed.
** This was also at this time the [[2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer|previous header texts image] was moved below the comic.
* Randall goes back to a simple promotion of the book [[Thing Explainer]] listing where to boy it.'
** But he adds a line about where he will be next week, first to a book shop on Illinois and then later in Toronto, where the host was {{w|Ryan North}} from [https://qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics], one of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|comics Randall enjoys]].
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** I'll be in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151211002159/https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/event/naperville-reads-randall-munroe Naperville, IL] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205205714/https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indigo-exclusive-randall-munroe-tickets-18694384407 Toronto, ON] (with [https://qwantz.com/ Ryan North]!) next week.
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151212133400/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-12-12] while [[1615: Red Car]] was on the front page.

===2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151203234149/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-03]
* [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was still up when the header changed.
** This was a special one comic header text consisting of a large image with pages and excerpts from the book [[Thing Explainer]].
** The image was larger than most comics, and took away the focus of today's comic.
** So already two days after, when [[1612: Colds]] was released, the image was relegated to the being below the comic, but inside the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Main_comic|main comic]] segment, thus not a part of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Bottom_segment|bottom segment]].
*** But it was displayed in the header for all comics, here [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204030024/https://xkcd.com/1609/ an example] from the comic released two comics before 1611, [[1609: Food Combinations]].
*** See more (and the image) [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]] on the page for Thing Explainer.
* Description of the image:
** At the top are shown four pages from the book. Two mainly blue, left and right, with white text and large images and between them two mainly white pages with blue text and smaller images. None of the text is readable, but the two blue pages pictures can be understood even in this size.
*** The first page is number 2 about an animal cell: ''Tiny bags of water you’re made of''. It shows a detailed drawing of a human cell, with text at the top, and then several labels with text beneath that have arrows pointing to different parts of the cell.
*** The second page is number 31 about the cockpit of an airplane: ''Stuff you touch to fly a sky boat''. It shows the inside of a cockpit with view out of the four windows, with lots of buttons in the ceiling, and blue screens and instruments at the bottom. Out the windows can be seen clouds and Cueball hanging from a balloon (a reference to [[1110: Click and Drag]]).
**** A zoom in on this page is shown beneath the four pages, see more below.
*** The third page is page 27. What is on this page is a bit difficult to see, as there are no big drawings with clear meaning. It is the second page in a two page section on Data centers, with the second page focusing on the Computer: ''Computer building''. The pictures shows the data racks, to the right, and the individual computer components put into these, to the top left, with the wiring shown below to the left. Lots of text with arrows to different parts.
*** The fourth page is page 23 about Trees: ''Tree''. It clearly shows the silhouette of a white tree on blue background. Several animal live on, in and beneath it. Cueball is standing on the ground. All the text are beneath labels that points to parts of the tree or the tree dwellers.
** In between the two time two pages there is a readable text, split over five lines, with two arrow at the top going from the corners of the text to the near corners of the white pages to either side. And below three arrows, with two pointing similarly as the two top arrows, but starting at the bottom of the text, and one arrow pointing straight down from the middle of the text to the large image below.
** Beneath all this is a large image which shows a zoom in on the left part of the cockpit from the second page above. The zoom is focused on the two front windows, but only the left is entirely in the picture, and the balloon hanging Cueball, cannot be seen in this part of the right window.
*** At this zoom level, most of the text van be read (that is labels written on things or having arrows pointing to them). Clouds can bee seen out of both windows and in the background a rocket launch with smoke plume below the rocket is visible. The horizon line is well defines across both windows. Some of the instruments can be seen below the windows with text written on them. And some blue areas, mainly screens can be seen.
** Beneath this picture is a line with links to where the book can be ordered, like the one from the previous header text.
* The text:
** Pages from my new book, ''Thing Explainer'': Complicated stuff in simple words.
** [Labels in the cockpit]:
*** Sky
*** Ground (This should be below the sky. If it's above the sky, you're either having a big problem or doing something ''really'' fun.)
*** Use this stuff to tell the sky boat to fly itself.
*** Fly
*** How fast it feels IAS 172
*** Direction HDG 240
*** Fall or rise
*** How high 2500
*** Fly
*** Helpful screen
*** Where the ground is
*** You are: Flying
*** Look here if there is a problem
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image is a link to [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU Thing Explainer on Amazon].
* It was only part of the header for two days until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204050419/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-04].
** It was then moved below the comics as mentioned above from [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05] when the next comic [[1612: Colds]] came out.

===2015-11-24 - Thing Explainer is out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151124201602/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-24]
* [[1607: Supreme Court]] was still up, but [[1608: Hoverboard]] most have come out close to the change.
** See both [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 00:12] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125230753/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 23:07].
** Since this new "comic" was actually a {{w|browser game}} made to celebrate the release of Randall's new book, ''[[Thing Explainer]]'', which was released on the same day as this comic: Tuesday, November 24, 2015. The comic thus appeared on a Tuesday, replacing that week's normal Wednesday release to coincide with the release day.
** Hence it is a shame that there is no archived versions on the 24th showing Hoverboard on the front page. Even though the new version of the Header text is shown on the 24th, but on the previous comic.
* Cause all the header text is about is the release day of Thing Explainer!
** The top part is text with a line with large letters and a line below in brackets and using smaller letters. Below that there is a line dividing the text from the next part.
** Below follows the same header that was up as early as [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] with the open book and three lines of text.
* The text:
** My new book, [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer], is out today!
** (If you're in NYC, you can also [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925015809/https://stores.barnesandnoble.com:80/author/11170358 come see me]!)
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the ten-hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the order line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Already the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25], when [[1608: Hoverboard]] was up, an extra line (a link) was added below the above. A line was separating it from the links above:
** [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ A puzzle for UK readers]
*** This was to a blag post with A puzzle for the UK because he could not go to UK in person. So this was a kind of bonus for those who could solve it. (We need an entry on that here on xkcd...)
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20151127114432/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-27] is still looked like this but then when the next comic, [[1609: Food Combinations]], came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128130851/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-28] the line about seeing him in New York was removed.
* The version with the puzzle, but without the New York line, was then up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151201222148/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-01] when [[1610: Fire Ants]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151202225254/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-12-02] the line with the puzzle at the bottom was changed to:
** I'm doing a [https://www.facebook.com/AndyWeirAuthor/ live Q&A;] at 2:30pm PT with The Martian author Andy Weir.
*** The link is to {{w|Andy Weir}}'s Facebook page. And the Q&A can likely not be seen anymore.
*** Randall has made no less than two comics about the movie {{w|The Martian (film)|The Martian}}, [[1536: The Martian]] and [[1585: Similarities]].
** It only lasted that day, and this became the last day with this header text, so it ended while [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was up.

===2015-10-22 - World Polio Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151022200022/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-22]
* [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up when the header changed.
** Randall mentions World Polio Day and the comic he drew for Bill Gates' blog, [[XKCD Marks the Spot]].
** Although he still keeps mentioning the release date for [[Thing Explainer]].
* The text:
** We've [https://slate.com/technology/2015/08/no-new-polio-in-africa-for-one-year-gates-epidemiologist-on-vaccines-and-surveillance.html almost eradicated polio]. For World Polio Day, I drew a comic
** about the eradication efforts. You can see it on [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/XKCD-Marks-the-Spot Bill Gates's blog].
** My [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ new book] of complex diagrams and simple words comes out Nov 24th.
*** The last line is split from the Polio announcement with a line.
* Was there until [[1607: Supreme Court]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151124065108/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-11-24].
** That was the day that the book was released, and when the next comic [[1608: Hoverboard]] came out, it was a celebration of the book.

===2015-09-23 - Book trip and tool===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923044724/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-23]:
* [[1580: Travel Ghost]] was up when the header changed.
** Announcing the book trip for the [[Thing Explainer]] book as well as linking to a Thing Explainer word checker tool! Two lines of text with links.
* The text:
** News: Announcing my Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/im-going-on-a-book-trip/ book trip]. Come say hi!
** Other news: Announcing the Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/a-thing-explainer-word-checker/ word checker] tool!
*** Both links are to the [[Blag]], the first a schedule for his book trip, and the second telling about Randall's new [https://xkcd.com/simplewriter/ Simple Writer] that could help you ''Write Like Up Goer Five and Thing Explainer''.
* Was there until [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151021164208/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-21].

===2015-09-06 - New links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150906181550/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-06]:
* [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was still up when the header changed.
** The promotion of the book, [[Thing Explainer]], stayed the same with a picture above links to preorder it, but the links was reduced from four to two, the amazon link changed and a new company was added for the second link removing the other three.
** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details on the image.
* The new link text:
** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thing-Explainer-Randall-Munroe/dp/1473620910 Amazon.co.uk}, [https://www.waterstones.com/book/thing-explainer/9781473620919 Waterstones]
* Was there until [[1579: Tech Loops]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150919220105/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-22].

===2015-08-09 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150809230825/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-09]:
* [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was still up when the header changed.
** It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with other news here below.
*** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details.
* Stayed like this until [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154014/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-05], but the only change was that the links to preorder changed from four to only two.

===2015-06-06 - Other news===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150606084120/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-06-06]
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was still up.
** This was just adding some "Other news", but leaving the promotion of [[Thing Explainer]] unchanged as in the [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|previous header]], but adding two news stories in text below the link to preorder.
* The new text:
** In other news, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrdAvmr-MA Space Weird Thing] is delightful, and I feel surprisingly invested in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150720074919/https://twitter.com/xkcdbracket @xkcdbracket's] results.
*** The link to Space Weird Thing is a YouTube video with a simple words version of {{w|David Bowie|David Bowie's}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo Space Oddity] music video, using only the top then hundred words. The creators contributes the idea to the [[1133: Up Goer Five]] diagram which also inspired the book Thing Explainer, also promoted in this header text.
*** The other link is referring to [[1529: Bracket]] released 12 days before this update, as a twitter user made a survey going through all the brackets all the way to a winner was found. Seems Randall became interested in who won. See more on the comics page.
* Was there until [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150807181044/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-07]. Then it returned back to the previous header with only the promotion of the book.

===2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150515060322/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-15]
* [[1525: Emojic 8 Ball]]
* This was a more detailed promotion for Randall's new book: [[Thing Explainer]] to be published in November 2015, more than half a year after the announcement, compared to the previous change which was just a line and a link.
* The text:
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the then hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to preorder the book:
*** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the preorder line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150605082643/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-06-05], but only to add other information. The main promotion of the book stayed the same.

===2015-05-14 - New book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150514053623/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-14]
* [[1524: Dimensions]] was up.
** A single line announced the new [[Thing Explainer]] book, with link to the [[Blag]] post from the day before.
* The text:
** New book: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer!]
The [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion of the book]] stayed up with some changes for [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-12-13_-_Thing_Explainer_is_available|more than 10 month]] first stopping when Randall had [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-01_-_The_xkcd_April_1st_comic_is_currently_experiencing_technical_difficulties|problems with his April Fools' Day comic]] in 2016... It is a record length.
* The first came already the day after so this short announcement was only up on this day and ended with the next comic. See above.
* See more details on the promotion of the book on the Thing Explainer page [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]].

===2015-02-11 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150211154103/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-11]
* When [[1485: Friendship]] came out the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[1523: Microdrones]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184622/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-05-12], so just a day more than three months.

===2015-02-04 - Valentine cards only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150204051152/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-04]
* [[1482: NowPlaying]] came out as it changed.
** After the last day of ordering t-shirt had passed it changed back to the picture with the Valentine cards from the previous header, but without the t-shirt picture.
** See that [[#2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt|header change]], but only the first picture described.
* Ended while [[1484: Apollo Speeches]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150210005540/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-10].

===2015-02-02 - Last day shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-02]
* [[1481: API]] came out as it changed.
** Just letting people know it is the last chance to order the binary t-shirt.
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** Today is the last day to order the limited-run [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart binary heart shirt]!
** The last words is link to the shirt in the shop.
* Ended before the next comic was up, but still the day after, when it was too late to order: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150203022036/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-03].

===2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183442/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-29]
* [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell about both the two previous updates in the same header- Both about the collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards and his new Valentine t-shirt.
** There where two pictures, with a promotion of the two products and a link to them in the shop.
** On the left was text about the cards with a small drawing to the right of the text showing the four cards.
*** An ant talking to an aphids; Earth rotating about the sun but locked so one side melts; an ant with a fungus growing from it's head with a heart, and a Velociraptor skeleton where the last bit of the tail is put on by a person. The text on the cards are unreadable, but they can be seen via the link.
** The text (in three lines) was:
*** Webcomic science Valentine card collaboration
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines link to the cards] from the picture.
** The picture on the left shows binary numbers 0 and 1 in white on a black background. The middle of the three lines of those have message in red text.
** The text:
*** 0 1 0 1 0 Binary heart 1 1 1
*** 1 1 1 Valentine shirt 0 1
*** 0 0 0 1 [limited run] 0 0 1
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart link to the shirt] from the picture.
* Ended while [[1480: Super Bowl]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150201015913/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-01].

===2015-01-27 - Valentine's Day cards===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-27]
* [[1478: P-Values]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell that about a collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** I've teamed up with three other webcomic artists
** to make [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines a set of science-themed Valentine's Day cards]!
* There was a link to the cards on the store.
* Ended while [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128172147/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-28].

===2015-01-24 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150124110707/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-24]
* [[1477: Star Wars]] came out as it changed.
** It was to tell about a new type of t-shirt for Valentine Day.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** For Valentine's Day, you can get a binary heart shirt
** (from {{xkcd|99|comic #99!}}) in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart a limited run on TeeSpring]
* There was a link to [[99: Binary Heart]] and to the relevant t-shirt on the [https://teespring.com/ Teespring] home page.
* Ended while [[1478: P-Values]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150126133139/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-26].

===2014-12-22 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141222233233/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-22]
* [[1463: Altitude]] came out as it changed.
** After the Christmas sale deadline there was still merchandise in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** You can get xkcd shirts, prints, and posters in the [https://shop.xkcd.com/ store]!
* The word store was a link to the shop.
* Ended while [[1476: Ceres]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150123102318/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-23].

===2014-12-19 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141219092349/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-19]:
* [[1462: Blind Trials]] came out as it changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with order now here below.
* See [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|2014-12-17]] below for all details.
* Ended while [[1462: Blind Trials]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141221172450/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-21].

===2014-12-18 - Order now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218090650/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-18]
* [[1461: Payloads]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday and that it was rapidly approaching. This was a follow up on the [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|Wednesdays announcement]] the day before.
** The image was just four lines of text with several red and blue words.
* The text was:
** The xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
** Once it passes, there is no going back. The arrow of time drags us all
** Inexorably forward toward decay and disorder. toward the end of all things.
** Towards the empty silence of the grave. Order now!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text.
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141217085320/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-17]
* [[1461: Payloads]] came out as it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday. This was announced Wednesday two days before the deadline.
** The image was just text with the last word in each line in red and the xkcd store blue as a link.
* The text was:
** Looking for a gift?
** xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up!

===2014-12-03 - Christmas shopping===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141203132024/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-03]
* [[1455: Trolley Problem]] came out as it changed.
** It was to announce the start of the Christmas shopping on the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store]
** Four boxes with shipping details are shown. Two green and two red, alternating from green. Between them are three text messages in two, two and three lines.
* The text was:
** xkcd store
** Christmas shopping
** I will probably not ship you a bobcat.
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* The bobcat is a reference to [[325: A-Minus-Minus]].
* Ended while [[1460: SMFW]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-11-29 - Thanks - Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141129211604/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-29]
* [[1453: fMRI]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to thanks for all the help his friend Emily with cancer got through among other his previous header text [[#2014-11-27 - Help Emily| Help Emily]].
** That only needed to be up two days before the goal was met.
* The text was:
** Thank you for helping my friend Emily.
** It means so much.
* Ended three days later while [[1454: Done]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141202065133/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-02].

===2014-11-27 - Help Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141127005239/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-27]
* [[1452: Jurassic World]] came out as it changed.
** It was to help a friend who got cancer by raising money for her.
* The text was:
** Hey all. My friend Emily—the economist who helped
** me with my {{xkcd|980|money chart}}—has been fighting cancer. She's
** having a rough time and could use some [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128183414/https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk help]. Thank you.
* There are two links, one to the [[980: Money]] comic she helped Randall create, and one for her Go Fund Me page to raise money for her cancer cure.
** The help link above is to the archived version from that time, but the link was still active in August 2019: [https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk Helping Emily Fight Cancer].
* Ended while [[1453: fMRI]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128070838/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-11-28].
** She did thus not get a permanent header as did Becky on the [[#Seven_Years|Seven Years]] comic.

===2014-10-02 - what if? bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141002211139/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-10-02]
* [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out|book is out]].
* This was a month after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It added a line of red text beneath the previous header to announce that the book was the #1 New York bestseller.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
** (#1 New York bestseller!)
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1451: Background Screens]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141125234520/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-25].

===2014-09-04 - what if? book out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140904150600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-04]
* [[1416: Pixels]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out today|book is out today]].
* This was two days after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It only removed to today from the previous header, that had only been up two days.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141001130827/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-09-02 - what if? book out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140902125802/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-02]
* [[1415: Ballooning]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-07-23 - what if? book tour|book tour header]].
* This was the day the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out. [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised shouts this out.. The word Book is underlined and blue to indicate a link.
* The text was:
** My book is out today!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1416: Pixels]] was still [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903134518/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-03].

===2014-07-23 - what if? book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140723180600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-23]
* [[1398: Snake Facts]]
* This was a promotion of his book tour for the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book made by [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised. Several parts of the text was underlined and blue to indicate links.
* The text was:
** I'm going on a book tour! click here for a list of stops.
** Or click anywhere-this whole image is one link because I've never gotten the hang of HTML imagemaps.
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/22/what-if-book-tour/ What If book tour!].
** Later Randall commented on this lacking ability in the comic: [[1572: xkcd Survey]].
** He also mentions it in one of the [[#xkcd_Header_text#2019-07-09_-_Drawings_from_How_To|promotions]] for his [[How To]] book.
** He much later he again mentions that html is hard, thus explaining why the entire image is a link instead of the actual blue highlighted link in one of the promotions for [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-08-11_-_Preorder_What_if.3F_2_-_with_image|what if? 2]].
* Ended while [[1415: Ballooning]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140901113916/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-03-13 - what if? announced===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140313070951/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-13]
* [[1341: Types of Editors]] was up.
* This was the first promotion of Randall's new ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book which is shown next to two lines of text.
* The text was:
** News:
** I'm publishing a ''what if'' book!
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/03/12/what-if-i-wrote-a-book/ What if I wrote a book?]
* Ended while [[1397: Luke]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140722142115/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-22].

===2014-01-09 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140109190927/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-09]
* When [[1314: Photos]] was still up when the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312070248/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-12] when [[1340: Unique Date]] was up, a bit more than two months.

===2013-12-21 - Deadline for Christmas shipping has passed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221043417/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2013-12-21]
* It changed when [[1306: Sigil Cycle]] came out.
* This came up when it was too close to Christmas in 2013 for shipping to arrive in time for Christmas. And Randall makes a note of this, but lets people know that they could still buy presents...
* The text was
** The deadline for guaranteed Christmas shipping has passed, but if you order something from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], we'll get it to you as fast as possible!
* Ended when [[1314: Photos]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181520/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-08].

===2013-12-06 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206213503/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-06]
* It changed when [[1300: Galilean Moons]] came out.
** There was no header text. This happened next on [[Header_text#2020-04-05 - Empty header|2020-04-05]]. It looks really weird.
* Ended when [[1305: Undocumented Feature]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005306/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-20].

===Changes not documented yet 3===
More changes will for sure be here between this and the one below.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131205202730/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-05]: Xmas sale before above
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]: Empty follows below

===2013-03-15 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]
* It changed while [[1186: Bumblebees]] was on the front page.
** After the text saying a comic would be delayed disappeared no text replaced this.
** So the header was left empty!
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318072820/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-18] while [[1187: Aspect Ratio]] was up.

===2013-03-13 - Comic will be delayed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130313133631/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-13]
* It changed when [[1184: Circumference Formula]] came out, likely because the next comic was delayed.
** But there is a gap of three days before where no archived version exist, so cannot say if there where more than a few hours with this text.
* The text:
** The comic will be delayed until late morning EDT.
* Ended when [[1185: Ineffective Sorts]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175306/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-13].
** That was later same day as the first archived version. But could have been longer as mentioned above.

===2012-11-26 - xkcd store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121126235628/https://xkcd.com/1138/ 2012-11-26]
* It changed while [[1138: Heatmap]] was up.
** Notice that the above link is not from the main page, but from {{xkcd|1138}}.
** There was a gap of five days in the archive of the main page.
** The first day that it was archived from the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201111432/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-12-01], while [[1141: Two Years]] was up.
* The standard header text is replaced with an image that makes it seem like a rip is being torn in the white region where the text used to be. Beneath the white material that has now been ripped, some text can partly be seen. It is possible to read it.
* The text:
** xkcd store
*** The image is a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] (tadaaa!)
* Ended when [[1183: Rose Petals]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130311073948/https://xkcd.com:80/1183/ 2013-03-11]
** The above link is from {{xkcd|1183}}.
** Last time the front page was archived with it was though on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130309010403/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-09].

===2012-10-24 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024082017/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-24]
* While [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121126035129/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-11-26] when [[1138: Heatmap]] was up, a few days more than a month.

===2012-10-17 - New What-If - Lightning===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232102/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-17]
* Probably while [[1122: Electoral Precedent]] was up.
** But the link above showing it was up on the 2012-10-17 is from the previous comics page {{xkcd|1121}} [[1121: Identity]].
** But the first version archived with this header is saved on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121018082304/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-18]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|16|Today's topic: Lightning}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/16/ What if lightning struck while you were ...]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023404/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-23] when [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front page
** This link is though from {{xkcd|1121}}.
** The last this version was archived on the front page was the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120008/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-22].

===2012-10-10 - New What-If - Mariana Trench Explosion===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010003837/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-10]
* [[1118: Microsoft]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|15|Mariana Trench Explosion}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/15/ What if you set off a nuclear bomb in the Mariana Trench?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121016055538/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-16] when [[1121: Identity]] was up.

===2012-10-02 - This week's What-If - Short Answer Section===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121002231724/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-10-02]
* [[1115: Sky]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|14|Short Answer Section}}''.
* The text
** In this week's What-If article I [https://what-if.xkcd.com/14/ answer multiple reader questions].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121008112434/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-08] when [[1118: Microsoft]] was up.

===2012-09-26 - New What-If - Laser Pointer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120926163111/https://xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-26]
* [[1113: Killed in Action]] was up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 26th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120928003838/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-28]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|13|Laser Pointer}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ If everyone aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at once, would it change color?]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121001080517/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-01] when [[1115: Sky]] was up.

===2012-09-18 - what-if.xkcd.com - Raindrop===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120918143653/https://www.xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-18]
* [[1109: Refrigerator]] was still up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 18th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120919015232/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-09-19]
* Randall promotes another What-If article on the what-if page.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|12|Raindrop}}''.
* The text
** what-if.xkcd.com: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/12/ What if all of a storm's water fell in a single raindrop?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120925090123/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-25] when [[1112: Think Logically]] was up.

===Changes not documented yet 2===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120917052827/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-17]: What if Droppings ends.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120718231719/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-18] Next stores header text

===2012-07-10 - New: what-if.xkcd.com===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10]
* This was a special change happening over a few days. The above "new" header text from the given date is actually shown on the previous comic [[1078: Knights]].
** Another example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710072249/https://xkcd.com:80/1070 2012-07-10] is shown for [[1070: Words for Small Sets]].
* The comic on the main page released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09] was [[1079: United Shapes]], but that comic had a [[xkcd_Header_text#United_Shapes|unique header text]] upon its release.
** So both on the 9th as shown above and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10] the header text was different on the front than on all other pages.
*** As can be read in the link above, the new header text actually got incorporated into the unique text, so that after the next comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711234408/https://xkcd.com/1079/ 2012-07-11] the current new header text and a smaller version of the original unique header text was now shown on the Unites Shapes page.
*** {{xkcd|1079|And it was never changed back}}.
* The first version of the new text from the 10th was only active one day:
** The text:
*** New site: what-if.xkcd.com, where I abuse science to answer hypothetical questions. I'll answer a new question every Tuesday.
**** The link was not an active link. And this was never shown on the front page, but on all other comics.
* Already on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711223349/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-11] when [[1080: Visual Field]] was released the new header changed a bit
** At this time it most have been shown on the front page, but the link above is again from [[1078: Knights]].
*** For some reason the front page was not saved on either the 11th or 12th, so no version of the front page with Visual Field exist
*** The first archived version of the front page with this new header text was from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154207/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-13] when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was on the front page.
* The final text:
** New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions.
** I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
*** This time the link was active and directs to the new ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' blog and its first entry {{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}
* The whole idea was that Randall released the new what if? blog on the 10th of July 2012. And thus would like to make a promotion of it.
** And then he timed it so poorly that the front page had a different header than the rest of the comics.
** It was so annoying for him that he actually changed the header for Unites Shapes manually so that page also showed the new link. Maybe even before it left the front page, but that has not been documented in the archive.
** And then he forgot about it when the header changed for all the other comics, so it is now a relic of the promotion of his first what if release.
* The what if promotion continued for a long time, but the final version from above only lasted until 17th at the latest. There is again no archived versions of the front page from the 15th, 16th or 17th.
** The last time it was archived on the front page was [https://web.archive.org/web/20120714062857/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-14], when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was still up.
** But on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120715070938/https://xkcd.com:80/1081/ 2012-07-15] it was still shown on the page for Argument Victory and same for [https://web.archive.org/web/20120716235458/https://www.xkcd.com/998/ 2012-07-16] on [[998: 2012]]
*** So seemed it stayed up while [[1082: Geology]] was up on the 16-17/7.

===2012-04-09 - Standard text plus store link===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190952/https://xkcd.com/1026/ 2012-04-09]
* It changed when [[1040: Lakes and Oceans]] came up.
** The above link to prove this is though from comic {{xkcd|1026}} [[1026: Compare and Contrast]] the first to be found that where archived on the 9th.
** The first archived version on the main page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411053543/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-11] when [[1041: Whites of Their Eyes]] was up.
** There where no archived version of the front page on the 9th or 10th while Lake and Oceans was up. So it was also first on the 11th that this new text could be seen, but only when it had moved to its own page number [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411052948/https://xkcd.com/1040/ 1040].
*** The change probably came because of this special comic, which may became a [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/lakes-oceans-poster poster].
* The update was to add a promotion for the store under the standard header text.
* The text
** XKCD updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** You can get prints, posters, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09] when [[1078: Knights]] was up, exactly three months, so although not only the standard text, the standard text was first for three months and three days, see [[#2012-04-05 - Back to standard text|below]].

===2012-04-05 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05]
* While [[1038: Fountain]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* The link above to prove the date is seen on [[1021: Business Plan]].
** The first archived version on front page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406111048/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-06], when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up.
** A version showing Fountain with this can be found on it's own page {{xkcd|1038}} on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085618/https://xkcd.com:80/1038/ 2012-04-06].
*** When it was archived while on the front page it still had the previous header on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-05].
* It stayed up, unchanged, until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120408200414/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-08] when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up. So only three days.
** But [[#2012-04-09- Standard text plus store link|the change]] did not remove the standard text but just added a link to the store. And this version, still with the standard text at the top stayed for three more months.

===2012-03-28 - Visiting Newport News===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328103319/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-28]
* [[1035: Cadbury Eggs]] was on the front when it changed.
** From the end of March 2012, there is a problem with the archived versions of xkcd, so they do not load properly and do not include the comic picture.
* It was to announce a talk Randall gave at his old school.
* The text:
** I'm [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ visiting] Newport News, VA next week, where I'll be speaking at CNU, my old school. If you want to come, reserve a seat [https://web.archive.org/web/20120329214411/https://www.cnu.edu/pcs/xkcd/index.asp here]!
*** The first link it to a post in the [[Blag]]: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ I’m visiting CNU on April 4th].
*** The other link is no longer working, but the link above goes to an archived version.
* There was a special situation with this header text. For three days it was not on the front page, as the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1037: Umwelt]] came out and stayed from April 1st to April 3rd on the front page.
** This comic had it's own [[#Unique header text|unique header text]] from the start, one that has [[#Umwelt|stayed like this]] since!
*** So from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01] to [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03] the front page had another header:
**** You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** But all the other comics kept the Visiting header on all three days as shown here:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401214214/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-01] from[[1036: Reviews]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402150258/https://xkcd.com/1019 2012-04-02] from [[1019: First Post]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403164523/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-03] from [[1036: Reviews]].
**** The one from the 2nd of April was hardest to find, but the most important, because that was clearly in the time period where Umwelt was up, thus definitely proving that the other pages had a different header than the front page. This is rare.
* It returned to the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-04] and stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05] when [[1038: Fountain]] was up.
** The link from the 5th though is from {{xkcd|1021}} [[1021: Business Plan]], the only comic archived on the 5ht to be found.
*** The previous link was the last time it was archived while on the front page.

===2012-03-12 - xkcd Holistic Browser===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312185125/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-12]
* [[1028: Communication]] was up at the time.
** From here the archive doesn't load the page properly so it is really boring to document. This goes for both first and last day of this text.
* The text:
** New: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153220/https://holistic.xkcd.com/ holistic.xkcd.com], the least useful web navigation tool ever.
*** The link is now dead, but the link above is to an archived version.
*** On that page there is the following text:
**** The XKCD Holistic Browser
**** Because we are all one.
**** Type a web address
**** and you'll be taken to one
**** typed by someone else.
**** URL:
**** Warning: This allows strangers to direct your browser!
**** They may send you to pages containing
**** porn, viruses, or Justin Bieber fanfiction.
**** At the very least, turn on private browsing.
* During the time this header was active the comic [[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]] came out.
** It had its own [[xkcd_Header_text#Unique_header_text|unique header text]] which thus replaced this text on the front page for two days.
** But it did not replace it on all the other pages so this was the active header text during the entire period, see more here: [[xkcd_Header_text#s.2Fkeyboard.2Fleopard.2F|s/keyboard/leopard/]]
* This lasted till [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327050311/https://xkcd.com/1033 2012-03-27] while [[1034: Share Buttons]] was up.
* But the last archived version with this on the front page was the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20120326180811/https://xkcd.com// 2012-03-26].
** The link from 27th is from an archived version of [[1033: Formal Logic]].

===Changes not documented yet 1===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120311135259/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-11] Text before. For next entry below...



[[Category:Design of xkcd.com]]{{xkcdmeta}}

Header text

2026-04-12T09:24:40Z

Kynde: /* 2026-04-07 - Reading Modes */

<noinclude>{{xkcd.com}}[[File:xkcd_header.png|thumb|right|250px|The [[Design of xkcd.com#Header section|Header section]] is one of the [[Design of xkcd.com|four main sections]] of the [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com] website.]]The '''header text''' is usually updated when [[Randall]] has news to share or wants to add information about a specific comic. The default header text states:

</noinclude><div style="font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 500; font-size: 16px; width: 760px; line-height: 150%;" class="plainlinks">
:xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.</div><noinclude>

Usually, changes to the header text show up in all comics. However, for certain comics, its header text is changed permanently, which means that comic's page won't be affected by changes to the global header text like the rest of the comics. You can see the list of these [[#Comic-specific header text|Comic-specific header texts]] below.

Usually, the global header text is changed back to the default once the novelty of the news ends. Recently, the default header text has not been used for extended periods of time. The most recent header text change can be found at the top of the [[#Global header text|Global header text section]].

{{incomplete|Someone has created a full list of comic-specific header texts! We have only explained 28 so far, and '''28 are missing'''. [[Talk:Header_text#anc|The full list in on the Talk page!]]. (Also, if you have ''infinite'' spare time, please remove the bullet points on the page and use normal paragraphs.)}}

Use this list to quickly jump to a specific header text, or [[#Comic-specific header text|click here]] to jump to the most recent one.

__TOC__

==Comic-specific header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Place the most recent changes at the top.


===[[2957: A Crossword Puzzle]]===
*This comic's header mentions that it has been inspired by an old comic (by accident, i.e. originally Randall was not aware of his inspiration).
**It was on the front page from from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711100451/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11] until the next comic to come out Friday [ 2024-07-12]. [ASSUMPTION]
*The text:
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!
*It makes it clear that Randall did not wish to take credit for this old idea
**Although it seems like he did not know where he got the idea from at first, when he posted it.
**Because the addition of this header text was not posted together with the comic, when it was released on Wednesday 2024-07-10 and it was still not there in the early morning of Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711000851/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11].
**That he is a fan of Buttersafe is made clear at the bottom of the xkcd page where it is on Randall's list of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]].
*As a special situation this special header did not replace the current header text, but was added below the active header text at the time about [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F|10th anniversary for what if?]].
**This has not been the normal way to add comic-specific header text. So it will be interesting to see what happens when the next comic is released [UPDATE]
*Since this header was related only to explain the inspiration for this comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released. [ASSUMPTION!!!]
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen [SOME] days after it stopped being on the front page on [?? 2022-07-13???].


===[[2916: Machine]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406163326/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06] (although it was supposed to have been a Friday release according to the xkcd archives) until the next comic to come out Monday 2024-04-08, but the earliest archived version of the next comic is from Tuesday [http://web.archive.org/web/20240409060444/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-09].
***It probably changed late on Monday the 8th, but Machine was still up late on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240408225854/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-08].
***It may be like previous years because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?
**When [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]] was released the front page returned to normal header.
**The previous comic [[2915: Eclipse Clouds]] was still on the front page Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06]. So a very late Friday release...
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://github.com/spyhi Ed White], [https://twitter.com/uh_oh_thats_bad Alex Garcia], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [http://burningcandle.io/ Conor & Ami Stokes], [https://liranuna.com/ Liran Nuna], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick], [https://manishearth.github.io/ Manish Goregaokar], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], [https://github.com/ayust Amber], and [https://github.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg] with physics by [https://rapier.rs/ Rapier].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or X or their own home pages. Some of them have also helped with the two previous [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], see below, but there are many more involved in this one than any of the previous.
**Also the Fast 2D and 3D physics engine for the Rust programming language, Rapier, is mentioned as standing for the physics of the comic.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240409010518/https://xkcd.com/2916/ 2022-04-09].


===[[2765: Escape Speed]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230420203744/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-20] (although it was supposed to have been a Wednesday release according to the xkcd archives) until Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230421082400/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-21], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2766: Helium Reserve]] was released the front page returned to normal header. This seems to have not happened until Saturday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20230422121650/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-22] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was put together with help from [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick Clapp], [https://amberyu.st/ Amber], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], and [https://www.aiweirdness.com/ Janelle Shane].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or Twitter or their own home pages. Most of them have also helped with the two previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230423150206/https://xkcd.com/2765/ 2022-04-23].


===[[2601: Instructions]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220401210146/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-01] until Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405031003/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because Instructions was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2602: Linguistics Degree]] was released the front page returned to normal header This seems to have not happened until Tuesday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405125644/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/chromakode @chromakode], [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/xDirtyPunkx Conor], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with an Instagram page, the other seven with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220406021357/https://xkcd.com/2601/ 2022-04-06].


===[[2445: Checkbox]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210401232108/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-01] until Monday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210405130031/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-05], until the new comic was released on Monday.
*The text:
**This comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], and [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with a personal home page, the other six with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header, when the next comic was released, here from the day after that release Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210406143023/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-06].
*But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20210407203547/https://xkcd.com/2445/ 2021-04-07].


===[[2288: Collector's Edition]]===
This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together, and gives links to all of their Twitter profiles, except
Christopher Nights'. It was on the front page only for about a day around April 3rd and
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/http://xkcd.com/#-370,-277vApril 4th 2020].
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber],
[https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin],
[https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat],
[https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
</blockquote>
The header text thanks those who helped Randall create the 2020 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken
two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay, the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released the day after the April Fool's comic, [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]].
Since this header was related only to the April Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header when the next comic was released,
but it stayed up as a permanent header for this comic.



===[[1928: Seven Years]]===
[http://web.archive.org/web/20171214171157/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-12-14]
It was released as a response to another cancer diagnosis, this is explained in the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Header_text|Header text]] which has replaced the standard ''xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.'' The new one is this one, with the active link included:
The text (with link):
* Becky Beaton, sister of fellow cartoonist Kate Beaton, has also been diagnosed with cancer. You can support her treatment [https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 here].
{{w|Kate Beaton}} is the creator of the web comic [http://www.harkavagrant.com/ Hark! A Vagrant].
* Although this comic is not one on Randall's list of ''[[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]]'', he is clearly much influenced by another cancer diagnosis among someone in his own creative field.below.
On [https://web.archive.org/web/20190817141450/https://www.xkcd.com/1928/ 2019-08-17], close to two years later, the message was still there and also [https://web.archive.org/web/20211226120634/https://xkcd.com/1928/ 2021-12-26] just past four years later.
* There was the possibility that it would be removed, when the support page was discontinued...
* But as that already happened before [http://web.archive.org/web/20181106124430/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-11-06] it seems like it will be there to stay.
* Last archived version was from [http://web.archive.org/web/20180305022301/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-03-05].
* Randall has previously done something similar for another friend, Emily, but [[#2014-11-27_-_Help_Emily|that header]] was not made permanent.



===[[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]]===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170428041338/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-04-28]
This header links back to [[1828: ISS Solar Transit]], a comic with the same joke setup released on the Monday of the same week


===[[1723: Meteorite Identification]]===
Randall realized that his comic was almost a copy of some other person. And he has since then acknowledged this on the comics specific page see more [[1723: Meteorite Identification#Trivia|here]].
At the time of this post, in the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161010215516/http://xkcd.com/1723/ 2016-10-10] it is still there and says:
* Note: Jolyon, founder of [http://www.mindat.org/ mindat.org], made a similar chart way before me!


===[[1679: Substitutions 3]]===
This comic is the third installment of the [[:Category:Substitution]] series, and as Randall did with [[#Substitutions 2]],
the header text links to the previous comics in the series, and tells the user about Chrome Browser extensions for substitution.
The header text reads:
<blockquote>
(Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}} and {{xkcd|1625|Substitutions 2}}) 
Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/replacerator/gaajhenbcclienfnniphiiambbbninnp?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
</blockquote>
This header text was on the main page while the comic was on the main page, for instance on
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160512102325/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-05-12]. It remains on the comic page.



===[[1663: Garden]]===
This comic had a header text to help people use the comic when it came out.
For some time this text was the main header text, but after a while is disappeared from the main header, but remained as the header for Garden.
* See more [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-04_-_Protip_on_Garden|below]] or on the Garden page [[Garden#Header_text_after_release|here]]
Today and as of the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161231231600/http://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-12-31] it is still there and says:
* Protip: If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
* You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.


===[[1625: Substitutions 2]]===
This was the second installment of Substitutions and Randall links to the first and tells about browser extensions for this:
The text:
* (Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}})
* Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/xkcd-substitutions/jkgogmboalmaijfgfhfepckdgjeopfhk?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
** He did the same when [[xkcd_Header_text#Substitutions_3|Substitutions 3]] came out, linking to the two previous.
It was on the main page while the comic was up, for instance here on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160104171722/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-01-04].


===[[1079: United Shapes]]===
The header text was unique for this comic on the day it came out:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09].
It read:
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here] (Colorado is [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/ here]). 
It's also available as a [http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap poster].
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap Archived store link, 2012-07-22])

This header text only appeared with the comic, as on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09],
at a time before this comic was released, the previous
[[xkcd_Header_text#2012-04-09 -_Standard_text_plus_store_link|promotion of the store]] header text was still on the main page.

As this comic was still on the main page the day after ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120710063424/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-10]),
a new [[Header_text#2012-07-10_-_New:_what-if.xkcd.com|header text promoting Randall's new what if? blog]]
was not shown on the main page.
The what if? promotion was added to this comic's header text the next day,
on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711123734/http://xkcd.com:80/1079/ 2012-07-11].
However, the part about Colorado was lost in this edit. This is the version still shown on {{xkcd|1079}} today, including the
what if? promotion.
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here]! It's also available as a
[https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster poster]. 
New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions. 
I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20121203164246/https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster Archived store link, 2012-12-03])

The what if? promotion links to the very first ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}'' which was released on 2012-07-10, the day after this comic was released, but before the next comic [[1080: Visual Field]] was released on 2012-07-11.

There is no archived version of comic {{xkcd|1080}} while it was on the front page, so it is not possible to tell what the front page looked like on the 11th and 12th of July 2012. Most likely it was the what if? promotion.
* Maybe there was a time with the final version of the header text the front page, but seems like Randall put the new header text there by hand, and forgot to delete it after, so he probably first changed it when the new comic came out.
* Since the new header was important, promoting his new ''what if'' blog, Randall likely did not wish to have a recent page/the main page without it.
* But this makes it a special unique header, as a relic from the past header text is left together with the text that was supposed to be permanent. It should have been deleted when the link to ''what if'' 1 was removed.



===[[1047: Approximations]]===
It has a permanent text saying that many people emailed Randall about another approximation for one year than the one given in the comic.
* As it was already there from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120425220409/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-25] it seems unlikely that he actually received those e-mails before changing the header text for this comic!
The unique text:
* Lots of emails mention the physicist favorite, 1 year = pi x 107 seconds.
* 75^4 is a hair more accurate, but it's hard to top 3,141,592's elegance.
There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[#2012-04-09_-_Standard_text_plus_store_link|Plus store link]].


===[[1037: Umwelt]]===
It has a permanent promotion of the store already from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01]:
The unique text:
* You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
It stayed on the front page while this comic was the most recent, so for instance also two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03]
* There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-28_-_Visiting_Newport_News|Visiting Newport News]].


===[[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]]===
In response to the idea of having you browser replace keyboard with leopard a reader made a script that could do just that.
Randall seem to have gotten this script before release (or at least on the day of release) as it was already the header text on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319130702/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-19] the day the comic was released.
The unique text is:
* A helpful reader has provided an [https://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 s/keyboard/leopard/ user script].
** The link does not go anywhere useful any longer, but here is the archived version of the link from two days after the release of the comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321174019/http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 2012-03-21]
It was never changed on the other comics so was only on the front while this comic was up until 2012-03-21
* Here also shown on the second day it was up on its own page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320143916/http://xkcd.com:80/1031/ 2012-03-20].
The next comic [[1032: Networking]] came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321205835/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-21] and here the header text has returned to what it was before the leopard comic: [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-12_-_xkcd_Holistic_Browser|xkcd Holistic Browser]].
* Here are examples from dates around this showing it was not used on other pages:
** The last archived version of the front page from before the 19th was this version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317121834/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-17], but here is an example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153256/http://xkcd.com:80/1030/ 2012-03-18] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]), the day before leopard comic came out.
** Both on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319174700/http://xkcd.com/1030/ 2012-03-19] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]) and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320191039/http://xkcd.com:80/1012 2012-03-20] (from comic [[1012: Wrong Superhero]]) during the time leopard was up, the header text currently in used was still shown.


