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Use the Windows 11 Widgets board to add available cards, remove cards you no longer want, or drag cards into a new order. Open the board from the taskbar or press Windows key + W. Select + to choose a widget, use a card’s More options menu to remove it, and drag its header to reposition it in the pinned section. These controls change the board, not the taskbar’s other icons or the separate lock-screen widget list.
Know which Windows 11 widget surface you are changing
Windows 11 presents widgets in more than one place. Most questions about adding, removing, or moving widgets refer to the main Widgets board. A separate set of controls manages the Widgets entry on the taskbar, and another settings page manages widgets on the lock screen. Choosing the wrong surface can make an otherwise correct instruction appear not to work.
| Surface | How to open or manage it | What you can change |
|---|---|---|
| Main Widgets board | Open it from the taskbar or press Windows key + W. | Add cards with +, remove a card with More options > Remove widget, and drag a card header to change its order in the pinned section. |
| Taskbar Widgets entry | Right-click the taskbar, choose Taskbar settings, then look under Taskbar items. | Turn the taskbar entry on or off. Turning it off hides the entry but does not remove the board. |
| Lock-screen widgets | Go to Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. | Add supported items, remove or customize items from their menus where available, and drag items higher or lower to change their reading order. |
Microsoft describes widgets as a convenient way to see information and perform quick actions without launching the associated app or website; they are not replacements for full applications. The controls are built into Windows, so this procedure does not require a separate accessory, utility, or physical product.
Before you start
Decide whether you are changing a card, a taskbar entry, or the lock-screen list. That one distinction prevents most mistakes. Removing a card does not hide the taskbar button. Hiding the taskbar button does not remove cards. Reordering a card on the board does not change the order of lock-screen information.
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You also need to work with the controls that your installation actually shows. Widget availability depends on supported apps and device configuration. Microsoft does not promise that every widget shown elsewhere will be offered on every Windows 11 PC, and the documentation does not provide a universal, build-by-build catalog. Treat the picker and the lock-screen catalog on your own computer as the authoritative lists.
Open the Widgets board
The board is the starting point for adding, removing, and rearranging cards.
- Select the Widgets entry on the taskbar, if it is visible.
- Alternatively, press Windows key + W. Microsoft also documents opening the board by swiping from the side of the screen on supported configurations.
- Wait for the dashboard to appear. The cards you see depend on widgets installed and supported on your device.
If the taskbar entry is hidden, that does not delete the board. The Windows key + W shortcut remains an access route even when Widgets is switched off under the taskbar settings. This is useful if you prefer a cleaner taskbar but still want occasional access to the board.
Opening the board is not the same as launching a full application. A card provides a compact view or quick action; selecting a link or action inside it can still take you to the associated app or website.
Add a widget to the Windows 11 board
Use the widget picker
- Open the Widgets board with the taskbar entry or Windows key + W.
- Select the + button. This opens the widget picker.
- Review the widgets offered by the picker. It shows widgets installed on the device and the entries available to that Windows installation.
- Select the widget you want to add. Windows places its card in the board’s pinned section.
- Close the picker and check the board. The new card should now be present alongside your existing cards.
The picker is not a promise that every widget exists on every PC. Availability depends on supported apps and the device configuration. If a widget you expect is missing, check whether its supporting app is installed and whether that widget is offered for your setup. An app can be present without offering a widget on a particular device, so do not assume that installing an unrelated version will add a card.
If you are adding several cards, add them one at a time and then arrange them by dragging their headers. This keeps the task focused: the picker controls which cards are present, while the board itself controls their order.
Find additional supported-app widgets
Microsoft says new widgets for supported apps can be discovered and installed from the Widgets page in Microsoft Store. The Store route is for obtaining software that supplies a widget; it is not a physical accessory or a separate hardware requirement.
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- Look for the option to discover or install additional widgets through Microsoft Store.
- Choose a supported app’s widget listing and follow the Store’s installation flow.
- Return to the widget picker and add the newly available card.
A Store listing or an app’s presence on another Windows device does not guarantee that its widget will be available on yours. Microsoft’s documentation describes availability in terms of supported apps, so treat the picker on your own PC as the authoritative list. If the Store route does not offer a compatible listing, there is no documented setting in these instructions that can force the widget to appear.
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What adding a widget does and does not do
Adding a widget adds its card to the board’s pinned section. It does not rearrange other taskbar icons, change the lock-screen list, or turn the Widgets taskbar entry on or off. Those are separate surfaces with separate controls.
