How to Add or Remove Lock Screen Widgets on Windows 11

Step 1Turn On Lock Screen Widgets

Turning on Windows 11 lock screen widgets lets observers see important info like weather or a calendar at a glance, even before unlocking the PC.

Anyone standing near your PC can read what’s on the lock screen. Weather is harmless, but calendar entries can show meeting names or other details you may not want visible in a shared space.

Step 2Open Windows Settings

Press Win+I to open Settings ⚙️, or click the Start button ⊞ and select Settings. Both methods open the same app, so use whichever is faster for you.

• Click the Start button and then click Settings. If Settings isn't pinned to the Start menu, click All apps and find it in the list. The Settings window opens with a list of categories on the left.
• Or press Windows key + I on your keyboard. This opens Settings straight away, with no menus to click through.

Step 3Go to Lock Screen Settings

Open Settings, select Personalization, and click Lock screen. This page holds every lock screen option, including the background picture and the widgets.

1. Click on Personalization in the left menu. The right side now shows the personalization options, such as background, colors and themes.
2. On the right side, find and click Lock screen. The lock screen settings page opens, with a preview of your current lock screen at the top.

If you can't find Personalization in the left menu, widen the Settings window. When the window is narrow, the sidebar can shrink to icons only.

Step 4Add or Remove Widgets

The customization panel controls what information appears on screen. Scroll down to the "Your widgets" area and click it to open an expandable list of available options.

On a fresh setup it may be empty or hold only a default widget. If you don't see "Your widgets" at all, install pending updates from Settings › Windows Update and open the Lock screen page again.

To Add Widgets:

Once "Your widgets" is open, adding a widget takes three clicks. Remember the limit of four widgets on the lock screen at one time.

1. Click the Add widget button. A list of the widgets you can use on the lock screen appears.
2. Choose the widgets you want from the list (such as Weather or Calendar). Pick the ones you check most often, since space is limited.
3. Click Add widget again to confirm your choice. The new widget now shows up under "Your widgets", and the lock screen preview updates to match.

If Add widget is greyed out, you have probably reached the limit of four. Remove one first (see the next section), then try again.

To Remove a Widget:

Removing a widget is just as quick, and it is the way to undo an addition you no longer want. Go back to Settings › Personalization › Lock screen first if you closed the page.

1. Look at the list of your added widgets under Your widgets. Each widget you added has its own entry.
2. Click the X button next to the widget you want to delete. The entry disappears from the list, and the lock screen preview no longer shows it.

Removing a widget doesn't uninstall anything. You can add it back at any time with Add widget.

Step 5Close Settings

Closing the configuration window applies the new layout. The display updates immediately to show the newly selected items.

To check the result, press Windows Key + L to lock the PC. The widgets should appear on the lock screen. If they don't show right away, wake the screen with a key press or a mouse click. No restart is needed.

Why Use Lock Screen Widgets?

Windows 11 lock screen widgets let you see important updates at a glance without unlocking your computer. You can check the weather forecast, your next calendar appointment, or sports scores right from the sign-in screen. This saves you time by putting the information you need most often right where you can see it immediately.

Here is a quick summary of what makes them worth setting up:

• Quick Info: See important information like the weather or your calendar without unlocking your PC.
• Easy to Change: Add or remove widgets anytime through Settings. Nothing is permanent, and no restart is needed.
• Make It Yours: Customize what information you want to see, within the limit of four widgets.
• Stay Updated: Keep Windows updated to get the newest widget features. If an option in this guide is missing on your PC, a pending update is the most likely reason.
• Simple Interface: The Settings app makes managing widgets easy to understand.

Summary

Controlling these glanceable displays takes three quick clicks inside the Settings app: open Lock screen, open "Your widgets", then add or remove what you need. Check the lock screen once after each change, and keep privacy in mind when you choose what to display.