Most of us have a love/hate relationship with Microsoft Widgets. You either like or you don’t.
Widgets is a specific section created by Microsoft that displays dynamic content. It shows us content from our apps, and new content like news and information from Microsoft endorsed sources.
We have the option of adding or removing these specific widgets. As the number of widgets increases, the program will utilize more of your computing resources.
Many users do not like widget icons hanging around on the taskbar or want to get rid of them permanently; we have compiled a guaranteed list of solutions.
Try the alternative that best suits your needs, and the widget icon or program will be gone for good.
Table of Contents
Remove Widgets Icon From Taskbar Windows 11
Consider this a method to remove the widget icon from the taskbar. Remember, we are removing the icon, not the program. The widget system will still work when you press Windows key +W.
The methods specified below are perfect for users who do not like the widget icon popping up on the taskbar but don’t want to uninstall it permanently.
Remember, the taskbar has to be working properly for this method to work. If your taskbar is not working properly or shows any flickering issues, you may have to troubleshoot the taskbar first. So, let’s look at how you can remove Widgets.
Taskbar Settings Method
- Right-click on a blank region of the taskbar.
- Select Taskbar settings.
- Find Widgets under Taskbar items and toggle it off.
Registry Method
- Press Windows key + R and run regedit
- Paste the following address in the address bar:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

3. Find an option titled TaskbarDa and change its value to 0
CMD/ Powershell Method
This CMD / Powershell method is an alternative to the above registry method. It disables the widget icon on the taskbar.
Remember, If your registry doesn’t have a Taskbarda, this step will not work. You will have to create the taskbarda folder by the procedure stated above.
- Press Windows Key and search either cmd or powershell.
- Right-click on it and select Run as administrator
- Run the following command:
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /f /v TaskbarDa /t REG_DWORD /d 0

Group Policy Editor
- Press Windows Key + R and tun gpedit.msc
- Go to Computer Configuration> Administrative Template> Windows components > Widgets
- Double click on Allow widgets
- A pop-up will open; make sure you select disabled.
Remove Widgets Permanently From Taskbar in Windows 11
The following methods are a permanent solution to removing the widget program, not just the icon from the taskbar.
Remove Widgets From Taskbar Through Cmd/ Powershell
- Press the start button and search CMD or Powershell
- Right-click on cmd/ Powershell and select Run as administrator
- Run the following command
Winget uninstall "windows web experience pack"

4. Run the following command:
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /f /v TaskbarDa /t REG_DWORD /d 0
If you ever need the widget back, you can download it from the official Microsoft website. Once downloaded, run the following command to undo the widget icon not showing in the taskbar:
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /f /v TaskbarDa /t REG_DWORD /d 1
Remove Particular Widgets From the Widget Board
The most annoying thing is that there is a lot of news and feeds in the widgets section that we don’t even care about.
So, if we still like the widget program but do not like individual interest widgets in that program, the solution is to remove it.
Removing Particular Widget
- Press Windows Key + W
- Find the widget you do not like and click on the three-dotted button on its side.
- Select Unpin Widget
Stop Future Incoming Feed in the Widget Board
- Press the Windows key + W
- Select the “+” or the profile pic icon on the top right-hand corner.
- A pop-up will open and select manage interests.
- This action will reroute you to Microsoft Start
- Under My Interests > Discover Interests, you can choose or uncheck interests.
Under discover interest, all content sources categories will be displayed. All sources that are ticked are allowed to send content via widgets.
If you uncheck any interest categories, the widget will stop taking a feed from those sources in the future.
Remove Information Card From Widget Board
- Press the widget icon to open the widget board.
- Select the “+” or profile pic icon on the top right-hand corner.
- Select Manage interests on the pop-up box
- Once in Microsoft Start, select Experience settings
- Go to Information card and toggle off any card you don’t like.
- Go to the widget board again and click on the three-dotted button on the particular information card.
- Select Hide/ Unpin Widget