Windows 11 will soon get a separate notification center for Widgets

Microsoft is busy working on a new set of improvements for Windows Widgets. One of the biggest and most-requested recent changes was the ability to turn off the news feed and keep widgets only. A few more useful changes are coming soon, and you can test some of them in the recently released build 26058.

The company does not want you to give up its MSN newsfeed, so it is working on a new toggle that lets you quickly switch from widget-only to widget + news mode. The new button will sit on the left side of the widget board alongside the settings button.

As for more practical changes, look out for a new notification center in Windows 11. The operating system already has one for app notifications, and Microsoft thinks Windows Widgets deserve their own place for keeping track of all the alerts you receive throughout the day. Those notifications can include critical weather alerts for your location, stock notifications, and breaking news.

Microsoft is gradually rolling out the updated widgets experience, and it wants to hear your feedback about it. If your Windows 11 build 26058 does not have the latest widget improvements, here is how to force-enable them using the ViVeTool app:

1. Download ViveTool from GitHub and unpack the files in a convenient and easy-to-find folder.
2. Launch Command Prompt as Administrator or elevated Windows Terminal in Command Prompt mode.
3. Navigate to the folder containing the ViveTool files with the CD command. For example, if you have placed ViveTool in C:\Vive, type CD C:\Vive.
4. Type vivetool /enable /id:47370305,48064775 and press Enter.
5. Restart your computer.

If you would like your taskbar not to distract you with notifications and messages, you can always turn them off in Windows Widgets settings. Open the widget board and go to Settings > Notifications.

Credit for the IDs goes to @PhantomOfEarth on X.

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