- Microsoft to let users pin widgets on the desktop.
- The feature is expected to arrive with future updates to Windows 11.
- Alongside widgets pinning, the company plans to add app folders to the desktop.
Microsoft is reportedly making changes to Windows 11 to allow users to pin widgets on the desktop. According to a new report from Windows Central, the company plans to release an update that will bring support to ping widgets directly onto the desktop in an effort to lure users into using the feature.
Widgets have been part of the operating system since Windows Vista, where they were called “Gadgets.” On Windows 8.x, the feature was removed in favor of Live Tiles in the Start menu, and then on Windows 10, the feature reappeared as “Taskbar Widgets.” On Windows 11, the company reintroduced the experience with the Widgets dashboard that slights in from the left side of the screen.
Although you can open the dashboard from the Taskbar or using a keyboard shortcut, and it offers a full-screen mode, it’s not the same as having these little applications on the desktop. However, this is about the change in future updates.
According to the report, the functionality will work as it used to work on Windows Vista and 7, meaning that you will be able to pin widgets anywhere on the desktop.
Currently, the library only includes a handful of widgets, including a few widgets from the company (such as Photos, Xbox, Phone Link, Wheather, and Sports). However, Microsoft recently opened up the experience to third-party developers, and since then, a few additional widgets popped up, including the one from Facebook and Spotify.
The ability to pin widgets to the desktop is part of a larger vision to improve the experience alongside other upcoming features, such as the ability to group apps into folders on the desktop.
It’s unclear when this feature will become available. However, the company is gearing up for its Build 2023 developer conference, which includes a session dedicated to widgets, and this might be when we hear more details about the plan.
The hero image is a mockup from the Windows 12 concept video by Addy Visuals.
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].