===[[996: Making Things Difficult]]===
To give context to the comic about cancer, Randall links to a [[Blag]] post about his family's struggle with cancer.
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Some context for the cancer comics:
[https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/ https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/]
</blockquote>
This header text appears on the oldest stored version of the comic page from [https://web.archive.org/web/20111229043804/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-12-29] when it was on the main page.


===[[980: Money]]===
Randall notes his thoughts about making it and makes a promotion of the poster.
The unique text:
* This one was fun (and exhausting) to make.
* There's a poster of it in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/money-poster store]!
** It is both at the oldest stored version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404110059/http://xkcd.com:80/980 2012-04-04] and the newest at time of editing [https://web.archive.org/web/20220108132250/https://xkcd.com/980/ 2022-01-08].


===[[977: Map Projections]]===
Randall notes that a person had birthday on the release of this comic about maps, and this guy has maps on his homepage
The unique text:
* It turns out Monday was Steve Waterman's birthday. His [https://web.archive.org/web/20111118003418/http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ site] has posters of his map, plus maybe the world's only Winkel Tripel-critiquing poetry.
** The link goes to [http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ Waterman project] home page. Above the link goes to an archived version from around the time of release of the header text.
** It is at the oldest stored version with the comic on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20111115231643/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-11-15].


===[[851: Na]]===
After Randall released this comic, he realized he could have "made it better," and did so.
He changed the header text alert people to this, saying:
<blockquote>
I can't ''believe'' I forgot Hey Jude.
I don't get do-overs, but I couldn't resist making [https://xkcd.com/851_make_it_better/ a fixed version].
</blockquote>
See more about it in that comic's [[851:_Na#Trivia|trivia section]].


===[[739: Malamanteau]]===
Randall notes that he has changed this comics license, so it can be used on Wikipedia.
The text:
* At Wikipedia's request, I release this comic under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ cc-by-sa] license.
** The link is to the page regarding {{w|Creative Commons license}} in the US.
** Specifically for Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-SA 3.0 US)
*** Usually xkcd is [[Design_of_xkcd.com#License_and_copyright|shared under]] [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License]. This does not allow commercial use, But the 3.0 does.
When the comic came out it had the normal header text from that time, as seen here two days after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20100514072436/http://xkcd.com/ 2010-05-14].
* First archived version with the unique text is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100913003146/http://xkcd.com/739/ 2010-09-13], but the previous archived version of this comic is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100713160533/http://xkcd.com:80/739/ 2010-07-13].
* So it happened somewhere in the two months in between. But at least it was not there the first two months after release, but there before four month after release.


===577–580: [[:Category:The Race|The Race]]: Parts 1–4===
[[:Category:The Race|The Race]] was a 5-comic series published daily over the duration of one week, Monday through Friday. On comics
[[577: The Race: Part 1]], [[578: The Race: Part 2]], [[579: The Race: Part 3]], and [[580: The Race: Part 4]], parts 1–4 of the
series, Randall announced to users that xkcd would update once a day over the course of that week.

The header text for 577, published on Monday of that week, reads:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day.
</blockquote>
The header texts for 578, 579, and 580, published respectively on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, read:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day (through Friday).
</blockquote>

On comic [[581: The Race: Part 5]], this header text does not appear, likely because it wouldn't be useful to inform people of daily
updates for a week at the end of the week.


===[[563: Fermirotica]]===
The header text for this comic informs the reader of prints of this comic in the [[Store]], and gives an example sex calculation.
It reads:
<blockquote>
There are xkcd prints available in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store]. 
[https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sqrt(2%2F(pi*18000%2F(mi^2)*80%2Fyear*30+minutes) Example Google sex calculation].
</blockquote>
The first link is a link to the [[Store|xkcd Store]], which, as of early February 2026, is closed for the time being. The second link is a
Google Search link for an example sex calculation with the formula in the comic, where
''Pd'' = 18000/mi2,
''XF'' = 80/year, and
''Xd'' = 30 minutes.
This calculation results in ''r'' equaling ~142 meters.


===[[488: Steal This Comic]]===
Comic 488 advocates against {{w|Digital rights management}}, or <abbr title="Digital rights management">DRM</abbr>. In the header text, Randall notes that Amazon sells
DRM-free music. It reads:
<blockquote>
Note: the [https://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 Amazon.com MP3 store] sells DRM-free music. Kudos.
</blockquote>
The header text links to Amazon MP3 music. Here is an archived version of the store from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081001083843/http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 2008-10-01],
two weeks prior to the release of the comic.
The header text was on the comic from the release day, here seen the day after on the first archived version from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232952/http://xkcd.com/ 2008-10-14].


===[[472: House of Pancakes|472: House of Pancakes]]===
This comic's header notes its status as a parody:
* (Today's comic is a parody of [https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764 House of Leaves].)
Only on the days this comic was the newest was this header featured on the front page of xkcd for instance as seen here the day after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06].
* But it was only on this comic. The commercial for his new t-shirt was on all the other pages, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06] and presumably returned to the front page with the next comic. But there is a gap in the archive after this comic.

==Global header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the newest comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Position the last comic displaying the header text below the other data and place the most recent change at the top.

===2026-04-07 - Reading Modes===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260401210255/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-04-01].
*[[3227: Creation]] was released as the 2026 April Fools' comic, but the real April Fools' was a new feature, which was explained in the global header text.
* The text:
** We're pleased to announce a major update to xkcd, with new reading modes to enhance user experience. Select a mode via the menu below the comic.
**Brought to you by our excellent design team: [https://github.com/ayust Amber], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], and [https://github.com/cotrone Kevin]
*At first it would seem that this would be a text, only belonging to the new comic, but since the feature is active on all comics, it was not only on the front page, but on all other comics as well. And it stayed there after the next comic was released.
**So this is not a comic specific header text.

===2026-01-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260107194433/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-01-07].
* [[3191: Superstition]] came out when the header changed.
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2022-01-08_-_Back_to_standard_text|2022-01-08]] that the text had changed back to that, so exactly four years.
**Last time it only lasted a few days before the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] started.
*It was also the first time since December 5th, 2024 that the header text had changed, a span of more than a year (13 months) making it by far the longest time the header text had been left unchanged.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260331171250/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-03-31] when [[3226: Home Solar]] was on the front page.
**Almost two months, a long stretch with the original title text in use!

===2024-12-05 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - order===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241205201038/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-05].
* [[3020: Infinite Armada Chess]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—Out now. Order it here! [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* Only difference in this header compared to the previous version is the last part after the final hypen.
* This header stayed up for exactly 13 months. See link at the bottom.
* With the [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|preorder]] version coming out in mid May 2024 the 10th anniversary edition ended up been in the header text almost 1 year and 7 month (except the month of [[#2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president|endorsing Harris]]), thus it was on the header for 1.5 years in total.
* And before that what if? has been part of the header back to [[#2022-01-31 - What if? 2|2022-01-31]], when what if? 2 was announced.
* And three weeks before that the [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] for what if? 2 began. Of course there was no what if? word on that header as it was a surprise. But it turned out this was also a promotion for what if?
* And up until the day before the countdown (when there was one day with the old standard text) there was promotion for the first what if? book starting on [[#2021-12-20 - What If in stock|2021-12-20]].
** To sum it up, the header has been used to promote what if? continuously from December 2021 until at least the start of January 2026 (except one month with endorsing Harris and three weeks countdown that was for what if?) So more than 4 years in a row, only with a month for something political and the 3 weeks of countdown was also a promotion for what if?
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260106150417/https://xkcd.com/3190/ 2026-01-06] when [[3190: Tensegrity]] was on the front page.
**It had then been up for more than 13 months in a row by a day. There had been no change to the header text at all during 2025.

===2024-11-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page when the text changed.
* It returned to the exact same header text as before: [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241204160618/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-04] when [[3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar]] was on the front page.
** The only change was that the last part after the last hyphen changed from when you had to preorder to now that you could order the book.

===2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241017002108/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-17]
* For some reason the web archive failed to upload xkcd on the day it changed, but that it did change a day before can be seen in this other archive [https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[2999: Bad Map Projection: The United Stralia]] came out when this header was changed.
* Instead of text, it is a three part comic. In the first panel, [[Cueball]] (probably representing [[Randall]]) is shown walking, carrying a sign. In the second panel, he is seen hitting the sign with a hammer into the ground. In the third, Cueball is gone, and the front of the sign can be seen:
** <big>Harris for president</big>
* This is in reference to the 2024 presidential elections and shows that Randall endorses Harris.
* Randall posted the same image on his [https://x.com/xkcd/status/1853098106667114801 Twitter (formally X)] and [https://bsky.app/profile/xkcd.com/post/3la2jku6ace2f Bluesky] accounts on November 3rd, 2024, two days before the presidential election.
* It was up for a month until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241115181146/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2024-11-15] when [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page. It changed while that comic was still up back to the one from before.

===2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240515200351/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-15]
* [[2933: Elementary Physics Paths]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241015192147/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-15] while [[2998: Ravioli-Shaped Objects]] was on the front page.
After a month of endorsing endorses Harris the heder text returned to this again, see [[#2024-11-16_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-110-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? -preorder]].

===2024-03-20 - What If? is on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240320173158/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-20]
* [[2909: Moon Landing Mission Profiles]] came out when the header changed.
The only text version from the previous header was trimmed having some words removed taking it down from four to three lines (and solving the bad alignment that happened five days before at the end of the previous header text).
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is on YouTube! The first video answers
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed Hubble at Earth?]” Follow the
** [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif What If?] channel to be notified about new videos.
* The first link goes to the what if? page on xkcd and the other two links are to the YouTube channel and to its very first video.
The promotion of the what if? franchise continues for the second year running. A few words were taken off as the YouTube channel was no longer new at this point.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240514034349/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-14], while [[2932: Driving PSA]] was on the front page. But the what if? promotion continued

===2023-11-29 - What If? is now on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20231129184009/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-29]
* [[2861: X Value]] came out when the header changed.
There was only text this time.
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is now on YouTube!
** Check out the first video for the answer to
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed the Hubble Telescope at Earth?]”
** and follow [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif xkcd’s What If? The Video Series channel] to be notified about each new video.
* The links goes to the what if page on xkcd and the other two links is to the new YouTube channel with videos of some of the what if articles and to the very first video.
This is thus not a promotion of the what if? 2 book but still promotion of the what if? franchise.
A small change happened on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240314113602/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-14], as the first two lines became one line which made the alignment worse. So it seemed strange to do this. It looked like normal up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20240313113429/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-13]. But it only lasted five days before a change was made that made it into a new although very similar header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240319134138/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-19], while [[2908: Moon Armor Index]] was on the front page, but was replaced by a very similar what if? header.

===2023-08-31 - What if? 2 is now available in paperback in the UK!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230831200321/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-31]
* [[2822: *@gmail.com]] came out when the header changed.
* The image to the right stayed, but after more than a half year with no text, text was added to the left of the picture because the paper back was available in the UK.
** As opposed to the previous headers this was plain text and not a picture.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What if? 2 is [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK now available] in paperback in the UK!
** what if? 2
* The link goes to https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK, the page on xkcd about the What if? 2 book, and directing to the UK order links where there now also it a paper back version.
This version was still up in the middle of November 2023 when this segment was updated.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20231128174224/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-28], while [[2860: Decay Modes]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? header.
* Although it was not specifically related to the new book. Thus it ended a more than 22 month long constant promotion of the book since the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] began in January 2022.

===2023-02-17 - What if? 2 picture only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230217185629/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-17]
* [[2739: Data Quality]] came out when the header changed.
* For the first time in a very long time there is no real header text. Only the small red picture with the plane and the title of the what if? 2 book in the right section of the header. As it has been since [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] stopped.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230830064414/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-30], while [[2821: Path Minimization]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header.

===2022-09-23 - What if? 2 Instant New York Times Bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220923182825/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-23]
* [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page when the header changed.
** The header celebrates that the new what if? 2 book has become an instant New York Times bestseller.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2
** Instant New York Times bestseller.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230216181705/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-16], while [[2738: Omniknot]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header,

===2022-09-13 - What if? 2 is available now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220913142432/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13]
* [[2672: What If? 2 Flowchart]] was released as the header changed, even though it was a Tuesday.
** The header and the comic celebrates the release of the new what if? 2 book, that came out on this day.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2 is available now!
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This thus ended the pre-release promotion of the book, that began on [[#xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|2022-01-31]], plus of course the three weeks of [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] before. For a sum total of 8 months and three days.
* It will be interesting to see how long before any reference to what if? 2 will disappear from the header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220922150042/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-22], but was replaced by another What If? 2 header, while [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page.

===2022-09-12 - One day to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220912125617/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-12]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** One dayuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>I'm going to spend the day with that Les Mis song stuck in my head, aren't I.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-12 it was ''F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of N Bottles of Beer On the wall followed by F(N-1)'' to release day.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
** Les mis song, referring to a song from the musical les miserables titled "One Day More", he now has stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220913134002/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13].
** This was while [[2671: Rotation]] was still up, early on the release day of the new book.

===2022-09-12 - Three days to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220911102450/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-11]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Three daysuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Assuming it's still Saturday. I'm a static png image and can't perceive time.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header only stayed the same for one day and [[2670: Interruption]] was still up when it changed to the next.

===2022-09-07 - Less than one week to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220907211736/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-07]
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was still up.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are four lines of text. With the middle line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over four lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Less than one weekuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Oh no, now I have that song stuck in my head.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-07 it was ''one pico-universe-lifetime'' to release day. But the next day 2022-09-08 it was ''The Baby Shark chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks''.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220910024549/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-10].
** This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was up.

===2022-08-27 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220827232205/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-27]
* [[2664: Cloud Swirls]] came out when it changed.
* The header [[#2022-08-16 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|changed back]] to the preorder image from the previous header, when Randall's book tour ended. See the link.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220906191403/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-06].
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was up.

===2022-08-17 - What if? 2 book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220817161136/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-17]
* [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was out when it changed.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this there is text to the left. Then Cueball is seen flying by holding on to a single balloon (like in [[1110: Click and Drag]]). He flies over five mountain peaks with snow, with three clouds and three distant birds in front of him, as he drifts to the right, as shown with movements lines behind him. In front of him is a dark feature at the bottom of the frame. Above this is a blue square (like a button) with white text.
* The text:
** I'm going on a what if? 2 book tour!
** Click to see where
** what if? 2
*** The image to the left is a link to [https://xkcd.com/events/ randall munroe: events] page on xkcd. Which at the time showed the calendar with the planned stop for his book tour, which covered the US and London.
*** As always the link button in blue is not the only part of the image that is a link, as he just mentioned in the [[#2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|previous header text]], and several times before...
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This header thus continues the promotion of the new book, which was at the time was only 27 days away (or [[2636:_What_If%3F_2_Countdown|6 dog months]]).
* It will be interesting to see how long it takes before promotion for the book disappears from the header. It may still take months.
The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220826202043/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-26].
* This was while [[2663: Tetherball Configurations]] was up.

===2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220811055445/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-11]
* [[2657: Complex Vowels]] came out as it changed.
The message in the header was not really changed, but the meaning of the text from the previous header was now written in an image, although the text did change somewhat.
* The header thus still consist of two parts. To the left the new image with an picture of the book and text. And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this to the right is the new text. To the left is a picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Preorder what if? 2 and enter for a chance to win a comic inspired by your question! Click here to learn more. Or click wherever. This whole image is a link because html is hard.
** what if? 2
*** In the left image there is a blue link font on the word "here" in click here. However the entire left image is a link to the [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 what if 2 contest]. As explained he did not only make the word a link because html is hard! This is something Randall [[xkcd_Header_text#2014-07-23_-_what_if.3F_book_tour|often comments on]].
**** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
**** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
**** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220816124823/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-16].
** This was while [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was up.

===2022-07-19 - Preorder What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220719153239/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-19]
* [[2647: Capri Suns]] came out as it changed.
The header looked a lot like the previous one, only part of the text changed.
* The header thus still consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over four lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** Preorder What If? 2 (all US preorders eligible) and [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 enter our contest] for a chance to win a dedicated comic and What If blog post!
** what if? 2
*** The image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
*** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220810034709/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-10].
** This was while [[2656: Scientific Field Prefixes]] was up.

===2022-01-31 - What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220201000434/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-02-01]
* [[2575: What If? 2]] came out as it changed, and then it [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/36/Countdown_in_header_text_page_when_what_if_comic_came_out.png looked like this] already on 2022-01-31. But there is no archived version from that day after the header changed.
** This was what [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] had been counting down to.
** An announcement that Randall had written a sequel to the first ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book, based on his blog.
* The header consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over three lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in the countdown, but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plan ia the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions comes out 9/13. Preorder [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ here!]
** What If? 2:
*** The link goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about what if? 2: the book. The image is also a link to this page.
*** The entire comic that came out along with the new header text is also a link to that page.
* At the same time the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] in the top left section of xkcd also changed to include links to books, and especially this new book.
It will be interesting to see how long this version of the promotion for the new books stays up. But most likely there will be promotion for the book until release, and then more after the release.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718145816/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-18], for more than 5,5 month. This was while [[2646: Minkowski Space]] was up.
** The change was rather small, but part of the text changed. The promotion continued though.

===2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10].
* [[2565: Latency]] was still up when the [[Countdown in header text]] was added.
* The text was still the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But a countdown was added. This was inserted in a rectangular box, placed at the end of the standard header text.
** In some browsers the box forces the last word "Friday" to jump down to the next line.
* Inside the box the following time was displayed in the version in the link:
** 20d 20h 27m
*** This clock will also count down every minute, although it will return to the time at the time of archive when reloaded!
*** While this was edited into this wiki the time had changed to 20d 19h 12m. So it was a very fresh download in the web archive, only about 1 hour old when it was updated to this wiki.
*** The minutes change without refreshing the page, and follows this editors computers clock exactly, so it will end at 59 minutes, not at a full hour.
** It looks like it started on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ 01-10 17:00 UTC].
*** A calculation shows that this countdown will reach zero on Monday 2022-01-31 at 14:59 (2:59 PM) {{w|UTC}}.
*** This will be at 9:59 (9:59 AM) in [[Randall]]'s home town
**** The last ten minutes it switched to seconds for the last minute so it made the switch 15:00 UTC 10:00 in Boston!
*** From that it can be deduced that the count started at 20d 22h 0m
**** The first image on the archive thus came 1h 33m after the count began.
* At [https://web.archive.org/web/20220111153818/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] a diagonal black bar appeared in the lower left-hand corner of the countdown box.
** After that the [[Countdown in header text]] page was created and any further development on the count down will be mentioned on that page.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220131124817/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-31] when [[2574: Autoresponder]] was on the front page.
* This archived version was when the counter was at 0d 2h 11m, and the last normal frame was already up at this time.
** It stayed like this until the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/1/17/Countdown_in_header_text_page_0_seconds.png counter ran out].
*** Then for a few minutes the final frame, that revealed that all this was a promotion for Randall's new book what if? 2 was up [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/4/48/Countdown_in_header_text_page_just_after_countdown.png while the Friday comic was still up].
*** Then when the new Monday comic came out with the promotion for what if? 2, the header changed.

===2022-01-08 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220108044654/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-08].
* [[2565: Latency]] came out around the time the new header text appeared, on a Friday!
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2018-11-07 - Back to standard text|2018-11-07]] that the text had changed back to that, and at that time it lasted until 2019-02-05.
** That is 1067 days (less than a month short of three years) without the standard text! (Can it be called standard anymore?)
* It was only left in the complete standard version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220109030513/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-09] when Latency was still on the front page.
** Then the next day a [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] was added to it.
*** That was after the weekend on Monday but before the Monday comic came up.
*** So only during the weekend was it normal standard header text.

===2021-12-20 - What If in stock===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20211220211220/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-20].
* [[2557: Immunity]] came out around the time the new header text appeared.
* The text:
** For anyone trying to find What If? this year, it's in stock at [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 Barnes & Noble], [https://m.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Randall-Munroe/9780544272996 Books-a-Million], and [https://bookshop.org/books/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-9781483041827/9780544272996 Bookshop]
* Each store name is a link to the corresponding store's page for ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]''.
It was last seen on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220106100957/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-06] when [[2564: Sunshield]] was up.

===2020-06-03 - Black Lives Matter===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200604003700/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-03].
* [[2315: Eventual Consistency]] came out as a new header text was finally inserted after almost two months without one.
* Cueball is standing to the left and speaks a single line of text: "Black Lives Matter"
* To the right is a gray link button with text: "[https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ How To Help]."
* As always, the entire image (which is only below the xkcd logo) is a link
** The button is thus not needed, but it will also work when clicking the location of the button.
* The link goes to [https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ Join Campaign Zero].
** {{w|Black Lives Matter}} is a loose, grassroots, decentralized confederation of groups and individuals advocating for racial justice. It arose in 2013 after the acquittal of {{w|George Zimmerman}}, who took the life of {{w|Trayvon Martin}}.
** Randall's featuring Black Lives Matter came on the heels of the {{w|Killing of George Floyd}} on May 25th 2020, which had sparked {{w|George Floyd protests|protest in the US}}
** Floyd died while saying "{{w|I can't breathe}}," which was already used due to other Black men's killings, the first was from the {{w|Killing of Eric Garner}}, back in 2014.
It stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200616114945/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-16] when [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200617131438/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-17] the link changed to [https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Black Lives Matter]. [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was still on the front page on that day.
On April 1st 2021 the front page header changed to mention who made the April Fools' Day comic.
* But this was only for this comic [[#Checkbox|Checkbox]].
* The rest of the pages kept the BLM header and it returned to this on the front page once the next comic was released on April 5th. At that time it will have been up for 13 months, making it the longest header different from the standard header.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20211219202204/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-19] when [[2556: Turing Complete]] was on the front page.
* At that time it had been up for 564 days or 1,5 year plus 16 days! This is most likely a record.

===2020-04-05 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042955/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-05].
* [[2289: Scenario 4]] came out and the header belonging to the previous comic was removed.
* But no new header was inserted. Not even the go to [[#Header text|Header text]] about the release days of xkcd.
** Since the previous header was related only to the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[2288: Collector's Edition]], and that had stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book, after first experiencing problems with its release, it seems Randall forgot what he usually put in the header.
It stayed empty like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200602213017/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-02] when [[2314: Carcinization]] was on the front page.
* So almost two month without a header. This had not happened before.

===2020-04-04 - Put together by===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-04].
* [[2288: Collector's Edition]] came out and the header changed.
* The text:
** Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
*** All names have links except the last.
* It thanks those that helped Randall create this years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!
* Since this header was related only to the Fool's comic, it was thus removed from the general header, but it stayed up as [[#Collector.27s_Edition|one of]] the permanent [[#Unique_header_text|unique header texts]].
** However, when it was removed from the general header, the header was left empty.
** Unlike some other headers that stayed on a given comic, this one was on all comics for the duration of the time it stayed on the front page, see for instance the previous comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403232031/https://xkcd.com/2287/ 2020-04-03].

===2020-04-02 - Technical Reasons===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200402234828/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-02].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was up when the header changed.
Randall turned out to, again, have problems with his complicated and interactive [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] for 2020.
* The text:
** Note: For technical reasons Wednesday's comic will be posted Thursday instead. Apologies for the delay!
This finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].
It stayed up a day longer than planed as the fool's comic, [[2288: Collector's Edition]] was first released on Friday, so the note was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403012612/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-03].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] thus stayed two extra day on the front page, and the third comic of that week, [[2289: Scenario 4]] was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!

===2020-01-16 - How To explores - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200116190038/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-16].
* [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was still up when the header changed.
* The ongoing promotion of the book continued but here more than three weeks after Christmas the reference to Christmas was removed.
* The header then returned to the one from before Christmas:
** [[#2019-11-22 - How To explores|How To explores]] - see that for all other details.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200401221435/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-01] when [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was on the front page.
* It was the problems with [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] of 2020 that finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].

===2019-12-02 - Into Science===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191202223745/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-02].
* [[2236: Is it Christmas?]] came out when the header changed. Fitting as the change is about Christmas list.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, continuing to make the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd.
** The links below to order are the same as in the previous header.
** Actually most of the header stays the same with the same four images and the same layout. But the text above has changed completely and the two main text sections between the drawings has changed but only slightly. The description of the images is thus left out, see below. Only new thing is that there are now two red circles connected with a red arrow. The first circle is around the word How To at the end of the first text with the arrow going from that circle to the second circle drawn around the picture of the book.
* The text:
** Is there someone on you Christmas list who's into science? They might like my new book '''''How To'''''
** It explores ridiculous ideas for applying scientific research to everyday problems...
** ...And illustrates what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200115155040/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-15] when [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-22 - How To explores===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191122214439/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22].
* [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] was up when the header changed. It most likely changed when the comic appeared. Earlier on that day it was the previous header over the previous comic.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here again making the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd, after it previously was a link to where to listen to the audio book.
** The links below to order returns to the same as in the header before the previous header with links to audio books, except that the link to an exclusive edition has been removed.
** The header consist of an image with text above five small drawings with two text parts in between them. To the left is the closed How To book which is black with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. To the right of the book is a drawing of Ponytail pole-vaulting with two black helium filled balloons. Next to her is the first text segment. Then after that is the drawing, seen before in the header text, of a truck towing a house up a steep hill. This truck goes above the second text segment, with Cueball somersaulting above the text. Furthest right, above and just right of the text is an explosion with the sound written inside. Below the header image is some black text and then the links to where to get it as regular blue link text.
* The text:
** My new book '''''How To''''' explores the science behind spacecraft heat shields, butterfly metabolisms, and land border surveys...
** ...By imagining ridiculous ideas for applying the research to you everyday life...
** ...And illustrating what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191201191025/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-01] when [[2235: Group Chat Rules]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-06 - Audio clip===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191106204314/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-06].
* [[2224: Software Updates]] was still up when the header changed, but the first archive version was first from after the next comic came out [[2225: Voting Referendum]].
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here making the image a link to the How To book on Penguin Random House's audio book, where an audio clip read by Wil Wheaton can be sampled.
** The links below to order have now changed to those with audio books.
** The header consist of an image with text, with a "blue link", above the How To book that is being folded out from closed; to partially open; to opened up on two full pages; this takes three images. The closed book is the black book with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. The partly open book still has this cover partly visible, but unreadable, as well as come unreadable text in the open side. The open book shows two pages with lots of unreadable text and three figures (maybe one is a table). Next to the open book there is an arrow to the right pointing at an audio icon with three audio lines in front. Below the header image are the links as regular text.
* The text:
** You can click here to hear a clip from the audio version of '''''How To''''', read by Wil Wheaton.
** [https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world/id1475319694 Apple], [https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems/369279 Audiobooks], [https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/How-To-Audiobook/1473680360?qid=1574679523&sr=1-1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=DX3EZ14M14CFQPP9GHJY&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1 Audible], [https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Randall_Munroe_How_To?id=LzSGDwAAQBAJ Google Play], and [https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525635680 Libro.fm]
* The entire image is a link to the [https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576760/how-to/ How To book on Penguin Random House] page, where the audio clip can he played.
** As always it is the entire picture that is a link, and not only the blue underlined text that says click here!
It was last on the archive on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191122044456/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22] when [[2231: the Time Before And After Land]] was on the front page. But it was most likely still up when [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] came out. But then changed during the next day.

===2019-10-02 - Horse vs football team===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191002005854/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-02].
* [[2210: College Athletes]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed. This time the image seems to be from one of the How To explanations in the book.
** The links below to order are the same as the previous header.
** But new text is added after the links to promote two events with Randall in New York the two days after this header came up.
*** These links disappeared after a week leaving only the picture and the link to buy the book. See below.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball riding bareback on a horse. He comes from the left holding an American football. Running towards him from the right are eight American football players with helmets with three stars on the back of the helmet. Two of the players at the back are almost hidden by players in front of them. Beneath them is a line of text that belongs to the image, the period at the end of the sentence hangs in height with the center line of the last letter E... Then below the image follows the link and promotion of the NY events, these are written in regular.
* The text:
** My new book ''How To'' is out now! You can get it here.
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target] I'll be at New York Comic Con! I'm giving [https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Explore/Panels/Panels-And-Screenings/#/event/how-todo-anything-with-randall-munroe-creator-of-xkcd a talk on Thursday], and on
** Friday [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event at Caveat NYC].
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The link to Target still seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably a still undiscovered error on Randall's part?
This header changed, but so slightly that the changes will only be mentioned here rather than in a new section:
* The first link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191004014438/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-04]
* Then the day after only the second link remained from [https://web.archive.org/web/20191005041539/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-10-05]. [[2211: Hours Before Departure]] came out when it changed.
** But the text of this link changed as it had been a continues text from one to the other link. Also it was not entirely on it's own line, thus not as with the first link whose text was directly connected to the line with the links to buy the book.
** The new text of that link was:
*** [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event] Friday night at Caveat NYC!
*** The last link was the same, but now it only covered two words not the entire end of the sentence.
** This other link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191007042707/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-07].
* And then the last link was gone by [https://web.archive.org/web/20191008053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-08], when [[2212: Cell Phone Functions]] came out.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191105164001/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-05] when [[2224: Software Updates]] was up.

===2019-09-30 - Tons of fun===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190930234245/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-30].
* [[2209: Fresh Pears]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed to how much fun it was for Randall to write it and how proud he is of the result. Randall, as Cueball, is saying this in the new header image.
** The links below to order are the same, except a new has been added at the end.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball standing to the left of the book, shown as tall as he is. The book is opened up on two pages with lots of unreadable text as well as three drawings, only one of these, with a circle diagram, can clearly be seen. Cueball is speaking, and the text is above him and the book. Two words are blue with a line under as if they where a link. But as always the entire image is a link. Beneath the image is the links on where to order the book.
* The text:
** Writing my new book '''''How To''''' was tons of fun and I'm so proud of the result. It's out now-Click Here to order!
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The new link to Target seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably an error on Randall's part.
It ended on October 2nd while [[2210: College Athletes]] where up. But there is no archived versions from the 1st of October and the one from the 2nd is with the next version. But the editor of this was making changes to the explanation of College Athletes before the next header change came along.

===2019-09-11 - How To available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190911053115/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-11].
* [[2200: Unreachable State]] was still up when the header changed.
* The release day part of the promotion was changed to telling that the new [[How To]] book was available. With teasers about what is in the book below the heading. On either side of the text a picture of the book is still shown. Also the links below changed, adding three new and removing one old.
** The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the links on where to order it.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font.
* The text:
** How To is available now!
** Learn how to open bottles with nuclear weapons and how to be on time for meetings by altering the Earths rotation. The book also features advice from real-life experts including Chris Hadfield and Serena Williams.
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* {{w|Serena Williams}} is a famous tennis player who was also featured in one of the [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion comics]] for How To: [[2190: Serena Versus the Drones]]
* {{w|Chris Hadfield}} is a Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. The first Canadian to walk in space, Hadfield has flown two Space Shuttle missions and served as commander of the International Space Station.
** The new link to audible probably needs the user to be signed up, else it will go to the front page and ask yo to sign up. But from the archive the page can be seen [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923004816/https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 here].
Up till [https://web.archive.org/web/20190922143253/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-22] it looked like this.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923145251/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-23] and extra link was added after Audible:
** [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target].
* [[2205: Types of Approximation]] was up when this change occurred during a weekend.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190929223547/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-29] when [[2208: Drone Fishing]] was up.

===2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190904051509/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-04].
* [[2198: Throw]] was already up when the header changed slightly, as the text below Happy release day changed.
Most of the header stayed the same as the [[#2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar|day before]], but the reference to the Gregorian/Julian calendar was changed.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text.Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flowing on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan comes who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** Happy How To release day!
** Available wherever books are sold.
** (Mostly bookstores, I assume but you can always try your luck at Wendy's.)
* See below for any other details.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190909211737/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-09] when [[2200: Unreachable State]] was up.

===2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190903051503/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-03]
* [[2197: Game Show]] was still up when the header changed, but it was for sure to coincide with [[2198: Throw]] which came out later on the release day while it still looked like in this version.
* Randall celebrated the release day of [[How To]], coming out the day the header changed.
** The comic is also a reference to a chapter in the book on how to throw things. A very complicated interactive comic where different persons or other living things can be chosen to throw dead or living things. The trow will then be shown below with distance measured in two units, normal and special. That is if the thrower can actually manage to throw the thing.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. The two black books have red stars around them, five on the outer side of the image and 6 on the inner, the stars are mirrored around left and right book. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** How To Randall Munroe
** Happy How To release day!
** (Gregorian calendar. The Julian edition doesn't come out for 13 more days.)
** How To Randall Munroe
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Most of the world uses the {{w|Gregorian calendar}}, but before it was taken into use, the {{w|Julian calendar}} was in use.
** The Julian calendar does not take into account that every 100 years a leap year should be passed as in the Gregorian calendar, and thus it is at the moment 13 days behind, as it has has this many February 29th too many. Since there should actually be a leap year every 400 year, and the last of those was 2000, then it has been 13 days since 1900, and will stay like this until 2100 when it will become 14 days.
** The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Already the next day the part of the header below happy release day about the Gregorian calendar changed. See [[#2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore|above]].

===2019-08-27 - Out in a week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190827082224/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27].
* [[2194: How to Send a File]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], coming out a week from this header.
** It is only three lines of text
* The text:
** My new book, How To, comes out next week!
** Read an exclusive excerpt about transmission [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* Later [https://web.archive.org/web/20190827184229/https://xkcd.com/2194/ on the same day], (and here for the next day [https://web.archive.org/web/20190828095401/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27] for the front page), more text and links where added, plus the order of the text was changed.
* The later text was:
** My new book, [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To], comes out in a week! ([https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/23/book-tour-and-contest-winner/ Book tour info])
** You can preorder it now to get a copy when it's released:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
** You can also read an exclusive excerpt about file transfers [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
* The link to the book tour also include the winner of the [[#2019-06-25 - People with books|contest]] to get Randall to add "your" city to his book tour.
** The winner was {{w|Juneau, Alaska}}.
It ended on the release day 2019-09-03, so this was last on the page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902042108/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-02].

===2019-08-06 - Win a sketch===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06].
* [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was up when the header changed.
** Most likely the header changed when that comic came out on 2019-08-05. But the previous header was also out during that day.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now making a competition where you can win a stick figure sketch of yourself. (Although only for US residents!)
** The image shows Hairy, with a cat at his feet and Megan (or Danish?) with a samurai sword. They are standing with their backs towards each other, the cat on the left, Megan facing right with the sword towards the words.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** Want to win a sketch of yourself as a stick figure? [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ Click here] to find out how!
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''Win an xkcd sketch''
*** That is even though only the click here part of the text is in blue, like a link.
*** Cause as he often has written: I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps, most recently in the [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]] header.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190826062701/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-26] when [[2193: Well-Ordering Principle]] was up.

===2019-08-03 - First look inside===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190803222711/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-03].
* [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now stating that it comes out next month.
** Set to be released on September 3rd 2019, this update was made exactly one month before.
** The image shows text to the left of three drawings of the book: First the closed book showing the black front cover with blue and white text and white drawings, then the book is partly opened, and finally it lays opened up showing two pages, with a readable heading on the right page.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** My new book comes out next month. Click here for a first look inside!
** [On the books front cover only two thins can be read:]
*** How To
*** Randal Munroe.
** [These two words can also partly be read on the opening book.]
** [Only the large heading can be read on the right page of the open book:]
*** How to Dig a Hole.
** [These two pages also became part of a special comic relased during the weekend when this header was up: [[Disappearing Sunday Update]].]
** [The [[Disappearing_Sunday_Update#Transcript|transcript of that comic]] describes the images in the open book.]
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/02/how-to-chapter-list-and-introduction/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''How To: Chapter list and introduction''.
It stayed up like this while the special [[Disappearing Sunday Update]] came out on Sunday 2019-08-04, and was there still on Monday [ https://web.archive.org/web/20190805050812/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-05], at least during the time that the Sudan Update was still up.
* When the next comic came out late that Monday, it probably disappeared along with the Disappearing comic, but the first update with the next header is from Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06], but the Monday comic [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was still on the front page at that time,.

===2019-07-23 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190723205152/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-23].
* [[2179: NWS Warnings]] was up when the header changed.
It returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon header, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]]
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190802192259/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-02] while [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up. The day after when it changed that comic was still up.

===2019-07-15 - ComiCon===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190715181016/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-15].
* [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up when the header changed.
Randall tells that he will be at ComicCon and links to his plans there.
* The text:
** Going to San Diego Comic Con this week? I'll [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/07/15/san-diego-comic-con/ see you there]!
*** The link is to a [[Blag]] post about his plans for the ComicCon
* Randall appeared in a couple of panels, and gave a talk.
* Finally he also handed out signed copies of his new [[How To]] book more than a month before official release.
** So still promoting the book, also in this header...
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190722192637/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-07-22] the day after the ComiCon ended, while [[2178: Expiration Date High Score]] was up.
* Then it returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon announcement when [[2179: NWS Warnings]] came out.

===2019-07-10 - Adding links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190710165920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-10].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was still up when the header changed slightly from that fro the day before.
* Only change was that beneath the picture, see [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]], there is now a list of four links to companies where the book can be preordered.
* The extra text:
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
Note that the day after this change, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190711172451/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-11], a link to [[How To]] was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|links]] in the top left corner of xkcd.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190714175710/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-14] when [[2175: Flag Interpretation]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up.

===2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190709162102/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-09].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]].
** The image shows a small picture of his book with text on either side.
** Below are what appears to be three drawings from the book. [[Ponytail]] pole vaultig with three baloons in one hand, then text, then a truck with a house behind it speeding fast up a hill then text and finally [[Cueball]] somersaulting towards an explosion.
** To the right there is a big blue button to click for preorder, with text below.
* The text:
** New book [Arrow points to book. Title can be read: How To]
** How To: Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** It's a guide to bad ways to do things...
** ...And what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** Click here to preorder
** Or click anywhere. I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps.
*** The entire picture is a [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ link] to the official [[How To]] page on xkcd: https://xkcd.com/how-to/
*** See [[1572: xkcd Survey]] where Randall mentions that he cannot make imagemaps.
It stayed up like this only for a day, then an extra line of links was added the day after while the same comic was still up, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]].
* But the general header stayed up first for five days, and then it returned again for 10 more days after a break to announce a [[#2019-07-15 - ComiCon|ComiCon visit]].
* So a total of 16 days with this drawing.

===2019-06-25 - People with books===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190625190843/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-25].
* [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], and his book tour.
** The image now shows 15 people standing side by side each holding a book up in front of them with unreadable titles.
** From left: [[Megan]], [[Cueball]], a man with blonde hair, [[Jill]], [[Blondie]], [[Hairy]], another Hairy, [[White Hat]], a kid with curly hair, [[Hairbun]], another Cueball, another Megan, a guy with a knit cap, [[Ponytail]], and [[Beret Guy]].
** Above them is a text message.
* The text:
** Want to bring me to your town for my '''''How To''''' book tour? Click to find out how to enter the challenge!
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** A longer sentence will improve your chances.
**** This is indeed what this header picture shows.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190708155517/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-08] when [[2172: Lunar Cycles]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up.

===2019-06-15 - Adding dates===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190615100645/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-15]
* [[2163: Chernobyl]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall only made a small change to the one that had been up for four days at this time.
* The text only changed by adding a line below the first line:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Click here for dates and tickets]
*** The rest of the header is exactly the same as on [[#2019-06-11 - Book tour|2019-06-11]], except everything is a bit smaller to make room in the same place for the extra line.
*** The link is not located on the blue part of the text and it was already there before this update.
*** Best guess is that not many clicked through and Randall then made it obvious that there was a link.
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click. But it is easier to make a place for people to click than tell them this...
The header stayed like this until 2019-06-25, when it changed while [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up. But this one was still up when that comic came out the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20190624162740/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-24].

===2019-06-11 - Book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190611031920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-11]
* [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was up when the header changed.
** '''Note''' when this change happened two new links was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] section of xkcd.
* Randall changed the header text to announce the official book tour for his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 3 months later.
* The text:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Below this header is a map of the mainland USA with 14 labeled black dots indicates the 14 cities that the book tour will take Randall to. One red dot with five red question marks above is located beneath the map to the left, indicating a 15th city to be chosen in a contest. Above the map to the right is a small picture of the book with the blue title on the black cover. Above the book is the release date and with an arrow pointing down to the book.]
** September 3rd
** How to
** Seattle
** Portland
** San Francisco
** Santa Cruz
** Los Angeles
** Salt Lake City
** Kansas City
** Ann Arbor
** Cincinnati
** Louisville
** Cambridge
** New York
** D.C.
** Raleigh
** ????? (Chosen by readers)
** [The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.]
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** Only US cities can apply.
* The header only stayed exactly like this for three days, and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190614094729/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-14] when [[2162: Literary Opinions]] was on the front page.
** Then it changed slightly to indicate that the picture was a link which was not clear before. See above.

===2019-05-17 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190517103928/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-17]:
* [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was still up when the header changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with Google reader here below.
* See [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|2019-02-06]] below for all details.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610055519/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-06-10], while [[2160: Ken Burns Theory]] was still up on the day the next comic [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was to be released (where the new header could be found at least the next day, but maybe from the release of that comic?). Then it changed to announce the book tour for his new book.

===2019-04-23 - Google Reader===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190423155458/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-23]:
* [[2140: Reinvent the Wheel]] came out when it changed, ending a more than two and half month long [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|promotion]] of Randall's new book [[How To]].
* Randall changed the header text to ask if the reader still mourned the loss of {{w|Google Reader}} which closed on 2013-07-01, almost 6 years before this comic..
** He offers the possibility to sign up to receive the newest comic by e-mail.
* The comic may have relation to this, as some where using Google reader for different purposes when they closed it, without any chance of [https://www.google.com/reader/about/ getting your data out].
** The comic "Reinvent the Wheel" mentions that using external dependencies carry risks, such as Google closing down a feature. given the fact that the comic came out as the header changed it is probably not a coincidence.
* The text:
** Still mourning the demise of Google Reader? You can sign up to get new comics delivered by email [https://xkcd.com/newsletter/ here].
* The link is to https://xkcd.com/newsletter, where it is possible to submit your e-mail address and press a subscribe button.
** the following text is written above it:
** To receive the comic and news postings in your inbox, subscribe here.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190516100403/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-16], when [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was up. Then it changed back to the promotion of his new book.

