Windows 11 may soon support third-party widgets

Windows 11 Widgets 4 (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

Windows 11 may soon support third-party widgets within the Widgets panel.
Developers will reportedly be able to submit widgets through the Microsoft Store.
Presently, only a small collection of widgets is available on Windows 11.

Windows 11 has a Widgets panel, but it's relatively limited since it only supports widgets from Microsoft. At the moment, it can show weather, news, traffic, and a selection of other information. You can also show your Outlook Calendar, photos, and items from Microsoft To Do within the Widgets panel. Soon, a vast library of widgets could become available. Developer FireCube claims that Microsoft will soon announce support for third-party widgets.

Based on screenshots shared by FireCube, Microsoft will soon let developers publish widgets through the Microsoft Store. The process of getting widgets into the store would be the same as submitting an application. It appears that a few types of widgets will be supported, including web widgets. This would provide developers with a few options for getting widgets onto Windows 11.

Information about third party widgets, publishing widgets and more. Looks like Microsoft is soon going to announce third party widgets officially.#Windows11 pic.twitter.com/ASRD98IMI6Information about third party widgets, publishing widgets and more. Looks like Microsoft is soon going to announce third party widgets officially.#Windows11 pic.twitter.com/ASRD98IMI6— FireCube (@FireCubeStudios) January 16, 2022 January 16, 2022

If Windows 11 does support third-party widgets, the Widgets panel would become significantly more useful. The expansion of functionality would depend on third-party developers, but there's a passionate community of Windows developers that would likely create a range of widgets.

We'll have to wait to hear from Microsoft to confirm the expansion of the Widgets panel.

While the Widgets panel is limited at the moment, it can still show certain content. We have a guide on how to personalize the Widgets panel on Windows 11 to help you get started.

Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.