Microsoft is getting ready to let Windows 11 users install third-party widgets from the Store

According to new findings, Microsoft is preparing to let third-party developers create and distribute custom Windows 11 widgets using the Microsoft Store. FireCube (@FireCubeStudios) uncovered evidence of the upcoming feature upgrade in a widgets manifest update (FireCube spotted a similar leak in January this year).

Third-party offerings will make the Windows Widgets space much more useful in everyday use. For now, it provides only a few basic first-party widgets, such as a calendar, to-do list, photos from OneDrive, weather, traffic, etc. The lack of support from other developers makes Windows Widgets look and feel half-baked and not ready for its prime time, especially compared to the rich widget ecosystem on iOS and Android.

You can access Windows Widgets by pressing Win + W, clicking the widgets button on the taskbar, or swiping from the left edge of the screen. Microsoft also uses the bottom-left corner of the screen to display weather on the taskbar, and many users want the company to allow replacing the weather with a third-party choice.

During the most recent Windows 11 event, Microsoft also teased an updated Windows Widgets space with a full-screen UI, which would provide more screen real estate to accommodate all the third-party widgets from your favorite developers. Of course, that's if those developers would be willing to bother developing the widgets for Windows 11.

Microsoft is getting ready to let Windows 11 users install third-party widgets from the Store