Windows is the last major operating system to not support widgets. Microsoft used Live Tiles to provide real-time information in the Windows start menu. The company provided us with an overview of widget support with the News and Weather widget on the taskbar. However, things became clear after Microsoft introduced widget support in Windows 11 announcement. Here’s how to access, use, and master widgets in Windows 11.
The previous Live tiles feature no longer works well and widgets are finally available on Windows OS. Microsoft didn’t add a widget panel just to highlight a feature in Windows 11. Widgets in Windows 11 are thoughtfully implemented, and they’re definitely better than the ones Apple offers on macOS.
Where are Widgets in Windows 11
Unlike macOS, Microsoft added a new taskbar Widgets shortcut in Windows 11. So after properly upgrading to Windows 11 you will see a Widgets button next to the Tasks view.
Click it and Windows 11 will greet you with a dedicated Widget section that slides in from the left side. The Widget panel takes up almost half of the viewing area, giving you a better view of the latest information through widgets.
What Widgets Are Available in Windows 11
Currently, extension support is limited to a few Microsoft apps like Microsoft To-Do, OneDrive, Calendar, Weather, Traffic, and Tips.
Microsoft has promised to provide the necessary APIs for developers to integrate their apps through widgets. Therefore, we can expect to see widgets from WhatsApp, Telegram, Spotify, Evernote, etc soon.
Microsoft also integrated the MSN News section in the widgets panel. Worse yet, the news tabs are set to open in the Microsoft Edge browser instead of the browser of your choice.
How to Add or Remove Widgets in Windows 11
By default, Microsoft has added some widgets in the Widget panel. But you can always customize it based on your preferences.
Step 1: Open the widget panel from the taskbar.
Step 2: Scroll down and select Add Widget.
Step 3: Select the ones you want to add and press the ‘x’ at the top to close the menu.
You will see the newly added widgets in the dashboard.
To remove any widget, simply click on the three-dot menu in the widget and select the Remove extension from context menu option.
How to resize widgets in Windows 11
Microsoft offers three widget sizes for developers to deploy – Small, Medium, and Large. Then it’s up to the developer on how they want to use the extension with their app.
Step 1: Open the widget panel from the taskbar.
Step 2: Click on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner in a widget.
Step 3: Choose from Small, Medium or Large option and you will see the operating system resize the widget in no time.
How to change widget position in Windows 11
Based on your preferences, you’ll want to keep certain widgets at the top and less useful at the bottom. You can easily change the current widget position in Windows 11.
Open the widget panel and hover the mouse pointer over the top part of the widget. You’ll notice the mouse indicator changes from a pointer to a small hand. Click on the mouse or trackpad and the widget should be movable now.
Place the widget in the position you want and repeat the same process for the other widgets to arrange them.
News widget
The news widget is nothing more than a list of top news stories and articles powered by Microsoft News. Microsoft has integrated some neat touches to make it more personalized for you.
For example, you can come up with an article to which you respond with a Like button. One can also save it for later reading by using the Save to read later button.
Users can click the three-dot menu next to a news story and share it, block publication, hide the story, and personalize the entire reading experience with a like/dislike option.
How to disable Widgets in Windows 11
Microsoft has integrated the Widgets shortcut right on the taskbar. If it unnecessarily interferes with your workflow, you can disable it from the Settings menu. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Move the mouse pointer over the taskbar and right-click on it.
Step 2: Open the Taskbar settings menu.
Step 3: Disable the Widgets toggle in the Taskbar items menu.
You will not see the Widget icon on the taskbar. However, you can re-enable it from the same menu.
Using Widget Like Pro in Windows 11
Widgets are one of the best features that Microsoft borrowed from macOS. The performance is promising. With Microsoft’s aggressive approach to the new Windows Store in Windows 11, we could see more developers using Widget functionality to attract more users.
Which apps do you want to use with widgets in Windows 11? Share your opinion in the comments below.
Next: Is your computer showing ‘This PC can’t Run Windows 11’ error? Read the post below to learn why this happens and how to fix it.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
