Windows 11 may get support for third-party widgets like Windows Vista

Windows 11 is completely based on WinUI design improvements, and it also brings back a long-lost feature called "widgets", similar to Windows Vista gadgets. If you have used Windows 7 or Windows Vista in the past, you must be familiar with the term gadget or widget.

Unfortunately, Windows 11 widgets are not entirely based on the Windows Vista or Windows 7 widget concepts. Currently, Windows 11 cannot pin to the desktop, they only appear in the widget palette. Additionally, the widget options in the current version are only the Microsoft Apps widget and the News and Interests feed.

Reliable news previously revealed that Microsoft is planning to add support for third-party widgets. It turns out that third-party widgets will be included in Windows 11 version 22H2, based on documents we've seen. Third-party support will allow you to customize the widget board to your liking.

Windows 11 version 22H2 will only support third-party widgets, with third-party support later rolled out to the original version of the operating system.

It’s worth noting that we couldn’t find APIs related to third-party widgets in the current preview or stable versions of the operating system, suggesting that the initial third-party preview is still weeks or months away. time.

Third-party widget support for Windows 11

The third-party widget functionality for Windows 11 will require a new version of Windows Web Experience Pack, and developers will be able to publish their widgets in the Microsoft Store part.

As Windows 11 uses the Web Experience Pack for widget boards, Microsoft will also introduce third-party support for older versions of the operating system. The move will significantly improve the widget panel, but it's unclear whether the tech giant will allow apps that aren't listed on the Microsoft Store.

It's likely that more developers will start working with Microsoft on new widgets for Windows 11, possibly sooner than expected, as the company hopes the feature will be ready by summer 2022.

As part of the Sun Valley 2 update, the Windows widget pane will be moved to the left side of the screen, and users will be able to view weather updates directly on the taskbar, similar to the Windows 10 taskbar's News and Interests widgets.

Previous reports indicate that Microsoft plans to launch Windows 11 version 22H2 "Sun Valley 2" in the summer of 2022. The release date isn't surprising, as it will be an anniversary update for the operating system, and a late-summer rollout would align perfectly with the original version of the major release.

In addition to the new widget experience, Sun Valley 2 is expected to add drag-and-drop functionality to the taskbar, improve the Start menu, and introduce support for new customization options.

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