Is Microsoft restoring Windows 7 Gadgets feature in Windows 11?
Microsoft introduced support for gadgets, small apps that ran directly on the desktop, in Windows Vista. Gadgets were limited to a sidebar in Windows Vista and unlocked in Windows 7, so that users could place them everywhere on the desktop.
Microsoft did retire gadgets in Windows 8, stating that they were security risks. A report by Windows Central suggests that Microsoft is working on bringing the prime Windows 7 gadgets functionality back in some way.
Windows 11 features a Widgets panel that users may activate to display news, weather information, stock market news, sports scores and now also third-party widgets. All widgets are limited to a place in the widgets panel currently, but this could change soon.
According to Windows Central, Microsoft considers adding an option to Windows 11's Widgets feature to pin widgets to the desktop. Users would be able to pin their favorite widgets to the desktop, so that they are displayed all the time on the desktop. Widgets pinned this way may be placed everywhere on the desktop according to the report.
Microsoft hopes, according to Windows Central, that the new option to pin widgets improves the engagement with widgets.
Microsoft has not confirmed the feature nor has it been introduced in any of the Insider builds that are available currently. The change could improve the visibility of Widgets, considering that information is then displayed on the desktop, which removes the need to activate the Widgets panel.
Gadgets were popular on Windows 7 especially. Gadgets would display hardware information, music player controls, photos, and other bits on the desktop directly.
It would be ironic if Microsoft would launch the feature in the near future and remove the entire Widgets interface again in Windows 12 or another upcoming version of Windows 11.
Closing Words
Widgets is a controversial feature in Windows 11. Some users like it, especially the weather information on the taskbar, others have no use for it. The icon can be removed easily from the Windows 11 taskbar.
The change has not been confirmed yet by Microsoft and needs to be considered a rumor for now. It would make sense though to improve the functionality of Widgets further and fits right into other Widgets changes that Microsoft is testing or has introduced already.
Now You: do you use Widgets? What is your take on the desktop pinning feature?
Round and round we go…
Widgets are weird – they’re fine, but i’d just rather have it as a normal program window – i’m going for a “clean desktop” look, and they clash with that idea. Things can either be “pinned on top” if necessary, or they can live in the tray, or I can map a hotkey to get to them. Desktop widgets are meh.
8gadgetpack works wenn on W11.
Agreed. I have 8gadgetpack installed on both my machines. Wouldn’t be without it. NOTE: Windows Updates will often break 8gadgetpack but a simple “repair” quickly restores it.
Unfortunately, these widgets are nothing more than MSN advertising. There are no widgets that anyone would be interested in using. Furthermore, they use awful webview2 technology that allows them to easily spy on and track you.
MSN has delineated back to a worse site. I remember when it had a decent home page, no social media esque likes on stories and such. It was also the time when Bing News (as then called) on Windows Phone was a great news app. More than half a decade later, the apps and sites are both worse off than before.
Other users don’t even know what is being discussed and miss the benefits of widgets:
https://www.howtogeek.com/875966/10-best-widgets-for-windows-11/
Disable all is possible.
The worst of widgets is the absolute nonsense of the news feeds that no human being is able to block. I tried everything as I could do however it always appeared some new weird feed again! :[
Uninstall is also a possibility
https://www.ghacks.net/2021/10/08/how-to-uninstall-widgets-in-windows-11/
Yes, I have the same 3 widgets on the 2nd monitor I have had since windows 7, on windows 10.
No interference from is M$ needed.
The only reason M$ would support widgets is to use them to deliver advertising.
I do think Microsoft has run out of ideals and are just recycling old ones that failed before.
M$ is now taking cues from KDE Plasma as to how to make a good Windows desktop :p.
Or they have discovered that doing bull**** like W11 is no good for the people.