What are Widgets in Windows 11?

Widgets are a new feature in Windows 11 that offers a personal dashboard with dynamic information right from your desktop. The Widgets board shows cards with information such as the weather, news, calendar appointments, stock prices, sports scores and more. You open the board by clicking the Widgets icon in the taskbar or by swiping in from the left side of the screen.

Although widgets can be handy for quickly checking information, not everyone finds them useful. Some users find them distracting or want a cleaner taskbar. Fortunately, Windows 11 gives you full control over widgets: you can customize them, rearrange them or turn them off completely.

Opening the Widgets board

There are several ways to open the Widgets board:

From the taskbar

  • Click the Widgets icon on the left side of the taskbar (the icon showing the weather forecast or a news icon)
  • In newer versions, this can also be a dynamic icon that shows the current weather

With the keyboard or touchpad

  • Press Windows key + W to open the Widgets board
  • On a touchscreen or touchpad: swipe from the left edge of the screen to the right

With the mouse

  • Move your mouse to the top left corner of the screen and hover there for a moment
  • The Widgets board slides into view automatically

Customizing and personalizing widgets

You can set up the Widgets board to suit your own preferences:

Adding widgets

  1. Open the Widgets board
  2. Click the plus sign (+) at the top right or 'Add widgets'
  3. Browse through the available widgets
  4. Click a widget to add it to your dashboard

Available widgets

Windows 11 offers several widgets by default:

  • Weather: Current weather conditions and forecast
  • News: Personalized news articles
  • Calendar: Your upcoming appointments from Outlook
  • To Do: Your Microsoft To Do list
  • Photos: Memories from your OneDrive photos
  • Sports: Scores and updates for your favorite teams
  • Stocks: Prices of the stocks you follow
  • Tips: Handy Windows tips
  • Entertainment: Movie and TV show recommendations

Rearranging widgets

  1. Open the Widgets board
  2. Hover your mouse over a widget
  3. Click the three-dot menu at the top right of the widget
  4. Choose Move widget (or drag the widget to a new position)

Changing the widget size

Some widgets can be displayed in different sizes:

  1. Click the widget's three-dot menu
  2. Choose Small, Medium or Large
  3. Not all widgets support all sizes

Removing a widget

  1. Click the widget's three-dot menu
  2. Choose Remove widget
  3. The widget disappears from your dashboard

Customizing the news feed

A large part of the Widgets board is taken up by the news feed. You can personalize it:

Managing interests

  1. Open the Widgets board
  2. Scroll down to the news section
  3. Click the three-dot menu on a news article
  4. Choose More stories like this or Fewer stories like this
  5. You can also hide or follow specific sources

Setting personalized interests

  1. Open the Widgets board
  2. Click your profile picture at the top right
  3. Choose Manage interests
  4. You're taken to Microsoft Start, where you can follow topics
  5. Select categories and specific topics that interest you

Removing the Widgets icon from the taskbar

If you don't use widgets, you can remove the icon from the taskbar:

Through Settings

  1. Open Settings (Windows + I)
  2. Go to Personalization
  3. Click Taskbar
  4. Find Widgets in the list of taskbar items
  5. Set the toggle to Off

With a right-click

  1. Right-click the taskbar
  2. Choose Taskbar settings
  3. Set Widgets to Off

Note: This only removes the icon from the taskbar. You can still open the Widgets board with Windows + W or by swiping in from the left edge.

Turning off widgets completely

If you really don't want to use widgets, you can turn off the feature completely:

Through Group Policy (Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise)

  1. Press Windows + R and type gpedit.msc
  2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Widgets
  3. Double-click Allow widgets
  4. Select Disabled
  5. Click OK
  6. Restart your computer

Through the Registry (all Windows 11 editions)

Warning: Be careful when editing the registry. Make a backup first.

  1. Press Windows + R and type regedit
  2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft
  3. Create a new key named Dsh (if it doesn't exist)
  4. In this key, create a new DWORD (32-bit) value named AllowNewsAndInterests
  5. Set the value to 0
  6. Restart your computer

Turning widgets back on

If you change your mind and want to use widgets again:

Restoring the taskbar icon

  1. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar
  2. Set Widgets to On

Undoing a complete shutdown

If you turned off widgets through Group Policy or the Registry:

  • Group Policy: Set the setting to 'Not Configured'
  • Registry: Delete the AllowNewsAndInterests value or set it to 1

Tips for using widgets effectively

If you decide to use widgets, here are a few tips:

Keep it tidy

  • Only add widgets you actually check every day
  • Too many widgets make the board cluttered
  • Remove widgets you never use

Getting the most out of it

  • Put your most important widgets at the top
  • Use larger sizes for widgets you check often
  • Personalize your news feed so you see relevant content

Privacy considerations

Widgets collect data to personalize content. You can limit this through:

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & security
  2. Review General and Diagnostics & feedback
  3. Adjust the settings to your preferences

Conclusion

Widgets in Windows 11 can be a handy way to get quick access to information, but they're not for everyone. Fortunately, Windows gives you full control: you can adapt widgets to your needs, remove the icon from the taskbar, or turn off the feature completely. Whether you prefer a minimalist workspace or love an informative dashboard, Windows 11 offers the flexibility to set it up the way you want.

Frequently asked questions

How do I remove the Widgets icon from the taskbar?

Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and set the Widgets toggle to Off. You can also right-click the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings to turn off Widgets there.

Can I choose which news I see in Widgets?

Yes, you can personalize your news feed by choosing 'More stories like this' or 'Fewer stories like this' on articles. Click your profile picture and choose 'Manage interests' to follow or block topics and sources.

How do I open the Widgets board with the keyboard?

Press Windows key + W to open the Widgets board directly. You can also swipe from the left edge of the screen to the right on a touchscreen or touchpad.

Can I completely remove widgets from Windows 11?

Yes, you can turn off widgets completely through Group Policy (Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise) or through the Windows Registry (all editions). This removes the widget functionality completely, including the ability to open the board.