Windows 11 All-in-One For Dummies

Chapter 7

Using Widgets

IN THIS CHAPTER

Working with widgets in Windows 11

Customizing your widgets

Adding new widgets to Windows 11

Let’s talk about a less-known feature of Windows 11: widgets. Microsoft has borrowed this concept from the smartphone world, but it's doing things differently, as always. First, widgets are tied to a Microsoft account. They don’t seem to work at all with a local account. Second, although their purpose is to provide you with news that interests you or data that's useful to you, they also promote Microsoft’s services, websites, and Edge browser. You may not like this, but it's how things are.

When you hear about Windows 11 widgets, you may also think of the desktop gadgets from the Windows 7 era. However, they’re not similar in any way. In addition, the new Windows 11 widgets, unlike the old desktop gadgets, don’t affect the performance of Windows. Widgets load only when you click or tap their shortcut, and they’re just as fast no matter how many you add. The only things that might slow them down are your internet connection and how much time it takes to refresh their data.

To help you get the most of widgets, I explain what widgets are and how they ...