===2019-02-06 - How to book===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06]:
* [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up at the time when it changed, having been up since Monday the 4th of February.
** Here it can be seen being on the front of xkcd on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], without the new text. This was also the last time the standard header text was used in several months.
** [[2108: Carbonated Beverage Language Map]] came up later on the day the header changed.
* Randall changed the header text to promote his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 7 months later.
** He added an image of the book with large text next to it regarding the release and links on how to preorder it.
** There was no direct relation to the comics released at the time, except of course that he kind of launched his new book with all the risk it involves, while having a comic called launch risk up. It was though a very different and more real type of launch risk (of a human carrying space rocket) in the comic.
* The text:
** [The book is shown to the left as a black rectangle with large blue text and smaller gray text. On the book cover, in white drawings, are seen Megan with a ladder and either Black or White Hat (hard to say on black background). Both are looking up on Cueball who is floating in the air with a quadcopter beneath either leg, trying to plug in an electric light bulb in a naked lamp hanging down near him. It seems he has already removed the broken light bulb, as he has one in both hands. And now he tries to put in the new one. He could have let Megan use the ladder...]
** [The header in blue above it all:] How To.
** [Sub header in gray to the left of Cueball:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [Author name in blue below the drawing:] Randall Munroe
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Creator of xkcd
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Author of what if? and Thing Explainer
** [Next to this book image are the following text:]
** [Large heading:] HOW TO
** [Normal size sub header:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [In smaller gray font below:] Available September 3, 2019.
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word still in gray:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* It stayed up for more than two and a half month and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190422030324/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-22], when [[2139: Email Settings]] was up. Then it finally changed to a new header without going back to the standard.

===2018-11-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07]
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], so two days less than three months.
** After this it did not return to the standard text for almost three years, but just short of a month before the third year without it, it returned on [[#2022-01-08 - Back to standard text|2022-01-08]].

===2018-11-06 - Election Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181106122850/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-06]:
* [[2068: Election Night]] (on election day the day after this comic was released).
** It added a larger comic above the two links from the previous header. Those links of the previous header text was still up the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], when [[2067: Challengers]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header once more to try to make more people vote, and in this case help others to vote.
** Once again directly related to the new comic about election night.
* The text:
** [A line of altering blue and red stars, blue first and last of two rows of nine starts around of the heading:]
** Election Day!
** [Below Black Hat and Ponytail to the left and Megan to the right of Cueball is checking their smart phones. Cueball is addressing the reader:]
** Cueball: The biggest thing you can do th help is to check in with friends and family and make sure they know when and where they're voting.
** [Below these four characters there is the following text with two arrows pointing left and right. Both are turning up to text/links on either side of the four:]
** Use these links to answer questions
** [To the left:] Where and how to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ Vote-org]
** [To the right:] What's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
** [Below was the two links from the previous header:]
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* It was only up one day and thus on ended the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07] when the next comic [[2069: Wishlist]] came out.
** The text then returned to the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
*** It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05].

===2018-11-02 - Where to vote===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02]:
* [[2067: Challengers]] (on the Friday, it was released).
** It added another link to the previous header text. That text was still up the day before on Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].
** That was while comic [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to let people know who is on their voting ballot, and as before there is also a link on how to register for voting.
** This is also directly related to the new comic that came out that day, about helping people to decide who to vote for, i.e. who is on their ballot.
* The text:
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, four days after the release of this comic.
* It was still up the day before the election day, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], and then it changed with the next comic.

===2018-10-22 - Register for voting===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181022120935/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-22]:
* [[2061: Tectonics Game]] (on a Monday, the 3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The standard text was still up Sunday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181021141446/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-21].
** The comic [[2062: Barnard's Star]] was released later that day.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to try to get people to register for voting.
* The text:
** Check your registration and find your polling place at [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, about two weeks after the release of this comic.
** It is generally believed that many of those not voting would have chosen democrats on election day, and thus Randall has an interest in getting as many as possible to register, see [[1756: I'm With Her]] (apart from the fact that he also most likely thinks that it is important to use the right to vote).
* It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02], when [[2067: Challengers]] came out.
** It was still there while [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].

===2018-09-13 - NY votes today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20180913133544/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-13]
* [[2045: Social Media Announcement]] (the day after the release of the comic.)
** It was not up when the comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180912131437/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-12].
* It was a short lived reminder that NY votes today below the usual standard text.
* The text:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** NY votes today! Find your polling place [https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ here]. (Zephyr Teachout for AG!)
* It ended with [[2046: Trum-]], the very next comic, on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180914175605/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-14], returning to the standard text.

===2017-11-26 - Christmas gifts===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20171126130857/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-26]
* [[1920: Emoji Sports]] had been up two days [https://web.archive.org/web/20171125125648/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-25] before the message changed from the normal version. But it changed the day before the next comic came up.
** It was changed to a commercial for Christmas shopping with a code for getting 5$ of the price with a codes for different online shops.
* The text:
** To anyone looking for Christmas gifts: Until Monday you can get $5 off
** [https://www.amazon.com/What-International-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544456866 What If?] and [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Thing Explainer] on Amazon with coupon code GIFTBOOK17.
** At Barnes & Noble, until Sunday you can get 20% off [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 What If?] and [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432 Thing Explainer] using code GIVETHANKS.
* It was only up a few days and ended with [[1922: Interferometry]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171130150053/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-30] where it returned to the standard text.
** But it was still up when the comic in between [[1921: The Moon and the Great Wall]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171129140033/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-29].

===2017-09-22 - Visiting the UK===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170922232616/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22]:
* [[1893: Thread]] (with its release).
** It was not up on the previous comic [[1892: USB Cables]], on the day they changed [https://web.archive.org/web/20170922025204/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22].
* It was an announcement that Randall would visit the UK next week.
* The text:
** I'll be visiting the UK next week! You can join me in London from September 30-October 2 (at [https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/randall-munroe New Scientist Live], [https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2017/october/public-lunchtime-talk--randall-munroe The Royal Institution], and [https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/randall-munroe-on-making-complicated-stuff-simple/ Intelligence Squared]), then from October 3-6 in [https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/public_lectures/randall_munroe_thing_explainer York], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thing-explaining-with-randall-munroe-tickets-37832289396 Edinburgh], [https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/randall-murray-thing-explainer/ Cambridge and Ely], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randall-munroe-book-signing-thing-explainer-tickets-38041072873 Oxford], and [https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on/2017/randall-munroe/ Cheltenham].
* Ended with [[1900: Jet Lag]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171010045802/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-10] when the text returned to normal.
** But it was still up the day before with [[1899: Ears]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171009040109/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-09].

===2017-07-31 - Thank you===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170731021227/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31]:
* [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] (3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The comic [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released later that day.
** Megan is holding hand with Cueball and next to them is two words above each other: Thank you.
** The image is also a link.
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170801042453/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/us/politics/senate-votes-repeal-obamacare.html How Each Senator Voted on Obamacare Repeal Proposals], an article showing the senate votes. (here in an archived version).
* Ended with [[1872: Backup Batteries]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170804152509/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-04], but was still up when [[1871: Bun Alert]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170803124342/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-03].

===2017-07-25 - Vote against health care bill===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25]:
* [[1867: Physics Confession]] (2nd day after release of the comic, it was not up on the first day: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-24]).
* Randall modified the xkcd header to ask readers to support voting against Donald Trump's new health care bill.
** The header was replaced with an image which is available in an archived version [https://web.archive.org/web/20170726150959im_/https://imgs.xkcd.com/notes/call-senate.png here].
** The image is also a link (and you can click anywhere on it to go to the link that is mentioned).
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170729003307/https://www.trumpcareten.org/daily TrumpCare Ten] (here in an archived version).
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click.
** Transcript of the image:
*** [Megan is holding hand with Cueball next to three lines of large text, the same height as they are:]
*** Please tell your senators to vote against this health care bill. It will hurt people.
*** [After these three lines there is a phone number in a very large bold font with a line of text below:]
*** 202-224-3121
*** Or click here for more info
*** [Below the above is a gray line which is split in the middle with gray text, and below that four state names in white text inside black boxes:]
*** Know anyone in these states? Ask them to call, too.
*** Alaska Maine Nevada Ohio West Virginia
* Ended while [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170731164828/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31], when it was replaced by a ''Thank you''.
** That comic came out already [https://web.archive.org/web/20170728124230/https://xkcd.com/ three days before] (Friday comic), but was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170730141019/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-30]) when the message changed sometimes between Sunday 30th and Monday 31st (where [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released).

===2017-01-21 - Update on previous===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170122003124/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]:
* [[1788: Barge]]
* It came up almost a month after Christmas but did not really change the sales pitch of the previous. It just removed the link image with the large red text, see previous version below.
* The text:
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
* Ended with [[1867: Physics Confession]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25].
** That comic came up [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ the day before] the above version of the header appeared.
** So the first day after release it was still the T-shirt commercial.
** And it did not return to the standard version in between.

===2016-11-28 - Christmas sale===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128153015/https://xkcd.com 2016-11-28]
* [[1765: Baby Post]]
* This came up in time for the Christmas sale of 2016.
* The text was
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
** Above the text there was an image with two black t-shirts with white print on the chest. They were located at either end of a large red text written in the text type used in the comic. This text said New xkcd shirts.
** The entire image was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* Ended with [[1788: Barge]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20170121114423/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]

===2016-04-23 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160423103108/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-23]
* When [[1671: Arcane ]] came out (probably 2016-04-22, but no earlier archived versions exist) the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this for more than 7 months until [[1764: XKCDE]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20161128093459/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-11-28].

===2016-04-04 - Protip on Garden===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185353/https://www.xkcd.com/#5dbfbb82-fc20-11e5-8001-42010a8e000d 2016-04-04]
* Because of the complexity of the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1663: Garden]], Randall needed to give people some advice, hence a [[:Category:Protip|protip]] was added.
** This came in several versions, not all managed to be documented in the archive. See more in the trivia for garden regarding the [[1663:_Garden#Header_text_after_release|Header text after release]].
* The header text became a protip with the following text (the first version not documented only had the first line):
** '''Protip''': If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
** You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.
* When the next comic, [[1664: Mycology]], was released two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406194653/https://xkcd.com/1664/ 2016-04-06], an extra line of text was added, due to the issues caused by Garden not being on the front page {{xkcd}} but only on the numbered page {{xkcd|1663}}.
** This change was first documented on the front page the day after on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160407010635/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-07]
** The change was of course also on and all the other comic and thus also on the Garden comic from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406192530/https://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-04-06].
* Text added below the other two lines:
** Note: If you're seeing today's comic in place of your garden, change the URL from xkcd.com/#<your code> to xkcd.com/1663/#<your code>.
*** This extra line was only there until next time the comic change, so last day was [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408145017/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08].
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408195958/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08] when [[1665: City Talk Pages]] was released the extra line was removed leaving the two written first here above.
** This was also the case on the Garden comic (and all other comics) from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408204740/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-08].
* The Protip stayed in the main header text until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160422102754/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-22] when [[1670: Laws of Physics]] was up.
** But even though it disappeared from main header and thus from all other comic it stayed on the Garden comic, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160423182630/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-23].
** And it has then turned out to become one of the permanent [[xkcd_Header_text#Garden|Unique header texts]].

===2016-04-04 - Back to standard text as Garden came up===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404123555/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04]
* For a brief period of time, when [[1663: Garden]] was finally released, the Header text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But this lasted less than 13 hours. (Time between the previous and next archived version is 13 hours and 7 minutes).
** As people needed guidance to the new complicated comic.

===2016-04-01 - April 1st comic - technical difficulties===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401204749/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01]
* When Randall had problem releasing [[1663: Garden]] several [[1663:_Garden#April_Fools.27_header_text|April Fools' header text]] arrived in short succession while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was still up.
* Each of these where simple text.
** The first from the link abve:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Please stand by!
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402125723/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2016-04-02] at 12:57:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Status update: Please stand by.
*** Status update: This is fine. Everything is fine.
*** Status update: Everything is on fire.
*** Status update: Searching for calendar systems in which Saturday is April 1st.
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402175822/https://www.xkcd.com 2016-04-02] at 17:58:
*** The Friday xkcd comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties
*** [Editor's note: Everything is on fire] and has been delayed until Sunday night.
* It stayed like the third version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160404054612/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04] three days after the April Fools' Day comic was supposed to come out, so Jack and Jill was up until it changed.
This was what was needed to stop more than 10 months of promotion of the [[Thing Explainer]] book, see below.

===2015-12-13 - Thing Explainer is available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151213194534/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-13]
* [[1615: Red Car]] was still up when the header changed.
** The change was that the promotion for where Randall was last week where removed and left only the promotion the book [[Thing Explainer]]:
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160401125621/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01] while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was on the front page.
** This was the last time that Thing Explainer was [[:Category:Book promotion|promoted]] in the header text.
*** The first time was [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|2015-05-14]], so it had been part of the header text for almost ten and a half month. That is a record!

===2015-12-05 - Thing Explainer is available and Next week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05]
* [[1612: Colds]] was up when the header changed.
** This was also at this time the [[2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer|previous header texts image] was moved below the comic.
* Randall goes back to a simple promotion of the book [[Thing Explainer]] listing where to boy it.'
** But he adds a line about where he will be next week, first to a book shop on Illinois and then later in Toronto, where the host was {{w|Ryan North}} from [https://qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics], one of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|comics Randall enjoys]].
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** I'll be in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151211002159/https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/event/naperville-reads-randall-munroe Naperville, IL] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205205714/https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indigo-exclusive-randall-munroe-tickets-18694384407 Toronto, ON] (with [https://qwantz.com/ Ryan North]!) next week.
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151212133400/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-12-12] while [[1615: Red Car]] was on the front page.

===2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151203234149/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-03]
* [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was still up when the header changed.
** This was a special one comic header text consisting of a large image with pages and excerpts from the book [[Thing Explainer]].
** The image was larger than most comics, and took away the focus of today's comic.
** So already two days after, when [[1612: Colds]] was released, the image was relegated to the being below the comic, but inside the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Main_comic|main comic]] segment, thus not a part of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Bottom_segment|bottom segment]].
*** But it was displayed in the header for all comics, here [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204030024/https://xkcd.com/1609/ an example] from the comic released two comics before 1611, [[1609: Food Combinations]].
*** See more (and the image) [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]] on the page for Thing Explainer.
* Description of the image:
** At the top are shown four pages from the book. Two mainly blue, left and right, with white text and large images and between them two mainly white pages with blue text and smaller images. None of the text is readable, but the two blue pages pictures can be understood even in this size.
*** The first page is number 2 about an animal cell: ''Tiny bags of water you’re made of''. It shows a detailed drawing of a human cell, with text at the top, and then several labels with text beneath that have arrows pointing to different parts of the cell.
*** The second page is number 31 about the cockpit of an airplane: ''Stuff you touch to fly a sky boat''. It shows the inside of a cockpit with view out of the four windows, with lots of buttons in the ceiling, and blue screens and instruments at the bottom. Out the windows can be seen clouds and Cueball hanging from a balloon (a reference to [[1110: Click and Drag]]).
**** A zoom in on this page is shown beneath the four pages, see more below.
*** The third page is page 27. What is on this page is a bit difficult to see, as there are no big drawings with clear meaning. It is the second page in a two page section on Data centers, with the second page focusing on the Computer: ''Computer building''. The pictures shows the data racks, to the right, and the individual computer components put into these, to the top left, with the wiring shown below to the left. Lots of text with arrows to different parts.
*** The fourth page is page 23 about Trees: ''Tree''. It clearly shows the silhouette of a white tree on blue background. Several animal live on, in and beneath it. Cueball is standing on the ground. All the text are beneath labels that points to parts of the tree or the tree dwellers.
** In between the two time two pages there is a readable text, split over five lines, with two arrow at the top going from the corners of the text to the near corners of the white pages to either side. And below three arrows, with two pointing similarly as the two top arrows, but starting at the bottom of the text, and one arrow pointing straight down from the middle of the text to the large image below.
** Beneath all this is a large image which shows a zoom in on the left part of the cockpit from the second page above. The zoom is focused on the two front windows, but only the left is entirely in the picture, and the balloon hanging Cueball, cannot be seen in this part of the right window.
*** At this zoom level, most of the text van be read (that is labels written on things or having arrows pointing to them). Clouds can bee seen out of both windows and in the background a rocket launch with smoke plume below the rocket is visible. The horizon line is well defines across both windows. Some of the instruments can be seen below the windows with text written on them. And some blue areas, mainly screens can be seen.
** Beneath this picture is a line with links to where the book can be ordered, like the one from the previous header text.
* The text:
** Pages from my new book, ''Thing Explainer'': Complicated stuff in simple words.
** [Labels in the cockpit]:
*** Sky
*** Ground (This should be below the sky. If it's above the sky, you're either having a big problem or doing something ''really'' fun.)
*** Use this stuff to tell the sky boat to fly itself.
*** Fly
*** How fast it feels IAS 172
*** Direction HDG 240
*** Fall or rise
*** How high 2500
*** Fly
*** Helpful screen
*** Where the ground is
*** You are: Flying
*** Look here if there is a problem
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image is a link to [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU Thing Explainer on Amazon].
* It was only part of the header for two days until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204050419/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-04].
** It was then moved below the comics as mentioned above from [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05] when the next comic [[1612: Colds]] came out.

===2015-11-24 - Thing Explainer is out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151124201602/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-24]
* [[1607: Supreme Court]] was still up, but [[1608: Hoverboard]] most have come out close to the change.
** See both [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 00:12] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125230753/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 23:07].
** Since this new "comic" was actually a {{w|browser game}} made to celebrate the release of Randall's new book, ''[[Thing Explainer]]'', which was released on the same day as this comic: Tuesday, November 24, 2015. The comic thus appeared on a Tuesday, replacing that week's normal Wednesday release to coincide with the release day.
** Hence it is a shame that there is no archived versions on the 24th showing Hoverboard on the front page. Even though the new version of the Header text is shown on the 24th, but on the previous comic.
* Cause all the header text is about is the release day of Thing Explainer!
** The top part is text with a line with large letters and a line below in brackets and using smaller letters. Below that there is a line dividing the text from the next part.
** Below follows the same header that was up as early as [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] with the open book and three lines of text.
* The text:
** My new book, [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer], is out today!
** (If you're in NYC, you can also [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925015809/https://stores.barnesandnoble.com:80/author/11170358 come see me]!)
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the ten-hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the order line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Already the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25], when [[1608: Hoverboard]] was up, an extra line (a link) was added below the above. A line was separating it from the links above:
** [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ A puzzle for UK readers]
*** This was to a blag post with A puzzle for the UK because he could not go to UK in person. So this was a kind of bonus for those who could solve it. (We need an entry on that here on xkcd...)
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20151127114432/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-27] is still looked like this but then when the next comic, [[1609: Food Combinations]], came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128130851/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-28] the line about seeing him in New York was removed.
* The version with the puzzle, but without the New York line, was then up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151201222148/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-01] when [[1610: Fire Ants]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151202225254/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-12-02] the line with the puzzle at the bottom was changed to:
** I'm doing a [https://www.facebook.com/AndyWeirAuthor/ live Q&A;] at 2:30pm PT with The Martian author Andy Weir.
*** The link is to {{w|Andy Weir}}'s Facebook page. And the Q&A can likely not be seen anymore.
*** Randall has made no less than two comics about the movie {{w|The Martian (film)|The Martian}}, [[1536: The Martian]] and [[1585: Similarities]].
** It only lasted that day, and this became the last day with this header text, so it ended while [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was up.

===2015-10-22 - World Polio Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151022200022/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-22]
* [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up when the header changed.
** Randall mentions World Polio Day and the comic he drew for Bill Gates' blog, [[XKCD Marks the Spot]].
** Although he still keeps mentioning the release date for [[Thing Explainer]].
* The text:
** We've [https://slate.com/technology/2015/08/no-new-polio-in-africa-for-one-year-gates-epidemiologist-on-vaccines-and-surveillance.html almost eradicated polio]. For World Polio Day, I drew a comic
** about the eradication efforts. You can see it on [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/XKCD-Marks-the-Spot Bill Gates's blog].
** My [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ new book] of complex diagrams and simple words comes out Nov 24th.
*** The last line is split from the Polio announcement with a line.
* Was there until [[1607: Supreme Court]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151124065108/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-11-24].
** That was the day that the book was released, and when the next comic [[1608: Hoverboard]] came out, it was a celebration of the book.

===2015-09-23 - Book trip and tool===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923044724/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-23]:
* [[1580: Travel Ghost]] was up when the header changed.
** Announcing the book trip for the [[Thing Explainer]] book as well as linking to a Thing Explainer word checker tool! Two lines of text with links.
* The text:
** News: Announcing my Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/im-going-on-a-book-trip/ book trip]. Come say hi!
** Other news: Announcing the Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/a-thing-explainer-word-checker/ word checker] tool!
*** Both links are to the [[Blag]], the first a schedule for his book trip, and the second telling about Randall's new [https://xkcd.com/simplewriter/ Simple Writer] that could help you ''Write Like Up Goer Five and Thing Explainer''.
* Was there until [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151021164208/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-21].

===2015-09-06 - New links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150906181550/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-06]:
* [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was still up when the header changed.
** The promotion of the book, [[Thing Explainer]], stayed the same with a picture above links to preorder it, but the links was reduced from four to two, the amazon link changed and a new company was added for the second link removing the other three.
** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details on the image.
* The new link text:
** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thing-Explainer-Randall-Munroe/dp/1473620910 Amazon.co.uk}, [https://www.waterstones.com/book/thing-explainer/9781473620919 Waterstones]
* Was there until [[1579: Tech Loops]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150919220105/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-22].

===2015-08-09 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150809230825/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-09]:
* [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was still up when the header changed.
** It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with other news here below.
*** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details.
* Stayed like this until [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154014/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-05], but the only change was that the links to preorder changed from four to only two.

===2015-06-06 - Other news===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150606084120/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-06-06]
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was still up.
** This was just adding some "Other news", but leaving the promotion of [[Thing Explainer]] unchanged as in the [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|previous header]], but adding two news stories in text below the link to preorder.
* The new text:
** In other news, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrdAvmr-MA Space Weird Thing] is delightful, and I feel surprisingly invested in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150720074919/https://twitter.com/xkcdbracket @xkcdbracket's] results.
*** The link to Space Weird Thing is a YouTube video with a simple words version of {{w|David Bowie|David Bowie's}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo Space Oddity] music video, using only the top then hundred words. The creators contributes the idea to the [[1133: Up Goer Five]] diagram which also inspired the book Thing Explainer, also promoted in this header text.
*** The other link is referring to [[1529: Bracket]] released 12 days before this update, as a twitter user made a survey going through all the brackets all the way to a winner was found. Seems Randall became interested in who won. See more on the comics page.
* Was there until [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150807181044/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-07]. Then it returned back to the previous header with only the promotion of the book.

===2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150515060322/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-15]
* [[1525: Emojic 8 Ball]]
* This was a more detailed promotion for Randall's new book: [[Thing Explainer]] to be published in November 2015, more than half a year after the announcement, compared to the previous change which was just a line and a link.
* The text:
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the then hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to preorder the book:
*** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the preorder line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150605082643/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-06-05], but only to add other information. The main promotion of the book stayed the same.

===2015-05-14 - New book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150514053623/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-14]
* [[1524: Dimensions]] was up.
** A single line announced the new [[Thing Explainer]] book, with link to the [[Blag]] post from the day before.
* The text:
** New book: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer!]
The [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion of the book]] stayed up with some changes for [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-12-13_-_Thing_Explainer_is_available|more than 10 month]] first stopping when Randall had [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-01_-_The_xkcd_April_1st_comic_is_currently_experiencing_technical_difficulties|problems with his April Fools' Day comic]] in 2016... It is a record length.
* The first came already the day after so this short announcement was only up on this day and ended with the next comic. See above.
* See more details on the promotion of the book on the Thing Explainer page [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]].

===2015-02-11 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150211154103/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-11]
* When [[1485: Friendship]] came out the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[1523: Microdrones]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184622/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-05-12], so just a day more than three months.

===2015-02-04 - Valentine cards only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150204051152/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-04]
* [[1482: NowPlaying]] came out as it changed.
** After the last day of ordering t-shirt had passed it changed back to the picture with the Valentine cards from the previous header, but without the t-shirt picture.
** See that [[#2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt|header change]], but only the first picture described.
* Ended while [[1484: Apollo Speeches]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150210005540/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-10].

===2015-02-02 - Last day shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-02]
* [[1481: API]] came out as it changed.
** Just letting people know it is the last chance to order the binary t-shirt.
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** Today is the last day to order the limited-run [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart binary heart shirt]!
** The last words is link to the shirt in the shop.
* Ended before the next comic was up, but still the day after, when it was too late to order: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150203022036/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-03].

===2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183442/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-29]
* [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell about both the two previous updates in the same header- Both about the collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards and his new Valentine t-shirt.
** There where two pictures, with a promotion of the two products and a link to them in the shop.
** On the left was text about the cards with a small drawing to the right of the text showing the four cards.
*** An ant talking to an aphids; Earth rotating about the sun but locked so one side melts; an ant with a fungus growing from it's head with a heart, and a Velociraptor skeleton where the last bit of the tail is put on by a person. The text on the cards are unreadable, but they can be seen via the link.
** The text (in three lines) was:
*** Webcomic science Valentine card collaboration
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines link to the cards] from the picture.
** The picture on the left shows binary numbers 0 and 1 in white on a black background. The middle of the three lines of those have message in red text.
** The text:
*** 0 1 0 1 0 Binary heart 1 1 1
*** 1 1 1 Valentine shirt 0 1
*** 0 0 0 1 [limited run] 0 0 1
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart link to the shirt] from the picture.
* Ended while [[1480: Super Bowl]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150201015913/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-01].

===2015-01-27 - Valentine's Day cards===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-27]
* [[1478: P-Values]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell that about a collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** I've teamed up with three other webcomic artists
** to make [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines a set of science-themed Valentine's Day cards]!
* There was a link to the cards on the store.
* Ended while [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128172147/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-28].

===2015-01-24 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150124110707/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-24]
* [[1477: Star Wars]] came out as it changed.
** It was to tell about a new type of t-shirt for Valentine Day.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** For Valentine's Day, you can get a binary heart shirt
** (from {{xkcd|99|comic #99!}}) in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart a limited run on TeeSpring]
* There was a link to [[99: Binary Heart]] and to the relevant t-shirt on the [https://teespring.com/ Teespring] home page.
* Ended while [[1478: P-Values]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150126133139/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-26].

===2014-12-22 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141222233233/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-22]
* [[1463: Altitude]] came out as it changed.
** After the Christmas sale deadline there was still merchandise in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** You can get xkcd shirts, prints, and posters in the [https://shop.xkcd.com/ store]!
* The word store was a link to the shop.
* Ended while [[1476: Ceres]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150123102318/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-23].

===2014-12-19 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141219092349/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-19]:
* [[1462: Blind Trials]] came out as it changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with order now here below.
* See [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|2014-12-17]] below for all details.
* Ended while [[1462: Blind Trials]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141221172450/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-21].

===2014-12-18 - Order now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218090650/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-18]
* [[1461: Payloads]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday and that it was rapidly approaching. This was a follow up on the [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|Wednesdays announcement]] the day before.
** The image was just four lines of text with several red and blue words.
* The text was:
** The xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
** Once it passes, there is no going back. The arrow of time drags us all
** Inexorably forward toward decay and disorder. toward the end of all things.
** Towards the empty silence of the grave. Order now!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text.
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141217085320/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-17]
* [[1461: Payloads]] came out as it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday. This was announced Wednesday two days before the deadline.
** The image was just text with the last word in each line in red and the xkcd store blue as a link.
* The text was:
** Looking for a gift?
** xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up!

===2014-12-03 - Christmas shopping===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141203132024/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-03]
* [[1455: Trolley Problem]] came out as it changed.
** It was to announce the start of the Christmas shopping on the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store]
** Four boxes with shipping details are shown. Two green and two red, alternating from green. Between them are three text messages in two, two and three lines.
* The text was:
** xkcd store
** Christmas shopping
** I will probably not ship you a bobcat.
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* The bobcat is a reference to [[325: A-Minus-Minus]].
* Ended while [[1460: SMFW]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-11-29 - Thanks - Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141129211604/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-29]
* [[1453: fMRI]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to thanks for all the help his friend Emily with cancer got through among other his previous header text [[#2014-11-27 - Help Emily| Help Emily]].
** That only needed to be up two days before the goal was met.
* The text was:
** Thank you for helping my friend Emily.
** It means so much.
* Ended three days later while [[1454: Done]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141202065133/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-02].

===2014-11-27 - Help Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141127005239/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-27]
* [[1452: Jurassic World]] came out as it changed.
** It was to help a friend who got cancer by raising money for her.
* The text was:
** Hey all. My friend Emily—the economist who helped
** me with my {{xkcd|980|money chart}}—has been fighting cancer. She's
** having a rough time and could use some [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128183414/https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk help]. Thank you.
* There are two links, one to the [[980: Money]] comic she helped Randall create, and one for her Go Fund Me page to raise money for her cancer cure.
** The help link above is to the archived version from that time, but the link was still active in August 2019: [https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk Helping Emily Fight Cancer].
* Ended while [[1453: fMRI]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128070838/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-11-28].
** She did thus not get a permanent header as did Becky on the [[#Seven_Years|Seven Years]] comic.

===2014-10-02 - what if? bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141002211139/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-10-02]
* [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out|book is out]].
* This was a month after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It added a line of red text beneath the previous header to announce that the book was the #1 New York bestseller.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
** (#1 New York bestseller!)
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1451: Background Screens]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141125234520/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-25].

===2014-09-04 - what if? book out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140904150600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-04]
* [[1416: Pixels]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out today|book is out today]].
* This was two days after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It only removed to today from the previous header, that had only been up two days.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141001130827/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-09-02 - what if? book out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140902125802/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-02]
* [[1415: Ballooning]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-07-23 - what if? book tour|book tour header]].
* This was the day the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out. [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised shouts this out.. The word Book is underlined and blue to indicate a link.
* The text was:
** My book is out today!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1416: Pixels]] was still [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903134518/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-03].

===2014-07-23 - what if? book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140723180600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-23]
* [[1398: Snake Facts]]
* This was a promotion of his book tour for the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book made by [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised. Several parts of the text was underlined and blue to indicate links.
* The text was:
** I'm going on a book tour! click here for a list of stops.
** Or click anywhere-this whole image is one link because I've never gotten the hang of HTML imagemaps.
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/22/what-if-book-tour/ What If book tour!].
** Later Randall commented on this lacking ability in the comic: [[1572: xkcd Survey]].
** He also mentions it in one of the [[#xkcd_Header_text#2019-07-09_-_Drawings_from_How_To|promotions]] for his [[How To]] book.
** He much later he again mentions that html is hard, thus explaining why the entire image is a link instead of the actual blue highlighted link in one of the promotions for [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-08-11_-_Preorder_What_if.3F_2_-_with_image|what if? 2]].
* Ended while [[1415: Ballooning]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140901113916/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-03-13 - what if? announced===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140313070951/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-13]
* [[1341: Types of Editors]] was up.
* This was the first promotion of Randall's new ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book which is shown next to two lines of text.
* The text was:
** News:
** I'm publishing a ''what if'' book!
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/03/12/what-if-i-wrote-a-book/ What if I wrote a book?]
* Ended while [[1397: Luke]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140722142115/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-22].

===2014-01-09 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140109190927/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-09]
* When [[1314: Photos]] was still up when the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312070248/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-12] when [[1340: Unique Date]] was up, a bit more than two months.

===2013-12-21 - Deadline for Christmas shipping has passed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221043417/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2013-12-21]
* It changed when [[1306: Sigil Cycle]] came out.
* This came up when it was too close to Christmas in 2013 for shipping to arrive in time for Christmas. And Randall makes a note of this, but lets people know that they could still buy presents...
* The text was
** The deadline for guaranteed Christmas shipping has passed, but if you order something from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], we'll get it to you as fast as possible!
* Ended when [[1314: Photos]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181520/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-08].

===2013-12-06 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206213503/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-06]
* It changed when [[1300: Galilean Moons]] came out.
** There was no header text. This happened next on [[Header_text#2020-04-05 - Empty header|2020-04-05]]. It looks really weird.
* Ended when [[1305: Undocumented Feature]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005306/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-20].

===Changes not documented yet 3===
More changes will for sure be here between this and the one below.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131205202730/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-05]: Xmas sale before above
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]: Empty follows below

===2013-03-15 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]
* It changed while [[1186: Bumblebees]] was on the front page.
** After the text saying a comic would be delayed disappeared no text replaced this.
** So the header was left empty!
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318072820/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-18] while [[1187: Aspect Ratio]] was up.

===2013-03-13 - Comic will be delayed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130313133631/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-13]
* It changed when [[1184: Circumference Formula]] came out, likely because the next comic was delayed.
** But there is a gap of three days before where no archived version exist, so cannot say if there where more than a few hours with this text.
* The text:
** The comic will be delayed until late morning EDT.
* Ended when [[1185: Ineffective Sorts]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175306/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-13].
** That was later same day as the first archived version. But could have been longer as mentioned above.

===2012-11-26 - xkcd store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121126235628/https://xkcd.com/1138/ 2012-11-26]
* It changed while [[1138: Heatmap]] was up.
** Notice that the above link is not from the main page, but from {{xkcd|1138}}.
** There was a gap of five days in the archive of the main page.
** The first day that it was archived from the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201111432/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-12-01], while [[1141: Two Years]] was up.
* The standard header text is replaced with an image that makes it seem like a rip is being torn in the white region where the text used to be. Beneath the white material that has now been ripped, some text can partly be seen. It is possible to read it.
* The text:
** xkcd store
*** The image is a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] (tadaaa!)
* Ended when [[1183: Rose Petals]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130311073948/https://xkcd.com:80/1183/ 2013-03-11]
** The above link is from {{xkcd|1183}}.
** Last time the front page was archived with it was though on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130309010403/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-09].

===2012-10-24 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024082017/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-24]
* While [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121126035129/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-11-26] when [[1138: Heatmap]] was up, a few days more than a month.

===2012-10-17 - New What-If - Lightning===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232102/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-17]
* Probably while [[1122: Electoral Precedent]] was up.
** But the link above showing it was up on the 2012-10-17 is from the previous comics page {{xkcd|1121}} [[1121: Identity]].
** But the first version archived with this header is saved on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121018082304/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-18]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|16|Today's topic: Lightning}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/16/ What if lightning struck while you were ...]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023404/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-23] when [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front page
** This link is though from {{xkcd|1121}}.
** The last this version was archived on the front page was the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120008/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-22].

===2012-10-10 - New What-If - Mariana Trench Explosion===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010003837/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-10]
* [[1118: Microsoft]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|15|Mariana Trench Explosion}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/15/ What if you set off a nuclear bomb in the Mariana Trench?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121016055538/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-16] when [[1121: Identity]] was up.

===2012-10-02 - This week's What-If - Short Answer Section===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121002231724/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-10-02]
* [[1115: Sky]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|14|Short Answer Section}}''.
* The text
** In this week's What-If article I [https://what-if.xkcd.com/14/ answer multiple reader questions].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121008112434/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-08] when [[1118: Microsoft]] was up.

===2012-09-26 - New What-If - Laser Pointer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120926163111/https://xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-26]
* [[1113: Killed in Action]] was up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 26th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120928003838/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-28]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|13|Laser Pointer}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ If everyone aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at once, would it change color?]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121001080517/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-01] when [[1115: Sky]] was up.

===2012-09-18 - what-if.xkcd.com - Raindrop===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120918143653/https://www.xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-18]
* [[1109: Refrigerator]] was still up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 18th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120919015232/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-09-19]
* Randall promotes another What-If article on the what-if page.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|12|Raindrop}}''.
* The text
** what-if.xkcd.com: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/12/ What if all of a storm's water fell in a single raindrop?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120925090123/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-25] when [[1112: Think Logically]] was up.

===Changes not documented yet 2===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120917052827/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-17]: What if Droppings ends.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120718231719/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-18] Next stores header text

===2012-07-10 - New: what-if.xkcd.com===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10]
* This was a special change happening over a few days. The above "new" header text from the given date is actually shown on the previous comic [[1078: Knights]].
** Another example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710072249/https://xkcd.com:80/1070 2012-07-10] is shown for [[1070: Words for Small Sets]].
* The comic on the main page released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09] was [[1079: United Shapes]], but that comic had a [[xkcd_Header_text#United_Shapes|unique header text]] upon its release.
** So both on the 9th as shown above and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10] the header text was different on the front than on all other pages.
*** As can be read in the link above, the new header text actually got incorporated into the unique text, so that after the next comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711234408/https://xkcd.com/1079/ 2012-07-11] the current new header text and a smaller version of the original unique header text was now shown on the Unites Shapes page.
*** {{xkcd|1079|And it was never changed back}}.
* The first version of the new text from the 10th was only active one day:
** The text:
*** New site: what-if.xkcd.com, where I abuse science to answer hypothetical questions. I'll answer a new question every Tuesday.
**** The link was not an active link. And this was never shown on the front page, but on all other comics.
* Already on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711223349/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-11] when [[1080: Visual Field]] was released the new header changed a bit
** At this time it most have been shown on the front page, but the link above is again from [[1078: Knights]].
*** For some reason the front page was not saved on either the 11th or 12th, so no version of the front page with Visual Field exist
*** The first archived version of the front page with this new header text was from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154207/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-13] when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was on the front page.
* The final text:
** New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions.
** I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
*** This time the link was active and directs to the new ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' blog and its first entry {{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}
* The whole idea was that Randall released the new what if? blog on the 10th of July 2012. And thus would like to make a promotion of it.
** And then he timed it so poorly that the front page had a different header than the rest of the comics.
** It was so annoying for him that he actually changed the header for Unites Shapes manually so that page also showed the new link. Maybe even before it left the front page, but that has not been documented in the archive.
** And then he forgot about it when the header changed for all the other comics, so it is now a relic of the promotion of his first what if release.
* The what if promotion continued for a long time, but the final version from above only lasted until 17th at the latest. There is again no archived versions of the front page from the 15th, 16th or 17th.
** The last time it was archived on the front page was [https://web.archive.org/web/20120714062857/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-14], when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was still up.
** But on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120715070938/https://xkcd.com:80/1081/ 2012-07-15] it was still shown on the page for Argument Victory and same for [https://web.archive.org/web/20120716235458/https://www.xkcd.com/998/ 2012-07-16] on [[998: 2012]]
*** So seemed it stayed up while [[1082: Geology]] was up on the 16-17/7.

===2012-04-09 - Standard text plus store link===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190952/https://xkcd.com/1026/ 2012-04-09]
* It changed when [[1040: Lakes and Oceans]] came up.
** The above link to prove this is though from comic {{xkcd|1026}} [[1026: Compare and Contrast]] the first to be found that where archived on the 9th.
** The first archived version on the main page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411053543/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-11] when [[1041: Whites of Their Eyes]] was up.
** There where no archived version of the front page on the 9th or 10th while Lake and Oceans was up. So it was also first on the 11th that this new text could be seen, but only when it had moved to its own page number [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411052948/https://xkcd.com/1040/ 1040].
*** The change probably came because of this special comic, which may became a [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/lakes-oceans-poster poster].
* The update was to add a promotion for the store under the standard header text.
* The text
** XKCD updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** You can get prints, posters, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09] when [[1078: Knights]] was up, exactly three months, so although not only the standard text, the standard text was first for three months and three days, see [[#2012-04-05 - Back to standard text|below]].

===2012-04-05 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05]
* While [[1038: Fountain]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* The link above to prove the date is seen on [[1021: Business Plan]].
** The first archived version on front page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406111048/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-06], when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up.
** A version showing Fountain with this can be found on it's own page {{xkcd|1038}} on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085618/https://xkcd.com:80/1038/ 2012-04-06].
*** When it was archived while on the front page it still had the previous header on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-05].
* It stayed up, unchanged, until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120408200414/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-08] when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up. So only three days.
** But [[#2012-04-09- Standard text plus store link|the change]] did not remove the standard text but just added a link to the store. And this version, still with the standard text at the top stayed for three more months.

===2012-03-28 - Visiting Newport News===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328103319/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-28]
* [[1035: Cadbury Eggs]] was on the front when it changed.
** From the end of March 2012, there is a problem with the archived versions of xkcd, so they do not load properly and do not include the comic picture.
* It was to announce a talk Randall gave at his old school.
* The text:
** I'm [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ visiting] Newport News, VA next week, where I'll be speaking at CNU, my old school. If you want to come, reserve a seat [https://web.archive.org/web/20120329214411/https://www.cnu.edu/pcs/xkcd/index.asp here]!
*** The first link it to a post in the [[Blag]]: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ I’m visiting CNU on April 4th].
*** The other link is no longer working, but the link above goes to an archived version.
* There was a special situation with this header text. For three days it was not on the front page, as the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1037: Umwelt]] came out and stayed from April 1st to April 3rd on the front page.
** This comic had it's own [[#Unique header text|unique header text]] from the start, one that has [[#Umwelt|stayed like this]] since!
*** So from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01] to [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03] the front page had another header:
**** You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** But all the other comics kept the Visiting header on all three days as shown here:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401214214/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-01] from[[1036: Reviews]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402150258/https://xkcd.com/1019 2012-04-02] from [[1019: First Post]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403164523/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-03] from [[1036: Reviews]].
**** The one from the 2nd of April was hardest to find, but the most important, because that was clearly in the time period where Umwelt was up, thus definitely proving that the other pages had a different header than the front page. This is rare.
* It returned to the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-04] and stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05] when [[1038: Fountain]] was up.
** The link from the 5th though is from {{xkcd|1021}} [[1021: Business Plan]], the only comic archived on the 5ht to be found.
*** The previous link was the last time it was archived while on the front page.

===2012-03-12 - xkcd Holistic Browser===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312185125/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-12]
* [[1028: Communication]] was up at the time.
** From here the archive doesn't load the page properly so it is really boring to document. This goes for both first and last day of this text.
* The text:
** New: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153220/https://holistic.xkcd.com/ holistic.xkcd.com], the least useful web navigation tool ever.
*** The link is now dead, but the link above is to an archived version.
*** On that page there is the following text:
**** The XKCD Holistic Browser
**** Because we are all one.
**** Type a web address
**** and you'll be taken to one
**** typed by someone else.
**** URL:
**** Warning: This allows strangers to direct your browser!
**** They may send you to pages containing
**** porn, viruses, or Justin Bieber fanfiction.
**** At the very least, turn on private browsing.
* During the time this header was active the comic [[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]] came out.
** It had its own [[xkcd_Header_text#Unique_header_text|unique header text]] which thus replaced this text on the front page for two days.
** But it did not replace it on all the other pages so this was the active header text during the entire period, see more here: [[xkcd_Header_text#s.2Fkeyboard.2Fleopard.2F|s/keyboard/leopard/]]
* This lasted till [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327050311/https://xkcd.com/1033 2012-03-27] while [[1034: Share Buttons]] was up.
* But the last archived version with this on the front page was the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20120326180811/https://xkcd.com// 2012-03-26].
** The link from 27th is from an archived version of [[1033: Formal Logic]].

