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Windows 11 lock-screen widgets show compact information before you sign in. Desktop widgets appear as cards in the Widgets dashboard, which you open from the taskbar or with Windows key + W. They share the Widgets ecosystem, but differ in where they appear, how you manage them, and what they let you do.
How lock-screen and desktop widgets differ
| Feature | Lock-screen widgets | Desktop Widgets |
|---|---|---|
| Where they appear | On the lock screen, before sign-in. Microsoft’s lock-screen instructions | In the Widgets dashboard, reached from its taskbar entry or with Windows key + W. Microsoft’s Widgets guide |
| Where you manage them | Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen | In the Widgets dashboard and its settings |
| Size and layout | Only widgets that support a small size can be added. Their order in Settings matches their reading order on the lock screen. | Cards can be added, moved, and customized; Small, Medium, or Large sizes are available when a widget supports them. |
| Typical use | Glance at weather and other available information without unlocking. | Browse and interact with cards for weather, news, stocks, photos, and other provider content. |
| More detail | Selecting a widget to see more takes you through sign-in to the provider’s landing page. | Use a card’s available controls and options in the dashboard. |
Microsoft describes Widgets as a convenient way to get important information and perform quick actions without launching the associated app or website. The dashboard is a card-based surface, not a set of free-floating desktop gadgets. Its Discover dashboard is a separate, curated news stream. Microsoft Support: Stay up to date with Widgets in Windows
Show, hide, or change lock-screen widgets
- Open Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
- Under Widgets, review the available items. Their order in Settings determines their reading order on the lock screen.
- To remove or customize an item, open its more-options menu. Customization depends on whether its provider offers that option.
- Select Add widget to view the available catalog. Only widgets that support a small size can be added to the lock screen.
- Switch Widgets off to hide them from the lock screen.
Microsoft’s lock-screen Weather and more experience can show current weather and dynamic updates such as finance, sports, and traffic. Its list cannot currently be customized inside that experience. Instead, adjust location, language, region, and temperature units in Widgets settings. Microsoft’s lock-screen instructions
Open and manage the Widgets dashboard
- Open the dashboard by selecting the Widgets area on the taskbar or pressing Windows key + W. Microsoft also documents a side-swipe gesture on supported devices.
- To show or hide the taskbar entry, go to Taskbar settings and change the Widgets setting. Hiding the taskbar entry does not remove the Windows key + W shortcut. Microsoft’s taskbar instructions
- In the dashboard, add installed widgets. Use a card’s more-options menu to remove, move, resize, or customize it where those controls are available.
Available widgets and controls depend on the widget and its provider. Microsoft’s documentation describes these features; interface wording and catalog availability can change with Windows updates. Microsoft’s Widgets guide
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Location, personalization, and privacy
Microsoft says lock-screen widget content may use an estimated location. If Windows Location is enabled, it may provide the estimate; otherwise, Windows may estimate location from the internet connection’s IP address. Location, language, region, and temperature-unit preferences for the lock-screen Weather and more experience come from Widgets settings. Microsoft’s lock-screen instructions
Microsoft notes that individual widgets and dashboards may be powered by different apps or services and may collect data; data practices are not necessarily the same for every widget. To identify a widget’s provider, check its Powered by information in the more-options menu. Microsoft’s Widgets guide
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Best Value
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