Mac and Windows how-to: Add widgets to your desktop

February 21, 2025

By Kim Komando

Right on my Mac desktop, I can check my mouse battery (38% and dropping), see where my son Ian is (at work), get the latest weather update (hello, sunny Phoenix!), and even keep track of time with a world clock.

Widgets are like mini windows into your favorite apps, giving you instant info without the hassle of opening them up. Want to set yours up? I’ve got you covered!

For all my Windows pals

These steps may vary if you’ve already played around with widgets. Windows displays widgets in a board you can access by hovering over the weather icon in your taskbar or pressing Windows + W.

• Click the + (plus) at the top to add new widgets, then Pin any you like. To see more options, follow Find more widgets.
• Click the three dots (top left) on any widget to remove or customize it. For the stocks widget, for instance, you can pick which stocks are shown.

⭐ Photos and Shopping are useful, but look around and see what works for you. To put widgets on your actual Windows desktop, not a pop-up panel, you’ll need a third-party app, like the freemium Widget Launcher.

If you’re using macOS

On your desktop, click the date and time in the top right corner. The notification center pops up. That’s where you’ll find widgets. 

• Click Edit Widgets at the bottom of the panel to add new ones. You can also hit Cmd + click on the desktop, then pick Edit Widgets to add them directly. You’ll get lots of choices, from news feeds to sticky notes.

Drag widgets down from the notification center to the desktop to move them. macOS will arrange them in a grid to keep your desktop tidy.

Pro tip: If you’ve got a MacBook, you definitely need the battery widget. It’ll remind you how much juice is left in your laptop aka how quickly you need to find a charger.

🤣 Why’d the pirate update his MacBook? His matey told him he needed an iPatch. (Sorry, had to.)