How to Add or Remove Widgets on Windows 11 Taskbar

What Are Widgets in 🪟 Windows 11?

Widgets are small cards that show live information at a glance, so you don’t have to open a full browser or app. The panel can show:

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

When you click the Widgets button on the taskbar 🖥️, the widgets board opens with these cards. Hiding the button only removes the icon. It does not uninstall anything, so you can bring it back at any time.

Option 1The Easy Way Using Settings

The Settings ⚙️ app is the easiest way to show or hide the button. You don’t need to edit any system files, and it works the same on Windows 11 Home and Pro.

Step 1Open Windows Settings

1. Press Win+I together on your keyboard.
2. Or click the Start button, then click the Settings gear icon.

The Settings ⚙️ window should now be open.

Step 2Go to Personalization and Taskbar Settings

1. In the left-hand menu, click Personalization.
2. On the right side, click Taskbar.

You should now see the taskbar 🖥️ options. You can also reach this page by right-clicking an empty spot on the taskbar and choosing Taskbar settings.

Step 3Change Taskbar Items

1. Find the Taskbar items section at the top of the page.
2. Find the switch labeled Widgets.
3. Turn the switch On to show the Widgets button, or Off to hide it.

If the switch is greyed out, the PC is probably managed by a work or school administrator who has locked the setting. In that case, ask your IT department, or see the Registry method below if you manage the PC yourself.

The change shows on your taskbar 🖥️ straight away. You do not need to restart the 🔄 computer. If you turned the switch on, the Widgets button should appear. If you turned it off, the button should be gone.

Step 4Close Settings

Close the Settings ⚙️ window. Your taskbar 🖥️ keeps the setting you chose. To undo it later, come back to the same page and flip the switch the other way.

Option 2Using the Registry Editor (For Advanced Users)

You can also add or remove the Widgets button by editing the Windows Registry, a database of low-level system settings. Use this method when the Settings ⚙️ toggle is missing or doesn’t work, or when you want to script the change.

Open Registry Editor, go to File › Export, choose a location, and save a copy of the Registry somewhere safe. If something goes wrong, you can double-click that file to restore the saved settings.

Step 1Open the Registry Editor

1. Press Win+R on your keyboard to open the Run box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter or click OK.
3. If a User Account Control message asks for permission, click Yes.

The Registry Editor window should now be open, with a folder tree on the left.

Step 2Go to the Right Location

In the Registry Editor, go to the key shown below.

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

You can paste the path into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor and press Enter. Or you can expand the folders in the left panel one by one. When you reach the right key, its values are listed in the right panel.

Step 3Find and Change the ‘TaskbarDa’ Value

In the right panel, look for a value called TaskbarDa. This value controls whether the Widgets button appears on the taskbar 🖥️. If you don’t see it, you need to create it first as a new DWORD (32-bit) value. Right-click an empty area in the right panel, choose New › DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it exactly as shown.

Double-click TaskbarDa to open it. The Edit DWORD dialog should appear.

Step 4Set the Value Data

Enter the number in the Value data box, then click OK:

• To ADD the Widgets button: set the “Value data” to 1.
• To REMOVE the Widgets button: set the “Value data” to 0.

The value works as a simple switch. A value of 1 turns the button on. A value of 0 turns it off and removes it from the taskbar 🖥️ completely. To undo your change, set the value back to the other number.

To restart Windows Explorer 📁:

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager 📊.
2. On the Processes tab, find Windows Explorer 📁.
3. Right-click it and select Restart.

The taskbar 🖥️ will disappear for a moment and then come back with your new setting. On some recent Windows 11 builds, the system may refuse to save changes to this value and show an error. If that happens, use the Settings ⚙️ method above instead.

Step 5Close the Registry Editor

You are finished with the Registry Editor, so you can close the window.

Summary

You can show or hide the Windows 11 taskbar widgets button with either the Settings app or the Registry Editor. Settings is the quickest and safest choice, and it takes effect immediately. The Registry method is there for cases where Settings isn't available, and it may need an Explorer restart. Either way, the change is easy to reverse.