===Changes not documented yet 1===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120311135259/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-11] Text before. For next entry below...



[[Category:Design of xkcd.com]]{{xkcdmeta}}

Header text

2026-04-12T09:23:49Z

Kynde: /* 2026-01-07 - Back to standard text */

<noinclude>{{xkcd.com}}[[File:xkcd_header.png|thumb|right|250px|The [[Design of xkcd.com#Header section|Header section]] is one of the [[Design of xkcd.com|four main sections]] of the [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com] website.]]The '''header text''' is usually updated when [[Randall]] has news to share or wants to add information about a specific comic. The default header text states:

</noinclude><div style="font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 500; font-size: 16px; width: 760px; line-height: 150%;" class="plainlinks">
:xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.</div><noinclude>

Usually, changes to the header text show up in all comics. However, for certain comics, its header text is changed permanently, which means that comic's page won't be affected by changes to the global header text like the rest of the comics. You can see the list of these [[#Comic-specific header text|Comic-specific header texts]] below.

Usually, the global header text is changed back to the default once the novelty of the news ends. Recently, the default header text has not been used for extended periods of time. The most recent header text change can be found at the top of the [[#Global header text|Global header text section]].

{{incomplete|Someone has created a full list of comic-specific header texts! We have only explained 28 so far, and '''28 are missing'''. [[Talk:Header_text#anc|The full list in on the Talk page!]]. (Also, if you have ''infinite'' spare time, please remove the bullet points on the page and use normal paragraphs.)}}

Use this list to quickly jump to a specific header text, or [[#Comic-specific header text|click here]] to jump to the most recent one.

__TOC__

==Comic-specific header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Place the most recent changes at the top.


===[[2957: A Crossword Puzzle]]===
*This comic's header mentions that it has been inspired by an old comic (by accident, i.e. originally Randall was not aware of his inspiration).
**It was on the front page from from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711100451/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11] until the next comic to come out Friday [ 2024-07-12]. [ASSUMPTION]
*The text:
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!
*It makes it clear that Randall did not wish to take credit for this old idea
**Although it seems like he did not know where he got the idea from at first, when he posted it.
**Because the addition of this header text was not posted together with the comic, when it was released on Wednesday 2024-07-10 and it was still not there in the early morning of Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711000851/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11].
**That he is a fan of Buttersafe is made clear at the bottom of the xkcd page where it is on Randall's list of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]].
*As a special situation this special header did not replace the current header text, but was added below the active header text at the time about [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F|10th anniversary for what if?]].
**This has not been the normal way to add comic-specific header text. So it will be interesting to see what happens when the next comic is released [UPDATE]
*Since this header was related only to explain the inspiration for this comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released. [ASSUMPTION!!!]
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen [SOME] days after it stopped being on the front page on [?? 2022-07-13???].


===[[2916: Machine]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406163326/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06] (although it was supposed to have been a Friday release according to the xkcd archives) until the next comic to come out Monday 2024-04-08, but the earliest archived version of the next comic is from Tuesday [http://web.archive.org/web/20240409060444/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-09].
***It probably changed late on Monday the 8th, but Machine was still up late on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240408225854/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-08].
***It may be like previous years because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?
**When [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]] was released the front page returned to normal header.
**The previous comic [[2915: Eclipse Clouds]] was still on the front page Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06]. So a very late Friday release...
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://github.com/spyhi Ed White], [https://twitter.com/uh_oh_thats_bad Alex Garcia], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [http://burningcandle.io/ Conor & Ami Stokes], [https://liranuna.com/ Liran Nuna], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick], [https://manishearth.github.io/ Manish Goregaokar], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], [https://github.com/ayust Amber], and [https://github.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg] with physics by [https://rapier.rs/ Rapier].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or X or their own home pages. Some of them have also helped with the two previous [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], see below, but there are many more involved in this one than any of the previous.
**Also the Fast 2D and 3D physics engine for the Rust programming language, Rapier, is mentioned as standing for the physics of the comic.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240409010518/https://xkcd.com/2916/ 2022-04-09].


===[[2765: Escape Speed]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230420203744/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-20] (although it was supposed to have been a Wednesday release according to the xkcd archives) until Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230421082400/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-21], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2766: Helium Reserve]] was released the front page returned to normal header. This seems to have not happened until Saturday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20230422121650/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-22] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was put together with help from [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick Clapp], [https://amberyu.st/ Amber], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], and [https://www.aiweirdness.com/ Janelle Shane].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or Twitter or their own home pages. Most of them have also helped with the two previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230423150206/https://xkcd.com/2765/ 2022-04-23].


===[[2601: Instructions]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220401210146/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-01] until Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405031003/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because Instructions was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2602: Linguistics Degree]] was released the front page returned to normal header This seems to have not happened until Tuesday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405125644/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/chromakode @chromakode], [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/xDirtyPunkx Conor], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with an Instagram page, the other seven with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220406021357/https://xkcd.com/2601/ 2022-04-06].


===[[2445: Checkbox]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210401232108/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-01] until Monday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210405130031/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-05], until the new comic was released on Monday.
*The text:
**This comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], and [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with a personal home page, the other six with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header, when the next comic was released, here from the day after that release Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210406143023/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-06].
*But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20210407203547/https://xkcd.com/2445/ 2021-04-07].


===[[2288: Collector's Edition]]===
This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together, and gives links to all of their Twitter profiles, except
Christopher Nights'. It was on the front page only for about a day around April 3rd and
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/http://xkcd.com/#-370,-277vApril 4th 2020].
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber],
[https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin],
[https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat],
[https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
</blockquote>
The header text thanks those who helped Randall create the 2020 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken
two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay, the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released the day after the April Fool's comic, [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]].
Since this header was related only to the April Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header when the next comic was released,
but it stayed up as a permanent header for this comic.



===[[1928: Seven Years]]===
[http://web.archive.org/web/20171214171157/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-12-14]
It was released as a response to another cancer diagnosis, this is explained in the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Header_text|Header text]] which has replaced the standard ''xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.'' The new one is this one, with the active link included:
The text (with link):
* Becky Beaton, sister of fellow cartoonist Kate Beaton, has also been diagnosed with cancer. You can support her treatment [https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 here].
{{w|Kate Beaton}} is the creator of the web comic [http://www.harkavagrant.com/ Hark! A Vagrant].
* Although this comic is not one on Randall's list of ''[[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]]'', he is clearly much influenced by another cancer diagnosis among someone in his own creative field.below.
On [https://web.archive.org/web/20190817141450/https://www.xkcd.com/1928/ 2019-08-17], close to two years later, the message was still there and also [https://web.archive.org/web/20211226120634/https://xkcd.com/1928/ 2021-12-26] just past four years later.
* There was the possibility that it would be removed, when the support page was discontinued...
* But as that already happened before [http://web.archive.org/web/20181106124430/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-11-06] it seems like it will be there to stay.
* Last archived version was from [http://web.archive.org/web/20180305022301/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-03-05].
* Randall has previously done something similar for another friend, Emily, but [[#2014-11-27_-_Help_Emily|that header]] was not made permanent.



===[[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]]===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170428041338/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-04-28]
This header links back to [[1828: ISS Solar Transit]], a comic with the same joke setup released on the Monday of the same week


===[[1723: Meteorite Identification]]===
Randall realized that his comic was almost a copy of some other person. And he has since then acknowledged this on the comics specific page see more [[1723: Meteorite Identification#Trivia|here]].
At the time of this post, in the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161010215516/http://xkcd.com/1723/ 2016-10-10] it is still there and says:
* Note: Jolyon, founder of [http://www.mindat.org/ mindat.org], made a similar chart way before me!


===[[1679: Substitutions 3]]===
This comic is the third installment of the [[:Category:Substitution]] series, and as Randall did with [[#Substitutions 2]],
the header text links to the previous comics in the series, and tells the user about Chrome Browser extensions for substitution.
The header text reads:
<blockquote>
(Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}} and {{xkcd|1625|Substitutions 2}}) 
Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/replacerator/gaajhenbcclienfnniphiiambbbninnp?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
</blockquote>
This header text was on the main page while the comic was on the main page, for instance on
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160512102325/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-05-12]. It remains on the comic page.



===[[1663: Garden]]===
This comic had a header text to help people use the comic when it came out.
For some time this text was the main header text, but after a while is disappeared from the main header, but remained as the header for Garden.
* See more [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-04_-_Protip_on_Garden|below]] or on the Garden page [[Garden#Header_text_after_release|here]]
Today and as of the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161231231600/http://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-12-31] it is still there and says:
* Protip: If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
* You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.


===[[1625: Substitutions 2]]===
This was the second installment of Substitutions and Randall links to the first and tells about browser extensions for this:
The text:
* (Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}})
* Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/xkcd-substitutions/jkgogmboalmaijfgfhfepckdgjeopfhk?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
** He did the same when [[xkcd_Header_text#Substitutions_3|Substitutions 3]] came out, linking to the two previous.
It was on the main page while the comic was up, for instance here on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160104171722/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-01-04].


===[[1079: United Shapes]]===
The header text was unique for this comic on the day it came out:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09].
It read:
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here] (Colorado is [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/ here]). 
It's also available as a [http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap poster].
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap Archived store link, 2012-07-22])

This header text only appeared with the comic, as on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09],
at a time before this comic was released, the previous
[[xkcd_Header_text#2012-04-09 -_Standard_text_plus_store_link|promotion of the store]] header text was still on the main page.

As this comic was still on the main page the day after ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120710063424/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-10]),
a new [[Header_text#2012-07-10_-_New:_what-if.xkcd.com|header text promoting Randall's new what if? blog]]
was not shown on the main page.
The what if? promotion was added to this comic's header text the next day,
on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711123734/http://xkcd.com:80/1079/ 2012-07-11].
However, the part about Colorado was lost in this edit. This is the version still shown on {{xkcd|1079}} today, including the
what if? promotion.
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here]! It's also available as a
[https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster poster]. 
New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions. 
I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20121203164246/https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster Archived store link, 2012-12-03])

The what if? promotion links to the very first ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}'' which was released on 2012-07-10, the day after this comic was released, but before the next comic [[1080: Visual Field]] was released on 2012-07-11.

There is no archived version of comic {{xkcd|1080}} while it was on the front page, so it is not possible to tell what the front page looked like on the 11th and 12th of July 2012. Most likely it was the what if? promotion.
* Maybe there was a time with the final version of the header text the front page, but seems like Randall put the new header text there by hand, and forgot to delete it after, so he probably first changed it when the new comic came out.
* Since the new header was important, promoting his new ''what if'' blog, Randall likely did not wish to have a recent page/the main page without it.
* But this makes it a special unique header, as a relic from the past header text is left together with the text that was supposed to be permanent. It should have been deleted when the link to ''what if'' 1 was removed.



===[[1047: Approximations]]===
It has a permanent text saying that many people emailed Randall about another approximation for one year than the one given in the comic.
* As it was already there from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120425220409/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-25] it seems unlikely that he actually received those e-mails before changing the header text for this comic!
The unique text:
* Lots of emails mention the physicist favorite, 1 year = pi x 107 seconds.
* 75^4 is a hair more accurate, but it's hard to top 3,141,592's elegance.
There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[#2012-04-09_-_Standard_text_plus_store_link|Plus store link]].


===[[1037: Umwelt]]===
It has a permanent promotion of the store already from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01]:
The unique text:
* You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
It stayed on the front page while this comic was the most recent, so for instance also two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03]
* There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-28_-_Visiting_Newport_News|Visiting Newport News]].


===[[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]]===
In response to the idea of having you browser replace keyboard with leopard a reader made a script that could do just that.
Randall seem to have gotten this script before release (or at least on the day of release) as it was already the header text on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319130702/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-19] the day the comic was released.
The unique text is:
* A helpful reader has provided an [https://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 s/keyboard/leopard/ user script].
** The link does not go anywhere useful any longer, but here is the archived version of the link from two days after the release of the comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321174019/http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 2012-03-21]
It was never changed on the other comics so was only on the front while this comic was up until 2012-03-21
* Here also shown on the second day it was up on its own page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320143916/http://xkcd.com:80/1031/ 2012-03-20].
The next comic [[1032: Networking]] came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321205835/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-21] and here the header text has returned to what it was before the leopard comic: [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-12_-_xkcd_Holistic_Browser|xkcd Holistic Browser]].
* Here are examples from dates around this showing it was not used on other pages:
** The last archived version of the front page from before the 19th was this version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317121834/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-17], but here is an example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153256/http://xkcd.com:80/1030/ 2012-03-18] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]), the day before leopard comic came out.
** Both on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319174700/http://xkcd.com/1030/ 2012-03-19] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]) and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320191039/http://xkcd.com:80/1012 2012-03-20] (from comic [[1012: Wrong Superhero]]) during the time leopard was up, the header text currently in used was still shown.


===[[996: Making Things Difficult]]===
To give context to the comic about cancer, Randall links to a [[Blag]] post about his family's struggle with cancer.
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Some context for the cancer comics:
[https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/ https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/]
</blockquote>
This header text appears on the oldest stored version of the comic page from [https://web.archive.org/web/20111229043804/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-12-29] when it was on the main page.


===[[980: Money]]===
Randall notes his thoughts about making it and makes a promotion of the poster.
The unique text:
* This one was fun (and exhausting) to make.
* There's a poster of it in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/money-poster store]!
** It is both at the oldest stored version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404110059/http://xkcd.com:80/980 2012-04-04] and the newest at time of editing [https://web.archive.org/web/20220108132250/https://xkcd.com/980/ 2022-01-08].


===[[977: Map Projections]]===
Randall notes that a person had birthday on the release of this comic about maps, and this guy has maps on his homepage
The unique text:
* It turns out Monday was Steve Waterman's birthday. His [https://web.archive.org/web/20111118003418/http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ site] has posters of his map, plus maybe the world's only Winkel Tripel-critiquing poetry.
** The link goes to [http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ Waterman project] home page. Above the link goes to an archived version from around the time of release of the header text.
** It is at the oldest stored version with the comic on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20111115231643/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-11-15].


===[[851: Na]]===
After Randall released this comic, he realized he could have "made it better," and did so.
He changed the header text alert people to this, saying:
<blockquote>
I can't ''believe'' I forgot Hey Jude.
I don't get do-overs, but I couldn't resist making [https://xkcd.com/851_make_it_better/ a fixed version].
</blockquote>
See more about it in that comic's [[851:_Na#Trivia|trivia section]].


===[[739: Malamanteau]]===
Randall notes that he has changed this comics license, so it can be used on Wikipedia.
The text:
* At Wikipedia's request, I release this comic under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ cc-by-sa] license.
** The link is to the page regarding {{w|Creative Commons license}} in the US.
** Specifically for Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-SA 3.0 US)
*** Usually xkcd is [[Design_of_xkcd.com#License_and_copyright|shared under]] [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License]. This does not allow commercial use, But the 3.0 does.
When the comic came out it had the normal header text from that time, as seen here two days after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20100514072436/http://xkcd.com/ 2010-05-14].
* First archived version with the unique text is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100913003146/http://xkcd.com/739/ 2010-09-13], but the previous archived version of this comic is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100713160533/http://xkcd.com:80/739/ 2010-07-13].
* So it happened somewhere in the two months in between. But at least it was not there the first two months after release, but there before four month after release.


===577–580: [[:Category:The Race|The Race]]: Parts 1–4===
[[:Category:The Race|The Race]] was a 5-comic series published daily over the duration of one week, Monday through Friday. On comics
[[577: The Race: Part 1]], [[578: The Race: Part 2]], [[579: The Race: Part 3]], and [[580: The Race: Part 4]], parts 1–4 of the
series, Randall announced to users that xkcd would update once a day over the course of that week.

The header text for 577, published on Monday of that week, reads:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day.
</blockquote>
The header texts for 578, 579, and 580, published respectively on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, read:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day (through Friday).
</blockquote>

On comic [[581: The Race: Part 5]], this header text does not appear, likely because it wouldn't be useful to inform people of daily
updates for a week at the end of the week.


===[[563: Fermirotica]]===
The header text for this comic informs the reader of prints of this comic in the [[Store]], and gives an example sex calculation.
It reads:
<blockquote>
There are xkcd prints available in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store]. 
[https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sqrt(2%2F(pi*18000%2F(mi^2)*80%2Fyear*30+minutes) Example Google sex calculation].
</blockquote>
The first link is a link to the [[Store|xkcd Store]], which, as of early February 2026, is closed for the time being. The second link is a
Google Search link for an example sex calculation with the formula in the comic, where
''Pd'' = 18000/mi2,
''XF'' = 80/year, and
''Xd'' = 30 minutes.
This calculation results in ''r'' equaling ~142 meters.


===[[488: Steal This Comic]]===
Comic 488 advocates against {{w|Digital rights management}}, or <abbr title="Digital rights management">DRM</abbr>. In the header text, Randall notes that Amazon sells
DRM-free music. It reads:
<blockquote>
Note: the [https://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 Amazon.com MP3 store] sells DRM-free music. Kudos.
</blockquote>
The header text links to Amazon MP3 music. Here is an archived version of the store from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081001083843/http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 2008-10-01],
two weeks prior to the release of the comic.
The header text was on the comic from the release day, here seen the day after on the first archived version from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232952/http://xkcd.com/ 2008-10-14].


===[[472: House of Pancakes|472: House of Pancakes]]===
This comic's header notes its status as a parody:
* (Today's comic is a parody of [https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764 House of Leaves].)
Only on the days this comic was the newest was this header featured on the front page of xkcd for instance as seen here the day after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06].
* But it was only on this comic. The commercial for his new t-shirt was on all the other pages, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06] and presumably returned to the front page with the next comic. But there is a gap in the archive after this comic.

==Global header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the newest comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Position the last comic displaying the header text below the other data and place the most recent change at the top.

===2026-04-07 - Reading Modes===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260401210255/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-04-01].
*[[3227: Creation]] was released as the 2026 April Fools' comic, but the real April Fools' was a new feature, which was explained in the global header text.
* The text:
** We're pleased to announce a major update to xkcd, with new reading modes to enhance user experience. Select a mode via the menu below the comic.
**Brought to you by our excellent design team: [https://github.com/ayust Amber], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], and
[https://github.com/cotrone Kevin]
*At first it would seem that this would be a text, only belonging to the new comic, but since the feature is active on all comics, it was not only on the front page, but on all other comics as well. And it stayed there after the next comic was released.
**So this is not a comic specific header text.

===2026-01-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260107194433/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-01-07].
* [[3191: Superstition]] came out when the header changed.
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2022-01-08_-_Back_to_standard_text|2022-01-08]] that the text had changed back to that, so exactly four years.
**Last time it only lasted a few days before the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] started.
*It was also the first time since December 5th, 2024 that the header text had changed, a span of more than a year (13 months) making it by far the longest time the header text had been left unchanged.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260331171250/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-03-31] when [[3226: Home Solar]] was on the front page.
**Almost two months, a long stretch with the original title text in use!

===2024-12-05 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - order===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241205201038/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-05].
* [[3020: Infinite Armada Chess]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—Out now. Order it here! [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* Only difference in this header compared to the previous version is the last part after the final hypen.
* This header stayed up for exactly 13 months. See link at the bottom.
* With the [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|preorder]] version coming out in mid May 2024 the 10th anniversary edition ended up been in the header text almost 1 year and 7 month (except the month of [[#2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president|endorsing Harris]]), thus it was on the header for 1.5 years in total.
* And before that what if? has been part of the header back to [[#2022-01-31 - What if? 2|2022-01-31]], when what if? 2 was announced.
* And three weeks before that the [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] for what if? 2 began. Of course there was no what if? word on that header as it was a surprise. But it turned out this was also a promotion for what if?
* And up until the day before the countdown (when there was one day with the old standard text) there was promotion for the first what if? book starting on [[#2021-12-20 - What If in stock|2021-12-20]].
** To sum it up, the header has been used to promote what if? continuously from December 2021 until at least the start of January 2026 (except one month with endorsing Harris and three weeks countdown that was for what if?) So more than 4 years in a row, only with a month for something political and the 3 weeks of countdown was also a promotion for what if?
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260106150417/https://xkcd.com/3190/ 2026-01-06] when [[3190: Tensegrity]] was on the front page.
**It had then been up for more than 13 months in a row by a day. There had been no change to the header text at all during 2025.

===2024-11-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page when the text changed.
* It returned to the exact same header text as before: [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241204160618/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-04] when [[3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar]] was on the front page.
** The only change was that the last part after the last hyphen changed from when you had to preorder to now that you could order the book.

===2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241017002108/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-17]
* For some reason the web archive failed to upload xkcd on the day it changed, but that it did change a day before can be seen in this other archive [https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[2999: Bad Map Projection: The United Stralia]] came out when this header was changed.
* Instead of text, it is a three part comic. In the first panel, [[Cueball]] (probably representing [[Randall]]) is shown walking, carrying a sign. In the second panel, he is seen hitting the sign with a hammer into the ground. In the third, Cueball is gone, and the front of the sign can be seen:
** <big>Harris for president</big>
* This is in reference to the 2024 presidential elections and shows that Randall endorses Harris.
* Randall posted the same image on his [https://x.com/xkcd/status/1853098106667114801 Twitter (formally X)] and [https://bsky.app/profile/xkcd.com/post/3la2jku6ace2f Bluesky] accounts on November 3rd, 2024, two days before the presidential election.
* It was up for a month until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241115181146/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2024-11-15] when [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page. It changed while that comic was still up back to the one from before.

===2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240515200351/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-15]
* [[2933: Elementary Physics Paths]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241015192147/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-15] while [[2998: Ravioli-Shaped Objects]] was on the front page.
After a month of endorsing endorses Harris the heder text returned to this again, see [[#2024-11-16_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-110-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? -preorder]].

===2024-03-20 - What If? is on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240320173158/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-20]
* [[2909: Moon Landing Mission Profiles]] came out when the header changed.
The only text version from the previous header was trimmed having some words removed taking it down from four to three lines (and solving the bad alignment that happened five days before at the end of the previous header text).
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is on YouTube! The first video answers
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed Hubble at Earth?]” Follow the
** [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif What If?] channel to be notified about new videos.
* The first link goes to the what if? page on xkcd and the other two links are to the YouTube channel and to its very first video.
The promotion of the what if? franchise continues for the second year running. A few words were taken off as the YouTube channel was no longer new at this point.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240514034349/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-14], while [[2932: Driving PSA]] was on the front page. But the what if? promotion continued

===2023-11-29 - What If? is now on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20231129184009/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-29]
* [[2861: X Value]] came out when the header changed.
There was only text this time.
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is now on YouTube!
** Check out the first video for the answer to
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed the Hubble Telescope at Earth?]”
** and follow [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif xkcd’s What If? The Video Series channel] to be notified about each new video.
* The links goes to the what if page on xkcd and the other two links is to the new YouTube channel with videos of some of the what if articles and to the very first video.
This is thus not a promotion of the what if? 2 book but still promotion of the what if? franchise.
A small change happened on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240314113602/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-14], as the first two lines became one line which made the alignment worse. So it seemed strange to do this. It looked like normal up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20240313113429/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-13]. But it only lasted five days before a change was made that made it into a new although very similar header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240319134138/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-19], while [[2908: Moon Armor Index]] was on the front page, but was replaced by a very similar what if? header.

===2023-08-31 - What if? 2 is now available in paperback in the UK!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230831200321/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-31]
* [[2822: *@gmail.com]] came out when the header changed.
* The image to the right stayed, but after more than a half year with no text, text was added to the left of the picture because the paper back was available in the UK.
** As opposed to the previous headers this was plain text and not a picture.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What if? 2 is [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK now available] in paperback in the UK!
** what if? 2
* The link goes to https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK, the page on xkcd about the What if? 2 book, and directing to the UK order links where there now also it a paper back version.
This version was still up in the middle of November 2023 when this segment was updated.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20231128174224/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-28], while [[2860: Decay Modes]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? header.
* Although it was not specifically related to the new book. Thus it ended a more than 22 month long constant promotion of the book since the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] began in January 2022.

===2023-02-17 - What if? 2 picture only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230217185629/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-17]
* [[2739: Data Quality]] came out when the header changed.
* For the first time in a very long time there is no real header text. Only the small red picture with the plane and the title of the what if? 2 book in the right section of the header. As it has been since [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] stopped.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230830064414/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-30], while [[2821: Path Minimization]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header.

===2022-09-23 - What if? 2 Instant New York Times Bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220923182825/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-23]
* [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page when the header changed.
** The header celebrates that the new what if? 2 book has become an instant New York Times bestseller.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2
** Instant New York Times bestseller.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230216181705/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-16], while [[2738: Omniknot]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header,

===2022-09-13 - What if? 2 is available now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220913142432/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13]
* [[2672: What If? 2 Flowchart]] was released as the header changed, even though it was a Tuesday.
** The header and the comic celebrates the release of the new what if? 2 book, that came out on this day.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2 is available now!
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This thus ended the pre-release promotion of the book, that began on [[#xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|2022-01-31]], plus of course the three weeks of [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] before. For a sum total of 8 months and three days.
* It will be interesting to see how long before any reference to what if? 2 will disappear from the header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220922150042/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-22], but was replaced by another What If? 2 header, while [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page.

===2022-09-12 - One day to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220912125617/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-12]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** One dayuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>I'm going to spend the day with that Les Mis song stuck in my head, aren't I.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-12 it was ''F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of N Bottles of Beer On the wall followed by F(N-1)'' to release day.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
** Les mis song, referring to a song from the musical les miserables titled "One Day More", he now has stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220913134002/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13].
** This was while [[2671: Rotation]] was still up, early on the release day of the new book.

===2022-09-12 - Three days to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220911102450/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-11]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Three daysuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Assuming it's still Saturday. I'm a static png image and can't perceive time.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header only stayed the same for one day and [[2670: Interruption]] was still up when it changed to the next.

===2022-09-07 - Less than one week to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220907211736/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-07]
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was still up.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are four lines of text. With the middle line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over four lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Less than one weekuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Oh no, now I have that song stuck in my head.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-07 it was ''one pico-universe-lifetime'' to release day. But the next day 2022-09-08 it was ''The Baby Shark chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks''.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220910024549/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-10].
** This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was up.

===2022-08-27 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220827232205/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-27]
* [[2664: Cloud Swirls]] came out when it changed.
* The header [[#2022-08-16 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|changed back]] to the preorder image from the previous header, when Randall's book tour ended. See the link.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220906191403/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-06].
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was up.

===2022-08-17 - What if? 2 book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220817161136/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-17]
* [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was out when it changed.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this there is text to the left. Then Cueball is seen flying by holding on to a single balloon (like in [[1110: Click and Drag]]). He flies over five mountain peaks with snow, with three clouds and three distant birds in front of him, as he drifts to the right, as shown with movements lines behind him. In front of him is a dark feature at the bottom of the frame. Above this is a blue square (like a button) with white text.
* The text:
** I'm going on a what if? 2 book tour!
** Click to see where
** what if? 2
*** The image to the left is a link to [https://xkcd.com/events/ randall munroe: events] page on xkcd. Which at the time showed the calendar with the planned stop for his book tour, which covered the US and London.
*** As always the link button in blue is not the only part of the image that is a link, as he just mentioned in the [[#2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|previous header text]], and several times before...
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This header thus continues the promotion of the new book, which was at the time was only 27 days away (or [[2636:_What_If%3F_2_Countdown|6 dog months]]).
* It will be interesting to see how long it takes before promotion for the book disappears from the header. It may still take months.
The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220826202043/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-26].
* This was while [[2663: Tetherball Configurations]] was up.

===2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220811055445/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-11]
* [[2657: Complex Vowels]] came out as it changed.
The message in the header was not really changed, but the meaning of the text from the previous header was now written in an image, although the text did change somewhat.
* The header thus still consist of two parts. To the left the new image with an picture of the book and text. And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this to the right is the new text. To the left is a picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Preorder what if? 2 and enter for a chance to win a comic inspired by your question! Click here to learn more. Or click wherever. This whole image is a link because html is hard.
** what if? 2
*** In the left image there is a blue link font on the word "here" in click here. However the entire left image is a link to the [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 what if 2 contest]. As explained he did not only make the word a link because html is hard! This is something Randall [[xkcd_Header_text#2014-07-23_-_what_if.3F_book_tour|often comments on]].
**** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
**** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
**** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220816124823/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-16].
** This was while [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was up.

===2022-07-19 - Preorder What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220719153239/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-19]
* [[2647: Capri Suns]] came out as it changed.
The header looked a lot like the previous one, only part of the text changed.
* The header thus still consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over four lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** Preorder What If? 2 (all US preorders eligible) and [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 enter our contest] for a chance to win a dedicated comic and What If blog post!
** what if? 2
*** The image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
*** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220810034709/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-10].
** This was while [[2656: Scientific Field Prefixes]] was up.

===2022-01-31 - What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220201000434/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-02-01]
* [[2575: What If? 2]] came out as it changed, and then it [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/36/Countdown_in_header_text_page_when_what_if_comic_came_out.png looked like this] already on 2022-01-31. But there is no archived version from that day after the header changed.
** This was what [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] had been counting down to.
** An announcement that Randall had written a sequel to the first ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book, based on his blog.
* The header consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over three lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in the countdown, but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plan ia the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions comes out 9/13. Preorder [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ here!]
** What If? 2:
*** The link goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about what if? 2: the book. The image is also a link to this page.
*** The entire comic that came out along with the new header text is also a link to that page.
* At the same time the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] in the top left section of xkcd also changed to include links to books, and especially this new book.
It will be interesting to see how long this version of the promotion for the new books stays up. But most likely there will be promotion for the book until release, and then more after the release.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718145816/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-18], for more than 5,5 month. This was while [[2646: Minkowski Space]] was up.
** The change was rather small, but part of the text changed. The promotion continued though.

===2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10].
* [[2565: Latency]] was still up when the [[Countdown in header text]] was added.
* The text was still the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But a countdown was added. This was inserted in a rectangular box, placed at the end of the standard header text.
** In some browsers the box forces the last word "Friday" to jump down to the next line.
* Inside the box the following time was displayed in the version in the link:
** 20d 20h 27m
*** This clock will also count down every minute, although it will return to the time at the time of archive when reloaded!
*** While this was edited into this wiki the time had changed to 20d 19h 12m. So it was a very fresh download in the web archive, only about 1 hour old when it was updated to this wiki.
*** The minutes change without refreshing the page, and follows this editors computers clock exactly, so it will end at 59 minutes, not at a full hour.
** It looks like it started on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ 01-10 17:00 UTC].
*** A calculation shows that this countdown will reach zero on Monday 2022-01-31 at 14:59 (2:59 PM) {{w|UTC}}.
*** This will be at 9:59 (9:59 AM) in [[Randall]]'s home town
**** The last ten minutes it switched to seconds for the last minute so it made the switch 15:00 UTC 10:00 in Boston!
*** From that it can be deduced that the count started at 20d 22h 0m
**** The first image on the archive thus came 1h 33m after the count began.
* At [https://web.archive.org/web/20220111153818/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] a diagonal black bar appeared in the lower left-hand corner of the countdown box.
** After that the [[Countdown in header text]] page was created and any further development on the count down will be mentioned on that page.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220131124817/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-31] when [[2574: Autoresponder]] was on the front page.
* This archived version was when the counter was at 0d 2h 11m, and the last normal frame was already up at this time.
** It stayed like this until the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/1/17/Countdown_in_header_text_page_0_seconds.png counter ran out].
*** Then for a few minutes the final frame, that revealed that all this was a promotion for Randall's new book what if? 2 was up [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/4/48/Countdown_in_header_text_page_just_after_countdown.png while the Friday comic was still up].
*** Then when the new Monday comic came out with the promotion for what if? 2, the header changed.

===2022-01-08 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220108044654/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-08].
* [[2565: Latency]] came out around the time the new header text appeared, on a Friday!
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2018-11-07 - Back to standard text|2018-11-07]] that the text had changed back to that, and at that time it lasted until 2019-02-05.
** That is 1067 days (less than a month short of three years) without the standard text! (Can it be called standard anymore?)
* It was only left in the complete standard version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220109030513/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-09] when Latency was still on the front page.
** Then the next day a [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] was added to it.
*** That was after the weekend on Monday but before the Monday comic came up.
*** So only during the weekend was it normal standard header text.

===2021-12-20 - What If in stock===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20211220211220/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-20].
* [[2557: Immunity]] came out around the time the new header text appeared.
* The text:
** For anyone trying to find What If? this year, it's in stock at [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 Barnes & Noble], [https://m.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Randall-Munroe/9780544272996 Books-a-Million], and [https://bookshop.org/books/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-9781483041827/9780544272996 Bookshop]
* Each store name is a link to the corresponding store's page for ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]''.
It was last seen on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220106100957/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-06] when [[2564: Sunshield]] was up.

===2020-06-03 - Black Lives Matter===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200604003700/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-03].
* [[2315: Eventual Consistency]] came out as a new header text was finally inserted after almost two months without one.
* Cueball is standing to the left and speaks a single line of text: "Black Lives Matter"
* To the right is a gray link button with text: "[https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ How To Help]."
* As always, the entire image (which is only below the xkcd logo) is a link
** The button is thus not needed, but it will also work when clicking the location of the button.
* The link goes to [https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ Join Campaign Zero].
** {{w|Black Lives Matter}} is a loose, grassroots, decentralized confederation of groups and individuals advocating for racial justice. It arose in 2013 after the acquittal of {{w|George Zimmerman}}, who took the life of {{w|Trayvon Martin}}.
** Randall's featuring Black Lives Matter came on the heels of the {{w|Killing of George Floyd}} on May 25th 2020, which had sparked {{w|George Floyd protests|protest in the US}}
** Floyd died while saying "{{w|I can't breathe}}," which was already used due to other Black men's killings, the first was from the {{w|Killing of Eric Garner}}, back in 2014.
It stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200616114945/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-16] when [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200617131438/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-17] the link changed to [https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Black Lives Matter]. [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was still on the front page on that day.
On April 1st 2021 the front page header changed to mention who made the April Fools' Day comic.
* But this was only for this comic [[#Checkbox|Checkbox]].
* The rest of the pages kept the BLM header and it returned to this on the front page once the next comic was released on April 5th. At that time it will have been up for 13 months, making it the longest header different from the standard header.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20211219202204/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-19] when [[2556: Turing Complete]] was on the front page.
* At that time it had been up for 564 days or 1,5 year plus 16 days! This is most likely a record.

===2020-04-05 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042955/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-05].
* [[2289: Scenario 4]] came out and the header belonging to the previous comic was removed.
* But no new header was inserted. Not even the go to [[#Header text|Header text]] about the release days of xkcd.
** Since the previous header was related only to the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[2288: Collector's Edition]], and that had stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book, after first experiencing problems with its release, it seems Randall forgot what he usually put in the header.
It stayed empty like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200602213017/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-02] when [[2314: Carcinization]] was on the front page.
* So almost two month without a header. This had not happened before.

===2020-04-04 - Put together by===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-04].
* [[2288: Collector's Edition]] came out and the header changed.
* The text:
** Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
*** All names have links except the last.
* It thanks those that helped Randall create this years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!
* Since this header was related only to the Fool's comic, it was thus removed from the general header, but it stayed up as [[#Collector.27s_Edition|one of]] the permanent [[#Unique_header_text|unique header texts]].
** However, when it was removed from the general header, the header was left empty.
** Unlike some other headers that stayed on a given comic, this one was on all comics for the duration of the time it stayed on the front page, see for instance the previous comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403232031/https://xkcd.com/2287/ 2020-04-03].

===2020-04-02 - Technical Reasons===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200402234828/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-02].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was up when the header changed.
Randall turned out to, again, have problems with his complicated and interactive [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] for 2020.
* The text:
** Note: For technical reasons Wednesday's comic will be posted Thursday instead. Apologies for the delay!
This finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].
It stayed up a day longer than planed as the fool's comic, [[2288: Collector's Edition]] was first released on Friday, so the note was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403012612/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-03].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] thus stayed two extra day on the front page, and the third comic of that week, [[2289: Scenario 4]] was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!

===2020-01-16 - How To explores - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200116190038/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-16].
* [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was still up when the header changed.
* The ongoing promotion of the book continued but here more than three weeks after Christmas the reference to Christmas was removed.
* The header then returned to the one from before Christmas:
** [[#2019-11-22 - How To explores|How To explores]] - see that for all other details.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200401221435/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-01] when [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was on the front page.
* It was the problems with [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] of 2020 that finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].

===2019-12-02 - Into Science===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191202223745/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-02].
* [[2236: Is it Christmas?]] came out when the header changed. Fitting as the change is about Christmas list.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, continuing to make the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd.
** The links below to order are the same as in the previous header.
** Actually most of the header stays the same with the same four images and the same layout. But the text above has changed completely and the two main text sections between the drawings has changed but only slightly. The description of the images is thus left out, see below. Only new thing is that there are now two red circles connected with a red arrow. The first circle is around the word How To at the end of the first text with the arrow going from that circle to the second circle drawn around the picture of the book.
* The text:
** Is there someone on you Christmas list who's into science? They might like my new book '''''How To'''''
** It explores ridiculous ideas for applying scientific research to everyday problems...
** ...And illustrates what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200115155040/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-15] when [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-22 - How To explores===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191122214439/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22].
* [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] was up when the header changed. It most likely changed when the comic appeared. Earlier on that day it was the previous header over the previous comic.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here again making the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd, after it previously was a link to where to listen to the audio book.
** The links below to order returns to the same as in the header before the previous header with links to audio books, except that the link to an exclusive edition has been removed.
** The header consist of an image with text above five small drawings with two text parts in between them. To the left is the closed How To book which is black with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. To the right of the book is a drawing of Ponytail pole-vaulting with two black helium filled balloons. Next to her is the first text segment. Then after that is the drawing, seen before in the header text, of a truck towing a house up a steep hill. This truck goes above the second text segment, with Cueball somersaulting above the text. Furthest right, above and just right of the text is an explosion with the sound written inside. Below the header image is some black text and then the links to where to get it as regular blue link text.
* The text:
** My new book '''''How To''''' explores the science behind spacecraft heat shields, butterfly metabolisms, and land border surveys...
** ...By imagining ridiculous ideas for applying the research to you everyday life...
** ...And illustrating what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191201191025/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-01] when [[2235: Group Chat Rules]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-06 - Audio clip===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191106204314/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-06].
* [[2224: Software Updates]] was still up when the header changed, but the first archive version was first from after the next comic came out [[2225: Voting Referendum]].
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here making the image a link to the How To book on Penguin Random House's audio book, where an audio clip read by Wil Wheaton can be sampled.
** The links below to order have now changed to those with audio books.
** The header consist of an image with text, with a "blue link", above the How To book that is being folded out from closed; to partially open; to opened up on two full pages; this takes three images. The closed book is the black book with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. The partly open book still has this cover partly visible, but unreadable, as well as come unreadable text in the open side. The open book shows two pages with lots of unreadable text and three figures (maybe one is a table). Next to the open book there is an arrow to the right pointing at an audio icon with three audio lines in front. Below the header image are the links as regular text.
* The text:
** You can click here to hear a clip from the audio version of '''''How To''''', read by Wil Wheaton.
** [https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world/id1475319694 Apple], [https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems/369279 Audiobooks], [https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/How-To-Audiobook/1473680360?qid=1574679523&sr=1-1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=DX3EZ14M14CFQPP9GHJY&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1 Audible], [https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Randall_Munroe_How_To?id=LzSGDwAAQBAJ Google Play], and [https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525635680 Libro.fm]
* The entire image is a link to the [https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576760/how-to/ How To book on Penguin Random House] page, where the audio clip can he played.
** As always it is the entire picture that is a link, and not only the blue underlined text that says click here!
It was last on the archive on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191122044456/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22] when [[2231: the Time Before And After Land]] was on the front page. But it was most likely still up when [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] came out. But then changed during the next day.

===2019-10-02 - Horse vs football team===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191002005854/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-02].
* [[2210: College Athletes]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed. This time the image seems to be from one of the How To explanations in the book.
** The links below to order are the same as the previous header.
** But new text is added after the links to promote two events with Randall in New York the two days after this header came up.
*** These links disappeared after a week leaving only the picture and the link to buy the book. See below.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball riding bareback on a horse. He comes from the left holding an American football. Running towards him from the right are eight American football players with helmets with three stars on the back of the helmet. Two of the players at the back are almost hidden by players in front of them. Beneath them is a line of text that belongs to the image, the period at the end of the sentence hangs in height with the center line of the last letter E... Then below the image follows the link and promotion of the NY events, these are written in regular.
* The text:
** My new book ''How To'' is out now! You can get it here.
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target] I'll be at New York Comic Con! I'm giving [https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Explore/Panels/Panels-And-Screenings/#/event/how-todo-anything-with-randall-munroe-creator-of-xkcd a talk on Thursday], and on
** Friday [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event at Caveat NYC].
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The link to Target still seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably a still undiscovered error on Randall's part?
This header changed, but so slightly that the changes will only be mentioned here rather than in a new section:
* The first link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191004014438/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-04]
* Then the day after only the second link remained from [https://web.archive.org/web/20191005041539/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-10-05]. [[2211: Hours Before Departure]] came out when it changed.
** But the text of this link changed as it had been a continues text from one to the other link. Also it was not entirely on it's own line, thus not as with the first link whose text was directly connected to the line with the links to buy the book.
** The new text of that link was:
*** [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event] Friday night at Caveat NYC!
*** The last link was the same, but now it only covered two words not the entire end of the sentence.
** This other link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191007042707/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-07].
* And then the last link was gone by [https://web.archive.org/web/20191008053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-08], when [[2212: Cell Phone Functions]] came out.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191105164001/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-05] when [[2224: Software Updates]] was up.

===2019-09-30 - Tons of fun===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190930234245/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-30].
* [[2209: Fresh Pears]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed to how much fun it was for Randall to write it and how proud he is of the result. Randall, as Cueball, is saying this in the new header image.
** The links below to order are the same, except a new has been added at the end.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball standing to the left of the book, shown as tall as he is. The book is opened up on two pages with lots of unreadable text as well as three drawings, only one of these, with a circle diagram, can clearly be seen. Cueball is speaking, and the text is above him and the book. Two words are blue with a line under as if they where a link. But as always the entire image is a link. Beneath the image is the links on where to order the book.
* The text:
** Writing my new book '''''How To''''' was tons of fun and I'm so proud of the result. It's out now-Click Here to order!
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The new link to Target seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably an error on Randall's part.
It ended on October 2nd while [[2210: College Athletes]] where up. But there is no archived versions from the 1st of October and the one from the 2nd is with the next version. But the editor of this was making changes to the explanation of College Athletes before the next header change came along.

