How to Add or Remove Widgets on Windows 11 Taskbar

What Are Widgets in 🪟 Windows 11?

Windows 11 widgets are small interactive cards that live on your taskbar 🖥️ to give you quick updates at a glance. They show live information like your local weather, breaking news headlines, stock market prices, and sports scores without requiring you to open a full web browser or app.

• Weather for your area.
• Current news.
• Stock market prices.
• Sports scores.

When you click the Widgets button on your taskbar 🖥️, a special board opens with these updates. They are meant to give you information fast without needing to open a full web browser.

Option 1The Easy Way Using Settings

Use the Settings app ⚙️ to toggle the widget button on or off without editing system files.

Step 1Open Windows Settings

Press the Win+I on your keyboard together. Alternatively, click the Start button ⊞ and then click the Settings gear icon.

Step 2Go to Personalization and Taskbar Settings

In the Settings window, click on Personalization in the left-hand menu. On the right side, click on Taskbar.

Step 3Change Taskbar Items

The Taskbar items section contains a switch labeled 'Widgets.' Toggle the switch on to show the Widgets button, or turn it off to hide it from the taskbar.

The adjustment appears on your taskbar immediately, with no computer restart required.

Step 4Close Settings

You can now close the Settings window. Your taskbar will reflect your chosen setting.

Option 2Using the Registry Editor (For Advanced Users)

You can add or remove the Windows 11 taskbar widgets button by editing the Windows Registry (a database of low-level system settings). This advanced method lets you control the feature directly through the system database when you cannot access the standard settings menu.

Open Registry Editor, go to File › Export, and save a copy of your Registry to a safe place.

Step 1Open the Registry Editor

Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard. This opens the Run box. Type regedit and press Enter or click OK. You may see a message asking for permission; click Yes.

Step 2Go to the Right Location

In the Registry Editor, find and open this folder path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

You can type this path into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor and press Enter, or navigate through the folders in the left panel.

Step 3Find and Change the 'TaskbarDa' Value

Once you're in the correct Registry folder, you need to find a specific setting called TaskbarDa. This setting controls whether the Widgets button appears on your taskbar. If you don't see TaskbarDa, you'll need to create it as a new DWORD value first.

Double-click on TaskbarDa to change it.

Step 4Set the Value Data

• To ADD the Widgets button: Set the "Value data" to 1.
• To REMOVE the Widgets button: Set the "Value data" to 0.

You control the visibility of Windows 11 taskbar widgets by changing the key's value data to either 1 or 0. Setting the value data to 1 turns the button on, while setting it to 0 turns the button off and removes it from your screen completely.

To restart Windows Explorer, open Task Manager (press Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find Windows Explorer in the Processes tab, right-click it, and select Restart.

Step 5Close the Registry Editor

You are finished with the Registry Editor. You can now close the window.

Summary

You can show or hide Windows 11 taskbar widgets by using either the main Settings app or the Registry Editor. The quickest way is through the taskbar settings menu, but you also have the option to change the underlying system values manually if needed.