Likewise, a widget card is not a replacement for the associated application. Microsoft’s description is intentionally limited: widgets provide convenient information and quick actions without launching the full app or website. Use the full application when you need capabilities that the compact card does not provide.
Remove a widget card without changing the taskbar
Removing a card is a board-level action. It takes that card out of the dashboard; it is different from hiding the Widgets entry on the taskbar.
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- Open the Widgets board.
- Locate the card you no longer want in the pinned section.
- Select More options in the card’s upper corner.
- Choose Remove widget.
- Check the board to make sure the card is no longer present.
Microsoft’s instruction is specifically about removing the card from the dashboard. It does not state that this command uninstalls the associated app. If you later need the card, open the + picker and add it again when it is available. If your actual goal is to remove the application, manage that application separately rather than using the widget menu.
Do not use the taskbar switch as a substitute for card removal. Turning Widgets off under Taskbar items hides the entry, but it leaves the board and its card configuration intact. You can turn the entry back on later and access the same board.
Rearrange widgets on the board
Reordering is a drag-and-drop action within the pinned section. It does not rearrange app icons on the taskbar.
- Open the Widgets board.
- Move the pointer to the widget’s header, the top area used to identify the card.
- Press and hold the header, then drag the card toward the position you want.
- Release the card when the insertion position appears.
- Check the pinned section to make sure the cards now read in the order you prefer.
Drag the header rather than a control inside the card. Links, buttons, and other interactive elements are intended to open or operate the widget; the header is the handle for changing board order. If you are trying to change what appears first on the lock screen, use the separate lock-screen procedure instead.
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If the card does not move, start the gesture from the header and remain within the pinned section while dragging. Do not drag from a link, button, or other interactive part of the card. A taskbar icon will not respond to this gesture because taskbar arrangement is outside the board controls documented here.
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Hide or show the Widgets entry on the taskbar
Use Taskbar settings when the goal is to remove the Widgets button from the taskbar, not to delete cards from the board.
- Right-click an empty area of the taskbar.
- Select Taskbar settings.
- Under Taskbar items, find Widgets.
- Switch Widgets off to hide the taskbar entry, or on to show it again.
Switching this setting off changes the taskbar’s visible entry. It does not remove the Widgets board itself: press Windows key + W to open the board while the entry is hidden. To remove individual cards, use each card’s More options > Remove widget command instead.
This setting is useful when you want to reduce taskbar clutter without losing the board. Conversely, turning the entry back on is the appropriate fix when the button is missing but you still want one-click access. Neither state changes which cards are pinned.
Manage widgets on the Windows 11 lock screen
Lock-screen widgets use a different settings workflow from the main board. Do not try to drag a board card when your goal is to change the information shown before sign-in.
Open the lock-screen widget list
- Select Start.
- Open Settings.
- Choose Personalization.
- Select Lock screen.
- Find the Widgets list.
Add an item
Select Add widget to view the lock-screen catalog, then choose an available item. Microsoft says only widgets that support a small size can currently be added to the lock screen. A widget that works on the main board may therefore be unavailable in this list. The lock-screen catalog, rather than the main board picker, determines what can be added to this surface.
Change the reading order
Drag an item higher in the list when you want it to appear earlier in the lock-screen reading order. Move it lower when it is less important. This is list reordering, not the card-drag gesture used on the main board.
Remove or customize an item
Open an item’s More options menu. Choose the available remove or customization command. The exact choices can vary by widget; Microsoft documents these controls as available where supported. For the complete lock-screen workflow, see Microsoft’s Customize the Lock Screen in Windows guide.
Changing the lock-screen list does not remove the corresponding card from the main board. If you want it gone in both places, perform the board removal and the lock-screen removal separately, provided the item is supported on both surfaces.
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Choose the right action for the result you want
- Want a new information card on the dashboard? Open the board, select +, and choose an available widget.
- Want one card gone from the dashboard? Open that card’s More options menu and select Remove widget.
- Want cards in a different order on the dashboard? Drag each card by its header within the pinned section.
- Want the taskbar to stop showing the Widgets entry? Turn Widgets off under Taskbar settings > Taskbar items.
- Want information ordered on the lock screen? Use Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and move items in the Widgets list.
- Want to see the board after hiding its taskbar entry? Press Windows key + W.