===2019-09-11 - How To available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190911053115/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-11].
* [[2200: Unreachable State]] was still up when the header changed.
* The release day part of the promotion was changed to telling that the new [[How To]] book was available. With teasers about what is in the book below the heading. On either side of the text a picture of the book is still shown. Also the links below changed, adding three new and removing one old.
** The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the links on where to order it.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font.
* The text:
** How To is available now!
** Learn how to open bottles with nuclear weapons and how to be on time for meetings by altering the Earths rotation. The book also features advice from real-life experts including Chris Hadfield and Serena Williams.
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* {{w|Serena Williams}} is a famous tennis player who was also featured in one of the [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion comics]] for How To: [[2190: Serena Versus the Drones]]
* {{w|Chris Hadfield}} is a Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. The first Canadian to walk in space, Hadfield has flown two Space Shuttle missions and served as commander of the International Space Station.
** The new link to audible probably needs the user to be signed up, else it will go to the front page and ask yo to sign up. But from the archive the page can be seen [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923004816/https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 here].
Up till [https://web.archive.org/web/20190922143253/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-22] it looked like this.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923145251/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-23] and extra link was added after Audible:
** [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target].
* [[2205: Types of Approximation]] was up when this change occurred during a weekend.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190929223547/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-29] when [[2208: Drone Fishing]] was up.

===2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190904051509/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-04].
* [[2198: Throw]] was already up when the header changed slightly, as the text below Happy release day changed.
Most of the header stayed the same as the [[#2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar|day before]], but the reference to the Gregorian/Julian calendar was changed.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text.Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flowing on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan comes who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** Happy How To release day!
** Available wherever books are sold.
** (Mostly bookstores, I assume but you can always try your luck at Wendy's.)
* See below for any other details.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190909211737/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-09] when [[2200: Unreachable State]] was up.

===2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190903051503/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-03]
* [[2197: Game Show]] was still up when the header changed, but it was for sure to coincide with [[2198: Throw]] which came out later on the release day while it still looked like in this version.
* Randall celebrated the release day of [[How To]], coming out the day the header changed.
** The comic is also a reference to a chapter in the book on how to throw things. A very complicated interactive comic where different persons or other living things can be chosen to throw dead or living things. The trow will then be shown below with distance measured in two units, normal and special. That is if the thrower can actually manage to throw the thing.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. The two black books have red stars around them, five on the outer side of the image and 6 on the inner, the stars are mirrored around left and right book. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** How To Randall Munroe
** Happy How To release day!
** (Gregorian calendar. The Julian edition doesn't come out for 13 more days.)
** How To Randall Munroe
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Most of the world uses the {{w|Gregorian calendar}}, but before it was taken into use, the {{w|Julian calendar}} was in use.
** The Julian calendar does not take into account that every 100 years a leap year should be passed as in the Gregorian calendar, and thus it is at the moment 13 days behind, as it has has this many February 29th too many. Since there should actually be a leap year every 400 year, and the last of those was 2000, then it has been 13 days since 1900, and will stay like this until 2100 when it will become 14 days.
** The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Already the next day the part of the header below happy release day about the Gregorian calendar changed. See [[#2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore|above]].

===2019-08-27 - Out in a week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190827082224/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27].
* [[2194: How to Send a File]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], coming out a week from this header.
** It is only three lines of text
* The text:
** My new book, How To, comes out next week!
** Read an exclusive excerpt about transmission [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* Later [https://web.archive.org/web/20190827184229/https://xkcd.com/2194/ on the same day], (and here for the next day [https://web.archive.org/web/20190828095401/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27] for the front page), more text and links where added, plus the order of the text was changed.
* The later text was:
** My new book, [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To], comes out in a week! ([https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/23/book-tour-and-contest-winner/ Book tour info])
** You can preorder it now to get a copy when it's released:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
** You can also read an exclusive excerpt about file transfers [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
* The link to the book tour also include the winner of the [[#2019-06-25 - People with books|contest]] to get Randall to add "your" city to his book tour.
** The winner was {{w|Juneau, Alaska}}.
It ended on the release day 2019-09-03, so this was last on the page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902042108/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-02].

===2019-08-06 - Win a sketch===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06].
* [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was up when the header changed.
** Most likely the header changed when that comic came out on 2019-08-05. But the previous header was also out during that day.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now making a competition where you can win a stick figure sketch of yourself. (Although only for US residents!)
** The image shows Hairy, with a cat at his feet and Megan (or Danish?) with a samurai sword. They are standing with their backs towards each other, the cat on the left, Megan facing right with the sword towards the words.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** Want to win a sketch of yourself as a stick figure? [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ Click here] to find out how!
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''Win an xkcd sketch''
*** That is even though only the click here part of the text is in blue, like a link.
*** Cause as he often has written: I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps, most recently in the [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]] header.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190826062701/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-26] when [[2193: Well-Ordering Principle]] was up.

===2019-08-03 - First look inside===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190803222711/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-03].
* [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now stating that it comes out next month.
** Set to be released on September 3rd 2019, this update was made exactly one month before.
** The image shows text to the left of three drawings of the book: First the closed book showing the black front cover with blue and white text and white drawings, then the book is partly opened, and finally it lays opened up showing two pages, with a readable heading on the right page.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** My new book comes out next month. Click here for a first look inside!
** [On the books front cover only two thins can be read:]
*** How To
*** Randal Munroe.
** [These two words can also partly be read on the opening book.]
** [Only the large heading can be read on the right page of the open book:]
*** How to Dig a Hole.
** [These two pages also became part of a special comic relased during the weekend when this header was up: [[Disappearing Sunday Update]].]
** [The [[Disappearing_Sunday_Update#Transcript|transcript of that comic]] describes the images in the open book.]
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/02/how-to-chapter-list-and-introduction/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''How To: Chapter list and introduction''.
It stayed up like this while the special [[Disappearing Sunday Update]] came out on Sunday 2019-08-04, and was there still on Monday [ https://web.archive.org/web/20190805050812/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-05], at least during the time that the Sudan Update was still up.
* When the next comic came out late that Monday, it probably disappeared along with the Disappearing comic, but the first update with the next header is from Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06], but the Monday comic [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was still on the front page at that time,.

===2019-07-23 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190723205152/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-23].
* [[2179: NWS Warnings]] was up when the header changed.
It returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon header, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]]
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190802192259/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-02] while [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up. The day after when it changed that comic was still up.

===2019-07-15 - ComiCon===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190715181016/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-15].
* [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up when the header changed.
Randall tells that he will be at ComicCon and links to his plans there.
* The text:
** Going to San Diego Comic Con this week? I'll [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/07/15/san-diego-comic-con/ see you there]!
*** The link is to a [[Blag]] post about his plans for the ComicCon
* Randall appeared in a couple of panels, and gave a talk.
* Finally he also handed out signed copies of his new [[How To]] book more than a month before official release.
** So still promoting the book, also in this header...
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190722192637/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-07-22] the day after the ComiCon ended, while [[2178: Expiration Date High Score]] was up.
* Then it returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon announcement when [[2179: NWS Warnings]] came out.

===2019-07-10 - Adding links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190710165920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-10].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was still up when the header changed slightly from that fro the day before.
* Only change was that beneath the picture, see [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]], there is now a list of four links to companies where the book can be preordered.
* The extra text:
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
Note that the day after this change, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190711172451/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-11], a link to [[How To]] was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|links]] in the top left corner of xkcd.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190714175710/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-14] when [[2175: Flag Interpretation]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up.

===2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190709162102/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-09].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]].
** The image shows a small picture of his book with text on either side.
** Below are what appears to be three drawings from the book. [[Ponytail]] pole vaultig with three baloons in one hand, then text, then a truck with a house behind it speeding fast up a hill then text and finally [[Cueball]] somersaulting towards an explosion.
** To the right there is a big blue button to click for preorder, with text below.
* The text:
** New book [Arrow points to book. Title can be read: How To]
** How To: Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** It's a guide to bad ways to do things...
** ...And what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** Click here to preorder
** Or click anywhere. I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps.
*** The entire picture is a [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ link] to the official [[How To]] page on xkcd: https://xkcd.com/how-to/
*** See [[1572: xkcd Survey]] where Randall mentions that he cannot make imagemaps.
It stayed up like this only for a day, then an extra line of links was added the day after while the same comic was still up, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]].
* But the general header stayed up first for five days, and then it returned again for 10 more days after a break to announce a [[#2019-07-15 - ComiCon|ComiCon visit]].
* So a total of 16 days with this drawing.

===2019-06-25 - People with books===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190625190843/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-25].
* [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], and his book tour.
** The image now shows 15 people standing side by side each holding a book up in front of them with unreadable titles.
** From left: [[Megan]], [[Cueball]], a man with blonde hair, [[Jill]], [[Blondie]], [[Hairy]], another Hairy, [[White Hat]], a kid with curly hair, [[Hairbun]], another Cueball, another Megan, a guy with a knit cap, [[Ponytail]], and [[Beret Guy]].
** Above them is a text message.
* The text:
** Want to bring me to your town for my '''''How To''''' book tour? Click to find out how to enter the challenge!
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** A longer sentence will improve your chances.
**** This is indeed what this header picture shows.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190708155517/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-08] when [[2172: Lunar Cycles]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up.

===2019-06-15 - Adding dates===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190615100645/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-15]
* [[2163: Chernobyl]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall only made a small change to the one that had been up for four days at this time.
* The text only changed by adding a line below the first line:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Click here for dates and tickets]
*** The rest of the header is exactly the same as on [[#2019-06-11 - Book tour|2019-06-11]], except everything is a bit smaller to make room in the same place for the extra line.
*** The link is not located on the blue part of the text and it was already there before this update.
*** Best guess is that not many clicked through and Randall then made it obvious that there was a link.
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click. But it is easier to make a place for people to click than tell them this...
The header stayed like this until 2019-06-25, when it changed while [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up. But this one was still up when that comic came out the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20190624162740/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-24].

===2019-06-11 - Book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190611031920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-11]
* [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was up when the header changed.
** '''Note''' when this change happened two new links was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] section of xkcd.
* Randall changed the header text to announce the official book tour for his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 3 months later.
* The text:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Below this header is a map of the mainland USA with 14 labeled black dots indicates the 14 cities that the book tour will take Randall to. One red dot with five red question marks above is located beneath the map to the left, indicating a 15th city to be chosen in a contest. Above the map to the right is a small picture of the book with the blue title on the black cover. Above the book is the release date and with an arrow pointing down to the book.]
** September 3rd
** How to
** Seattle
** Portland
** San Francisco
** Santa Cruz
** Los Angeles
** Salt Lake City
** Kansas City
** Ann Arbor
** Cincinnati
** Louisville
** Cambridge
** New York
** D.C.
** Raleigh
** ????? (Chosen by readers)
** [The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.]
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** Only US cities can apply.
* The header only stayed exactly like this for three days, and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190614094729/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-14] when [[2162: Literary Opinions]] was on the front page.
** Then it changed slightly to indicate that the picture was a link which was not clear before. See above.

===2019-05-17 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190517103928/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-17]:
* [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was still up when the header changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with Google reader here below.
* See [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|2019-02-06]] below for all details.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610055519/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-06-10], while [[2160: Ken Burns Theory]] was still up on the day the next comic [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was to be released (where the new header could be found at least the next day, but maybe from the release of that comic?). Then it changed to announce the book tour for his new book.

===2019-04-23 - Google Reader===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190423155458/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-23]:
* [[2140: Reinvent the Wheel]] came out when it changed, ending a more than two and half month long [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|promotion]] of Randall's new book [[How To]].
* Randall changed the header text to ask if the reader still mourned the loss of {{w|Google Reader}} which closed on 2013-07-01, almost 6 years before this comic..
** He offers the possibility to sign up to receive the newest comic by e-mail.
* The comic may have relation to this, as some where using Google reader for different purposes when they closed it, without any chance of [https://www.google.com/reader/about/ getting your data out].
** The comic "Reinvent the Wheel" mentions that using external dependencies carry risks, such as Google closing down a feature. given the fact that the comic came out as the header changed it is probably not a coincidence.
* The text:
** Still mourning the demise of Google Reader? You can sign up to get new comics delivered by email [https://xkcd.com/newsletter/ here].
* The link is to https://xkcd.com/newsletter, where it is possible to submit your e-mail address and press a subscribe button.
** the following text is written above it:
** To receive the comic and news postings in your inbox, subscribe here.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190516100403/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-16], when [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was up. Then it changed back to the promotion of his new book.

===2019-02-06 - How to book===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06]:
* [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up at the time when it changed, having been up since Monday the 4th of February.
** Here it can be seen being on the front of xkcd on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], without the new text. This was also the last time the standard header text was used in several months.
** [[2108: Carbonated Beverage Language Map]] came up later on the day the header changed.
* Randall changed the header text to promote his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 7 months later.
** He added an image of the book with large text next to it regarding the release and links on how to preorder it.
** There was no direct relation to the comics released at the time, except of course that he kind of launched his new book with all the risk it involves, while having a comic called launch risk up. It was though a very different and more real type of launch risk (of a human carrying space rocket) in the comic.
* The text:
** [The book is shown to the left as a black rectangle with large blue text and smaller gray text. On the book cover, in white drawings, are seen Megan with a ladder and either Black or White Hat (hard to say on black background). Both are looking up on Cueball who is floating in the air with a quadcopter beneath either leg, trying to plug in an electric light bulb in a naked lamp hanging down near him. It seems he has already removed the broken light bulb, as he has one in both hands. And now he tries to put in the new one. He could have let Megan use the ladder...]
** [The header in blue above it all:] How To.
** [Sub header in gray to the left of Cueball:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [Author name in blue below the drawing:] Randall Munroe
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Creator of xkcd
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Author of what if? and Thing Explainer
** [Next to this book image are the following text:]
** [Large heading:] HOW TO
** [Normal size sub header:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [In smaller gray font below:] Available September 3, 2019.
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word still in gray:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* It stayed up for more than two and a half month and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190422030324/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-22], when [[2139: Email Settings]] was up. Then it finally changed to a new header without going back to the standard.

===2018-11-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07]
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], so two days less than three months.
** After this it did not return to the standard text for almost three years, but just short of a month before the third year without it, it returned on [[#2022-01-08 - Back to standard text|2022-01-08]].

===2018-11-06 - Election Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181106122850/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-06]:
* [[2068: Election Night]] (on election day the day after this comic was released).
** It added a larger comic above the two links from the previous header. Those links of the previous header text was still up the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], when [[2067: Challengers]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header once more to try to make more people vote, and in this case help others to vote.
** Once again directly related to the new comic about election night.
* The text:
** [A line of altering blue and red stars, blue first and last of two rows of nine starts around of the heading:]
** Election Day!
** [Below Black Hat and Ponytail to the left and Megan to the right of Cueball is checking their smart phones. Cueball is addressing the reader:]
** Cueball: The biggest thing you can do th help is to check in with friends and family and make sure they know when and where they're voting.
** [Below these four characters there is the following text with two arrows pointing left and right. Both are turning up to text/links on either side of the four:]
** Use these links to answer questions
** [To the left:] Where and how to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ Vote-org]
** [To the right:] What's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
** [Below was the two links from the previous header:]
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* It was only up one day and thus on ended the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07] when the next comic [[2069: Wishlist]] came out.
** The text then returned to the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
*** It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05].

===2018-11-02 - Where to vote===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02]:
* [[2067: Challengers]] (on the Friday, it was released).
** It added another link to the previous header text. That text was still up the day before on Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].
** That was while comic [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to let people know who is on their voting ballot, and as before there is also a link on how to register for voting.
** This is also directly related to the new comic that came out that day, about helping people to decide who to vote for, i.e. who is on their ballot.
* The text:
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, four days after the release of this comic.
* It was still up the day before the election day, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], and then it changed with the next comic.

===2018-10-22 - Register for voting===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181022120935/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-22]:
* [[2061: Tectonics Game]] (on a Monday, the 3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The standard text was still up Sunday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181021141446/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-21].
** The comic [[2062: Barnard's Star]] was released later that day.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to try to get people to register for voting.
* The text:
** Check your registration and find your polling place at [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, about two weeks after the release of this comic.
** It is generally believed that many of those not voting would have chosen democrats on election day, and thus Randall has an interest in getting as many as possible to register, see [[1756: I'm With Her]] (apart from the fact that he also most likely thinks that it is important to use the right to vote).
* It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02], when [[2067: Challengers]] came out.
** It was still there while [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].

===2018-09-13 - NY votes today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20180913133544/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-13]
* [[2045: Social Media Announcement]] (the day after the release of the comic.)
** It was not up when the comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180912131437/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-12].
* It was a short lived reminder that NY votes today below the usual standard text.
* The text:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** NY votes today! Find your polling place [https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ here]. (Zephyr Teachout for AG!)
* It ended with [[2046: Trum-]], the very next comic, on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180914175605/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-14], returning to the standard text.

===2017-11-26 - Christmas gifts===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20171126130857/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-26]
* [[1920: Emoji Sports]] had been up two days [https://web.archive.org/web/20171125125648/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-25] before the message changed from the normal version. But it changed the day before the next comic came up.
** It was changed to a commercial for Christmas shopping with a code for getting 5$ of the price with a codes for different online shops.
* The text:
** To anyone looking for Christmas gifts: Until Monday you can get $5 off
** [https://www.amazon.com/What-International-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544456866 What If?] and [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Thing Explainer] on Amazon with coupon code GIFTBOOK17.
** At Barnes & Noble, until Sunday you can get 20% off [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 What If?] and [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432 Thing Explainer] using code GIVETHANKS.
* It was only up a few days and ended with [[1922: Interferometry]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171130150053/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-30] where it returned to the standard text.
** But it was still up when the comic in between [[1921: The Moon and the Great Wall]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171129140033/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-29].

===2017-09-22 - Visiting the UK===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170922232616/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22]:
* [[1893: Thread]] (with its release).
** It was not up on the previous comic [[1892: USB Cables]], on the day they changed [https://web.archive.org/web/20170922025204/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22].
* It was an announcement that Randall would visit the UK next week.
* The text:
** I'll be visiting the UK next week! You can join me in London from September 30-October 2 (at [https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/randall-munroe New Scientist Live], [https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2017/october/public-lunchtime-talk--randall-munroe The Royal Institution], and [https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/randall-munroe-on-making-complicated-stuff-simple/ Intelligence Squared]), then from October 3-6 in [https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/public_lectures/randall_munroe_thing_explainer York], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thing-explaining-with-randall-munroe-tickets-37832289396 Edinburgh], [https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/randall-murray-thing-explainer/ Cambridge and Ely], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randall-munroe-book-signing-thing-explainer-tickets-38041072873 Oxford], and [https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on/2017/randall-munroe/ Cheltenham].
* Ended with [[1900: Jet Lag]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171010045802/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-10] when the text returned to normal.
** But it was still up the day before with [[1899: Ears]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171009040109/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-09].

===2017-07-31 - Thank you===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170731021227/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31]:
* [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] (3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The comic [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released later that day.
** Megan is holding hand with Cueball and next to them is two words above each other: Thank you.
** The image is also a link.
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170801042453/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/us/politics/senate-votes-repeal-obamacare.html How Each Senator Voted on Obamacare Repeal Proposals], an article showing the senate votes. (here in an archived version).
* Ended with [[1872: Backup Batteries]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170804152509/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-04], but was still up when [[1871: Bun Alert]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170803124342/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-03].

===2017-07-25 - Vote against health care bill===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25]:
* [[1867: Physics Confession]] (2nd day after release of the comic, it was not up on the first day: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-24]).
* Randall modified the xkcd header to ask readers to support voting against Donald Trump's new health care bill.
** The header was replaced with an image which is available in an archived version [https://web.archive.org/web/20170726150959im_/https://imgs.xkcd.com/notes/call-senate.png here].
** The image is also a link (and you can click anywhere on it to go to the link that is mentioned).
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170729003307/https://www.trumpcareten.org/daily TrumpCare Ten] (here in an archived version).
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click.
** Transcript of the image:
*** [Megan is holding hand with Cueball next to three lines of large text, the same height as they are:]
*** Please tell your senators to vote against this health care bill. It will hurt people.
*** [After these three lines there is a phone number in a very large bold font with a line of text below:]
*** 202-224-3121
*** Or click here for more info
*** [Below the above is a gray line which is split in the middle with gray text, and below that four state names in white text inside black boxes:]
*** Know anyone in these states? Ask them to call, too.
*** Alaska Maine Nevada Ohio West Virginia
* Ended while [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170731164828/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31], when it was replaced by a ''Thank you''.
** That comic came out already [https://web.archive.org/web/20170728124230/https://xkcd.com/ three days before] (Friday comic), but was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170730141019/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-30]) when the message changed sometimes between Sunday 30th and Monday 31st (where [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released).

===2017-01-21 - Update on previous===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170122003124/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]:
* [[1788: Barge]]
* It came up almost a month after Christmas but did not really change the sales pitch of the previous. It just removed the link image with the large red text, see previous version below.
* The text:
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
* Ended with [[1867: Physics Confession]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25].
** That comic came up [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ the day before] the above version of the header appeared.
** So the first day after release it was still the T-shirt commercial.
** And it did not return to the standard version in between.

===2016-11-28 - Christmas sale===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128153015/https://xkcd.com 2016-11-28]
* [[1765: Baby Post]]
* This came up in time for the Christmas sale of 2016.
* The text was
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
** Above the text there was an image with two black t-shirts with white print on the chest. They were located at either end of a large red text written in the text type used in the comic. This text said New xkcd shirts.
** The entire image was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* Ended with [[1788: Barge]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20170121114423/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]

===2016-04-23 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160423103108/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-23]
* When [[1671: Arcane ]] came out (probably 2016-04-22, but no earlier archived versions exist) the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this for more than 7 months until [[1764: XKCDE]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20161128093459/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-11-28].

===2016-04-04 - Protip on Garden===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185353/https://www.xkcd.com/#5dbfbb82-fc20-11e5-8001-42010a8e000d 2016-04-04]
* Because of the complexity of the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1663: Garden]], Randall needed to give people some advice, hence a [[:Category:Protip|protip]] was added.
** This came in several versions, not all managed to be documented in the archive. See more in the trivia for garden regarding the [[1663:_Garden#Header_text_after_release|Header text after release]].
* The header text became a protip with the following text (the first version not documented only had the first line):
** '''Protip''': If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
** You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.
* When the next comic, [[1664: Mycology]], was released two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406194653/https://xkcd.com/1664/ 2016-04-06], an extra line of text was added, due to the issues caused by Garden not being on the front page {{xkcd}} but only on the numbered page {{xkcd|1663}}.
** This change was first documented on the front page the day after on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160407010635/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-07]
** The change was of course also on and all the other comic and thus also on the Garden comic from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406192530/https://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-04-06].
* Text added below the other two lines:
** Note: If you're seeing today's comic in place of your garden, change the URL from xkcd.com/#<your code> to xkcd.com/1663/#<your code>.
*** This extra line was only there until next time the comic change, so last day was [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408145017/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08].
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408195958/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08] when [[1665: City Talk Pages]] was released the extra line was removed leaving the two written first here above.
** This was also the case on the Garden comic (and all other comics) from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408204740/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-08].
* The Protip stayed in the main header text until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160422102754/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-22] when [[1670: Laws of Physics]] was up.
** But even though it disappeared from main header and thus from all other comic it stayed on the Garden comic, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160423182630/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-23].
** And it has then turned out to become one of the permanent [[xkcd_Header_text#Garden|Unique header texts]].

===2016-04-04 - Back to standard text as Garden came up===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404123555/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04]
* For a brief period of time, when [[1663: Garden]] was finally released, the Header text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But this lasted less than 13 hours. (Time between the previous and next archived version is 13 hours and 7 minutes).
** As people needed guidance to the new complicated comic.

===2016-04-01 - April 1st comic - technical difficulties===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401204749/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01]
* When Randall had problem releasing [[1663: Garden]] several [[1663:_Garden#April_Fools.27_header_text|April Fools' header text]] arrived in short succession while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was still up.
* Each of these where simple text.
** The first from the link abve:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Please stand by!
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402125723/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2016-04-02] at 12:57:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Status update: Please stand by.
*** Status update: This is fine. Everything is fine.
*** Status update: Everything is on fire.
*** Status update: Searching for calendar systems in which Saturday is April 1st.
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402175822/https://www.xkcd.com 2016-04-02] at 17:58:
*** The Friday xkcd comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties
*** [Editor's note: Everything is on fire] and has been delayed until Sunday night.
* It stayed like the third version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160404054612/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04] three days after the April Fools' Day comic was supposed to come out, so Jack and Jill was up until it changed.
This was what was needed to stop more than 10 months of promotion of the [[Thing Explainer]] book, see below.

===2015-12-13 - Thing Explainer is available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151213194534/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-13]
* [[1615: Red Car]] was still up when the header changed.
** The change was that the promotion for where Randall was last week where removed and left only the promotion the book [[Thing Explainer]]:
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160401125621/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01] while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was on the front page.
** This was the last time that Thing Explainer was [[:Category:Book promotion|promoted]] in the header text.
*** The first time was [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|2015-05-14]], so it had been part of the header text for almost ten and a half month. That is a record!

===2015-12-05 - Thing Explainer is available and Next week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05]
* [[1612: Colds]] was up when the header changed.
** This was also at this time the [[2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer|previous header texts image] was moved below the comic.
* Randall goes back to a simple promotion of the book [[Thing Explainer]] listing where to boy it.'
** But he adds a line about where he will be next week, first to a book shop on Illinois and then later in Toronto, where the host was {{w|Ryan North}} from [https://qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics], one of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|comics Randall enjoys]].
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** I'll be in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151211002159/https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/event/naperville-reads-randall-munroe Naperville, IL] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205205714/https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indigo-exclusive-randall-munroe-tickets-18694384407 Toronto, ON] (with [https://qwantz.com/ Ryan North]!) next week.
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151212133400/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-12-12] while [[1615: Red Car]] was on the front page.

===2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151203234149/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-03]
* [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was still up when the header changed.
** This was a special one comic header text consisting of a large image with pages and excerpts from the book [[Thing Explainer]].
** The image was larger than most comics, and took away the focus of today's comic.
** So already two days after, when [[1612: Colds]] was released, the image was relegated to the being below the comic, but inside the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Main_comic|main comic]] segment, thus not a part of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Bottom_segment|bottom segment]].
*** But it was displayed in the header for all comics, here [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204030024/https://xkcd.com/1609/ an example] from the comic released two comics before 1611, [[1609: Food Combinations]].
*** See more (and the image) [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]] on the page for Thing Explainer.
* Description of the image:
** At the top are shown four pages from the book. Two mainly blue, left and right, with white text and large images and between them two mainly white pages with blue text and smaller images. None of the text is readable, but the two blue pages pictures can be understood even in this size.
*** The first page is number 2 about an animal cell: ''Tiny bags of water you’re made of''. It shows a detailed drawing of a human cell, with text at the top, and then several labels with text beneath that have arrows pointing to different parts of the cell.
*** The second page is number 31 about the cockpit of an airplane: ''Stuff you touch to fly a sky boat''. It shows the inside of a cockpit with view out of the four windows, with lots of buttons in the ceiling, and blue screens and instruments at the bottom. Out the windows can be seen clouds and Cueball hanging from a balloon (a reference to [[1110: Click and Drag]]).
**** A zoom in on this page is shown beneath the four pages, see more below.
*** The third page is page 27. What is on this page is a bit difficult to see, as there are no big drawings with clear meaning. It is the second page in a two page section on Data centers, with the second page focusing on the Computer: ''Computer building''. The pictures shows the data racks, to the right, and the individual computer components put into these, to the top left, with the wiring shown below to the left. Lots of text with arrows to different parts.
*** The fourth page is page 23 about Trees: ''Tree''. It clearly shows the silhouette of a white tree on blue background. Several animal live on, in and beneath it. Cueball is standing on the ground. All the text are beneath labels that points to parts of the tree or the tree dwellers.
** In between the two time two pages there is a readable text, split over five lines, with two arrow at the top going from the corners of the text to the near corners of the white pages to either side. And below three arrows, with two pointing similarly as the two top arrows, but starting at the bottom of the text, and one arrow pointing straight down from the middle of the text to the large image below.
** Beneath all this is a large image which shows a zoom in on the left part of the cockpit from the second page above. The zoom is focused on the two front windows, but only the left is entirely in the picture, and the balloon hanging Cueball, cannot be seen in this part of the right window.
*** At this zoom level, most of the text van be read (that is labels written on things or having arrows pointing to them). Clouds can bee seen out of both windows and in the background a rocket launch with smoke plume below the rocket is visible. The horizon line is well defines across both windows. Some of the instruments can be seen below the windows with text written on them. And some blue areas, mainly screens can be seen.
** Beneath this picture is a line with links to where the book can be ordered, like the one from the previous header text.
* The text:
** Pages from my new book, ''Thing Explainer'': Complicated stuff in simple words.
** [Labels in the cockpit]:
*** Sky
*** Ground (This should be below the sky. If it's above the sky, you're either having a big problem or doing something ''really'' fun.)
*** Use this stuff to tell the sky boat to fly itself.
*** Fly
*** How fast it feels IAS 172
*** Direction HDG 240
*** Fall or rise
*** How high 2500
*** Fly
*** Helpful screen
*** Where the ground is
*** You are: Flying
*** Look here if there is a problem
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image is a link to [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU Thing Explainer on Amazon].
* It was only part of the header for two days until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204050419/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-04].
** It was then moved below the comics as mentioned above from [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05] when the next comic [[1612: Colds]] came out.

===2015-11-24 - Thing Explainer is out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151124201602/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-24]
* [[1607: Supreme Court]] was still up, but [[1608: Hoverboard]] most have come out close to the change.
** See both [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 00:12] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125230753/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 23:07].
** Since this new "comic" was actually a {{w|browser game}} made to celebrate the release of Randall's new book, ''[[Thing Explainer]]'', which was released on the same day as this comic: Tuesday, November 24, 2015. The comic thus appeared on a Tuesday, replacing that week's normal Wednesday release to coincide with the release day.
** Hence it is a shame that there is no archived versions on the 24th showing Hoverboard on the front page. Even though the new version of the Header text is shown on the 24th, but on the previous comic.
* Cause all the header text is about is the release day of Thing Explainer!
** The top part is text with a line with large letters and a line below in brackets and using smaller letters. Below that there is a line dividing the text from the next part.
** Below follows the same header that was up as early as [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] with the open book and three lines of text.
* The text:
** My new book, [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer], is out today!
** (If you're in NYC, you can also [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925015809/https://stores.barnesandnoble.com:80/author/11170358 come see me]!)
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the ten-hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the order line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Already the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25], when [[1608: Hoverboard]] was up, an extra line (a link) was added below the above. A line was separating it from the links above:
** [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ A puzzle for UK readers]
*** This was to a blag post with A puzzle for the UK because he could not go to UK in person. So this was a kind of bonus for those who could solve it. (We need an entry on that here on xkcd...)
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20151127114432/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-27] is still looked like this but then when the next comic, [[1609: Food Combinations]], came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128130851/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-28] the line about seeing him in New York was removed.
* The version with the puzzle, but without the New York line, was then up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151201222148/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-01] when [[1610: Fire Ants]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151202225254/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-12-02] the line with the puzzle at the bottom was changed to:
** I'm doing a [https://www.facebook.com/AndyWeirAuthor/ live Q&A;] at 2:30pm PT with The Martian author Andy Weir.
*** The link is to {{w|Andy Weir}}'s Facebook page. And the Q&A can likely not be seen anymore.
*** Randall has made no less than two comics about the movie {{w|The Martian (film)|The Martian}}, [[1536: The Martian]] and [[1585: Similarities]].
** It only lasted that day, and this became the last day with this header text, so it ended while [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was up.

===2015-10-22 - World Polio Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151022200022/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-22]
* [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up when the header changed.
** Randall mentions World Polio Day and the comic he drew for Bill Gates' blog, [[XKCD Marks the Spot]].
** Although he still keeps mentioning the release date for [[Thing Explainer]].
* The text:
** We've [https://slate.com/technology/2015/08/no-new-polio-in-africa-for-one-year-gates-epidemiologist-on-vaccines-and-surveillance.html almost eradicated polio]. For World Polio Day, I drew a comic
** about the eradication efforts. You can see it on [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/XKCD-Marks-the-Spot Bill Gates's blog].
** My [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ new book] of complex diagrams and simple words comes out Nov 24th.
*** The last line is split from the Polio announcement with a line.
* Was there until [[1607: Supreme Court]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151124065108/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-11-24].
** That was the day that the book was released, and when the next comic [[1608: Hoverboard]] came out, it was a celebration of the book.

===2015-09-23 - Book trip and tool===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923044724/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-23]:
* [[1580: Travel Ghost]] was up when the header changed.
** Announcing the book trip for the [[Thing Explainer]] book as well as linking to a Thing Explainer word checker tool! Two lines of text with links.
* The text:
** News: Announcing my Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/im-going-on-a-book-trip/ book trip]. Come say hi!
** Other news: Announcing the Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/a-thing-explainer-word-checker/ word checker] tool!
*** Both links are to the [[Blag]], the first a schedule for his book trip, and the second telling about Randall's new [https://xkcd.com/simplewriter/ Simple Writer] that could help you ''Write Like Up Goer Five and Thing Explainer''.
* Was there until [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151021164208/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-21].

===2015-09-06 - New links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150906181550/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-06]:
* [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was still up when the header changed.
** The promotion of the book, [[Thing Explainer]], stayed the same with a picture above links to preorder it, but the links was reduced from four to two, the amazon link changed and a new company was added for the second link removing the other three.
** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details on the image.
* The new link text:
** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thing-Explainer-Randall-Munroe/dp/1473620910 Amazon.co.uk}, [https://www.waterstones.com/book/thing-explainer/9781473620919 Waterstones]
* Was there until [[1579: Tech Loops]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150919220105/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-22].

===2015-08-09 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150809230825/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-09]:
* [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was still up when the header changed.
** It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with other news here below.
*** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details.
* Stayed like this until [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154014/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-05], but the only change was that the links to preorder changed from four to only two.

===2015-06-06 - Other news===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150606084120/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-06-06]
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was still up.
** This was just adding some "Other news", but leaving the promotion of [[Thing Explainer]] unchanged as in the [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|previous header]], but adding two news stories in text below the link to preorder.
* The new text:
** In other news, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrdAvmr-MA Space Weird Thing] is delightful, and I feel surprisingly invested in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150720074919/https://twitter.com/xkcdbracket @xkcdbracket's] results.
*** The link to Space Weird Thing is a YouTube video with a simple words version of {{w|David Bowie|David Bowie's}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo Space Oddity] music video, using only the top then hundred words. The creators contributes the idea to the [[1133: Up Goer Five]] diagram which also inspired the book Thing Explainer, also promoted in this header text.
*** The other link is referring to [[1529: Bracket]] released 12 days before this update, as a twitter user made a survey going through all the brackets all the way to a winner was found. Seems Randall became interested in who won. See more on the comics page.
* Was there until [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150807181044/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-07]. Then it returned back to the previous header with only the promotion of the book.

===2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150515060322/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-15]
* [[1525: Emojic 8 Ball]]
* This was a more detailed promotion for Randall's new book: [[Thing Explainer]] to be published in November 2015, more than half a year after the announcement, compared to the previous change which was just a line and a link.
* The text:
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the then hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to preorder the book:
*** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the preorder line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150605082643/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-06-05], but only to add other information. The main promotion of the book stayed the same.

===2015-05-14 - New book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150514053623/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-14]
* [[1524: Dimensions]] was up.
** A single line announced the new [[Thing Explainer]] book, with link to the [[Blag]] post from the day before.
* The text:
** New book: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer!]
The [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion of the book]] stayed up with some changes for [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-12-13_-_Thing_Explainer_is_available|more than 10 month]] first stopping when Randall had [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-01_-_The_xkcd_April_1st_comic_is_currently_experiencing_technical_difficulties|problems with his April Fools' Day comic]] in 2016... It is a record length.
* The first came already the day after so this short announcement was only up on this day and ended with the next comic. See above.
* See more details on the promotion of the book on the Thing Explainer page [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]].

===2015-02-11 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150211154103/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-11]
* When [[1485: Friendship]] came out the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[1523: Microdrones]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184622/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-05-12], so just a day more than three months.

===2015-02-04 - Valentine cards only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150204051152/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-04]
* [[1482: NowPlaying]] came out as it changed.
** After the last day of ordering t-shirt had passed it changed back to the picture with the Valentine cards from the previous header, but without the t-shirt picture.
** See that [[#2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt|header change]], but only the first picture described.
* Ended while [[1484: Apollo Speeches]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150210005540/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-10].

===2015-02-02 - Last day shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-02]
* [[1481: API]] came out as it changed.
** Just letting people know it is the last chance to order the binary t-shirt.
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** Today is the last day to order the limited-run [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart binary heart shirt]!
** The last words is link to the shirt in the shop.
* Ended before the next comic was up, but still the day after, when it was too late to order: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150203022036/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-03].

===2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183442/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-29]
* [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell about both the two previous updates in the same header- Both about the collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards and his new Valentine t-shirt.
** There where two pictures, with a promotion of the two products and a link to them in the shop.
** On the left was text about the cards with a small drawing to the right of the text showing the four cards.
*** An ant talking to an aphids; Earth rotating about the sun but locked so one side melts; an ant with a fungus growing from it's head with a heart, and a Velociraptor skeleton where the last bit of the tail is put on by a person. The text on the cards are unreadable, but they can be seen via the link.
** The text (in three lines) was:
*** Webcomic science Valentine card collaboration
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines link to the cards] from the picture.
** The picture on the left shows binary numbers 0 and 1 in white on a black background. The middle of the three lines of those have message in red text.
** The text:
*** 0 1 0 1 0 Binary heart 1 1 1
*** 1 1 1 Valentine shirt 0 1
*** 0 0 0 1 [limited run] 0 0 1
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart link to the shirt] from the picture.
* Ended while [[1480: Super Bowl]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150201015913/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-01].

===2015-01-27 - Valentine's Day cards===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-27]
* [[1478: P-Values]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell that about a collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** I've teamed up with three other webcomic artists
** to make [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines a set of science-themed Valentine's Day cards]!
* There was a link to the cards on the store.
* Ended while [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128172147/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-28].

===2015-01-24 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150124110707/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-24]
* [[1477: Star Wars]] came out as it changed.
** It was to tell about a new type of t-shirt for Valentine Day.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** For Valentine's Day, you can get a binary heart shirt
** (from {{xkcd|99|comic #99!}}) in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart a limited run on TeeSpring]
* There was a link to [[99: Binary Heart]] and to the relevant t-shirt on the [https://teespring.com/ Teespring] home page.
* Ended while [[1478: P-Values]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150126133139/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-26].

===2014-12-22 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141222233233/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-22]
* [[1463: Altitude]] came out as it changed.
** After the Christmas sale deadline there was still merchandise in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** You can get xkcd shirts, prints, and posters in the [https://shop.xkcd.com/ store]!
* The word store was a link to the shop.
* Ended while [[1476: Ceres]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150123102318/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-23].

===2014-12-19 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141219092349/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-19]:
* [[1462: Blind Trials]] came out as it changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with order now here below.
* See [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|2014-12-17]] below for all details.
* Ended while [[1462: Blind Trials]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141221172450/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-21].

===2014-12-18 - Order now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218090650/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-18]
* [[1461: Payloads]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday and that it was rapidly approaching. This was a follow up on the [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|Wednesdays announcement]] the day before.
** The image was just four lines of text with several red and blue words.
* The text was:
** The xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
** Once it passes, there is no going back. The arrow of time drags us all
** Inexorably forward toward decay and disorder. toward the end of all things.
** Towards the empty silence of the grave. Order now!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text.
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141217085320/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-17]
* [[1461: Payloads]] came out as it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday. This was announced Wednesday two days before the deadline.
** The image was just text with the last word in each line in red and the xkcd store blue as a link.
* The text was:
** Looking for a gift?
** xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up!

===2014-12-03 - Christmas shopping===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141203132024/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-03]
* [[1455: Trolley Problem]] came out as it changed.
** It was to announce the start of the Christmas shopping on the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store]
** Four boxes with shipping details are shown. Two green and two red, alternating from green. Between them are three text messages in two, two and three lines.
* The text was:
** xkcd store
** Christmas shopping
** I will probably not ship you a bobcat.
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* The bobcat is a reference to [[325: A-Minus-Minus]].
* Ended while [[1460: SMFW]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-11-29 - Thanks - Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141129211604/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-29]
* [[1453: fMRI]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to thanks for all the help his friend Emily with cancer got through among other his previous header text [[#2014-11-27 - Help Emily| Help Emily]].
** That only needed to be up two days before the goal was met.
* The text was:
** Thank you for helping my friend Emily.
** It means so much.
* Ended three days later while [[1454: Done]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141202065133/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-02].

===2014-11-27 - Help Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141127005239/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-27]
* [[1452: Jurassic World]] came out as it changed.
** It was to help a friend who got cancer by raising money for her.
* The text was:
** Hey all. My friend Emily—the economist who helped
** me with my {{xkcd|980|money chart}}—has been fighting cancer. She's
** having a rough time and could use some [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128183414/https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk help]. Thank you.
* There are two links, one to the [[980: Money]] comic she helped Randall create, and one for her Go Fund Me page to raise money for her cancer cure.
** The help link above is to the archived version from that time, but the link was still active in August 2019: [https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk Helping Emily Fight Cancer].
* Ended while [[1453: fMRI]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128070838/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-11-28].
** She did thus not get a permanent header as did Becky on the [[#Seven_Years|Seven Years]] comic.

===2014-10-02 - what if? bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141002211139/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-10-02]
* [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out|book is out]].
* This was a month after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It added a line of red text beneath the previous header to announce that the book was the #1 New York bestseller.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
** (#1 New York bestseller!)
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1451: Background Screens]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141125234520/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-25].

===2014-09-04 - what if? book out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140904150600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-04]
* [[1416: Pixels]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out today|book is out today]].
* This was two days after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It only removed to today from the previous header, that had only been up two days.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141001130827/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-09-02 - what if? book out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140902125802/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-02]
* [[1415: Ballooning]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-07-23 - what if? book tour|book tour header]].
* This was the day the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out. [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised shouts this out.. The word Book is underlined and blue to indicate a link.
* The text was:
** My book is out today!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1416: Pixels]] was still [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903134518/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-03].

