Widgets in Windows 11 Enhance Taskbar Functionality for Users

Widgets in Windows 11 are small app cards neatly tucked inside a separate panel on the taskbar. They provide quick access to your favorite apps and display a news feed based on your selected topics, allowing you to perform several actions without opening the related apps.

How to Access Widgets on Windows 11

There are a couple of ways to access widgets on Windows 11. You can either click the weather widget in the bottom left corner of the taskbar or use the Windows + W keys to open or close the widget panel. If you use a touchscreen device, swipe from the left to access the widgets panel. You can also disable widgets from the Settings > Personalization > Taskbar menu and rely on a keyboard shortcut to launch it.

Setting Up Windows 11 Widgets

By default, Microsoft adds several widgets from system apps. Press Windows + W and check out several widgets from To-Do, OneDrive, Markets, Outlook Calendar, and Microsoft Store. These widgets are interactive too; they don’t just passively display information. For example, you can click to check off different tasks in To-Do lists, completing your existing tasks and even creating new ones right from the widget. Neat, isn’t it?

Add and Customize Widgets

1. Open the widget panel and click + beside widgets.
2. Look over the supported apps list in the sidebar, select an app, glance over the widget, and click Pin.
3. Repeat the same for other apps to complete your widget panel in no time.
4. You can also click Find more widgets and check third-party options from the likes of Facebook, Messenger, Spotify, and more from the Microsoft Store.

Several widgets are customizable too. For instance, you can click the three-dot menu beside a sports widget, select customize widget, and search for events that you want to follow. Similarly, you can customize an Outlook widget to display a specific calendar only.

Pin and Unpin a Widget

1. Open the widget panel, click the three-dot menu beside a widget, and click Pin widget.
2. The system adds a pin icon beside a widget and pushes it to the top for easy access. You can unpin a widget from the same menu.

Hide Widgets

1. Launch the widget panel and select the three-dot menu beside a widget you want to hide.
2. Click Hide this widget and you are good to go.

Tweak News Feed in the Widget Panel

1. Open the Windows widget panel. Click the Settings menu at the top.
2. Select Feed.
3. Search for channels, publishers, and click the + icon to add them to your feed.
4. You can also click the three-dot menu beside a news story, then follow or block the publisher from the context menu.
5. If you want to turn off the feed entirely, head to Settings and select Show or hide feeds. Disable the Feed toggle from the following menu.

Advantages of Using Widgets

• Time-saving: Windows widgets save time and let you perform quick actions without opening apps.
• Universal Access: The widget panel is universal and easily accessible from any app. It takes your multitasking experience to the next level.
• Customizable: The widget panel is totally customizable and lets you create an ideal setup in minutes.

Microsoft has done a solid job with widgets on Windows 11. We would prefer to see widgets for popular apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Chrome, Evernote, Spark mail, and other relevant apps. Following in the footsteps of macOS, Microsoft should also offer an option...