Microsoft announces widgets for Windows 11, promising 'personalized feed powered by AI'

Windows 11 Widgets Official (Image credit: Microsoft)

What you need to know

Windows 11 will include widgets that will work with developer apps.
Before the OS was officially announced, it was believed that the widgets might be limited to Microsoft.
Developers will be able to use widgets to build interactive experiences.

Microsoft announced Windows 11 today, including a long list of new features. The new operating system will support widgets, allowing developers to create interactive experiences. Widgets are popular on Android, iOS, and iPadOS, so adding support for them on Windows should help Microsoft catch up with its competition.

Windows 11 Widgets Fullscreen — Source: Microsoft (Image credit: Source: Microsoft)

Before the official announcement of Windows 11, it was believed that widgets might be limited to content from Microsoft, essentially making it a repurposed news and interests widget. That is not the case, as Microsoft explained that it will open the platform up to developers.

Microsoft's Panos Panay calls widgets a "beautiful sheet of glass" that delivers a personalized feed powered by AI." He didn't detail how the feature will work, but it has been confirmed by Microsoft that at some point, developers will be able to access it.

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This is a developing story. We will add more information as it becomes available.

Sean Endicott is a News Writer at Windows Central, where he covers Windows 11, Surface hardware, Microsoft 365, AI, apps, and the broader PC ecosystem. Since joining the site in 2017, he has written well over a thousand articles across the Microsoft landscape, covering breaking news, analysis, and feature reporting.

He writes Windows Wrap, a weekly column covering the biggest stories in Windows and the PC industry, and what they mean for the platform going forward.

Before joining Windows Central full-time, Sean worked in journalism and media production after earning a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University. Outside of tech, he is an award-winning American football coach based in Nottingham, England, and was named BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year in 2024.