14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has already confirmed widgets that are coming to Windows 11, but contrary to what many people expected and still want, these won’t be an evolved version of the classic widgets that were part of the Windows 7 experience.
Windows gadgets allowed users to get certain information, such as stocks and the weather forecast, with a quick glance at the desktop, but the last time they were part of the operating system was in Windows 7.
Dropped for security reasons, the gadgets never made a comeback, despite many people hoping that Microsoft would change its mind and one day turn the live tiles that have long been available in Windows 10 into an evolved version with the same role.
The Windows 11 widgets
But in fact, Microsoft not only didn’t bring back the old-school gadgets, but the company killed off live tiles as well, so Windows 11 comes with a completely new widget approach that’s based on the news and interests experience introduced in Windows 10. So overall, the new widgets coming to users in Windows 11 will just be a revamped news and interests that you can launch from the taskbar.
“Windows 11 brings you closer to the news and information you care about faster with Widgets – a new personalized feed powered by AI and best-in-class browser performance from Microsoft Edge. Even when we’re at our most focused and creative we still need breaks – a moment to check in with the outside world or give ourselves a mental reset,” Microsoft says.
“Today, we often pick up our phones to check the news, weather or notifications. Now, you can open a similarly curated view directly from your desktop. When you open your personalized feed it slides across your screen like a sheet of glass so it doesn’t disrupt what you’re doing. For creators and publishers, Widgets also opens new real estate within Windows to deliver personalized content. Our aspiration is to create a vibrant pipeline for global brands and local creators alike, in a way that both consumers and creators can benefit.”
A closer look at widgets will be available later this week when Microsoft ships the first preview build of Windows 11.