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.