===2014-07-23 - what if? book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140723180600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-23]
* [[1398: Snake Facts]]
* This was a promotion of his book tour for the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book made by [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised. Several parts of the text was underlined and blue to indicate links.
* The text was:
** I'm going on a book tour! click here for a list of stops.
** Or click anywhere-this whole image is one link because I've never gotten the hang of HTML imagemaps.
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/22/what-if-book-tour/ What If book tour!].
** Later Randall commented on this lacking ability in the comic: [[1572: xkcd Survey]].
** He also mentions it in one of the [[#xkcd_Header_text#2019-07-09_-_Drawings_from_How_To|promotions]] for his [[How To]] book.
** He much later he again mentions that html is hard, thus explaining why the entire image is a link instead of the actual blue highlighted link in one of the promotions for [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-08-11_-_Preorder_What_if.3F_2_-_with_image|what if? 2]].
* Ended while [[1415: Ballooning]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140901113916/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-03-13 - what if? announced===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140313070951/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-13]
* [[1341: Types of Editors]] was up.
* This was the first promotion of Randall's new ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book which is shown next to two lines of text.
* The text was:
** News:
** I'm publishing a ''what if'' book!
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/03/12/what-if-i-wrote-a-book/ What if I wrote a book?]
* Ended while [[1397: Luke]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140722142115/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-22].

===2014-01-09 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140109190927/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-09]
* When [[1314: Photos]] was still up when the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312070248/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-12] when [[1340: Unique Date]] was up, a bit more than two months.

===2013-12-21 - Deadline for Christmas shipping has passed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221043417/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2013-12-21]
* It changed when [[1306: Sigil Cycle]] came out.
* This came up when it was too close to Christmas in 2013 for shipping to arrive in time for Christmas. And Randall makes a note of this, but lets people know that they could still buy presents...
* The text was
** The deadline for guaranteed Christmas shipping has passed, but if you order something from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], we'll get it to you as fast as possible!
* Ended when [[1314: Photos]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181520/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-08].

===2013-12-06 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206213503/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-06]
* It changed when [[1300: Galilean Moons]] came out.
** There was no header text. This happened next on [[Header_text#2020-04-05 - Empty header|2020-04-05]]. It looks really weird.
* Ended when [[1305: Undocumented Feature]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005306/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-20].

===Changes not documented yet 3===
More changes will for sure be here between this and the one below.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131205202730/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-05]: Xmas sale before above
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]: Empty follows below

===2013-03-15 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]
* It changed while [[1186: Bumblebees]] was on the front page.
** After the text saying a comic would be delayed disappeared no text replaced this.
** So the header was left empty!
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318072820/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-18] while [[1187: Aspect Ratio]] was up.

===2013-03-13 - Comic will be delayed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130313133631/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-13]
* It changed when [[1184: Circumference Formula]] came out, likely because the next comic was delayed.
** But there is a gap of three days before where no archived version exist, so cannot say if there where more than a few hours with this text.
* The text:
** The comic will be delayed until late morning EDT.
* Ended when [[1185: Ineffective Sorts]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175306/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-13].
** That was later same day as the first archived version. But could have been longer as mentioned above.

===2012-11-26 - xkcd store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121126235628/https://xkcd.com/1138/ 2012-11-26]
* It changed while [[1138: Heatmap]] was up.
** Notice that the above link is not from the main page, but from {{xkcd|1138}}.
** There was a gap of five days in the archive of the main page.
** The first day that it was archived from the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201111432/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-12-01], while [[1141: Two Years]] was up.
* The standard header text is replaced with an image that makes it seem like a rip is being torn in the white region where the text used to be. Beneath the white material that has now been ripped, some text can partly be seen. It is possible to read it.
* The text:
** xkcd store
*** The image is a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] (tadaaa!)
* Ended when [[1183: Rose Petals]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130311073948/https://xkcd.com:80/1183/ 2013-03-11]
** The above link is from {{xkcd|1183}}.
** Last time the front page was archived with it was though on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130309010403/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-09].

===2012-10-24 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024082017/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-24]
* While [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121126035129/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-11-26] when [[1138: Heatmap]] was up, a few days more than a month.

===2012-10-17 - New What-If - Lightning===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232102/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-17]
* Probably while [[1122: Electoral Precedent]] was up.
** But the link above showing it was up on the 2012-10-17 is from the previous comics page {{xkcd|1121}} [[1121: Identity]].
** But the first version archived with this header is saved on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121018082304/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-18]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|16|Today's topic: Lightning}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/16/ What if lightning struck while you were ...]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023404/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-23] when [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front page
** This link is though from {{xkcd|1121}}.
** The last this version was archived on the front page was the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120008/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-22].

===2012-10-10 - New What-If - Mariana Trench Explosion===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010003837/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-10]
* [[1118: Microsoft]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|15|Mariana Trench Explosion}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/15/ What if you set off a nuclear bomb in the Mariana Trench?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121016055538/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-16] when [[1121: Identity]] was up.

===2012-10-02 - This week's What-If - Short Answer Section===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121002231724/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-10-02]
* [[1115: Sky]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|14|Short Answer Section}}''.
* The text
** In this week's What-If article I [https://what-if.xkcd.com/14/ answer multiple reader questions].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121008112434/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-08] when [[1118: Microsoft]] was up.

===2012-09-26 - New What-If - Laser Pointer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120926163111/https://xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-26]
* [[1113: Killed in Action]] was up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 26th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120928003838/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-28]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|13|Laser Pointer}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ If everyone aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at once, would it change color?]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121001080517/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-01] when [[1115: Sky]] was up.

===2012-09-18 - what-if.xkcd.com - Raindrop===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120918143653/https://www.xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-18]
* [[1109: Refrigerator]] was still up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 18th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120919015232/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-09-19]
* Randall promotes another What-If article on the what-if page.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|12|Raindrop}}''.
* The text
** what-if.xkcd.com: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/12/ What if all of a storm's water fell in a single raindrop?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120925090123/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-25] when [[1112: Think Logically]] was up.

===Changes not documented yet 2===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120917052827/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-17]: What if Droppings ends.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120718231719/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-18] Next stores header text

===2012-07-10 - New: what-if.xkcd.com===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10]
* This was a special change happening over a few days. The above "new" header text from the given date is actually shown on the previous comic [[1078: Knights]].
** Another example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710072249/https://xkcd.com:80/1070 2012-07-10] is shown for [[1070: Words for Small Sets]].
* The comic on the main page released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09] was [[1079: United Shapes]], but that comic had a [[xkcd_Header_text#United_Shapes|unique header text]] upon its release.
** So both on the 9th as shown above and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10] the header text was different on the front than on all other pages.
*** As can be read in the link above, the new header text actually got incorporated into the unique text, so that after the next comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711234408/https://xkcd.com/1079/ 2012-07-11] the current new header text and a smaller version of the original unique header text was now shown on the Unites Shapes page.
*** {{xkcd|1079|And it was never changed back}}.
* The first version of the new text from the 10th was only active one day:
** The text:
*** New site: what-if.xkcd.com, where I abuse science to answer hypothetical questions. I'll answer a new question every Tuesday.
**** The link was not an active link. And this was never shown on the front page, but on all other comics.
* Already on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711223349/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-11] when [[1080: Visual Field]] was released the new header changed a bit
** At this time it most have been shown on the front page, but the link above is again from [[1078: Knights]].
*** For some reason the front page was not saved on either the 11th or 12th, so no version of the front page with Visual Field exist
*** The first archived version of the front page with this new header text was from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154207/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-13] when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was on the front page.
* The final text:
** New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions.
** I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
*** This time the link was active and directs to the new ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' blog and its first entry {{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}
* The whole idea was that Randall released the new what if? blog on the 10th of July 2012. And thus would like to make a promotion of it.
** And then he timed it so poorly that the front page had a different header than the rest of the comics.
** It was so annoying for him that he actually changed the header for Unites Shapes manually so that page also showed the new link. Maybe even before it left the front page, but that has not been documented in the archive.
** And then he forgot about it when the header changed for all the other comics, so it is now a relic of the promotion of his first what if release.
* The what if promotion continued for a long time, but the final version from above only lasted until 17th at the latest. There is again no archived versions of the front page from the 15th, 16th or 17th.
** The last time it was archived on the front page was [https://web.archive.org/web/20120714062857/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-14], when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was still up.
** But on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120715070938/https://xkcd.com:80/1081/ 2012-07-15] it was still shown on the page for Argument Victory and same for [https://web.archive.org/web/20120716235458/https://www.xkcd.com/998/ 2012-07-16] on [[998: 2012]]
*** So seemed it stayed up while [[1082: Geology]] was up on the 16-17/7.

===2012-04-09 - Standard text plus store link===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190952/https://xkcd.com/1026/ 2012-04-09]
* It changed when [[1040: Lakes and Oceans]] came up.
** The above link to prove this is though from comic {{xkcd|1026}} [[1026: Compare and Contrast]] the first to be found that where archived on the 9th.
** The first archived version on the main page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411053543/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-11] when [[1041: Whites of Their Eyes]] was up.
** There where no archived version of the front page on the 9th or 10th while Lake and Oceans was up. So it was also first on the 11th that this new text could be seen, but only when it had moved to its own page number [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411052948/https://xkcd.com/1040/ 1040].
*** The change probably came because of this special comic, which may became a [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/lakes-oceans-poster poster].
* The update was to add a promotion for the store under the standard header text.
* The text
** XKCD updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** You can get prints, posters, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09] when [[1078: Knights]] was up, exactly three months, so although not only the standard text, the standard text was first for three months and three days, see [[#2012-04-05 - Back to standard text|below]].

===2012-04-05 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05]
* While [[1038: Fountain]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* The link above to prove the date is seen on [[1021: Business Plan]].
** The first archived version on front page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406111048/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-06], when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up.
** A version showing Fountain with this can be found on it's own page {{xkcd|1038}} on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085618/https://xkcd.com:80/1038/ 2012-04-06].
*** When it was archived while on the front page it still had the previous header on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-05].
* It stayed up, unchanged, until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120408200414/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-08] when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up. So only three days.
** But [[#2012-04-09- Standard text plus store link|the change]] did not remove the standard text but just added a link to the store. And this version, still with the standard text at the top stayed for three more months.

===2012-03-28 - Visiting Newport News===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328103319/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-28]
* [[1035: Cadbury Eggs]] was on the front when it changed.
** From the end of March 2012, there is a problem with the archived versions of xkcd, so they do not load properly and do not include the comic picture.
* It was to announce a talk Randall gave at his old school.
* The text:
** I'm [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ visiting] Newport News, VA next week, where I'll be speaking at CNU, my old school. If you want to come, reserve a seat [https://web.archive.org/web/20120329214411/https://www.cnu.edu/pcs/xkcd/index.asp here]!
*** The first link it to a post in the [[Blag]]: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ I’m visiting CNU on April 4th].
*** The other link is no longer working, but the link above goes to an archived version.
* There was a special situation with this header text. For three days it was not on the front page, as the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1037: Umwelt]] came out and stayed from April 1st to April 3rd on the front page.
** This comic had it's own [[#Unique header text|unique header text]] from the start, one that has [[#Umwelt|stayed like this]] since!
*** So from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01] to [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03] the front page had another header:
**** You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** But all the other comics kept the Visiting header on all three days as shown here:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401214214/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-01] from[[1036: Reviews]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402150258/https://xkcd.com/1019 2012-04-02] from [[1019: First Post]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403164523/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-03] from [[1036: Reviews]].
**** The one from the 2nd of April was hardest to find, but the most important, because that was clearly in the time period where Umwelt was up, thus definitely proving that the other pages had a different header than the front page. This is rare.
* It returned to the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-04] and stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05] when [[1038: Fountain]] was up.
** The link from the 5th though is from {{xkcd|1021}} [[1021: Business Plan]], the only comic archived on the 5ht to be found.
*** The previous link was the last time it was archived while on the front page.

===2012-03-12 - xkcd Holistic Browser===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312185125/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-12]
* [[1028: Communication]] was up at the time.
** From here the archive doesn't load the page properly so it is really boring to document. This goes for both first and last day of this text.
* The text:
** New: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153220/https://holistic.xkcd.com/ holistic.xkcd.com], the least useful web navigation tool ever.
*** The link is now dead, but the link above is to an archived version.
*** On that page there is the following text:
**** The XKCD Holistic Browser
**** Because we are all one.
**** Type a web address
**** and you'll be taken to one
**** typed by someone else.
**** URL:
**** Warning: This allows strangers to direct your browser!
**** They may send you to pages containing
**** porn, viruses, or Justin Bieber fanfiction.
**** At the very least, turn on private browsing.
* During the time this header was active the comic [[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]] came out.
** It had its own [[xkcd_Header_text#Unique_header_text|unique header text]] which thus replaced this text on the front page for two days.
** But it did not replace it on all the other pages so this was the active header text during the entire period, see more here: [[xkcd_Header_text#s.2Fkeyboard.2Fleopard.2F|s/keyboard/leopard/]]
* This lasted till [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327050311/https://xkcd.com/1033 2012-03-27] while [[1034: Share Buttons]] was up.
* But the last archived version with this on the front page was the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20120326180811/https://xkcd.com// 2012-03-26].
** The link from 27th is from an archived version of [[1033: Formal Logic]].

===Changes not documented yet 1===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120311135259/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-11] Text before. For next entry below...



[[Category:Design of xkcd.com]]{{xkcdmeta}}

Header text

2026-04-12T09:23:15Z

Kynde: /* 2026-01-07 - Back to standard text */

<noinclude>{{xkcd.com}}[[File:xkcd_header.png|thumb|right|250px|The [[Design of xkcd.com#Header section|Header section]] is one of the [[Design of xkcd.com|four main sections]] of the [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com] website.]]The '''header text''' is usually updated when [[Randall]] has news to share or wants to add information about a specific comic. The default header text states:

</noinclude><div style="font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 500; font-size: 16px; width: 760px; line-height: 150%;" class="plainlinks">
:xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.</div><noinclude>

Usually, changes to the header text show up in all comics. However, for certain comics, its header text is changed permanently, which means that comic's page won't be affected by changes to the global header text like the rest of the comics. You can see the list of these [[#Comic-specific header text|Comic-specific header texts]] below.

Usually, the global header text is changed back to the default once the novelty of the news ends. Recently, the default header text has not been used for extended periods of time. The most recent header text change can be found at the top of the [[#Global header text|Global header text section]].

{{incomplete|Someone has created a full list of comic-specific header texts! We have only explained 28 so far, and '''28 are missing'''. [[Talk:Header_text#anc|The full list in on the Talk page!]]. (Also, if you have ''infinite'' spare time, please remove the bullet points on the page and use normal paragraphs.)}}

Use this list to quickly jump to a specific header text, or [[#Comic-specific header text|click here]] to jump to the most recent one.

__TOC__

==Comic-specific header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Place the most recent changes at the top.


===[[2957: A Crossword Puzzle]]===
*This comic's header mentions that it has been inspired by an old comic (by accident, i.e. originally Randall was not aware of his inspiration).
**It was on the front page from from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711100451/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11] until the next comic to come out Friday [ 2024-07-12]. [ASSUMPTION]
*The text:
**Today's comic accidentally inspired by [https://www.buttersafe.com/2011/02/17/crosswords/ this Buttersafe comic] from 2011!
*It makes it clear that Randall did not wish to take credit for this old idea
**Although it seems like he did not know where he got the idea from at first, when he posted it.
**Because the addition of this header text was not posted together with the comic, when it was released on Wednesday 2024-07-10 and it was still not there in the early morning of Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240711000851/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-07-11].
**That he is a fan of Buttersafe is made clear at the bottom of the xkcd page where it is on Randall's list of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]].
*As a special situation this special header did not replace the current header text, but was added below the active header text at the time about [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F|10th anniversary for what if?]].
**This has not been the normal way to add comic-specific header text. So it will be interesting to see what happens when the next comic is released [UPDATE]
*Since this header was related only to explain the inspiration for this comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released. [ASSUMPTION!!!]
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen [SOME] days after it stopped being on the front page on [?? 2022-07-13???].


===[[2916: Machine]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406163326/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06] (although it was supposed to have been a Friday release according to the xkcd archives) until the next comic to come out Monday 2024-04-08, but the earliest archived version of the next comic is from Tuesday [http://web.archive.org/web/20240409060444/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-09].
***It probably changed late on Monday the 8th, but Machine was still up late on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240408225854/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-08].
***It may be like previous years because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?
**When [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]] was released the front page returned to normal header.
**The previous comic [[2915: Eclipse Clouds]] was still on the front page Saturday [https://web.archive.org/web/20240406053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-04-06]. So a very late Friday release...
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://github.com/spyhi Ed White], [https://twitter.com/uh_oh_thats_bad Alex Garcia], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [http://burningcandle.io/ Conor & Ami Stokes], [https://liranuna.com/ Liran Nuna], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick], [https://manishearth.github.io/ Manish Goregaokar], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], [https://github.com/ayust Amber], and [https://github.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg] with physics by [https://rapier.rs/ Rapier].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or X or their own home pages. Some of them have also helped with the two previous [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], see below, but there are many more involved in this one than any of the previous.
**Also the Fast 2D and 3D physics engine for the Rust programming language, Rapier, is mentioned as standing for the physics of the comic.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240409010518/https://xkcd.com/2916/ 2022-04-09].


===[[2765: Escape Speed]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230420203744/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-20] (although it was supposed to have been a Wednesday release according to the xkcd archives) until Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20230421082400/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-21], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because this was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2766: Helium Reserve]] was released the front page returned to normal header. This seems to have not happened until Saturday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20230422121650/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-04-22] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was put together with help from [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ Patrick Clapp], [https://amberyu.st/ Amber], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], and [https://www.aiweirdness.com/ Janelle Shane].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, either to Instagram page or Twitter or their own home pages. Most of them have also helped with the two previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230423150206/https://xkcd.com/2765/ 2022-04-23].


===[[2601: Instructions]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Friday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220401210146/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-01] until Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405031003/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05], when the next new comic was released (very late, possibly because Instructions was an April fools' Day comic, and Randall wished it to stay on the front page longer?)
***When [[2602: Linguistics Degree]] was released the front page returned to normal header This seems to have not happened until Tuesday as the earliest archive is form [https://web.archive.org/web/20220405125644/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-04-05] with the new comic.
*The text:
**Today's comic was created with [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/chromakode @chromakode], [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/xDirtyPunkx Conor], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with an Instagram page, the other seven with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the frontpage header, when the next comic was released.
**But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days after it stopped being on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220406021357/https://xkcd.com/2601/ 2022-04-06].


===[[2445: Checkbox]]===
*This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together.
**It was on the front page from Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210401232108/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-01] until Monday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210405130031/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-05], until the new comic was released on Monday.
*The text:
**This comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/fadinginterest Patrick], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin Cotrone], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], and [https://twitter.com/dyfrgi Michael Leuchtenburg].
*It thanks those that helped Randall create that years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]].
**All have a link to their name, the first with a personal home page, the other six with a link to their Twitter account. Five of those also helped with the previous April Fools' Day comic, see below.
*Since this header was related only to the Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header, when the next comic was released, here from the day after that release Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20210406143023/http://xkcd.com/ 2021-04-06].
*But it stayed up as one of the permanent different headers on this comic, as seen two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20210407203547/https://xkcd.com/2445/ 2021-04-07].


===[[2288: Collector's Edition]]===
This comic's header mentions the people who helped put it together, and gives links to all of their Twitter profiles, except
Christopher Nights'. It was on the front page only for about a day around April 3rd and
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/http://xkcd.com/#-370,-277vApril 4th 2020].
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber],
[https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin],
[https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat],
[https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
</blockquote>
The header text thanks those who helped Randall create the 2020 [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken
two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay, the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released the day after the April Fool's comic, [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]].
Since this header was related only to the April Fools' comic, it was removed from the front page header when the next comic was released,
but it stayed up as a permanent header for this comic.



===[[1928: Seven Years]]===
[http://web.archive.org/web/20171214171157/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-12-14]
It was released as a response to another cancer diagnosis, this is explained in the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Header_text|Header text]] which has replaced the standard ''xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.'' The new one is this one, with the active link included:
The text (with link):
* Becky Beaton, sister of fellow cartoonist Kate Beaton, has also been diagnosed with cancer. You can support her treatment [https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 here].
{{w|Kate Beaton}} is the creator of the web comic [http://www.harkavagrant.com/ Hark! A Vagrant].
* Although this comic is not one on Randall's list of ''[[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|Comics I enjoy]]'', he is clearly much influenced by another cancer diagnosis among someone in his own creative field.below.
On [https://web.archive.org/web/20190817141450/https://www.xkcd.com/1928/ 2019-08-17], close to two years later, the message was still there and also [https://web.archive.org/web/20211226120634/https://xkcd.com/1928/ 2021-12-26] just past four years later.
* There was the possibility that it would be removed, when the support page was discontinued...
* But as that already happened before [http://web.archive.org/web/20181106124430/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-11-06] it seems like it will be there to stay.
* Last archived version was from [http://web.archive.org/web/20180305022301/https://www.youcaring.com/beckybeaton-1008390 2018-03-05].
* Randall has previously done something similar for another friend, Emily, but [[#2014-11-27_-_Help_Emily|that header]] was not made permanent.



===[[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]]===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170428041338/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-04-28]
This header links back to [[1828: ISS Solar Transit]], a comic with the same joke setup released on the Monday of the same week


===[[1723: Meteorite Identification]]===
Randall realized that his comic was almost a copy of some other person. And he has since then acknowledged this on the comics specific page see more [[1723: Meteorite Identification#Trivia|here]].
At the time of this post, in the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161010215516/http://xkcd.com/1723/ 2016-10-10] it is still there and says:
* Note: Jolyon, founder of [http://www.mindat.org/ mindat.org], made a similar chart way before me!


===[[1679: Substitutions 3]]===
This comic is the third installment of the [[:Category:Substitution]] series, and as Randall did with [[#Substitutions 2]],
the header text links to the previous comics in the series, and tells the user about Chrome Browser extensions for substitution.
The header text reads:
<blockquote>
(Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}} and {{xkcd|1625|Substitutions 2}}) 
Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/replacerator/gaajhenbcclienfnniphiiambbbninnp?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
</blockquote>
This header text was on the main page while the comic was on the main page, for instance on
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160512102325/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-05-12]. It remains on the comic page.



===[[1663: Garden]]===
This comic had a header text to help people use the comic when it came out.
For some time this text was the main header text, but after a while is disappeared from the main header, but remained as the header for Garden.
* See more [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-04_-_Protip_on_Garden|below]] or on the Garden page [[Garden#Header_text_after_release|here]]
Today and as of the newest saved version on the archive from [http://web.archive.org/web/20161231231600/http://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-12-31] it is still there and says:
* Protip: If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
* You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.


===[[1625: Substitutions 2]]===
This was the second installment of Substitutions and Randall links to the first and tells about browser extensions for this:
The text:
* (Previously: {{xkcd|1288|Substitutions}})
* Note: There are various [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/xkcd-substitutions/jkgogmboalmaijfgfhfepckdgjeopfhk?hl=en browser extensions] for this.
** He did the same when [[xkcd_Header_text#Substitutions_3|Substitutions 3]] came out, linking to the two previous.
It was on the main page while the comic was up, for instance here on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160104171722/http://xkcd.com/ 2016-01-04].


===[[1079: United Shapes]]===
The header text was unique for this comic on the day it came out:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09].
It read:
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here] (Colorado is [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/ here]). 
It's also available as a [http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap poster].
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/http://store.xkcd.com/xkcd/#StateMap Archived store link, 2012-07-22])

This header text only appeared with the comic, as on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09],
at a time before this comic was released, the previous
[[xkcd_Header_text#2012-04-09 -_Standard_text_plus_store_link|promotion of the store]] header text was still on the main page.

As this comic was still on the main page the day after ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120710063424/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-10]),
a new [[Header_text#2012-07-10_-_New:_what-if.xkcd.com|header text promoting Randall's new what if? blog]]
was not shown on the main page.
The what if? promotion was added to this comic's header text the next day,
on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711123734/http://xkcd.com:80/1079/ 2012-07-11].
However, the part about Colorado was lost in this edit. This is the version still shown on {{xkcd|1079}} today, including the
what if? promotion.
<blockquote>
There's a larger version of this map [http://xkcd.com/1079/large/ here]! It's also available as a
[https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster poster]. 
New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions. 
I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
</blockquote>
([https://web.archive.org/web/20121203164246/https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/united-shapes-poster Archived store link, 2012-12-03])

The what if? promotion links to the very first ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}'' which was released on 2012-07-10, the day after this comic was released, but before the next comic [[1080: Visual Field]] was released on 2012-07-11.

There is no archived version of comic {{xkcd|1080}} while it was on the front page, so it is not possible to tell what the front page looked like on the 11th and 12th of July 2012. Most likely it was the what if? promotion.
* Maybe there was a time with the final version of the header text the front page, but seems like Randall put the new header text there by hand, and forgot to delete it after, so he probably first changed it when the new comic came out.
* Since the new header was important, promoting his new ''what if'' blog, Randall likely did not wish to have a recent page/the main page without it.
* But this makes it a special unique header, as a relic from the past header text is left together with the text that was supposed to be permanent. It should have been deleted when the link to ''what if'' 1 was removed.



===[[1047: Approximations]]===
It has a permanent text saying that many people emailed Randall about another approximation for one year than the one given in the comic.
* As it was already there from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120425220409/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-25] it seems unlikely that he actually received those e-mails before changing the header text for this comic!
The unique text:
* Lots of emails mention the physicist favorite, 1 year = pi x 107 seconds.
* 75^4 is a hair more accurate, but it's hard to top 3,141,592's elegance.
There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[#2012-04-09_-_Standard_text_plus_store_link|Plus store link]].


===[[1037: Umwelt]]===
It has a permanent promotion of the store already from the release day on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01]:
The unique text:
* You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
It stayed on the front page while this comic was the most recent, so for instance also two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03]
* There was a different header on other comics even while this comic was on the front page with the unique text. See [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-28_-_Visiting_Newport_News|Visiting Newport News]].


===[[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]]===
In response to the idea of having you browser replace keyboard with leopard a reader made a script that could do just that.
Randall seem to have gotten this script before release (or at least on the day of release) as it was already the header text on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319130702/http://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-19] the day the comic was released.
The unique text is:
* A helpful reader has provided an [https://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 s/keyboard/leopard/ user script].
** The link does not go anywhere useful any longer, but here is the archived version of the link from two days after the release of the comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321174019/http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/128626 2012-03-21]
It was never changed on the other comics so was only on the front while this comic was up until 2012-03-21
* Here also shown on the second day it was up on its own page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320143916/http://xkcd.com:80/1031/ 2012-03-20].
The next comic [[1032: Networking]] came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120321205835/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-21] and here the header text has returned to what it was before the leopard comic: [[xkcd_Header_text#2012-03-12_-_xkcd_Holistic_Browser|xkcd Holistic Browser]].
* Here are examples from dates around this showing it was not used on other pages:
** The last archived version of the front page from before the 19th was this version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317121834/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-03-17], but here is an example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153256/http://xkcd.com:80/1030/ 2012-03-18] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]), the day before leopard comic came out.
** Both on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120319174700/http://xkcd.com/1030/ 2012-03-19] (from comic [[1030: Keyed]]) and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120320191039/http://xkcd.com:80/1012 2012-03-20] (from comic [[1012: Wrong Superhero]]) during the time leopard was up, the header text currently in used was still shown.


===[[996: Making Things Difficult]]===
To give context to the comic about cancer, Randall links to a [[Blag]] post about his family's struggle with cancer.
The header text says:
<blockquote>
Some context for the cancer comics:
[https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/ https://blog.xkcd.com/2011/06/30/family-illness/]
</blockquote>
This header text appears on the oldest stored version of the comic page from [https://web.archive.org/web/20111229043804/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-12-29] when it was on the main page.


===[[980: Money]]===
Randall notes his thoughts about making it and makes a promotion of the poster.
The unique text:
* This one was fun (and exhausting) to make.
* There's a poster of it in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/money-poster store]!
** It is both at the oldest stored version from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404110059/http://xkcd.com:80/980 2012-04-04] and the newest at time of editing [https://web.archive.org/web/20220108132250/https://xkcd.com/980/ 2022-01-08].


===[[977: Map Projections]]===
Randall notes that a person had birthday on the release of this comic about maps, and this guy has maps on his homepage
The unique text:
* It turns out Monday was Steve Waterman's birthday. His [https://web.archive.org/web/20111118003418/http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ site] has posters of his map, plus maybe the world's only Winkel Tripel-critiquing poetry.
** The link goes to [http://www.watermanpolyhedron.com/ Waterman project] home page. Above the link goes to an archived version from around the time of release of the header text.
** It is at the oldest stored version with the comic on the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20111115231643/http://xkcd.com:80/ 2011-11-15].


===[[851: Na]]===
After Randall released this comic, he realized he could have "made it better," and did so.
He changed the header text alert people to this, saying:
<blockquote>
I can't ''believe'' I forgot Hey Jude.
I don't get do-overs, but I couldn't resist making [https://xkcd.com/851_make_it_better/ a fixed version].
</blockquote>
See more about it in that comic's [[851:_Na#Trivia|trivia section]].


===[[739: Malamanteau]]===
Randall notes that he has changed this comics license, so it can be used on Wikipedia.
The text:
* At Wikipedia's request, I release this comic under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ cc-by-sa] license.
** The link is to the page regarding {{w|Creative Commons license}} in the US.
** Specifically for Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-SA 3.0 US)
*** Usually xkcd is [[Design_of_xkcd.com#License_and_copyright|shared under]] [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License]. This does not allow commercial use, But the 3.0 does.
When the comic came out it had the normal header text from that time, as seen here two days after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20100514072436/http://xkcd.com/ 2010-05-14].
* First archived version with the unique text is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100913003146/http://xkcd.com/739/ 2010-09-13], but the previous archived version of this comic is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20100713160533/http://xkcd.com:80/739/ 2010-07-13].
* So it happened somewhere in the two months in between. But at least it was not there the first two months after release, but there before four month after release.


===577–580: [[:Category:The Race|The Race]]: Parts 1–4===
[[:Category:The Race|The Race]] was a 5-comic series published daily over the duration of one week, Monday through Friday. On comics
[[577: The Race: Part 1]], [[578: The Race: Part 2]], [[579: The Race: Part 3]], and [[580: The Race: Part 4]], parts 1–4 of the
series, Randall announced to users that xkcd would update once a day over the course of that week.

The header text for 577, published on Monday of that week, reads:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day.
</blockquote>
The header texts for 578, 579, and 580, published respectively on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, read:
<blockquote>
For this week, xkcd will update once a day (through Friday).
</blockquote>

On comic [[581: The Race: Part 5]], this header text does not appear, likely because it wouldn't be useful to inform people of daily
updates for a week at the end of the week.


===[[563: Fermirotica]]===
The header text for this comic informs the reader of prints of this comic in the [[Store]], and gives an example sex calculation.
It reads:
<blockquote>
There are xkcd prints available in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store]. 
[https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sqrt(2%2F(pi*18000%2F(mi^2)*80%2Fyear*30+minutes) Example Google sex calculation].
</blockquote>
The first link is a link to the [[Store|xkcd Store]], which, as of early February 2026, is closed for the time being. The second link is a
Google Search link for an example sex calculation with the formula in the comic, where
''Pd'' = 18000/mi2,
''XF'' = 80/year, and
''Xd'' = 30 minutes.
This calculation results in ''r'' equaling ~142 meters.


===[[488: Steal This Comic]]===
Comic 488 advocates against {{w|Digital rights management}}, or <abbr title="Digital rights management">DRM</abbr>. In the header text, Randall notes that Amazon sells
DRM-free music. It reads:
<blockquote>
Note: the [https://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 Amazon.com MP3 store] sells DRM-free music. Kudos.
</blockquote>
The header text links to Amazon MP3 music. Here is an archived version of the store from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081001083843/http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 2008-10-01],
two weeks prior to the release of the comic.
The header text was on the comic from the release day, here seen the day after on the first archived version from
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232952/http://xkcd.com/ 2008-10-14].


===[[472: House of Pancakes|472: House of Pancakes]]===
This comic's header notes its status as a parody:
* (Today's comic is a parody of [https://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764 House of Leaves].)
Only on the days this comic was the newest was this header featured on the front page of xkcd for instance as seen here the day after release on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06].
* But it was only on this comic. The commercial for his new t-shirt was on all the other pages, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20080906103932/http://www.xkcd.com/ 2008-09-06] and presumably returned to the front page with the next comic. But there is a gap in the archive after this comic.

==Global header text==
When editing the section, list the changes chronologically with the date of the web archive link and hyperlink each date. Include an internal link to the newest comic at the time of each change and describe the modifications with relevant information. Position the last comic displaying the header text below the other data and place the most recent change at the top.

===2026-04-07 - Reading Modes===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260401210255/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-04-01].
*[[3227: Creation]] was released as the 2026 April Fools' comic, but the real April Fools' was a new feature, which was explained in the global header text.
* The text:
** We're pleased to announce a major update to xkcd, with new reading modes to enhance user experience. Select a mode via the menu below the comic.
**Brought to you by our excellent design team: [https://github.com/ayust Amber], [https://github.com/benley Benjamin Staffin], and
[https://github.com/cotrone Kevin]
*At first it would seem that this would be a text, only belonging to the new comic, but since the feature is active on all comics, it was not only on the front page, but on all other comics as well. And it stayed there after the next comic was released.
**So this is not a comic specific header text.

===2026-01-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20260107194433/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-01-07].
* [[3191: Superstition]] came out when the header changed.
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2022-01-08_-_Back_to_standard_text|2022-01-08]] that the text had changed back to that, so exactly four years.
**Last time it only lasted a few days before the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] started.
*It was also the first time since December 5th, 2024 that the header text had changed, a span of more than a year (13 months) making it by far the longest time the header text had been left unchanged.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260331171250/https://xkcd.com/ 2026-03-31] when [[3226: Home Solar
]] was on the front page.
**Almost two months, a long stretch with the original title text in use!

===2024-12-05 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - order===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241205201038/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-05].
* [[3020: Infinite Armada Chess]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—Out now. Order it here! [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* Only difference in this header compared to the previous version is the last part after the final hypen.
* This header stayed up for exactly 13 months. See link at the bottom.
* With the [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|preorder]] version coming out in mid May 2024 the 10th anniversary edition ended up been in the header text almost 1 year and 7 month (except the month of [[#2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president|endorsing Harris]]), thus it was on the header for 1.5 years in total.
* And before that what if? has been part of the header back to [[#2022-01-31 - What if? 2|2022-01-31]], when what if? 2 was announced.
* And three weeks before that the [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] for what if? 2 began. Of course there was no what if? word on that header as it was a surprise. But it turned out this was also a promotion for what if?
* And up until the day before the countdown (when there was one day with the old standard text) there was promotion for the first what if? book starting on [[#2021-12-20 - What If in stock|2021-12-20]].
** To sum it up, the header has been used to promote what if? continuously from December 2021 until at least the start of January 2026 (except one month with endorsing Harris and three weeks countdown that was for what if?) So more than 4 years in a row, only with a month for something political and the 3 weeks of countdown was also a promotion for what if?
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20260106150417/https://xkcd.com/3190/ 2026-01-06] when [[3190: Tensegrity]] was on the front page.
**It had then been up for more than 13 months in a row by a day. There had been no change to the header text at all during 2025.

===2024-11-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page when the text changed.
* It returned to the exact same header text as before: [[#2024-05-15_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder]].
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241204160618/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-12-04] when [[3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar]] was on the front page.
** The only change was that the last part after the last hyphen changed from when you had to preorder to now that you could order the book.

===2024-10-16 - Promotion of Kamala Harris for president===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20241017002108/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-17]
* For some reason the web archive failed to upload xkcd on the day it changed, but that it did change a day before can be seen in this other archive [https://web.archive.org/web/20241116184702/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-11-16].
* [[2999: Bad Map Projection: The United Stralia]] came out when this header was changed.
* Instead of text, it is a three part comic. In the first panel, [[Cueball]] (probably representing [[Randall]]) is shown walking, carrying a sign. In the second panel, he is seen hitting the sign with a hammer into the ground. In the third, Cueball is gone, and the front of the sign can be seen:
** <big>Harris for president</big>
* This is in reference to the 2024 presidential elections and shows that Randall endorses Harris.
* Randall posted the same image on his [https://x.com/xkcd/status/1853098106667114801 Twitter (formally X)] and [https://bsky.app/profile/xkcd.com/post/3la2jku6ace2f Bluesky] accounts on November 3rd, 2024, two days before the presidential election.
* It was up for a month until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241115181146/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2024-11-15] when [[3012: The Future of Orion]] was on the front page. It changed while that comic was still up back to the one from before.

===2024-05-15 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? - preorder===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240515200351/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-15]
* [[2933: Elementary Physics Paths]] came out when the header changed.
* The text:
** [https://xkcd.com/what-if/ Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF?]—revised and
** annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important
** questions you never thought to ask—coming from November 2024. Preorder [https://bit.ly/WhatIf10th here]!
* The first link goes to the page for the what if? book on xkcd and the other link is to the HarperCollins page for the 10th anniversary edition of the book.
* It was up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20241015192147/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-10-15] while [[2998: Ravioli-Shaped Objects]] was on the front page.
After a month of endorsing endorses Harris the heder text returned to this again, see [[#2024-11-16_-_Special_10th_anniversary_edition_of_WHAT_IF.3F_-_preorder|2024-110-16 - Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? -preorder]].

===2024-03-20 - What If? is on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20240320173158/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-20]
* [[2909: Moon Landing Mission Profiles]] came out when the header changed.
The only text version from the previous header was trimmed having some words removed taking it down from four to three lines (and solving the bad alignment that happened five days before at the end of the previous header text).
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is on YouTube! The first video answers
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed Hubble at Earth?]” Follow the
** [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif What If?] channel to be notified about new videos.
* The first link goes to the what if? page on xkcd and the other two links are to the YouTube channel and to its very first video.
The promotion of the what if? franchise continues for the second year running. A few words were taken off as the YouTube channel was no longer new at this point.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240514034349/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-05-14], while [[2932: Driving PSA]] was on the front page. But the what if? promotion continued

===2023-11-29 - What If? is now on YouTube!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20231129184009/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-29]
* [[2861: X Value]] came out when the header changed.
There was only text this time.
* The text:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/ What If?] is now on YouTube!
** Check out the first video for the answer to
** “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LSyizrk8-0 What if we aimed the Hubble Telescope at Earth?]”
** and follow [https://www.youtube.com/@xkcd_whatif xkcd’s What If? The Video Series channel] to be notified about each new video.
* The links goes to the what if page on xkcd and the other two links is to the new YouTube channel with videos of some of the what if articles and to the very first video.
This is thus not a promotion of the what if? 2 book but still promotion of the what if? franchise.
A small change happened on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240314113602/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-14], as the first two lines became one line which made the alignment worse. So it seemed strange to do this. It looked like normal up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20240313113429/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-13]. But it only lasted five days before a change was made that made it into a new although very similar header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20240319134138/https://xkcd.com/ 2024-03-19], while [[2908: Moon Armor Index]] was on the front page, but was replaced by a very similar what if? header.

===2023-08-31 - What if? 2 is now available in paperback in the UK!===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230831200321/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-31]
* [[2822: *@gmail.com]] came out when the header changed.
* The image to the right stayed, but after more than a half year with no text, text was added to the left of the picture because the paper back was available in the UK.
** As opposed to the previous headers this was plain text and not a picture.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What if? 2 is [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK now available] in paperback in the UK!
** what if? 2
* The link goes to https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/#UK, the page on xkcd about the What if? 2 book, and directing to the UK order links where there now also it a paper back version.
This version was still up in the middle of November 2023 when this segment was updated.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20231128174224/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-11-28], while [[2860: Decay Modes]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? header.
* Although it was not specifically related to the new book. Thus it ended a more than 22 month long constant promotion of the book since the [[#2022-01-10_-_Standard_text_with_countdown|countdown]] began in January 2022.

===2023-02-17 - What if? 2 picture only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230217185629/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-17]
* [[2739: Data Quality]] came out when the header changed.
* For the first time in a very long time there is no real header text. Only the small red picture with the plane and the title of the what if? 2 book in the right section of the header. As it has been since [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] stopped.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230830064414/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-08-30], while [[2821: Path Minimization]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header.

===2022-09-23 - What if? 2 Instant New York Times Bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220923182825/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-23]
* [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page when the header changed.
** The header celebrates that the new what if? 2 book has become an instant New York Times bestseller.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2
** Instant New York Times bestseller.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20230216181705/https://xkcd.com/ 2023-02-16], while [[2738: Omniknot]] was on the front page, but was replaced by another What If? 2 header,

===2022-09-13 - What if? 2 is available now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220913142432/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13]
* [[2672: What If? 2 Flowchart]] was released as the header changed, even though it was a Tuesday.
** The header and the comic celebrates the release of the new what if? 2 book, that came out on this day.
* The header kept the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at the plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are two lines of text, with the first line in very large bold letters
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** What if? 2 is available now!
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This thus ended the pre-release promotion of the book, that began on [[#xkcd_Header_text#2022-01-31_-_What_if.3F_2|2022-01-31]], plus of course the three weeks of [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] before. For a sum total of 8 months and three days.
* It will be interesting to see how long before any reference to what if? 2 will disappear from the header text.
This version ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220922150042/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-22], but was replaced by another What If? 2 header, while [[2675: Pilot Priority List]] was on the front page.

===2022-09-12 - One day to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220912125617/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-12]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** One dayuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>I'm going to spend the day with that Les Mis song stuck in my head, aren't I.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-12 it was ''F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of N Bottles of Beer On the wall followed by F(N-1)'' to release day.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
** Les mis song, referring to a song from the musical les miserables titled "One Day More", he now has stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220913134002/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-13].
** This was while [[2671: Rotation]] was still up, early on the release day of the new book.

===2022-09-12 - Three days to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220911102450/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-11]
* This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was still up.
* The header is the same layout as the previous and thus still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are three lines of text. With the first line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over five lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Three daysuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Assuming it's still Saturday. I'm a static png image and can't perceive time.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header only stayed the same for one day and [[2670: Interruption]] was still up when it changed to the next.

===2022-09-07 - Less than one week to What if? 2 comes out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220907211736/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-07]
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was still up.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. To the left is still the picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text. To the right of the book there are four lines of text. With the middle line written in large bold letters. This also has a footnote star. And the footnote is then written to the right in smaller font over four lines of text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Less than one weekuntil what if? 2 comes out!
** <nowiki></nowiki>Oh no, now I have that song stuck in my head.
** what if? 2
*** Both images are links that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The foot note refers to the [[2636: What If? 2 Countdown]]. For the date where the header changed 2022-09-07 it was ''one pico-universe-lifetime'' to release day. But the next day 2022-09-08 it was ''The Baby Shark chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks''.
** It is thus for certain this song Randall mentions will now be stuck in his head.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220910024549/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-10].
** This was while [[2670: Interruption]] was up.

