Widgets is not a new feature in Windows 11. It was known in Windows 10 as “News and interests“. The widget in Windows 11 provides users with an overview of the latest news, weather, traffic and more with a single click.
Some users find this widget very useful, but some do not use the widget and would prefer to disable it.
So you can disable or delete the widgets. To completely remove widgets in Windows 11, read this article.
This article shows you how to hide the Widgets button on the taskbar. You can also read how you can block the widgets on/off button so that it can no longer be switched on.
Disable widgets in Windows 11
Hide widget button in the Windows 11 taskbar via Settings
Right-click in free space in the taskbar. Click on taskbar settings.
In the “taskbar items” settings, change the widgets to “off”.
The widgets button has now disappeared from the taskbar.
Disable widgets in Windows 11 via registry
To disable Widgets functionality you can also make an adjustment via the Windows registry. I recommend you do one first Windows 11 restore point before you make any changes to the registry.
Right-click on the start button. Click run. In the run window type: regedit.exe. Open the Windows registry editor.
In the top bar, copy and paste go to the next line.
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft
Right-click on “Microsoft”. Click New and then Key.
Name the new key: Dsh.
Click on Dsh and then on free space on the right. Then click New and then DWORD (32-bit) value.
Name this value: AllowNewsandInterests. Specify 0 as value data.
The widgets adjustment in the registry is immediately active. The Widgets button will disappear from the taskbar and in the Widgets setting in the taskbar settings you will now see:Some settings are managed by your organization".
The widgets button is grayed out and can no longer be edited.
You have now disabled the widgets button in Windows 11. I hope this helped you. Thank you for reading!
Very nice, the explanation about turning off widgets from the taskbar. I found it very irritating that all kinds of things appeared in my screen every time the cursor accidentally passed over that button. It is quite annoying that Microsoft does not simply make this possible via the right mouse button, as is the case with other things in the taskbar.
So thanks!!
Hello, glad it worked. Thanks for your response!
Greetings, Stefan
Hi Stefan,
Somehow my Widgets in Windows 11 no longer work. When I click on the icon in the taskbar with the mouse, the icon is refreshed but nothing happens. No tab opens with the widgets, which was the case in the beginning. Any idea how I can fix this?
Many thanks in advance.
Best regards,
Ed
Hello, I have sent you an email with more information.
Greetings, Stefan
Hello Stefan,
{removed, unsubstantiated claim and nothing is known about it}.
My question: can't those libraries be disabled somehow and preferably deleted, so that I am not bothered by all those folders.
It seems to me that I'm not the only one who is bothered by this.
Thanks in advance for an answer.
Theo de Kruijf
Hello Theo, don't disable, just hide: https://www.pc-tips.info/tips/windows-tips/bibliotheken-map-in-windows-11/
Good luck! Greetings, Stefan