Windows 11 widgets

It took Microsoft a long time to embrace widgets, but the company is now doing so wholeheartedly. While smartphone and tablet users – and, indeed, Mac owners – have developed a relationship with widgets, the same cannot be said of Windows 11 users.

But this is something Microsoft wants to change. In a move that will almost certainly prove to be popular and controversial in equal measure, the company is going to the Windows 11 lock screen to recommend widgets you might be interested in.

It is easy to complain about Windows 11; oh, so very, very easy. But while there are many reasons for feeling frustrated at the operating system, there is also cause for hope -- not least of which is that Microsoft appears to be paying heed to feedback from users.

This is evident in the latest beta build of Windows 11 released to Windows Insiders where the company has made important changes to Explorer and Widgets in the taskbar. Explorer improvements sees the return of drag-and-drop functionality to breadcrumbs.

The focus for most Windows 11 users has been, understandably, the release of Windows 11 2022 Update and all of the new features and options it brings. But Microsoft has also released a preview of the KB5017383 update for Windows 11 ahead of its proper release next Patch Tuesday.

Although this is a non-security update, it is an important one for a number of reasons. Firstly, it addresses several issues with Windows 11 including a blue screen problem and another issue with the Microsoft Store. Secondly, the update adds new features to the operating system such as new options for widgets and adding WebAuthn redirection.

When Microsoft introduced widgets to Windows 11, there was broad agreement that the company had not fully realized the potential of the feature. This is something that is somewhat addressed by a new update to the Windows Experience Pack.

The update means that widgets, including the weather widget, will now be able to get your attention by throwing up announcements and notifications. It's an update that could make widgets genuinely useful, but you may not see the new functionality immediately.

At its Build 2022 event, Microsoft confirmed what we have heard rumored for some time -- that third-party widgets will soon be making their way to Windows 11.

Although the company has not given an exact date, it says that "later this year" it will be possible for developers to start building their own widgets. It is possible -- probable, even -- that this will be linked to the release of the Sun Valley 2 feature update for Windows 11 in the coming months.

Widgets in Windows 11 have proved somewhat divisive, but it is safe to say that the feature has not proved as popular as Microsoft would have hoped.

Part of the problem is the lack of interesting and useful widgets that are available, and Microsoft has previously hinted that it may offer support for creations from other companies which could be installed and updates via its own software store. Now further evidence has emerged that Windows 11 users could soon be able to install third-party widgets via the Microsoft Store.

The latest update for Windows 11 is a big one -- and we're not just talking about the size of the download. The update in question is KB5010414, and it's something we have already touched on a couple of times.

Much of the focus has been, entirely understandably, on the new features the update brings; KB5010414 is about much more than this. Yes, the arrival of support for Android apps is nice, but it's certainly not something everyone is interested in. What is more impressive and interesting about the KB5010414 is the laundry list of changes, tweaks and fixes Microsoft has introduced. This is what makes this the most significant update to Windows 11 yet.

The Widgets component of Windows 11 was something that seemed like a great idea on paper, but has thus far failed to generate too much excitement. This is at least in part down to the fact that only official Microsoft widgets exist -- but this is going to change.

It is looking very much like Windows 11 is going to be gaining support for third-party widgets, opening up the possibility of a wider range of genuinely useful tools coming to users. There are also hints that a widget store, called the Widget Board, is on the way.