Users can customize the sidebar to their liking by adding or removing widgets, resizing them, and rearranging their order. Additionally, users can also add third-party widgets from the Microsoft Store.
Microsoft is currently testing – third-party widgets from apps like Spotify, WhatsApp, and Discord that will live directly in the sidebar. Expect this update in late 2025. windows 11 side bar
You can use the sidebar to toggle dark mode, snap windows, or even summarize local files directly from File Explorer . Users can customize the sidebar to their liking
Microsoft Edge has improved, but many of us are still loyal to Chrome or Arc. However, the Widgets board is the perfect place to consume content you don't want cluttering your main browser. Found a recipe? Pin it to the board. Tracking a sports team? Pin the score. It keeps your "work browser" clean and your "casual browsing" segregated. Expect this update in late 2025
In an era of constant context switching, the sidebar offers something rare: static information. You don't need to open a new tab to check a stock price or scroll through a toxic news feed. A single swipe (or Win + W ) gives you the data you need, then disappears. It’s information on demand, not distraction on arrival.
Early versions of Windows 11 caused high RAM usage from the sidebar (sometimes 200-400MB). , Microsoft has optimized this significantly. The Widgets process now suspends itself when the sidebar is closed, using virtually 0% CPU and only ~30-50MB of RAM in the background.
You are not stuck with the default layout. You can add, remove, resize, and rearrange widgets. For example, you might want a large weather widget at the top, followed by a small calendar and a traffic map.
