Although widgets lost popularity in Windows due to poor performance and bugs in previous versions of Bill Gates' operating system, they have now reemerged better than ever. And in Windows 10, these small programs have been optimized to help you improve your productivity in your routine tasks and do not cause performance failures.
So, if you are interested in these programs on your computer, keep reading because Let's see what widgets are and how we can add them to the desktop in Windows 10.
What are desktop widgets in Windows 10?
Before showing you how to add widgets to the Windows 10 desktop screen, I want to clarify what these widgets are since it is a term that is used less and less. Despite this, They are still very present on our devices, both on Windows and Android or even on iOS, and they are getting better and better.
For Widgets are quick start programs or applications that we can have directly on the Windows desktop. to improve our productivity or to have different shortcuts to useful tools. To give you an idea, the clock we have on our mobile phone or the calendar we have on our computer desktop are widgets.
And basically, if we imagine that our desktop, instead of being digital, was physical, it would be how to have tools at our fingertips to use at any time. Like the blacksmith who always has a hammer within reach. The difference is that the tools we have on the computer are somewhat more sophisticated.
As you see, the widgets are tools that we can have quickly and they are incorporated into our computer desktop, but they do not have to be as simple (and useful) as the clock or the calculator. Some of the most used and common widgets to see are the following.
- Music player: Control your favorite music without having to open the full app. You can pause, play and change songs easily.
- Calendar: To always keep in mind what day it is and your next appointments.
- Weather forecast: To know if you need to bring the umbrella or sunglasses.
- news feed: Stay up to date with the latest news from your favorite sources right on your desktop.
- Fast notes: A perfect tool for setting reminders, routines or to-do lists.
- System monitoring: For the most geeky, who want to know at all times the performance of your PC. Very useful if you have a gamer computer.
- Social media feed: Check the latest posts from different social networks instantly and directly from your desktop.
So, if you want to have these and other widgets on hand, you can add them to the Windows 10 desktop in a very simple way. We will do this with the application Widget Launcher, I tell you.
How to Add Widgets to the Desktop with Widget Launcher
Well, now that we know what they are, let's see how you can add these widgets to your desktop in Windows 10 using an app called Widget Launcher (formerly known as HD Widgets). It's very simple, let's see.
The first thing is to download the Widget Launcher app from the Microsoft Store To do this, open the Microsoft Store and In the search engine write Widget Launcher. Click and go to your applications page Tap on “Get”. Your download will begin and you will have to wait a few seconds for this app to install. Once installed you can click "Open" where before it said get.
Once the Widget Launcher application is installed and open, we will have to Follow the following steps to add new widgets to the desktop.
- With the app open we will have to tap on the left side menu tab what does it say "Home".
- There you will see all the widgets that you have to add to your desktop. Tap the one you want to integrate into your PC first.
- When you touch, you will see that a simple configuration menu appears where you can choose the color of the widget and its transparency. When you are happy with your design Click on “Launch Widget”.
- You will see that on your screen the widget appears at the top left in question.
That's how easy it is add widgets to the desktop in Windows 10. But keep in mind that the Widget Launcher app must be running at all times if we want to have these tools. If we close Windget Launcher, we will lose all the widgets on the screen until the app is reopened.
Also, it's good that you know that each widget can be configured beyond the layout since, if, for example, we add a social media feed widget, we will have to indicate the URL of the feed in question. To configure this or any other widget you must look at the window of the widget itself since it has a button with a gear icon that is the “Settings” button. With that button you can configure more options.
And if you want You can customize the size by tapping on the points that the widget has in its lower right corner. Likewise also you can move the widget to the place you want inside your desktop and increase the transparency so that you can clearly see both the screen and the widget itself.
So you already know, This is the best way to add widgets to the Windows 10 desktop. Did it seem simple to you? What widgets are you interested in incorporating? I read you in comments.
I am a technology enthusiast who has turned his "geek" interests into a profession. I have spent more than 10 years of my life using cutting-edge technology and tinkering with all kinds of programs out of pure curiosity. Now I have specialized in computer technology and video games. This is because for more than 5 years I have been writing for various websites on technology and video games, creating articles that seek to give you the information you need in a language that is understandable to everyone.
If you have any questions, my knowledge ranges from everything related to the Windows operating system as well as Android for mobile phones. And my commitment is to you, I am always willing to spend a few minutes and help you resolve any questions you may have in this internet world.