The Windows 10 taskbar is getting a big change with the “news and interests” widget. The new feature is currently available as an early preview with the release of build 21286, and it is an experience that gives you quick access to trending news, sports, stocks, and weather information from the taskbar.
The idea with this new feature is to keep you on your device instead of having to open your phone to peek into news and other information throughout the day.
“News and interests” appears in the bottom-right corner of the taskbar as a button displaying the current weather. You can glance at the content by simply hovering over the button, which opens an experience similar to the Start menu with different sections surfacing news, weather, and other information you may like.
If you click the See more news button, Microsoft Edge will open on the MSN homepage website, where you can find even more stories.
While in the widget area, you can always hover over a story and click the menu button to access the options to share, save, or train the feature to see more or fewer similar stories. Also, you can hide the story, publication, or report as an issue.
There is a refresh button in the top-right to update the content and menu option to connect your Microsoft account, change language and content settings, and more.
It is possible to disable the feature by right-clicking the taskbar, selecting News and interests, and choosing the Hidden option. The menu also includes additional options to customize the button by showing icon and text (default) or icon only, and there is even an option to reduce updates in the taskbar.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].