===2022-08-27 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220827232205/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-27]
* [[2664: Cloud Swirls]] came out when it changed.
* The header [[#2022-08-16 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|changed back]] to the preorder image from the previous header, when Randall's book tour ended. See the link.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220906191403/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-09-06].
* This was while [[2668: Artemis Quote]] was up.

===2022-08-17 - What if? 2 book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220817161136/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-17]
* [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was out when it changed.
* The header still consist of two parts. With the right picture the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this there is text to the left. Then Cueball is seen flying by holding on to a single balloon (like in [[1110: Click and Drag]]). He flies over five mountain peaks with snow, with three clouds and three distant birds in front of him, as he drifts to the right, as shown with movements lines behind him. In front of him is a dark feature at the bottom of the frame. Above this is a blue square (like a button) with white text.
* The text:
** I'm going on a what if? 2 book tour!
** Click to see where
** what if? 2
*** The image to the left is a link to [https://xkcd.com/events/ randall munroe: events] page on xkcd. Which at the time showed the calendar with the planned stop for his book tour, which covered the US and London.
*** As always the link button in blue is not the only part of the image that is a link, as he just mentioned in the [[#2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image|previous header text]], and several times before...
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
This header thus continues the promotion of the new book, which was at the time was only 27 days away (or [[2636:_What_If%3F_2_Countdown|6 dog months]]).
* It will be interesting to see how long it takes before promotion for the book disappears from the header. It may still take months.
The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220826202043/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-26].
* This was while [[2663: Tetherball Configurations]] was up.

===2022-08-11 - Preorder What if? 2 - with image===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220811055445/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-11]
* [[2657: Complex Vowels]] came out as it changed.
The message in the header was not really changed, but the meaning of the text from the previous header was now written in an image, although the text did change somewhat.
* The header thus still consist of two parts. To the left the new image with an picture of the book and text. And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The new image to the left has a black border. Inside this to the right is the new text. To the left is a picture of the new what if? 2 book. It has the same image as in the picture to the right, but showing the entire front of the book, with details of those looking up at he plane from the ground. The title and the author name can be read in white on the red book. There are also unreadable white text above the plane and below the author name. The spine of the book can also be seen, as the book is seen a bit from the side. Here are also unreadable white text.
* The text:
** what if? 2
** Randall Munroe
** Preorder what if? 2 and enter for a chance to win a comic inspired by your question! Click here to learn more. Or click wherever. This whole image is a link because html is hard.
** what if? 2
*** In the left image there is a blue link font on the word "here" in click here. However the entire left image is a link to the [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 what if 2 contest]. As explained he did not only make the word a link because html is hard! This is something Randall [[xkcd_Header_text#2014-07-23_-_what_if.3F_book_tour|often comments on]].
**** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
**** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
**** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
*** The right image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220816124823/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-16].
** This was while [[2659: Unreliable Connection]] was up.

===2022-07-19 - Preorder What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220719153239/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-19]
* [[2647: Capri Suns]] came out as it changed.
The header looked a lot like the previous one, only part of the text changed.
* The header thus still consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over four lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]], but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plane is the book title in white text.
* The text:
** Preorder What If? 2 (all US preorders eligible) and [https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 enter our contest] for a chance to win a dedicated comic and What If blog post!
** what if? 2
*** The image is a link that goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ what if? 2: the book].
** The link in the text goes to a contest page that starts with the words:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718171904/https://sites.prh.com/whatif2 Want Randall Munroe to answer you What If? question?]
*** Here above the web archive version of the link, in case the link from the text goes dead in the future.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220810034709/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-08-10].
** This was while [[2656: Scientific Field Prefixes]] was up.

===2022-01-31 - What if? 2===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220201000434/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-02-01]
* [[2575: What If? 2]] came out as it changed, and then it [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/36/Countdown_in_header_text_page_when_what_if_comic_came_out.png looked like this] already on 2022-01-31. But there is no archived version from that day after the header changed.
** This was what [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|the countdown]] had been counting down to.
** An announcement that Randall had written a sequel to the first ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book, based on his blog.
* The header consist of two part. To the left a line of text (split up, most likely over three lines for most users). And to the right the window also used in the countdown, but with the image that appeared in it after the count down ended.
** The image is taken from the front cover of the new book, with red background, showing a passenger plane taking off with the wheels still down. On top of it a Tyrannosaurus Rex has begun eating its way into the plane. Below the plan ia the book title in white text.
* The text:
** What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions comes out 9/13. Preorder [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ here!]
** What If? 2:
*** The link goes to a dedicated page on xkcd about what if? 2: the book. The image is also a link to this page.
*** The entire comic that came out along with the new header text is also a link to that page.
* At the same time the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] in the top left section of xkcd also changed to include links to books, and especially this new book.
It will be interesting to see how long this version of the promotion for the new books stays up. But most likely there will be promotion for the book until release, and then more after the release.
* The header stayed the same until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220718145816/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-07-18], for more than 5,5 month. This was while [[2646: Minkowski Space]] was up.
** The change was rather small, but part of the text changed. The promotion continued though.

===2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220110183238/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-10].
* [[2565: Latency]] was still up when the [[Countdown in header text]] was added.
* The text was still the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But a countdown was added. This was inserted in a rectangular box, placed at the end of the standard header text.
** In some browsers the box forces the last word "Friday" to jump down to the next line.
* Inside the box the following time was displayed in the version in the link:
** 20d 20h 27m
*** This clock will also count down every minute, although it will return to the time at the time of archive when reloaded!
*** While this was edited into this wiki the time had changed to 20d 19h 12m. So it was a very fresh download in the web archive, only about 1 hour old when it was updated to this wiki.
*** The minutes change without refreshing the page, and follows this editors computers clock exactly, so it will end at 59 minutes, not at a full hour.
** It looks like it started on [https://munvoseli.github.io/xkcd-countdown/ 01-10 17:00 UTC].
*** A calculation shows that this countdown will reach zero on Monday 2022-01-31 at 14:59 (2:59 PM) {{w|UTC}}.
*** This will be at 9:59 (9:59 AM) in [[Randall]]'s home town
**** The last ten minutes it switched to seconds for the last minute so it made the switch 15:00 UTC 10:00 in Boston!
*** From that it can be deduced that the count started at 20d 22h 0m
**** The first image on the archive thus came 1h 33m after the count began.
* At [https://web.archive.org/web/20220111153818/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-11] a diagonal black bar appeared in the lower left-hand corner of the countdown box.
** After that the [[Countdown in header text]] page was created and any further development on the count down will be mentioned on that page.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220131124817/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-31] when [[2574: Autoresponder]] was on the front page.
* This archived version was when the counter was at 0d 2h 11m, and the last normal frame was already up at this time.
** It stayed like this until the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/1/17/Countdown_in_header_text_page_0_seconds.png counter ran out].
*** Then for a few minutes the final frame, that revealed that all this was a promotion for Randall's new book what if? 2 was up [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/4/48/Countdown_in_header_text_page_just_after_countdown.png while the Friday comic was still up].
*** Then when the new Monday comic came out with the promotion for what if? 2, the header changed.

===2022-01-08 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20220108044654/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-08].
* [[2565: Latency]] came out around the time the new header text appeared, on a Friday!
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* This was the first time since [[#2018-11-07 - Back to standard text|2018-11-07]] that the text had changed back to that, and at that time it lasted until 2019-02-05.
** That is 1067 days (less than a month short of three years) without the standard text! (Can it be called standard anymore?)
* It was only left in the complete standard version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20220109030513/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-09] when Latency was still on the front page.
** Then the next day a [[#2022-01-10 - Standard text with countdown|countdown]] was added to it.
*** That was after the weekend on Monday but before the Monday comic came up.
*** So only during the weekend was it normal standard header text.

===2021-12-20 - What If in stock===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20211220211220/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-20].
* [[2557: Immunity]] came out around the time the new header text appeared.
* The text:
** For anyone trying to find What If? this year, it's in stock at [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 Barnes & Noble], [https://m.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Randall-Munroe/9780544272996 Books-a-Million], and [https://bookshop.org/books/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-9781483041827/9780544272996 Bookshop]
* Each store name is a link to the corresponding store's page for ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]''.
It was last seen on [https://web.archive.org/web/20220106100957/https://xkcd.com/ 2022-01-06] when [[2564: Sunshield]] was up.

===2020-06-03 - Black Lives Matter===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200604003700/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-03].
* [[2315: Eventual Consistency]] came out as a new header text was finally inserted after almost two months without one.
* Cueball is standing to the left and speaks a single line of text: "Black Lives Matter"
* To the right is a gray link button with text: "[https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ How To Help]."
* As always, the entire image (which is only below the xkcd logo) is a link
** The button is thus not needed, but it will also work when clicking the location of the button.
* The link goes to [https://www.joincampaignzero.org/ Join Campaign Zero].
** {{w|Black Lives Matter}} is a loose, grassroots, decentralized confederation of groups and individuals advocating for racial justice. It arose in 2013 after the acquittal of {{w|George Zimmerman}}, who took the life of {{w|Trayvon Martin}}.
** Randall's featuring Black Lives Matter came on the heels of the {{w|Killing of George Floyd}} on May 25th 2020, which had sparked {{w|George Floyd protests|protest in the US}}
** Floyd died while saying "{{w|I can't breathe}}," which was already used due to other Black men's killings, the first was from the {{w|Killing of Eric Garner}}, back in 2014.
It stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200616114945/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-16] when [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200617131438/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-17] the link changed to [https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Black Lives Matter]. [[2320: Millennium Problems]] was still on the front page on that day.
On April 1st 2021 the front page header changed to mention who made the April Fools' Day comic.
* But this was only for this comic [[#Checkbox|Checkbox]].
* The rest of the pages kept the BLM header and it returned to this on the front page once the next comic was released on April 5th. At that time it will have been up for 13 months, making it the longest header different from the standard header.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20211219202204/https://xkcd.com/ 2021-12-19] when [[2556: Turing Complete]] was on the front page.
* At that time it had been up for 564 days or 1,5 year plus 16 days! This is most likely a record.

===2020-04-05 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042955/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-05].
* [[2289: Scenario 4]] came out and the header belonging to the previous comic was removed.
* But no new header was inserted. Not even the go to [[#Header text|Header text]] about the release days of xkcd.
** Since the previous header was related only to the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[2288: Collector's Edition]], and that had stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book, after first experiencing problems with its release, it seems Randall forgot what he usually put in the header.
It stayed empty like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20200602213017/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-06-02] when [[2314: Carcinization]] was on the front page.
* So almost two month without a header. This had not happened before.

===2020-04-04 - Put together by===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200404014814/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-04].
* [[2288: Collector's Edition]] came out and the header changed.
* The text:
** Today's comic was put together by [https://chromakode.com/ Max Goodhart], [https://twitter.com/Aiiane Amber], [https://twitter.com/bstaffin Benjamin Staffin], [https://twitter.com/cotrone Kevin], [https://www.instagram.com/fading_interest/ @fading_interest], [https://twitter.com/wirehead2501 Kat], [https://twitter.com/zigdon @zigdon], and Christopher Night.
*** All names have links except the last.
* It thanks those that helped Randall create this years [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]], which had taken two extra days before it was released due to the complex nature of the comic.
Due to the delay the next comic, [[2289: Scenario 4]], was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!
* Since this header was related only to the Fool's comic, it was thus removed from the general header, but it stayed up as [[#Collector.27s_Edition|one of]] the permanent [[#Unique_header_text|unique header texts]].
** However, when it was removed from the general header, the header was left empty.
** Unlike some other headers that stayed on a given comic, this one was on all comics for the duration of the time it stayed on the front page, see for instance the previous comic on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403232031/https://xkcd.com/2287/ 2020-04-03].

===2020-04-02 - Technical Reasons===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200402234828/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-02].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was up when the header changed.
Randall turned out to, again, have problems with his complicated and interactive [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] for 2020.
* The text:
** Note: For technical reasons Wednesday's comic will be posted Thursday instead. Apologies for the delay!
This finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].
It stayed up a day longer than planed as the fool's comic, [[2288: Collector's Edition]] was first released on Friday, so the note was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200403012612/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-03].
* [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] thus stayed two extra day on the front page, and the third comic of that week, [[2289: Scenario 4]] was released already the day after the Fool's comic, even though it was thus [[2289:_Scenario_4#Trivia|on a Saturday]]!

===2020-01-16 - How To explores - again===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200116190038/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-16].
* [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was still up when the header changed.
* The ongoing promotion of the book continued but here more than three weeks after Christmas the reference to Christmas was removed.
* The header then returned to the one from before Christmas:
** [[#2019-11-22 - How To explores|How To explores]] - see that for all other details.
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200401221435/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-04-01] when [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] was on the front page.
* It was the problems with [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] of 2020 that finally stopped the promotion of the [[How To]] book.
* It had then been part of the header for well over a year since [https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06].

===2019-12-02 - Into Science===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191202223745/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-02].
* [[2236: Is it Christmas?]] came out when the header changed. Fitting as the change is about Christmas list.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, continuing to make the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd.
** The links below to order are the same as in the previous header.
** Actually most of the header stays the same with the same four images and the same layout. But the text above has changed completely and the two main text sections between the drawings has changed but only slightly. The description of the images is thus left out, see below. Only new thing is that there are now two red circles connected with a red arrow. The first circle is around the word How To at the end of the first text with the arrow going from that circle to the second circle drawn around the picture of the book.
* The text:
** Is there someone on you Christmas list who's into science? They might like my new book '''''How To'''''
** It explores ridiculous ideas for applying scientific research to everyday problems...
** ...And illustrates what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20200115155040/https://xkcd.com/ 2020-01-15] when [[2255: Tattoo Ideas]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-22 - How To explores===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191122214439/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22].
* [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] was up when the header changed. It most likely changed when the comic appeared. Earlier on that day it was the previous header over the previous comic.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here again making the image a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book] page on xkcd, after it previously was a link to where to listen to the audio book.
** The links below to order returns to the same as in the header before the previous header with links to audio books, except that the link to an exclusive edition has been removed.
** The header consist of an image with text above five small drawings with two text parts in between them. To the left is the closed How To book which is black with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. To the right of the book is a drawing of Ponytail pole-vaulting with two black helium filled balloons. Next to her is the first text segment. Then after that is the drawing, seen before in the header text, of a truck towing a house up a steep hill. This truck goes above the second text segment, with Cueball somersaulting above the text. Furthest right, above and just right of the text is an explosion with the sound written inside. Below the header image is some black text and then the links to where to get it as regular blue link text.
* The text:
** My new book '''''How To''''' explores the science behind spacecraft heat shields, butterfly metabolisms, and land border surveys...
** ...By imagining ridiculous ideas for applying the research to you everyday life...
** ...And illustrating what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** You can get it here:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191201191025/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-12-01] when [[2235: Group Chat Rules]] was on the front page.

===2019-11-06 - Audio clip===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191106204314/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-06].
* [[2224: Software Updates]] was still up when the header changed, but the first archive version was first from after the next comic came out [[2225: Voting Referendum]].
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, here making the image a link to the How To book on Penguin Random House's audio book, where an audio clip read by Wil Wheaton can be sampled.
** The links below to order have now changed to those with audio books.
** The header consist of an image with text, with a "blue link", above the How To book that is being folded out from closed; to partially open; to opened up on two full pages; this takes three images. The closed book is the black book with a blue readable title, How To, and unreadable white text below this as well as below the unreadable blue author name, which are below the image. The image shows Cueball putting in a light-bulb with drones under each foot while Megan, holding a ladder, and White/Black Hat are looking up at him. The partly open book still has this cover partly visible, but unreadable, as well as come unreadable text in the open side. The open book shows two pages with lots of unreadable text and three figures (maybe one is a table). Next to the open book there is an arrow to the right pointing at an audio icon with three audio lines in front. Below the header image are the links as regular text.
* The text:
** You can click here to hear a clip from the audio version of '''''How To''''', read by Wil Wheaton.
** [https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world/id1475319694 Apple], [https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/how-to-absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems/369279 Audiobooks], [https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/How-To-Audiobook/1473680360?qid=1574679523&sr=1-1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=DX3EZ14M14CFQPP9GHJY&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1 Audible], [https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Randall_Munroe_How_To?id=LzSGDwAAQBAJ Google Play], and [https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780525635680 Libro.fm]
* The entire image is a link to the [https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576760/how-to/ How To book on Penguin Random House] page, where the audio clip can he played.
** As always it is the entire picture that is a link, and not only the blue underlined text that says click here!
It was last on the archive on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191122044456/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-22] when [[2231: the Time Before And After Land]] was on the front page. But it was most likely still up when [[2232: Hotel Room Party]] came out. But then changed during the next day.

===2019-10-02 - Horse vs football team===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191002005854/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-02].
* [[2210: College Athletes]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed. This time the image seems to be from one of the How To explanations in the book.
** The links below to order are the same as the previous header.
** But new text is added after the links to promote two events with Randall in New York the two days after this header came up.
*** These links disappeared after a week leaving only the picture and the link to buy the book. See below.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball riding bareback on a horse. He comes from the left holding an American football. Running towards him from the right are eight American football players with helmets with three stars on the back of the helmet. Two of the players at the back are almost hidden by players in front of them. Beneath them is a line of text that belongs to the image, the period at the end of the sentence hangs in height with the center line of the last letter E... Then below the image follows the link and promotion of the NY events, these are written in regular.
* The text:
** My new book ''How To'' is out now! You can get it here.
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target] I'll be at New York Comic Con! I'm giving [https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Explore/Panels/Panels-And-Screenings/#/event/how-todo-anything-with-randall-munroe-creator-of-xkcd a talk on Thursday], and on
** Friday [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event at Caveat NYC].
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The link to Target still seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably a still undiscovered error on Randall's part?
This header changed, but so slightly that the changes will only be mentioned here rather than in a new section:
* The first link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191004014438/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-04]
* Then the day after only the second link remained from [https://web.archive.org/web/20191005041539/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-10-05]. [[2211: Hours Before Departure]] came out when it changed.
** But the text of this link changed as it had been a continues text from one to the other link. Also it was not entirely on it's own line, thus not as with the first link whose text was directly connected to the line with the links to buy the book.
** The new text of that link was:
*** [https://smbc-comics.com/ Zach Weinersmith] and I will be hosting [https://www.caveat.nyc/event/how-to--absurd-scientific-advice-for-common-real-world-problems-10-4-2019 an event] Friday night at Caveat NYC!
*** The last link was the same, but now it only covered two words not the entire end of the sentence.
** This other link was last active on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191007042707/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-07].
* And then the last link was gone by [https://web.archive.org/web/20191008053609/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-10-08], when [[2212: Cell Phone Functions]] came out.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20191105164001/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-11-05] when [[2224: Software Updates]] was up.

===2019-09-30 - Tons of fun===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190930234245/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-30].
* [[2209: Fresh Pears]] was up when the header changed.
* Still promoting the new [[How To]] book, but seeing this is no longer close to the release day the focus has changed to how much fun it was for Randall to write it and how proud he is of the result. Randall, as Cueball, is saying this in the new header image.
** The links below to order are the same, except a new has been added at the end.
** The header consist of an image with Cueball standing to the left of the book, shown as tall as he is. The book is opened up on two pages with lots of unreadable text as well as three drawings, only one of these, with a circle diagram, can clearly be seen. Cueball is speaking, and the text is above him and the book. Two words are blue with a line under as if they where a link. But as always the entire image is a link. Beneath the image is the links on where to order the book.
* The text:
** Writing my new book '''''How To''''' was tons of fun and I'm so proud of the result. It's out now-Click Here to order!
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound], [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
** The new link to Target seems to go the main page rather than to [https://intl.target.com/p/how-to-by-randall-munroe-hardcover/-/A-76508342 their How To book page]... Probably an error on Randall's part.
It ended on October 2nd while [[2210: College Athletes]] where up. But there is no archived versions from the 1st of October and the one from the 2nd is with the next version. But the editor of this was making changes to the explanation of College Athletes before the next header change came along.

===2019-09-11 - How To available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190911053115/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-11].
* [[2200: Unreachable State]] was still up when the header changed.
* The release day part of the promotion was changed to telling that the new [[How To]] book was available. With teasers about what is in the book below the heading. On either side of the text a picture of the book is still shown. Also the links below changed, adding three new and removing one old.
** The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the links on where to order it.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font.
* The text:
** How To is available now!
** Learn how to open bottles with nuclear weapons and how to be on time for meetings by altering the Earths rotation. The book also features advice from real-life experts including Chris Hadfield and Serena Williams.
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 B&N], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-randall-munroe/1130494832?ean=9780525686910#/ B&N Exclusive Edition], [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple], [https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 Audible]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* {{w|Serena Williams}} is a famous tennis player who was also featured in one of the [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion comics]] for How To: [[2190: Serena Versus the Drones]]
* {{w|Chris Hadfield}} is a Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. The first Canadian to walk in space, Hadfield has flown two Space Shuttle missions and served as commander of the International Space Station.
** The new link to audible probably needs the user to be signed up, else it will go to the front page and ask yo to sign up. But from the archive the page can be seen [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923004816/https://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=How+To+Randall+Munroe&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHA9A5E24CFB--9780525635680 here].
Up till [https://web.archive.org/web/20190922143253/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-22] it looked like this.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190923145251/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-23] and extra link was added after Audible:
** [https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/23/trackingcode/PRH3D17167A3B Target].
* [[2205: Types of Approximation]] was up when this change occurred during a weekend.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190929223547/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-29] when [[2208: Drone Fishing]] was up.

===2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190904051509/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-04].
* [[2198: Throw]] was already up when the header changed slightly, as the text below Happy release day changed.
Most of the header stayed the same as the [[#2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar|day before]], but the reference to the Gregorian/Julian calendar was changed.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text.Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flowing on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan comes who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** Happy How To release day!
** Available wherever books are sold.
** (Mostly bookstores, I assume but you can always try your luck at Wendy's.)
* See below for any other details.
It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190909211737/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-09] when [[2200: Unreachable State]] was up.

===2019-09-03 - Happy Release Day - calendar===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190903051503/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-03]
* [[2197: Game Show]] was still up when the header changed, but it was for sure to coincide with [[2198: Throw]] which came out later on the release day while it still looked like in this version.
* Randall celebrated the release day of [[How To]], coming out the day the header changed.
** The comic is also a reference to a chapter in the book on how to throw things. A very complicated interactive comic where different persons or other living things can be chosen to throw dead or living things. The trow will then be shown below with distance measured in two units, normal and special. That is if the thrower can actually manage to throw the thing.
* The header consist of an image with the book shown both left and right of some text. The two black books have red stars around them, five on the outer side of the image and 6 on the inner, the stars are mirrored around left and right book. Both books have blue title and author name, and white unreadable title and white drawing of Cueball flying on two quadcopters to put in a light-bulb in a ceiling lamp, while White/Black? Hat is watching together with Megan, who is holding a ladder. Beneath the image is the link on where to order it, now the preorder has been changed to order.
** Between the two books are two sections of text above each other, the lover with smaller font and in brackets.
* The text:
** How To Randall Munroe
** Happy How To release day!
** (Gregorian calendar. The Julian edition doesn't come out for 13 more days.)
** How To Randall Munroe
** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Most of the world uses the {{w|Gregorian calendar}}, but before it was taken into use, the {{w|Julian calendar}} was in use.
** The Julian calendar does not take into account that every 100 years a leap year should be passed as in the Gregorian calendar, and thus it is at the moment 13 days behind, as it has has this many February 29th too many. Since there should actually be a leap year every 400 year, and the last of those was 2000, then it has been 13 days since 1900, and will stay like this until 2100 when it will become 14 days.
** The image is a link to the [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To book page] on xkcd.
* Already the next day the part of the header below happy release day about the Gregorian calendar changed. See [[#2019-09-04 - Happy Release Day - bookstore|above]].

===2019-08-27 - Out in a week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190827082224/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27].
* [[2194: How to Send a File]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], coming out a week from this header.
** It is only three lines of text
* The text:
** My new book, How To, comes out next week!
** Read an exclusive excerpt about transmission [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* Later [https://web.archive.org/web/20190827184229/https://xkcd.com/2194/ on the same day], (and here for the next day [https://web.archive.org/web/20190828095401/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-27] for the front page), more text and links where added, plus the order of the text was changed.
* The later text was:
** My new book, [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ How To], comes out in a week! ([https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/23/book-tour-and-contest-winner/ Book tour info])
** You can preorder it now to get a copy when it's released:
** [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
** You can also read an exclusive excerpt about file transfers [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/26/how-to-send-a-file/ here].
* The link to the book tour also include the winner of the [[#2019-06-25 - People with books|contest]] to get Randall to add "your" city to his book tour.
** The winner was {{w|Juneau, Alaska}}.
It ended on the release day 2019-09-03, so this was last on the page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902042108/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-09-02].

===2019-08-06 - Win a sketch===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06].
* [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was up when the header changed.
** Most likely the header changed when that comic came out on 2019-08-05. But the previous header was also out during that day.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now making a competition where you can win a stick figure sketch of yourself. (Although only for US residents!)
** The image shows Hairy, with a cat at his feet and Megan (or Danish?) with a samurai sword. They are standing with their backs towards each other, the cat on the left, Megan facing right with the sword towards the words.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** Want to win a sketch of yourself as a stick figure? [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ Click here] to find out how!
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first words in black:] Preorder ''How To'': [https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/05/win-an-xkcd-sketch/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''Win an xkcd sketch''
*** That is even though only the click here part of the text is in blue, like a link.
*** Cause as he often has written: I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps, most recently in the [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]] header.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190826062701/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-26] when [[2193: Well-Ordering Principle]] was up.

===2019-08-03 - First look inside===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190803222711/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-03].
* [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], now stating that it comes out next month.
** Set to be released on September 3rd 2019, this update was made exactly one month before.
** The image shows text to the left of three drawings of the book: First the closed book showing the black front cover with blue and white text and white drawings, then the book is partly opened, and finally it lays opened up showing two pages, with a readable heading on the right page.
** Below the drawing are links to places to preorder the book.
* The text:
** My new book comes out next month. Click here for a first look inside!
** [On the books front cover only two thins can be read:]
*** How To
*** Randal Munroe.
** [These two words can also partly be read on the opening book.]
** [Only the large heading can be read on the right page of the open book:]
*** How to Dig a Hole.
** [These two pages also became part of a special comic relased during the weekend when this header was up: [[Disappearing Sunday Update]].]
** [The [[Disappearing_Sunday_Update#Transcript|transcript of that comic]] describes the images in the open book.]
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/08/02/how-to-chapter-list-and-introduction/ link] to a [[Blag]] post: ''How To: Chapter list and introduction''.
It stayed up like this while the special [[Disappearing Sunday Update]] came out on Sunday 2019-08-04, and was there still on Monday [ https://web.archive.org/web/20190805050812/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-08-05], at least during the time that the Sudan Update was still up.
* When the next comic came out late that Monday, it probably disappeared along with the Disappearing comic, but the first update with the next header is from Tuesday [https://web.archive.org/web/20190806052948/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-06], but the Monday comic [[2185: Cumulonimbus]] was still on the front page at that time,.

===2019-07-23 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190723205152/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-23].
* [[2179: NWS Warnings]] was up when the header changed.
It returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon header, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]]
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190802192259/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-08-02] while [[2184: Unpopular Opinions]] was up. The day after when it changed that comic was still up.

===2019-07-15 - ComiCon===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190715181016/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-15].
* [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up when the header changed.
Randall tells that he will be at ComicCon and links to his plans there.
* The text:
** Going to San Diego Comic Con this week? I'll [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/07/15/san-diego-comic-con/ see you there]!
*** The link is to a [[Blag]] post about his plans for the ComicCon
* Randall appeared in a couple of panels, and gave a talk.
* Finally he also handed out signed copies of his new [[How To]] book more than a month before official release.
** So still promoting the book, also in this header...
It stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190722192637/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-07-22] the day after the ComiCon ended, while [[2178: Expiration Date High Score]] was up.
* Then it returned to the previous header from before the ComicCon announcement when [[2179: NWS Warnings]] came out.

===2019-07-10 - Adding links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190710165920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-10].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was still up when the header changed slightly from that fro the day before.
* Only change was that beneath the picture, see [[#2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To|2019-07-09]], there is now a list of four links to companies where the book can be preordered.
* The extra text:
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word in black:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
Note that the day after this change, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190711172451/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-11], a link to [[How To]] was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|links]] in the top left corner of xkcd.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190714175710/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-14] when [[2175: Flag Interpretation]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2176: How Hacking Works]] was up.

===2019-07-09 - Drawings from How To===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190709162102/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-09].
* [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]].
** The image shows a small picture of his book with text on either side.
** Below are what appears to be three drawings from the book. [[Ponytail]] pole vaultig with three baloons in one hand, then text, then a truck with a house behind it speeding fast up a hill then text and finally [[Cueball]] somersaulting towards an explosion.
** To the right there is a big blue button to click for preorder, with text below.
* The text:
** New book [Arrow points to book. Title can be read: How To]
** How To: Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** It's a guide to bad ways to do things...
** ...And what would happen if you tried them.
** ''Boom''
** Click here to preorder
** Or click anywhere. I still haven't figured out HTML imagemaps.
*** The entire picture is a [https://xkcd.com/how-to/ link] to the official [[How To]] page on xkcd: https://xkcd.com/how-to/
*** See [[1572: xkcd Survey]] where Randall mentions that he cannot make imagemaps.
It stayed up like this only for a day, then an extra line of links was added the day after while the same comic was still up, see [[#2019-07-10 - Adding links|2019-07-10]].
* But the general header stayed up first for five days, and then it returned again for 10 more days after a break to announce a [[#2019-07-15 - ComiCon|ComiCon visit]].
* So a total of 16 days with this drawing.

===2019-06-25 - People with books===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190625190843/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-25].
* [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall continues to promote his new book, [[How To]], and his book tour.
** The image now shows 15 people standing side by side each holding a book up in front of them with unreadable titles.
** From left: [[Megan]], [[Cueball]], a man with blonde hair, [[Jill]], [[Blondie]], [[Hairy]], another Hairy, [[White Hat]], a kid with curly hair, [[Hairbun]], another Cueball, another Megan, a guy with a knit cap, [[Ponytail]], and [[Beret Guy]].
** Above them is a text message.
* The text:
** Want to bring me to your town for my '''''How To''''' book tour? Click to find out how to enter the challenge!
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** A longer sentence will improve your chances.
**** This is indeed what this header picture shows.
The header stayed like this until [https://web.archive.org/web/20190708155517/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-07-08] when [[2172: Lunar Cycles]] was up. When it changed the day after [[2173: Trained a Neural Net]] was up.

===2019-06-15 - Adding dates===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190615100645/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-15]
* [[2163: Chernobyl]] was up when the header changed.
* Randall only made a small change to the one that had been up for four days at this time.
* The text only changed by adding a line below the first line:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Click here for dates and tickets]
*** The rest of the header is exactly the same as on [[#2019-06-11 - Book tour|2019-06-11]], except everything is a bit smaller to make room in the same place for the extra line.
*** The link is not located on the blue part of the text and it was already there before this update.
*** Best guess is that not many clicked through and Randall then made it obvious that there was a link.
*** The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click. But it is easier to make a place for people to click than tell them this...
The header stayed like this until 2019-06-25, when it changed while [[2167: Motivated Reasoning Olympics]] was up. But this one was still up when that comic came out the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20190624162740/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-24].

===2019-06-11 - Book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190611031920/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-11]
* [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was up when the header changed.
** '''Note''' when this change happened two new links was added to the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#xkcd_links|xkcd links]] section of xkcd.
* Randall changed the header text to announce the official book tour for his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 3 months later.
* The text:
** Announcing the '''''How To''''' book tour:
** [Below this header is a map of the mainland USA with 14 labeled black dots indicates the 14 cities that the book tour will take Randall to. One red dot with five red question marks above is located beneath the map to the left, indicating a 15th city to be chosen in a contest. Above the map to the right is a small picture of the book with the blue title on the black cover. Above the book is the release date and with an arrow pointing down to the book.]
** September 3rd
** How to
** Seattle
** Portland
** San Francisco
** Santa Cruz
** Los Angeles
** Salt Lake City
** Kansas City
** Ann Arbor
** Cincinnati
** Louisville
** Cambridge
** New York
** D.C.
** Raleigh
** ????? (Chosen by readers)
** [The entire picture is a [https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/ link] to the official book tour announcement posted on the [[Blag]], with all cities and dates listed with details.]
*** In the link it is explained how to enter a competition on how to bring Randall to your city.
*** Make a story using only book titles and get the books used to be held up by different individuals.
*** Only US cities can apply.
* The header only stayed exactly like this for three days, and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190614094729/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-06-14] when [[2162: Literary Opinions]] was on the front page.
** Then it changed slightly to indicate that the picture was a link which was not clear before. See above.

===2019-05-17 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190517103928/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-17]:
* [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was still up when the header changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with Google reader here below.
* See [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|2019-02-06]] below for all details.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610055519/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2019-06-10], while [[2160: Ken Burns Theory]] was still up on the day the next comic [[2161: An Apple a Day]] was to be released (where the new header could be found at least the next day, but maybe from the release of that comic?). Then it changed to announce the book tour for his new book.

===2019-04-23 - Google Reader===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190423155458/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-23]:
* [[2140: Reinvent the Wheel]] came out when it changed, ending a more than two and half month long [[#2019-02-06 - How to book|promotion]] of Randall's new book [[How To]].
* Randall changed the header text to ask if the reader still mourned the loss of {{w|Google Reader}} which closed on 2013-07-01, almost 6 years before this comic..
** He offers the possibility to sign up to receive the newest comic by e-mail.
* The comic may have relation to this, as some where using Google reader for different purposes when they closed it, without any chance of [https://www.google.com/reader/about/ getting your data out].
** The comic "Reinvent the Wheel" mentions that using external dependencies carry risks, such as Google closing down a feature. given the fact that the comic came out as the header changed it is probably not a coincidence.
* The text:
** Still mourning the demise of Google Reader? You can sign up to get new comics delivered by email [https://xkcd.com/newsletter/ here].
* The link is to https://xkcd.com/newsletter, where it is possible to submit your e-mail address and press a subscribe button.
** the following text is written above it:
** To receive the comic and news postings in your inbox, subscribe here.
* It stayed up for more than three weeks and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190516100403/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-05-16], when [[2150: XKeyboarCD]] was up. Then it changed back to the promotion of his new book.

===2019-02-06 - How to book===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20190206060904/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-06]:
* [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up at the time when it changed, having been up since Monday the 4th of February.
** Here it can be seen being on the front of xkcd on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], without the new text. This was also the last time the standard header text was used in several months.
** [[2108: Carbonated Beverage Language Map]] came up later on the day the header changed.
* Randall changed the header text to promote his newest book ''[[How To]]'' to be released 7 months later.
** He added an image of the book with large text next to it regarding the release and links on how to preorder it.
** There was no direct relation to the comics released at the time, except of course that he kind of launched his new book with all the risk it involves, while having a comic called launch risk up. It was though a very different and more real type of launch risk (of a human carrying space rocket) in the comic.
* The text:
** [The book is shown to the left as a black rectangle with large blue text and smaller gray text. On the book cover, in white drawings, are seen Megan with a ladder and either Black or White Hat (hard to say on black background). Both are looking up on Cueball who is floating in the air with a quadcopter beneath either leg, trying to plug in an electric light bulb in a naked lamp hanging down near him. It seems he has already removed the broken light bulb, as he has one in both hands. And now he tries to put in the new one. He could have let Megan use the ladder...]
** [The header in blue above it all:] How To.
** [Sub header in gray to the left of Cueball:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [Author name in blue below the drawing:] Randall Munroe
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Creator of xkcd
** [Sub header to this below in gray:] Author of what if? and Thing Explainer
** [Next to this book image are the following text:]
** [Large heading:] HOW TO
** [Normal size sub header:] Absurd Scientific Answers to Common Real-world Problems
** [In smaller gray font below:] Available September 3, 2019.
** [Four links in gray blue are given with the first word still in gray:] Preorder:[https://www.amazon.com/How-Absurd-Scientific-Real-World-Problems/dp/0525537090/ Amazon],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/2/trackingcode/PRH5522E62429 Barnes & Noble],[https://links.penguinrandomhouse.com/type/affiliate/isbn/9780525537090/siteID/8001/retailerid/6/trackingcode/penguinrandom IndieBound],[https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/how-to/id1451461524?mt=11 Apple Books]
* It stayed up for more than two and a half month and was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190422030324/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-04-22], when [[2139: Email Settings]] was up. Then it finally changed to a new header without going back to the standard.

===2018-11-07 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07]
* The text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05], so two days less than three months.
** After this it did not return to the standard text for almost three years, but just short of a month before the third year without it, it returned on [[#2022-01-08 - Back to standard text|2022-01-08]].

===2018-11-06 - Election Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181106122850/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-06]:
* [[2068: Election Night]] (on election day the day after this comic was released).
** It added a larger comic above the two links from the previous header. Those links of the previous header text was still up the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], when [[2067: Challengers]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header once more to try to make more people vote, and in this case help others to vote.
** Once again directly related to the new comic about election night.
* The text:
** [A line of altering blue and red stars, blue first and last of two rows of nine starts around of the heading:]
** Election Day!
** [Below Black Hat and Ponytail to the left and Megan to the right of Cueball is checking their smart phones. Cueball is addressing the reader:]
** Cueball: The biggest thing you can do th help is to check in with friends and family and make sure they know when and where they're voting.
** [Below these four characters there is the following text with two arrows pointing left and right. Both are turning up to text/links on either side of the four:]
** Use these links to answer questions
** [To the left:] Where and how to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ Vote-org]
** [To the right:] What's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
** [Below was the two links from the previous header:]
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* It was only up one day and thus on ended the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20181107144453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2018-11-07] when the next comic [[2069: Wishlist]] came out.
** The text then returned to the standard xkcd header: xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
*** It stayed like this until [[2107: Launch Risk]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20190205050302/https://xkcd.com/ 2019-02-05].

===2018-11-02 - Where to vote===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02]:
* [[2067: Challengers]] (on the Friday, it was released).
** It added another link to the previous header text. That text was still up the day before on Thursday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].
** That was while comic [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to let people know who is on their voting ballot, and as before there is also a link on how to register for voting.
** This is also directly related to the new comic that came out that day, about helping people to decide who to vote for, i.e. who is on their ballot.
* The text:
** Find out where to vote: [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
** See what's on your ballot: [https://www.ballotready.org/ BallotReady.org]
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, four days after the release of this comic.
* It was still up the day before the election day, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181105105855/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-05], and then it changed with the next comic.

===2018-10-22 - Register for voting===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181022120935/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-22]:
* [[2061: Tectonics Game]] (on a Monday, the 3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The standard text was still up Sunday [https://web.archive.org/web/20181021141446/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-10-21].
** The comic [[2062: Barnard's Star]] was released later that day.
* Randall changed the xkcd header to try to get people to register for voting.
* The text:
** Check your registration and find your polling place at [https://www.vote.org/ vote.org].
* This was done at this moment because the {{w|United States midterm election}} was held on {{w|United States elections, 2018|Tuesday, November 6, 2018}}, about two weeks after the release of this comic.
** It is generally believed that many of those not voting would have chosen democrats on election day, and thus Randall has an interest in getting as many as possible to register, see [[1756: I'm With Her]] (apart from the fact that he also most likely thinks that it is important to use the right to vote).
* It ended on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103021059/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-02], when [[2067: Challengers]] came out.
** It was still there while [[2066: Ballot Selfies]] was still up the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20181102015102/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-11-01].

===2018-09-13 - NY votes today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20180913133544/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-13]
* [[2045: Social Media Announcement]] (the day after the release of the comic.)
** It was not up when the comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180912131437/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-12].
* It was a short lived reminder that NY votes today below the usual standard text.
* The text:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** NY votes today! Find your polling place [https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ here]. (Zephyr Teachout for AG!)
* It ended with [[2046: Trum-]], the very next comic, on [https://web.archive.org/web/20180914175605/https://xkcd.com/ 2018-09-14], returning to the standard text.

===2017-11-26 - Christmas gifts===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20171126130857/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-26]
* [[1920: Emoji Sports]] had been up two days [https://web.archive.org/web/20171125125648/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-25] before the message changed from the normal version. But it changed the day before the next comic came up.
** It was changed to a commercial for Christmas shopping with a code for getting 5$ of the price with a codes for different online shops.
* The text:
** To anyone looking for Christmas gifts: Until Monday you can get $5 off
** [https://www.amazon.com/What-International-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544456866 What If?] and [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Thing Explainer] on Amazon with coupon code GIFTBOOK17.
** At Barnes & Noble, until Sunday you can get 20% off [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-serious-scientific-answers-to-absurd-hypothetical-questions-randall-munroe/1118864093 What If?] and [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432 Thing Explainer] using code GIVETHANKS.
* It was only up a few days and ended with [[1922: Interferometry]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171130150053/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-30] where it returned to the standard text.
** But it was still up when the comic in between [[1921: The Moon and the Great Wall]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171129140033/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-11-29].

===2017-09-22 - Visiting the UK===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170922232616/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22]:
* [[1893: Thread]] (with its release).
** It was not up on the previous comic [[1892: USB Cables]], on the day they changed [https://web.archive.org/web/20170922025204/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-09-22].
* It was an announcement that Randall would visit the UK next week.
* The text:
** I'll be visiting the UK next week! You can join me in London from September 30-October 2 (at [https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/randall-munroe New Scientist Live], [https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/events-2017/october/public-lunchtime-talk--randall-munroe The Royal Institution], and [https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/randall-munroe-on-making-complicated-stuff-simple/ Intelligence Squared]), then from October 3-6 in [https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/public_lectures/randall_munroe_thing_explainer York], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thing-explaining-with-randall-munroe-tickets-37832289396 Edinburgh], [https://www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/randall-murray-thing-explainer/ Cambridge and Ely], [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randall-munroe-book-signing-thing-explainer-tickets-38041072873 Oxford], and [https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on/2017/randall-munroe/ Cheltenham].
* Ended with [[1900: Jet Lag]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171010045802/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-10] when the text returned to normal.
** But it was still up the day before with [[1899: Ears]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20171009040109/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-10-09].