- Want a widget that is not listed? Check the supported-app options through the Widgets page in Microsoft Store, then return to the picker.
Troubleshoot common widget problems
The Widgets button is missing from the taskbar
The entry may simply be turned off. Right-click the taskbar, open Taskbar settings, and switch Widgets on under Taskbar items. If you prefer to leave the entry hidden, press Windows key + W to open the board directly. A missing button alone does not show that the board or its cards were removed.
Windows key + W opens the board, but the widget you want is absent
Open the + picker and review the available list. Microsoft ties widget availability to supported apps, so the absence of a card can reflect app or device support rather than a failed add operation. Check the Widgets page in Microsoft Store for supported-app widgets, install one that is offered for your device, then return to the picker. Do not assume that a widget available on another PC must be available on yours.
Removing a card did not remove an app
That is expected from the documented command. Remove widget removes the card from the dashboard; Microsoft does not describe it as an app-uninstall command. Manage the app separately if your objective is to remove the software itself. If you only wanted the card out of view, no app change is needed.
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Make sure you are dragging the widget’s header and that the card is in the main board’s pinned section. A lock-screen item is reordered from the lock-screen Widgets list, while a taskbar icon is managed in Taskbar settings. These are separate controls and do not respond to the board’s card-drag action. Starting on a button or link inside a card can activate that control instead of moving the card.
A widget is available on the board but not on the lock screen
Lock-screen support is narrower: Microsoft currently requires a widget to support a small size before it can be added there. Return to Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, choose Add widget, and use only items offered in that catalog. Main-board availability alone is not enough.
I hid Widgets and now cannot find the board
Hiding the taskbar entry does not remove the board. Press Windows key + W to open it, or return to Taskbar settings > Taskbar items and switch Widgets on. The setting controls visibility of the entry, not the existence of the board.
The lock-screen order changed, but the board order did not
That result is normal because the two surfaces use separate workflows. Board cards are reordered by dragging a card header in the pinned section. Lock-screen items are reordered by moving entries in the Widgets list at Personalization > Lock screen. Repeat the change on the surface you actually want to modify.
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The quickest way to avoid accidental changes is to identify the object you are editing before selecting a command. The board’s +, card menu, and drag handle change cards. Taskbar settings change only whether the Widgets entry is shown. Lock-screen settings change a separate list whose order controls what appears earlier on the lock screen. Microsoft’s taskbar documentation covers the taskbar switch at Customize the Taskbar in Windows.
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With that distinction in mind, the normal workflow is simple: open the board with the taskbar entry or Windows key + W, add supported cards from +, remove unwanted cards through More options, and drag headers to set the pinned order. Use Taskbar settings only for the taskbar entry and the Lock screen settings page only for lock-screen widgets. Microsoft’s Windows 11 Widgets guidance is the reference for the board controls, while its lock-screen guidance covers the separate list and its small-size requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add a widget in Windows 11?
Open the Widgets board from the taskbar or press Windows key + W. Select the + button, choose an available widget, and check the pinned section for the new card. Availability depends on supported apps and your device.
How do I remove a widget from the Windows 11 board?
Open the card’s More options menu in the upper corner and select Remove widget. This removes the card from the board; it does not uninstall the associated app.
How do I move widgets around in Windows 11?
On the main board, press and hold a widget’s header and drag it to the desired position in the pinned section. Do not drag from a link or button inside the card.
How do I remove Widgets from the taskbar?
Right-click the taskbar, select Taskbar settings, find Widgets under Taskbar items, and switch it off. The board remains available with Windows key + W.
Why is a widget missing from the picker?
The widget may depend on a supported app that is not installed or not offered for your device. Check the Widgets page in Microsoft Store for supported-app options, then return to the + picker.
Can I use every board widget on the lock screen?
No. Microsoft says only widgets that support a small size can currently be added to the lock screen. Use Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Add widget to see the supported catalog.
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Open Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. In the Widgets list, drag an item higher or lower to change its lock-screen reading order. This does not reorder cards on the main board.
Does removing a widget uninstall its app?
No. Remove widget is documented as a card-removal command. If you want to remove the software, manage the associated app separately.
The Bottom Line
Use the main board for cards: press Windows key + W, select + to add, choose More options > Remove widget to remove, and drag a card header to rearrange. Use Taskbar settings > Taskbar items only to show or hide the taskbar entry. Use Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen for the separate lock-screen list, where only small-size-supported widgets are currently eligible.
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