As reported by Windows sleuth, Zac Bowden, Microsoft is getting ready to bring major changes to widgets on Windows 11. In the past couple of months, the company has pushed significant updates as well as improvements to the feature.
Here are some of the major changes that you should expect to come to widgets on Windows 11 per Bowden’s sources:
Pin Widgets to desktop
First up, Microsoft is working towards letting users pin widgets on the desktop on Windows 11. The goal behind this change is to get more users to interact with widgets on Windows 11. Bowden further highlights that this will closely resemble the Windows Desktop Gadgets experience on Windows 7.
Widgets Panel
While launching Windows 11, Microsoft featured a new feature in the OS dubbed Widgets Panel which serves as a centralized location where web-based widgets are displayed.
The feature keeps widgets out of the user interface until the user clicks on the Widgets button on the Taskbar which to some extent, deters users from interacting and engaging with the feature more.
The company has also made significant changes to the Widgets Panel, such as the newly incorporated widget picker experience that’s designed to make the process of adding widgets to the panel simpler.
Expanding Widgets Library
Microsoft has also been revamping and expanding the widget library. At the time of writing, there are over 13 widgets available that users can make use of.
Bowden further added that Microsoft shipping the capability of pinning widgets to their desktop is part of the company’s initiative of incorporating modern features into Windows 11’s user experience and interface such as app folders and more.
Full Screen mode
The company also introduced a new full-screen mode for the feature for better navigation and accessibility.
Widgets news at Build 2023
It’s still unclear when Microsoft intends to ship these features to general availability, but in the forthcoming annual conference for developers, Build 2023 which is slated to take place from May 23 through 24 in Seattle.
Microsoft will have a dedicated session focusing solely on Windows Widgets. It’s therefore more likely that Microsoft will communicate its plans on this front more during that period.
Just last week, Microsoft added a new Facebook widget to the Dev, Canary, and Beta Channels. The company also added the capability to install third-party widgets via the Microsoft Store last year as well as a plethora of nifty features designed to enhance its user experience, such as notifications in widgets.
via Windows Central