Windows 11 Taskbar: What Is the Widgets Feature

What Are Widgets?

Widgets are small interactive cards that show live information directly on your screen. That includes weather forecasts, news headlines, stock prices, and calendar events. You can open the board at any time to check updates at a glance, without opening a full app or a browser window.

Depending on what you add, the board can show:

• News headlines you pick
• Current weather and forecasts
• Stock market updates
• Your calendar events
• To-do lists
• And more, depending on what you add

Some cards, such as the calendar and to-do list, work best when you are signed in with a Microsoft account. If a card looks empty, check that you are signed in.

The goal is to keep you informed and organized by bringing updates to your taskbar. Instead of opening several apps, you get a quick summary of what is happening in one spot.

How to Open Your Widgets

You can open the Widgets board in three ways: the taskbar icon, a touch swipe, or a keyboard shortcut. Use whichever suits you.

Hover or Click the Widgets Icon

1. Find the Widgets icon on your taskbar. It sits at the left end. It may look like a weather icon, such as a sun or clouds with the current temperature, or like a square with smaller squares inside.
2. Move your mouse over the icon. The Widgets board slides open from the left side of the screen.
3. Click the icon if you would rather not rely on hovering. The board opens the same way.

To close the board, click anywhere outside it or press Esc.

Swipe from the Side (if Centered)

If your taskbar icons are in the middle (the default in Windows 11), you can open the board with a swipe. This only works on a touchscreen.

1. Place your finger on the left edge of the screen.
2. Swipe to the right. The Widgets board slides in over your desktop.

This feels natural if you use a tablet or a 2-in-1 device. On a PC without a touchscreen, use the icon or the keyboard shortcut instead.

Use a Keyboard Shortcut

You can open the board from almost anywhere by pressing Windows key + W. The board opens immediately, so you can check your personalized feeds without reaching for the mouse. Press the same keys again, or press Esc, to close it.

It is probably turned off. The next section shows how to turn it back on.

Turning the Widgets Icon On or Off

You can hide or show the Widgets icon from the taskbar settings. This is useful if you want a cleaner taskbar or a little more room for other icons. These steps apply to Windows 11 Home and Pro.

1. Right-click an empty spot on your taskbar. A small menu appears.
2. Select Taskbar settings. The Settings app opens on the Personalization › Taskbar page.
3. Find the Taskbar items section. It lists icons like Search, Task view, and Widgets.
4. Click the Widgets switch to set it to On and show the icon, or to Off to hide it. The icon appears or disappears right away. You do not need to restart.

If the Widgets switch is greyed out, or the section is missing, your PC is probably managed by an organization that has disabled widgets with a policy. On a work or school PC, ask your IT administrator. On a personal PC, make sure Windows is up to date, since older builds can lay out this page differently.

Make sure you are okay with that before you turn the icon off. On some builds, turning the switch off also stops the shortcut from working. If Windows key + W does nothing, go back to Taskbar settings and turn Widgets back On.

Changing What's in Your Widgets

Widgets work best when they show what you want to see. The feed is not meant to be random. You choose the cards and topics, and the board is built around them.

Add and Remove Widgets

You can add cards from Microsoft or from other apps that support widgets. You can also delete any card you no longer use, which keeps the board tidy.

To add a widget:

1. Open the Widgets board.
2. Click the plus sign (+) button. A list of available widgets appears. The exact position of the button depends on your Windows build.
3. Choose a widget from the list. It is added to your board.

To remove a widget you don't need anymore:

1. Open the Widgets board and find the widget you want to remove.
2. Click the three dots (...) in the top-right corner of that widget.
3. Select Remove widget. On some builds, this option is labeled Unpin widget. The card disappears from the board.

Removing a widget does not delete any data. You can add it back at any time from the plus sign menu.

Move Your Widgets Around

The order of your widgets can make them more useful. Put the ones you check most near the top.

1. Open the Widgets board.
2. Click and hold the widget card you want to move.
3. Drag it to its new spot and release. Move it up, down, or sideways to build a layout that works for you. The other cards shift to make room.

Change Settings for Each Widget

Each card has its own options. For example, you can change the location for the weather card or follow specific topics in the news feed.

1. Open the Widgets board.
2. Click the three dots on the card you want to adjust.
3. Pick the option you need. Depending on the card, you may see choices such as Customize widget or the size options Small, Medium, and Large.

If a change doesn't seem to take effect, close the board and open it again.

Manage What You're Interested In

The news feed learns your preferences over time. It tracks which articles and topics you like or dislike. You can also steer it yourself through the main widget settings. Open them with the gear icon, or with your profile picture at the top of the board on some builds. There you can manage your interests and news sources, so the feed shows better content.

Practical Tip: Don't be afraid to try things out. Add a few widgets you're curious about and see how they work for a day or two. Then remove or move them as needed. You can always add them back later.

Summary

Widgets give you a quick view of personalized news, weather, and schedule updates without needing to open separate apps. Take a few minutes to set up your board and keep only the cards you actually use. That makes it a useful part of your daily routine instead of clutter.