❌ – As of 2026, there’s no WhatsApp widget, no Slack widget, no Discord, no Spotify full player (just a limited preview), and no Google services (Calendar, Keep, Gmail). Developers have shown little interest.
✅ – Widgets are responsive, load quickly, and respect your system theme (light/dark mode). widgets #windows 11
It’s worth trying out for weather and calendar. If you hate the news feed, you can turn off the Widgets button entirely via taskbar settings. For most users, third-party apps like Rainmeter (classic desktop widgets) or simply pinning apps to the taskbar remain better alternatives. ❌ – As of 2026, there’s no WhatsApp
✅ – Unlike third-party bloatware, the Widgets pane is relatively lightweight and doesn’t drain battery on laptops. The Bad: Where It Stumbles ❌ Forced News Feed – The most criticized aspect. You cannot remove the “News” section entirely. You can hide individual feeds, but a blank space remains. This feels like Microsoft forcing its MSN ad-supported content on you. It’s worth trying out for weather and calendar
❌ – Unlike macOS Sonoma/Sequoia or Android, you cannot place widgets on your Windows 11 desktop background. They remain locked inside the pane. For many users, this defeats the purpose.