Top 6 Ways to Fix Widgets Not Working on Windows 11

So if you are having trouble using widgets because they blank load or don’t fully work, we’re here to help. This article has compiled a few troubleshooting fixes that should make widgets work again. So let’s check them out.

1. Activate widgets

If you are unable to locate the Widgets icon in your taskbar, it is because you have not enabled it. Read along to find out how to activate it.

Step 1: Right click on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.

2nd step: Under the taskbar items, activate the Widgets button.

Once you see the Widgets icon, click on it or press Windows key + W on your keyboard to open the Widgets panel.

2. Restart the widgets

If the Windows 11 Widgets panel is empty or not loading widgets properly, you can try restarting the Windows Widgets process using Task Manager. Here’s how.

Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to quickly launch Task Manager. Click the More Details button to expand it.

2nd step: Under Background Processes, scroll down to find and select Windows Widgets. Now click on the End task button to close it.

Now go ahead and try opening the Widgets panel to see if they look good now.

3. Sign in with a Microsoft account

Since the Widgets panel uses your Microsoft account to display your calendar, weather, relevant news, etc., the Widgets panel will not work for you if you are signed in with a local account on your PC. So, you can try to switch to a Microsoft account by following the steps below.

Step 1: Press Windows key + I to launch the Settings app. Go to the Accounts tab using the left pane and choose the option Your information.

2nd step: Under Account settings, click “Sign in with a Microsoft account instead” and enter your sign-in information to continue.

4. Set Microsoft Edge as the default browser

Widgets on Windows 11 are tightly integrated with Microsoft Edge. So, the widgets not working issue can also arise if you have set your default web browser to Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or any other browser for that matter. You can try reverting to Microsoft Edge as your default browser to see if that helps. Here’s how.

Step 1: Press Windows key + I to launch the Settings app. Switch to the Applications tab and navigate to Default Applications.

2nd step: Scroll down and select your current default browser.

Step 3: Under “.htm”, click on your current web browser.

Step 4: Choose Microsoft Edge from the menu that appears and click OK. Repeat this for the rest of the file formats as well.

5. Install Microsoft Edge WebView2

Microsoft Edge WebView2 is a component of Windows 11 responsible for integrating web content into your PC’s native applications, including widgets. So, if the problem persists even after changing your default browser to Microsoft Edge, it may be due to the lack of WebView2.

So go ahead and install Microsoft Edge WebView2 on your PC. Once installed, restart your PC and see if you can use widgets now.

Download Microsoft Edge WebView2

6. Disable the graphics driver

A graphics driver is software on your PC responsible for connecting the operating system to your PC’s hardware. Sometimes minor issues with the graphics driver can also cause issues with widgets. Oddly enough, temporarily disabling the graphics driver worked for many users while solving this problem. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Click the Search icon in the taskbar, type Device Manager, and press Enter.

2nd step: In the Device Manager window, expand Display Adapters and double-click on your graphics card to open its properties.

Step 3: In the next window, switch to the Driver tab and click on Disable device. Finally, click on OK.

If there are multiple graphics cards on your PC, repeat this process to turn them off. Now try to use the widgets on Windows 11. If they are working fine, you can activate the drivers by following the same steps above.

Information at a glance

The Widgets panel has been a welcome addition to Windows 11. And you can expect your favorite apps to appear on the panel as soon as third-party developers step in and take advantage of this feature. In the meantime, we can expect Microsoft to improve the overall widget experience on Windows 11 by sorting out these bugs and errors.