You can hide the Widgets taskbar button, disable Widgets with Group Policy or a Registry policy, or remove the Windows Web Experience Pack. Hiding the button is the least disruptive option; use a policy if Widgets must be unavailable, and remove the package only if you specifically need to uninstall it.
1. Hide the Widgets button from Taskbar settings
This is the least disruptive option. It removes the Widgets button from the taskbar but does not disable the Widgets board. You can still open it with Windows key + W or, on supported devices, by swiping from the side of the screen.
- Right-click an empty area of the taskbar.
- Select Taskbar settings.
- Under Taskbar items, find Widgets.
- Set the switch to Off.
You can reach the same setting through Settings → Personalization → Taskbar → Taskbar items → Widgets.
This setting is per user and controls the taskbar entry point. It does not prevent the board from opening through its keyboard shortcut.
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Do not confuse notification settings with disabling Widgets
Widgets has notification controls under Widgets settings → Notifications. Turning off Show notification badges on the taskbar or Show announcements on the taskbar suppresses notifications, but it does not remove the Widgets board or its taskbar button.
Likewise, selecting More → Hide this widget only removes one widget from the board. It can be added again from the Widgets gallery, and hiding it signs you out of the associated app or service. That is not the same as disabling Widgets.
2. Disable Widgets with Local Group Policy
Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, Education, and SE include a policy named Allow widgets. Setting this policy to Disabled prevents the Widgets feature from being allowed on the device. Windows 11 Home does not include Local Group Policy Editor by default.
- Press Windows key + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
- In Local Group Policy Editor, browse to Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Widgets.
- Double-click Allow widgets.
- Select Disabled.
- Select Apply, then OK.
Choose Disabled in the policy dialog. Choosing Enabled means the Widgets feature is allowed, although a user may still turn it off in Settings.
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To restore normal control through Settings, return to Allow widgets, select Not Configured, and choose Apply → OK. If you applied the policy through the Registry instead, remove its value as described below.
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3. Disable Widgets with the Registry
Windows uses the same policy through the Registry. This method is useful on editions where you do not have Group Policy Editor, but editing the Registry incorrectly can affect Windows configuration. Create a restore point or export the relevant key before changing it.
Using Registry Editor
- Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
- Approve the User Account Control prompt.
- Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh. If Dsh does not exist, right-click Microsoft, select New → Key, and name the new key Dsh.
- Right-click the right-hand pane, select New → DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it AllowNewsAndInterests.
- Double-click the new value and set Value data to 0.
- Select OK, then restart Windows or sign out and back in if the change is not immediately visible.
The completed policy entry should be HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh with an AllowNewsAndInterests DWORD value of 0.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe value name may look as though it belongs to the older News and interests feature, but AllowNewsAndInterests is still the Registry value used for the Windows 11 Widgets policy. Do not rename it to AllowWidgets. Make sure the key is under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, not HKEY_CURRENT_USER; the machine-level location applies the device policy.
Using an elevated Command Prompt
You can create the same policy without browsing through Registry Editor:
- Open Command Prompt as administrator.
- Run reg add “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh” /v “AllowNewsAndInterests” /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f.
To remove this policy later and return control to Windows Settings, run this from an elevated Command Prompt: reg delete “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh” /v “AllowNewsAndInterests” /f.
Do not use TaskbarDa when you need to disable Widgets
You may also see this per-user value mentioned in Registry instructions: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\TaskbarDa. Setting TaskbarDa to 0 hides only the Widgets taskbar button. It does not disable the feature or stop Windows key + W from opening the board.
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The command for hiding only the current user’s button is reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced” /v “TaskbarDa” /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f.
Use AllowNewsAndInterests under HKLM when your goal is to disable Widgets through policy. Use TaskbarDa under HKCU only when you want to hide the button.
4. Remove the Windows Web Experience Pack
The Windows Web Experience Pack supplies the infrastructure used by Widgets. Removing it is more extensive than hiding the taskbar icon or applying the Widgets policy. It can affect other Windows features that depend on the package, and Windows servicing or Microsoft Store updates may reinstall or update it later.
Before removing it, consider using Group Policy or the Registry policy instead. Those methods disable Widgets without removing the package itself.
Remove it for the current user with WinGet
Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and run winget uninstall “windows web experience pack”. WinGet requires an Internet connection for this operation. This command removes the package in the current user context.
The package’s AppX identity is MicrosoftWindows.Client.WebExperience_cw5n1h2txyewy.
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Remove it with PowerShell
To remove the package for the current user, run this in PowerShell: Get-AppxPackage MicrosoftWindows.Client.WebExperience | Remove-AppxPackage.
To remove it for existing user profiles, open PowerShell as administrator and run Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers MicrosoftWindows.Client.WebExperience | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers. If removal fails for a particular profile, sign that user out and run the command again. A package can be in use while its user is signed in.
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Removing the package from existing accounts does not necessarily stop Windows from provisioning it for a newly created profile. To remove the provisioned package from the current Windows image, run PowerShell as administrator: Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | Where-Object {$_.DisplayName -eq “MicrosoftWindows.Client.WebExperience”} | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online.
This affects provisioning for new profiles, not just the account currently signed in.
Restore the package
If Widgets or another Windows feature needs the package again, open Microsoft Store, search for Windows Web Experience Pack, and select Get or Install. Because Microsoft Store and Windows servicing can reinstall or update the package, its removal should not be treated as a permanent block.
Which method should you use?
| Goal | Best method | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Remove the icon from your taskbar | Taskbar settings | Hides the taskbar entry point for the current user |
| Stop users from enabling Widgets through Settings | Local Group Policy | Disables the feature at device level |
| Apply the same device policy without Group Policy Editor | Registry policy | Sets AllowNewsAndInterests=0 under HKLM |
| Remove the underlying Widgets package | WinGet or PowerShell | Uninstalls the Windows Web Experience Pack; this is the most extensive option |
FAQ
Does turning off Widgets in Taskbar settings completely disable Widgets?
No. It hides the taskbar button, but the Widgets board may still open with Windows key + W or a supported screen-swipe gesture.
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What is the correct Group Policy setting to disable Widgets?
Open Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Widgets → Allow widgets, select Disabled, and choose Apply and OK. Do not select Enabled; that allows Widgets.
Why can I not find Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 11?
Windows 11 Home does not include Local Group Policy Editor by default. Use the Registry policy under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh instead, or hide the taskbar button through Settings.
Is AllowNewsAndInterests the same as AllowWidgets?
For this Windows 11 policy, use the exact value name AllowNewsAndInterests. Microsoft maps that policy to the Widgets feature; do not rename the value to AllowWidgets.
What is the difference between AllowNewsAndInterests and TaskbarDa?
AllowNewsAndInterests is the device policy that disables Widgets when set to 0 under HKLM. TaskbarDa is a per-user taskbar-visibility setting under HKCU; setting it to 0 hides only the button.
Can I reinstall the Windows Web Experience Pack after removing it?
Yes. Open Microsoft Store, search for Windows Web Experience Pack, and select Get or Install. Windows servicing or the Store may also reinstall or update it.
The Bottom Line
For most people, Settings → Personalization → Taskbar → Taskbar items → Widgets → Off is enough. It removes the button without changing Windows components. If Widgets must be disabled rather than merely hidden, set the Allow widgets Group Policy to Disabled, or create AllowNewsAndInterests=0 under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh. Remove the Windows Web Experience Pack only when you specifically need to remove the underlying package and accept the additional maintenance involved.
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