===2017-07-31 - Thank you===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170731021227/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31]:
* [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] (3rd day after release of this Friday comic)
** The comic [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released later that day.
** Megan is holding hand with Cueball and next to them is two words above each other: Thank you.
** The image is also a link.
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170801042453/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/us/politics/senate-votes-repeal-obamacare.html How Each Senator Voted on Obamacare Repeal Proposals], an article showing the senate votes. (here in an archived version).
* Ended with [[1872: Backup Batteries]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170804152509/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-04], but was still up when [[1871: Bun Alert]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170803124342/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-08-03].

===2017-07-25 - Vote against health care bill===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25]:
* [[1867: Physics Confession]] (2nd day after release of the comic, it was not up on the first day: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-24]).
* Randall modified the xkcd header to ask readers to support voting against Donald Trump's new health care bill.
** The header was replaced with an image which is available in an archived version [https://web.archive.org/web/20170726150959im_/https://imgs.xkcd.com/notes/call-senate.png here].
** The image is also a link (and you can click anywhere on it to go to the link that is mentioned).
*** The link goes to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170729003307/https://www.trumpcareten.org/daily TrumpCare Ten] (here in an archived version).
*** Randall has previously made it clear, in [[1572: xkcd Survey]], that he knows how to make an image a link, but not how to put the link only where he says to click.
** Transcript of the image:
*** [Megan is holding hand with Cueball next to three lines of large text, the same height as they are:]
*** Please tell your senators to vote against this health care bill. It will hurt people.
*** [After these three lines there is a phone number in a very large bold font with a line of text below:]
*** 202-224-3121
*** Or click here for more info
*** [Below the above is a gray line which is split in the middle with gray text, and below that four state names in white text inside black boxes:]
*** Know anyone in these states? Ask them to call, too.
*** Alaska Maine Nevada Ohio West Virginia
* Ended while [[1869: Positive and Negative Reviews]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170731164828/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-31], when it was replaced by a ''Thank you''.
** That comic came out already [https://web.archive.org/web/20170728124230/https://xkcd.com/ three days before] (Friday comic), but was still up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170730141019/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2017-07-30]) when the message changed sometimes between Sunday 30th and Monday 31st (where [[1870: Emoji Movie Reviews]] was released).

===2017-01-21 - Update on previous===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170122003124/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]:
* [[1788: Barge]]
* It came up almost a month after Christmas but did not really change the sales pitch of the previous. It just removed the link image with the large red text, see previous version below.
* The text:
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
* Ended with [[1867: Physics Confession]] on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170725103104/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-07-25].
** That comic came up [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724095252/https://xkcd.com/ the day before] the above version of the header appeared.
** So the first day after release it was still the T-shirt commercial.
** And it did not return to the standard version in between.

===2016-11-28 - Christmas sale===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128153015/https://xkcd.com 2016-11-28]
* [[1765: Baby Post]]
* This came up in time for the Christmas sale of 2016.
* The text was
** There are [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/featured four new shirts] in [https://store.xkcd.com/ the xkcd store],
** along with [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters posters] and [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/everything lots of other stuff]!
** Above the text there was an image with two black t-shirts with white print on the chest. They were located at either end of a large red text written in the text type used in the comic. This text said New xkcd shirts.
** The entire image was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* Ended with [[1788: Barge]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20170121114423/https://xkcd.com/ 2017-01-21]

===2016-04-23 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160423103108/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-23]
* When [[1671: Arcane ]] came out (probably 2016-04-22, but no earlier archived versions exist) the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this for more than 7 months until [[1764: XKCDE]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20161128093459/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-11-28].

===2016-04-04 - Protip on Garden===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185353/https://www.xkcd.com/#5dbfbb82-fc20-11e5-8001-42010a8e000d 2016-04-04]
* Because of the complexity of the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1663: Garden]], Randall needed to give people some advice, hence a [[:Category:Protip|protip]] was added.
** This came in several versions, not all managed to be documented in the archive. See more in the trivia for garden regarding the [[1663:_Garden#Header_text_after_release|Header text after release]].
* The header text became a protip with the following text (the first version not documented only had the first line):
** '''Protip''': If you don't like how your garden is growing, you can click to prune it.
** You can copy the URL to share your garden. From other browsers, it will be view-only.
* When the next comic, [[1664: Mycology]], was released two days later on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406194653/https://xkcd.com/1664/ 2016-04-06], an extra line of text was added, due to the issues caused by Garden not being on the front page {{xkcd}} but only on the numbered page {{xkcd|1663}}.
** This change was first documented on the front page the day after on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160407010635/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-07]
** The change was of course also on and all the other comic and thus also on the Garden comic from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406192530/https://xkcd.com/1663/ 2016-04-06].
* Text added below the other two lines:
** Note: If you're seeing today's comic in place of your garden, change the URL from xkcd.com/#<your code> to xkcd.com/1663/#<your code>.
*** This extra line was only there until next time the comic change, so last day was [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408145017/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08].
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408195958/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-08] when [[1665: City Talk Pages]] was released the extra line was removed leaving the two written first here above.
** This was also the case on the Garden comic (and all other comics) from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160408204740/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-08].
* The Protip stayed in the main header text until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160422102754/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-22] when [[1670: Laws of Physics]] was up.
** But even though it disappeared from main header and thus from all other comic it stayed on the Garden comic, also on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160423182630/https://xkcd.com:80/1663/ 2016-04-23].
** And it has then turned out to become one of the permanent [[xkcd_Header_text#Garden|Unique header texts]].

===2016-04-04 - Back to standard text as Garden came up===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160404123555/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04]
* For a brief period of time, when [[1663: Garden]] was finally released, the Header text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* But this lasted less than 13 hours. (Time between the previous and next archived version is 13 hours and 7 minutes).
** As people needed guidance to the new complicated comic.

===2016-04-01 - April 1st comic - technical difficulties===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401204749/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01]
* When Randall had problem releasing [[1663: Garden]] several [[1663:_Garden#April_Fools.27_header_text|April Fools' header text]] arrived in short succession while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was still up.
* Each of these where simple text.
** The first from the link abve:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Please stand by!
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402125723/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2016-04-02] at 12:57:
*** The xkcd April 1st comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties.
*** Status update: Please stand by.
*** Status update: This is fine. Everything is fine.
*** Status update: Everything is on fire.
*** Status update: Searching for calendar systems in which Saturday is April 1st.
** The next from [https://web.archive.org/web/20160402175822/https://www.xkcd.com 2016-04-02] at 17:58:
*** The Friday xkcd comic is currently experiencing technical difficulties
*** [Editor's note: Everything is on fire] and has been delayed until Sunday night.
* It stayed like the third version until [https://web.archive.org/web/20160404054612/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-04] three days after the April Fools' Day comic was supposed to come out, so Jack and Jill was up until it changed.
This was what was needed to stop more than 10 months of promotion of the [[Thing Explainer]] book, see below.

===2015-12-13 - Thing Explainer is available===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151213194534/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-13]
* [[1615: Red Car]] was still up when the header changed.
** The change was that the promotion for where Randall was last week where removed and left only the promotion the book [[Thing Explainer]]:
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160401125621/https://xkcd.com/ 2016-04-01] while [[1662: Jack and Jill]] was on the front page.
** This was the last time that Thing Explainer was [[:Category:Book promotion|promoted]] in the header text.
*** The first time was [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-05-14_-_New_book_Thing_Explainer|2015-05-14]], so it had been part of the header text for almost ten and a half month. That is a record!

===2015-12-05 - Thing Explainer is available and Next week===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05]
* [[1612: Colds]] was up when the header changed.
** This was also at this time the [[2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer|previous header texts image] was moved below the comic.
* Randall goes back to a simple promotion of the book [[Thing Explainer]] listing where to boy it.'
** But he adds a line about where he will be next week, first to a book shop on Illinois and then later in Toronto, where the host was {{w|Ryan North}} from [https://qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics], one of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Comics_I_enjoy|comics Randall enjoys]].
* The text:
** Thing Explainer is available at: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** I'll be in [https://web.archive.org/web/20151211002159/https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/event/naperville-reads-randall-munroe Naperville, IL] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205205714/https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indigo-exclusive-randall-munroe-tickets-18694384407 Toronto, ON] (with [https://qwantz.com/ Ryan North]!) next week.
* It was last up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151212133400/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-12-12] while [[1615: Red Car]] was on the front page.

===2015-11-24 - Pages from my new book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151203234149/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-03]
* [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was still up when the header changed.
** This was a special one comic header text consisting of a large image with pages and excerpts from the book [[Thing Explainer]].
** The image was larger than most comics, and took away the focus of today's comic.
** So already two days after, when [[1612: Colds]] was released, the image was relegated to the being below the comic, but inside the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Main_comic|main comic]] segment, thus not a part of the [[Design_of_xkcd.com#Bottom_segment|bottom segment]].
*** But it was displayed in the header for all comics, here [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204030024/https://xkcd.com/1609/ an example] from the comic released two comics before 1611, [[1609: Food Combinations]].
*** See more (and the image) [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]] on the page for Thing Explainer.
* Description of the image:
** At the top are shown four pages from the book. Two mainly blue, left and right, with white text and large images and between them two mainly white pages with blue text and smaller images. None of the text is readable, but the two blue pages pictures can be understood even in this size.
*** The first page is number 2 about an animal cell: ''Tiny bags of water you’re made of''. It shows a detailed drawing of a human cell, with text at the top, and then several labels with text beneath that have arrows pointing to different parts of the cell.
*** The second page is number 31 about the cockpit of an airplane: ''Stuff you touch to fly a sky boat''. It shows the inside of a cockpit with view out of the four windows, with lots of buttons in the ceiling, and blue screens and instruments at the bottom. Out the windows can be seen clouds and Cueball hanging from a balloon (a reference to [[1110: Click and Drag]]).
**** A zoom in on this page is shown beneath the four pages, see more below.
*** The third page is page 27. What is on this page is a bit difficult to see, as there are no big drawings with clear meaning. It is the second page in a two page section on Data centers, with the second page focusing on the Computer: ''Computer building''. The pictures shows the data racks, to the right, and the individual computer components put into these, to the top left, with the wiring shown below to the left. Lots of text with arrows to different parts.
*** The fourth page is page 23 about Trees: ''Tree''. It clearly shows the silhouette of a white tree on blue background. Several animal live on, in and beneath it. Cueball is standing on the ground. All the text are beneath labels that points to parts of the tree or the tree dwellers.
** In between the two time two pages there is a readable text, split over five lines, with two arrow at the top going from the corners of the text to the near corners of the white pages to either side. And below three arrows, with two pointing similarly as the two top arrows, but starting at the bottom of the text, and one arrow pointing straight down from the middle of the text to the large image below.
** Beneath all this is a large image which shows a zoom in on the left part of the cockpit from the second page above. The zoom is focused on the two front windows, but only the left is entirely in the picture, and the balloon hanging Cueball, cannot be seen in this part of the right window.
*** At this zoom level, most of the text van be read (that is labels written on things or having arrows pointing to them). Clouds can bee seen out of both windows and in the background a rocket launch with smoke plume below the rocket is visible. The horizon line is well defines across both windows. Some of the instruments can be seen below the windows with text written on them. And some blue areas, mainly screens can be seen.
** Beneath this picture is a line with links to where the book can be ordered, like the one from the previous header text.
* The text:
** Pages from my new book, ''Thing Explainer'': Complicated stuff in simple words.
** [Labels in the cockpit]:
*** Sky
*** Ground (This should be below the sky. If it's above the sky, you're either having a big problem or doing something ''really'' fun.)
*** Use this stuff to tell the sky boat to fly itself.
*** Fly
*** How fast it feels IAS 172
*** Direction HDG 240
*** Fall or rise
*** How high 2500
*** Fly
*** Helpful screen
*** Where the ground is
*** You are: Flying
*** Look here if there is a problem
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image is a link to [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544668251/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544668251&linkCode=as2&tag=thekcs-20&linkId=S4XRZJJKSMHOWEQU Thing Explainer on Amazon].
* It was only part of the header for two days until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151204050419/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-04].
** It was then moved below the comics as mentioned above from [https://web.archive.org/web/20151205070539/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-05] when the next comic [[1612: Colds]] came out.

===2015-11-24 - Thing Explainer is out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151124201602/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-24]
* [[1607: Supreme Court]] was still up, but [[1608: Hoverboard]] most have come out close to the change.
** See both [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 00:12] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125230753/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25 23:07].
** Since this new "comic" was actually a {{w|browser game}} made to celebrate the release of Randall's new book, ''[[Thing Explainer]]'', which was released on the same day as this comic: Tuesday, November 24, 2015. The comic thus appeared on a Tuesday, replacing that week's normal Wednesday release to coincide with the release day.
** Hence it is a shame that there is no archived versions on the 24th showing Hoverboard on the front page. Even though the new version of the Header text is shown on the 24th, but on the previous comic.
* Cause all the header text is about is the release day of Thing Explainer!
** The top part is text with a line with large letters and a line below in brackets and using smaller letters. Below that there is a line dividing the text from the next part.
** Below follows the same header that was up as early as [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] with the open book and three lines of text.
* The text:
** My new book, [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer], is out today!
** (If you're in NYC, you can also [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925015809/https://stores.barnesandnoble.com:80/author/11170358 come see me]!)
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the ten-hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to order the book:
*** Order: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the order line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Already the day after [https://web.archive.org/web/20151125001228/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-25], when [[1608: Hoverboard]] was up, an extra line (a link) was added below the above. A line was separating it from the links above:
** [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ A puzzle for UK readers]
*** This was to a blag post with A puzzle for the UK because he could not go to UK in person. So this was a kind of bonus for those who could solve it. (We need an entry on that here on xkcd...)
* On [https://web.archive.org/web/20151127114432/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-27] is still looked like this but then when the next comic, [[1609: Food Combinations]], came out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128130851/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-11-28] the line about seeing him in New York was removed.
* The version with the puzzle, but without the New York line, was then up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20151201222148/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-12-01] when [[1610: Fire Ants]] was up.
* Then on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151202225254/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-12-02] the line with the puzzle at the bottom was changed to:
** I'm doing a [https://www.facebook.com/AndyWeirAuthor/ live Q&A;] at 2:30pm PT with The Martian author Andy Weir.
*** The link is to {{w|Andy Weir}}'s Facebook page. And the Q&A can likely not be seen anymore.
*** Randall has made no less than two comics about the movie {{w|The Martian (film)|The Martian}}, [[1536: The Martian]] and [[1585: Similarities]].
** It only lasted that day, and this became the last day with this header text, so it ended while [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] was up.

===2015-10-22 - World Polio Day===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151022200022/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-22]
* [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up when the header changed.
** Randall mentions World Polio Day and the comic he drew for Bill Gates' blog, [[XKCD Marks the Spot]].
** Although he still keeps mentioning the release date for [[Thing Explainer]].
* The text:
** We've [https://slate.com/technology/2015/08/no-new-polio-in-africa-for-one-year-gates-epidemiologist-on-vaccines-and-surveillance.html almost eradicated polio]. For World Polio Day, I drew a comic
** about the eradication efforts. You can see it on [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/XKCD-Marks-the-Spot Bill Gates's blog].
** My [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ new book] of complex diagrams and simple words comes out Nov 24th.
*** The last line is split from the Polio announcement with a line.
* Was there until [[1607: Supreme Court]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151124065108/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2015-11-24].
** That was the day that the book was released, and when the next comic [[1608: Hoverboard]] came out, it was a celebration of the book.

===2015-09-23 - Book trip and tool===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923044724/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-23]:
* [[1580: Travel Ghost]] was up when the header changed.
** Announcing the book trip for the [[Thing Explainer]] book as well as linking to a Thing Explainer word checker tool! Two lines of text with links.
* The text:
** News: Announcing my Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/im-going-on-a-book-trip/ book trip]. Come say hi!
** Other news: Announcing the Thing Explainer [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/09/22/a-thing-explainer-word-checker/ word checker] tool!
*** Both links are to the [[Blag]], the first a schedule for his book trip, and the second telling about Randall's new [https://xkcd.com/simplewriter/ Simple Writer] that could help you ''Write Like Up Goer Five and Thing Explainer''.
* Was there until [[1593: Play-By-Play]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151021164208/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-10-21].

===2015-09-06 - New links===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150906181550/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-06]:
* [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was still up when the header changed.
** The promotion of the book, [[Thing Explainer]], stayed the same with a picture above links to preorder it, but the links was reduced from four to two, the amazon link changed and a new company was added for the second link removing the other three.
** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details on the image.
* The new link text:
** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thing-Explainer-Randall-Munroe/dp/1473620910 Amazon.co.uk}, [https://www.waterstones.com/book/thing-explainer/9781473620919 Waterstones]
* Was there until [[1579: Tech Loops]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150919220105/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-22].

===2015-08-09 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150809230825/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-09]:
* [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was still up when the header changed.
** It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with other news here below.
*** See [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|2015-05-15]] below for all details.
* Stayed like this until [[1573: Cyberintelligence]] was out on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154014/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-09-05], but the only change was that the links to preorder changed from four to only two.

===2015-06-06 - Other news===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150606084120/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-06-06]
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was still up.
** This was just adding some "Other news", but leaving the promotion of [[Thing Explainer]] unchanged as in the [[#2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details|previous header]], but adding two news stories in text below the link to preorder.
* The new text:
** In other news, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrdAvmr-MA Space Weird Thing] is delightful, and I feel surprisingly invested in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150720074919/https://twitter.com/xkcdbracket @xkcdbracket's] results.
*** The link to Space Weird Thing is a YouTube video with a simple words version of {{w|David Bowie|David Bowie's}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo Space Oddity] music video, using only the top then hundred words. The creators contributes the idea to the [[1133: Up Goer Five]] diagram which also inspired the book Thing Explainer, also promoted in this header text.
*** The other link is referring to [[1529: Bracket]] released 12 days before this update, as a twitter user made a survey going through all the brackets all the way to a winner was found. Seems Randall became interested in who won. See more on the comics page.
* Was there until [[1561: Water Phase Diagram]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150807181044/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-08-07]. Then it returned back to the previous header with only the promotion of the book.

===2015-05-15 - Thing Explainer details===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150515060322/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-15]
* [[1525: Emojic 8 Ball]]
* This was a more detailed promotion for Randall's new book: [[Thing Explainer]] to be published in November 2015, more than half a year after the announcement, compared to the previous change which was just a line and a link.
* The text:
** A picture of the open book is shown with diagrams of a human cell on the left page and suspension bridges on the right. All held in blue nuances. And arrow goes from the first word of the text to the right to the book on the left. The text is also blue except the title of the book which is in red:
*** New book: Thing Explainer
*** Up Goer Five-style diagrams of things (explained in the then hundred most common words)
** Below this image is a line of text with the first word in black and the other are four links to where to preorder the book:
*** Preorder: [https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Amazon], [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thing-explainer-randall-munroe/1121864432?ean=9780544668256#/ Barnes & Noble], [https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780544668256 Indie Bound], [https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/thingexplainer Hudson]
** The image above the preorder line is a link to the [[Blag]] post [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ New book: Thing Explainer].
* Changed while [[1534: Beer]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150605082643/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-06-05], but only to add other information. The main promotion of the book stayed the same.

===2015-05-14 - New book Thing Explainer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150514053623/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2015-05-14]
* [[1524: Dimensions]] was up.
** A single line announced the new [[Thing Explainer]] book, with link to the [[Blag]] post from the day before.
* The text:
** New book: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ Thing Explainer!]
The [[:Category:Book promotion|promotion of the book]] stayed up with some changes for [[xkcd_Header_text#2015-12-13_-_Thing_Explainer_is_available|more than 10 month]] first stopping when Randall had [[xkcd_Header_text#2016-04-01_-_The_xkcd_April_1st_comic_is_currently_experiencing_technical_difficulties|problems with his April Fools' Day comic]] in 2016... It is a record length.
* The first came already the day after so this short announcement was only up on this day and ended with the next comic. See above.
* See more details on the promotion of the book on the Thing Explainer page [[Thing_Explainer#Promotion_at_the_xkcd_home_page|here]].

===2015-02-11 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150211154103/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-11]
* When [[1485: Friendship]] came out the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed like this until [[1523: Microdrones]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150512184622/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-05-12], so just a day more than three months.

===2015-02-04 - Valentine cards only===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150204051152/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-04]
* [[1482: NowPlaying]] came out as it changed.
** After the last day of ordering t-shirt had passed it changed back to the picture with the Valentine cards from the previous header, but without the t-shirt picture.
** See that [[#2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt|header change]], but only the first picture described.
* Ended while [[1484: Apollo Speeches]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150210005540/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-10].

===2015-02-02 - Last day shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-02]
* [[1481: API]] came out as it changed.
** Just letting people know it is the last chance to order the binary t-shirt.
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** Today is the last day to order the limited-run [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202092804/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart binary heart shirt]!
** The last words is link to the shirt in the shop.
* Ended before the next comic was up, but still the day after, when it was too late to order: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150203022036/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-03].

===2015-01-29 - Valentine cards and shirt===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150129183442/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-29]
* [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell about both the two previous updates in the same header- Both about the collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards and his new Valentine t-shirt.
** There where two pictures, with a promotion of the two products and a link to them in the shop.
** On the left was text about the cards with a small drawing to the right of the text showing the four cards.
*** An ant talking to an aphids; Earth rotating about the sun but locked so one side melts; an ant with a fungus growing from it's head with a heart, and a Velociraptor skeleton where the last bit of the tail is put on by a person. The text on the cards are unreadable, but they can be seen via the link.
** The text (in three lines) was:
*** Webcomic science Valentine card collaboration
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines link to the cards] from the picture.
** The picture on the left shows binary numbers 0 and 1 in white on a black background. The middle of the three lines of those have message in red text.
** The text:
*** 0 1 0 1 0 Binary heart 1 1 1
*** 1 1 1 Valentine shirt 0 1
*** 0 0 0 1 [limited run] 0 0 1
*** The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart link to the shirt] from the picture.
* Ended while [[1480: Super Bowl]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20150201015913/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-02-01].

===2015-01-27 - Valentine's Day cards===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-27]
* [[1478: P-Values]] was up when it changed.
** It was to tell that about a collaboration to make science themed Valentine's Day cards.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** I've teamed up with three other webcomic artists
** to make [https://web.archive.org/web/20150127161237/https://store.xkcd.com/products/webcomic-science-valentines a set of science-themed Valentine's Day cards]!
* There was a link to the cards on the store.
* Ended while [[1479: Troubleshooting]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128172147/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-28].

===2015-01-24 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150124110707/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-24]
* [[1477: Star Wars]] came out as it changed.
** It was to tell about a new type of t-shirt for Valentine Day.
** There was just two lines of text:
* The text was:
** For Valentine's Day, you can get a binary heart shirt
** (from {{xkcd|99|comic #99!}}) in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125080756/https://teespring.com/xkcdbinaryheart a limited run on TeeSpring]
* There was a link to [[99: Binary Heart]] and to the relevant t-shirt on the [https://teespring.com/ Teespring] home page.
* Ended while [[1478: P-Values]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150126133139/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-26].

===2014-12-22 - Get shirts in store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141222233233/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-22]
* [[1463: Altitude]] came out as it changed.
** After the Christmas sale deadline there was still merchandise in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** There was just a line of text:
* The text was:
** You can get xkcd shirts, prints, and posters in the [https://shop.xkcd.com/ store]!
* The word store was a link to the shop.
* Ended while [[1476: Ceres]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20150123102318/https://xkcd.com/ 2015-01-23].

===2014-12-19 - Back to previous header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141219092349/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-19]:
* [[1462: Blind Trials]] came out as it changed.
It changed back to the exact same heading as before the one with order now here below.
* See [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|2014-12-17]] below for all details.
* Ended while [[1462: Blind Trials]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141221172450/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-21].

===2014-12-18 - Order now===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141218090650/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-18]
* [[1461: Payloads]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday and that it was rapidly approaching. This was a follow up on the [[#2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline|Wednesdays announcement]] the day before.
** The image was just four lines of text with several red and blue words.
* The text was:
** The xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
** Once it passes, there is no going back. The arrow of time drags us all
** Inexorably forward toward decay and disorder. toward the end of all things.
** Towards the empty silence of the grave. Order now!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text.
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-12-17 - Christmas deadline===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141217085320/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-17]
* [[1461: Payloads]] came out as it changed.
** It was to alert that the deadline for shipping before Christmas from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] was Friday. This was announced Wednesday two days before the deadline.
** The image was just text with the last word in each line in red and the xkcd store blue as a link.
* The text was:
** Looking for a gift?
** xkcd store Christmas shipping deadline is Friday!
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], not just the blue text
* Ended a day later while [[1461: Payloads]] was still up!

===2014-12-03 - Christmas shopping===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141203132024/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-12-03]
* [[1455: Trolley Problem]] came out as it changed.
** It was to announce the start of the Christmas shopping on the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store]
** Four boxes with shipping details are shown. Two green and two red, alternating from green. Between them are three text messages in two, two and three lines.
* The text was:
** xkcd store
** Christmas shopping
** I will probably not ship you a bobcat.
* The entire drawing was a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
* The bobcat is a reference to [[325: A-Minus-Minus]].
* Ended while [[1460: SMFW]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216084107/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-16].

===2014-11-29 - Thanks - Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141129211604/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-29]
* [[1453: fMRI]] was still up when it changed.
** It was to thanks for all the help his friend Emily with cancer got through among other his previous header text [[#2014-11-27 - Help Emily| Help Emily]].
** That only needed to be up two days before the goal was met.
* The text was:
** Thank you for helping my friend Emily.
** It means so much.
* Ended three days later while [[1454: Done]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141202065133/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-12-02].

===2014-11-27 - Help Emily===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141127005239/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-27]
* [[1452: Jurassic World]] came out as it changed.
** It was to help a friend who got cancer by raising money for her.
* The text was:
** Hey all. My friend Emily—the economist who helped
** me with my {{xkcd|980|money chart}}—has been fighting cancer. She's
** having a rough time and could use some [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128183414/https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk help]. Thank you.
* There are two links, one to the [[980: Money]] comic she helped Randall create, and one for her Go Fund Me page to raise money for her cancer cure.
** The help link above is to the archived version from that time, but the link was still active in August 2019: [https://www.gofundme.com/e07dqk Helping Emily Fight Cancer].
* Ended while [[1453: fMRI]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141128070838/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-11-28].
** She did thus not get a permanent header as did Becky on the [[#Seven_Years|Seven Years]] comic.

===2014-10-02 - what if? bestseller===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20141002211139/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-10-02]
* [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out|book is out]].
* This was a month after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It added a line of red text beneath the previous header to announce that the book was the #1 New York bestseller.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
** (#1 New York bestseller!)
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1451: Background Screens]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141125234520/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-11-25].

===2014-09-04 - what if? book out===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140904150600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-04]
* [[1416: Pixels]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-09-02 - what if? book out today|book is out today]].
* This was two days after the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out.
** It only removed to today from the previous header, that had only been up two days.
* The text was:
** My book is out!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20141001130827/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-09-02 - what if? book out today===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140902125802/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-02]
* [[1415: Ballooning]] was up when it changed from the [[#2014-07-23 - what if? book tour|book tour header]].
* This was the day the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book came out. [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised shouts this out.. The word Book is underlined and blue to indicate a link.
* The text was:
** My book is out today!
* The entire image was a link to the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/book/ The Book] page on the [https://whatif.xkcd.com/ what if?] page on xkcd. post.
* Ended while [[1416: Pixels]] was still [https://web.archive.org/web/20140903134518/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-03].

===2014-07-23 - what if? book tour===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140723180600/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-23]
* [[1398: Snake Facts]]
* This was a promotion of his book tour for the ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book made by [[Cueball]] standing to the left of the text with arms raised. Several parts of the text was underlined and blue to indicate links.
* The text was:
** I'm going on a book tour! click here for a list of stops.
** Or click anywhere-this whole image is one link because I've never gotten the hang of HTML imagemaps.
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/22/what-if-book-tour/ What If book tour!].
** Later Randall commented on this lacking ability in the comic: [[1572: xkcd Survey]].
** He also mentions it in one of the [[#xkcd_Header_text#2019-07-09_-_Drawings_from_How_To|promotions]] for his [[How To]] book.
** He much later he again mentions that html is hard, thus explaining why the entire image is a link instead of the actual blue highlighted link in one of the promotions for [[xkcd_Header_text#2022-08-11_-_Preorder_What_if.3F_2_-_with_image|what if? 2]].
* Ended while [[1415: Ballooning]] was still up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140901113916/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-09-01].

===2014-03-13 - what if? announced===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140313070951/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-13]
* [[1341: Types of Editors]] was up.
* This was the first promotion of Randall's new ''[[What If? (book)|What If?]]'' book which is shown next to two lines of text.
* The text was:
** News:
** I'm publishing a ''what if'' book!
* The entire image was a link to the [[Blag]] post: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2014/03/12/what-if-i-wrote-a-book/ What if I wrote a book?]
* Ended while [[1397: Luke]] was up [https://web.archive.org/web/20140722142115/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-07-22].

===2014-01-09 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20140109190927/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-09]
* When [[1314: Photos]] was still up when the text returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312070248/https://xkcd.com/ 2014-03-12] when [[1340: Unique Date]] was up, a bit more than two months.

===2013-12-21 - Deadline for Christmas shipping has passed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131221043417/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2013-12-21]
* It changed when [[1306: Sigil Cycle]] came out.
* This came up when it was too close to Christmas in 2013 for shipping to arrive in time for Christmas. And Randall makes a note of this, but lets people know that they could still buy presents...
* The text was
** The deadline for guaranteed Christmas shipping has passed, but if you order something from the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store], we'll get it to you as fast as possible!
* Ended when [[1314: Photos]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20140108181520/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2014-01-08].

===2013-12-06 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206213503/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-06]
* It changed when [[1300: Galilean Moons]] came out.
** There was no header text. This happened next on [[Header_text#2020-04-05 - Empty header|2020-04-05]]. It looks really weird.
* Ended when [[1305: Undocumented Feature]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005306/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-20].

===Changes not documented yet 3===
More changes will for sure be here between this and the one below.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20131205202730/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-12-05]: Xmas sale before above
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]: Empty follows below

===2013-03-15 - Empty header===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130315162227/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-15]
* It changed while [[1186: Bumblebees]] was on the front page.
** After the text saying a comic would be delayed disappeared no text replaced this.
** So the header was left empty!
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318072820/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-18] while [[1187: Aspect Ratio]] was up.

===2013-03-13 - Comic will be delayed===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130313133631/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-13]
* It changed when [[1184: Circumference Formula]] came out, likely because the next comic was delayed.
** But there is a gap of three days before where no archived version exist, so cannot say if there where more than a few hours with this text.
* The text:
** The comic will be delayed until late morning EDT.
* Ended when [[1185: Ineffective Sorts]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130313175306/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2013-03-13].
** That was later same day as the first archived version. But could have been longer as mentioned above.

===2012-11-26 - xkcd store===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121126235628/https://xkcd.com/1138/ 2012-11-26]
* It changed while [[1138: Heatmap]] was up.
** Notice that the above link is not from the main page, but from {{xkcd|1138}}.
** There was a gap of five days in the archive of the main page.
** The first day that it was archived from the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201111432/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-12-01], while [[1141: Two Years]] was up.
* The standard header text is replaced with an image that makes it seem like a rip is being torn in the white region where the text used to be. Beneath the white material that has now been ripped, some text can partly be seen. It is possible to read it.
* The text:
** xkcd store
*** The image is a link to the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store] (tadaaa!)
* Ended when [[1183: Rose Petals]] was up on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130311073948/https://xkcd.com:80/1183/ 2013-03-11]
** The above link is from {{xkcd|1183}}.
** Last time the front page was archived with it was though on [https://web.archive.org/web/20130309010403/https://xkcd.com/ 2013-03-09].

===2012-10-24 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024082017/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-24]
* While [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* It stayed until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121126035129/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-11-26] when [[1138: Heatmap]] was up, a few days more than a month.

===2012-10-17 - New What-If - Lightning===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232102/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-17]
* Probably while [[1122: Electoral Precedent]] was up.
** But the link above showing it was up on the 2012-10-17 is from the previous comics page {{xkcd|1121}} [[1121: Identity]].
** But the first version archived with this header is saved on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121018082304/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-18]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|16|Today's topic: Lightning}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/16/ What if lightning struck while you were ...]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023404/https://xkcd.com/1121/ 2012-10-23] when [[1124: Law of Drama]] was on the front page
** This link is though from {{xkcd|1121}}.
** The last this version was archived on the front page was the day before on [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120008/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-22].

===2012-10-10 - New What-If - Mariana Trench Explosion===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010003837/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-10]
* [[1118: Microsoft]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|15|Mariana Trench Explosion}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/15/ What if you set off a nuclear bomb in the Mariana Trench?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121016055538/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-10-16] when [[1121: Identity]] was up.

===2012-10-02 - This week's What-If - Short Answer Section===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121002231724/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-10-02]
* [[1115: Sky]] was still up at this time.
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|14|Short Answer Section}}''.
* The text
** In this week's What-If article I [https://what-if.xkcd.com/14/ answer multiple reader questions].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121008112434/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-08] when [[1118: Microsoft]] was up.

===2012-09-26 - New What-If - Laser Pointer===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120926163111/https://xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-26]
* [[1113: Killed in Action]] was up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 26th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120928003838/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-28]
* Randall promotes another New What-If article.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|13|Laser Pointer}}''.
* The text
** New What-If article:
** [https://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ If everyone aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at once, would it change color?]
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20121001080517/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-10-01] when [[1115: Sky]] was up.

===2012-09-18 - what-if.xkcd.com - Raindrop===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120918143653/https://www.xkcd.com/1108/ 2012-09-18]
* [[1109: Refrigerator]] was still up at this time.
** The link above showing it happened on the 18th is from {{xkcd|1108}}
** The first day this version was archived on the front page was on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120919015232/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-09-19]
* Randall promotes another What-If article on the what-if page.
** See the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|12|Raindrop}}''.
* The text
** what-if.xkcd.com: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/12/ What if all of a storm's water fell in a single raindrop?].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120925090123/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-25] when [[1112: Think Logically]] was up.

===Changes not documented yet 2===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.

Just put the link here with a date and maybe a short note:
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120917052827/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-09-17]: What if Droppings ends.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120718231719/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-18] Next stores header text

===2012-07-10 - New: what-if.xkcd.com===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10]
* This was a special change happening over a few days. The above "new" header text from the given date is actually shown on the previous comic [[1078: Knights]].
** Another example from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710072249/https://xkcd.com:80/1070 2012-07-10] is shown for [[1070: Words for Small Sets]].
* The comic on the main page released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709045709/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-07-09] was [[1079: United Shapes]], but that comic had a [[xkcd_Header_text#United_Shapes|unique header text]] upon its release.
** So both on the 9th as shown above and on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120710114846/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-10] the header text was different on the front than on all other pages.
*** As can be read in the link above, the new header text actually got incorporated into the unique text, so that after the next comic was released on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711234408/https://xkcd.com/1079/ 2012-07-11] the current new header text and a smaller version of the original unique header text was now shown on the Unites Shapes page.
*** {{xkcd|1079|And it was never changed back}}.
* The first version of the new text from the 10th was only active one day:
** The text:
*** New site: what-if.xkcd.com, where I abuse science to answer hypothetical questions. I'll answer a new question every Tuesday.
**** The link was not an active link. And this was never shown on the front page, but on all other comics.
* Already on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711223349/https://xkcd.com/1078/ 2012-07-11] when [[1080: Visual Field]] was released the new header changed a bit
** At this time it most have been shown on the front page, but the link above is again from [[1078: Knights]].
*** For some reason the front page was not saved on either the 11th or 12th, so no version of the front page with Visual Field exist
*** The first archived version of the front page with this new header text was from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154207/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-13] when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was on the front page.
* The final text:
** New: [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ what-if.xkcd.com]: abusing science to answer hypothetical questions.
** I'll answer a new reader question every Tuesday.
*** This time the link was active and directs to the new ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' blog and its first entry {{what if|1|Relativistic Baseball}}
* The whole idea was that Randall released the new what if? blog on the 10th of July 2012. And thus would like to make a promotion of it.
** And then he timed it so poorly that the front page had a different header than the rest of the comics.
** It was so annoying for him that he actually changed the header for Unites Shapes manually so that page also showed the new link. Maybe even before it left the front page, but that has not been documented in the archive.
** And then he forgot about it when the header changed for all the other comics, so it is now a relic of the promotion of his first what if release.
* The what if promotion continued for a long time, but the final version from above only lasted until 17th at the latest. There is again no archived versions of the front page from the 15th, 16th or 17th.
** The last time it was archived on the front page was [https://web.archive.org/web/20120714062857/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-07-14], when [[1081: Argument Victory]] was still up.
** But on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120715070938/https://xkcd.com:80/1081/ 2012-07-15] it was still shown on the page for Argument Victory and same for [https://web.archive.org/web/20120716235458/https://www.xkcd.com/998/ 2012-07-16] on [[998: 2012]]
*** So seemed it stayed up while [[1082: Geology]] was up on the 16-17/7.

===2012-04-09 - Standard text plus store link===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190952/https://xkcd.com/1026/ 2012-04-09]
* It changed when [[1040: Lakes and Oceans]] came up.
** The above link to prove this is though from comic {{xkcd|1026}} [[1026: Compare and Contrast]] the first to be found that where archived on the 9th.
** The first archived version on the main page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411053543/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-11] when [[1041: Whites of Their Eyes]] was up.
** There where no archived version of the front page on the 9th or 10th while Lake and Oceans was up. So it was also first on the 11th that this new text could be seen, but only when it had moved to its own page number [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411052948/https://xkcd.com/1040/ 1040].
*** The change probably came because of this special comic, which may became a [https://store.xkcd.com/collections/posters/products/lakes-oceans-poster poster].
* The update was to add a promotion for the store under the standard header text.
* The text
** XKCD updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
** You can get prints, posters, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ store].
* This lasted until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004956/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-07-09] when [[1078: Knights]] was up, exactly three months, so although not only the standard text, the standard text was first for three months and three days, see [[#2012-04-05 - Back to standard text|below]].

===2012-04-05 - Back to standard text===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05]
* While [[1038: Fountain]] was on the front the header returned to the standard xkcd header:
** xkcd updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
* The link above to prove the date is seen on [[1021: Business Plan]].
** The first archived version on front page is from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406111048/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-04-06], when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up.
** A version showing Fountain with this can be found on it's own page {{xkcd|1038}} on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085618/https://xkcd.com:80/1038/ 2012-04-06].
*** When it was archived while on the front page it still had the previous header on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-05].
* It stayed up, unchanged, until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120408200414/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-08] when [[1039: RuBisCO]] was up. So only three days.
** But [[#2012-04-09- Standard text plus store link|the change]] did not remove the standard text but just added a link to the store. And this version, still with the standard text at the top stayed for three more months.

===2012-03-28 - Visiting Newport News===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328103319/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-28]
* [[1035: Cadbury Eggs]] was on the front when it changed.
** From the end of March 2012, there is a problem with the archived versions of xkcd, so they do not load properly and do not include the comic picture.
* It was to announce a talk Randall gave at his old school.
* The text:
** I'm [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ visiting] Newport News, VA next week, where I'll be speaking at CNU, my old school. If you want to come, reserve a seat [https://web.archive.org/web/20120329214411/https://www.cnu.edu/pcs/xkcd/index.asp here]!
*** The first link it to a post in the [[Blag]]: [https://blog.xkcd.com/2012/03/22/im-visiting-cnu-on-april-4th/ I’m visiting CNU on April 4th].
*** The other link is no longer working, but the link above goes to an archived version.
* There was a special situation with this header text. For three days it was not on the front page, as the [[April Fools' Day comics|April Fools' Day comic]] [[1037: Umwelt]] came out and stayed from April 1st to April 3rd on the front page.
** This comic had it's own [[#Unique header text|unique header text]] from the start, one that has [[#Umwelt|stayed like this]] since!
*** So from [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401151639/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-01] to [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403223453/https://www.xkcd.com/ 2012-04-03] the front page had another header:
**** You can get posters, prints, and t-shirts in the [https://store.xkcd.com/ xkcd store].
** But all the other comics kept the Visiting header on all three days as shown here:
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120401214214/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-01] from[[1036: Reviews]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402150258/https://xkcd.com/1019 2012-04-02] from [[1019: First Post]].
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20120403164523/https://xkcd.com:80/1036/ 2012-04-03] from [[1036: Reviews]].
**** The one from the 2nd of April was hardest to find, but the most important, because that was clearly in the time period where Umwelt was up, thus definitely proving that the other pages had a different header than the front page. This is rare.
* It returned to the front page on [https://web.archive.org/web/20120404210927/https://xkcd.com:80/ 2012-04-04] and stayed up until [https://web.archive.org/web/20120405195956/https://www.xkcd.com/1021/ 2012-04-05] when [[1038: Fountain]] was up.
** The link from the 5th though is from {{xkcd|1021}} [[1021: Business Plan]], the only comic archived on the 5ht to be found.
*** The previous link was the last time it was archived while on the front page.

===2012-03-12 - xkcd Holistic Browser===
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120312185125/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-12]
* [[1028: Communication]] was up at the time.
** From here the archive doesn't load the page properly so it is really boring to document. This goes for both first and last day of this text.
* The text:
** New: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318153220/https://holistic.xkcd.com/ holistic.xkcd.com], the least useful web navigation tool ever.
*** The link is now dead, but the link above is to an archived version.
*** On that page there is the following text:
**** The XKCD Holistic Browser
**** Because we are all one.
**** Type a web address
**** and you'll be taken to one
**** typed by someone else.
**** URL:
**** Warning: This allows strangers to direct your browser!
**** They may send you to pages containing
**** porn, viruses, or Justin Bieber fanfiction.
**** At the very least, turn on private browsing.
* During the time this header was active the comic [[1031: s/keyboard/leopard/]] came out.
** It had its own [[xkcd_Header_text#Unique_header_text|unique header text]] which thus replaced this text on the front page for two days.
** But it did not replace it on all the other pages so this was the active header text during the entire period, see more here: [[xkcd_Header_text#s.2Fkeyboard.2Fleopard.2F|s/keyboard/leopard/]]
* This lasted till [https://web.archive.org/web/20120327050311/https://xkcd.com/1033 2012-03-27] while [[1034: Share Buttons]] was up.
* But the last archived version with this on the front page was the day before [https://web.archive.org/web/20120326180811/https://xkcd.com// 2012-03-26].
** The link from 27th is from an archived version of [[1033: Formal Logic]].

===Changes not documented yet 1===
The above is the last documented.
* There will for sure be more changes earlier than this.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120311135259/https://xkcd.com/ 2012-03-11] Text before. For next entry below...



[[Category:Design of xkcd.com]]{{xkcdmeta}}