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Widgets

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Recommendation

Depends on the situation

On a gaming PC it can be disabled: BoosterX itself recommends this to gamers.

According to the BoosterX description, widgets run in the background and load content, but the fixed amount of saved CPU and memory has not been measured.

Main effect
Disabling the widgets panel
FPS and memory
See the research

What changes

Section titled “What changes”

The Windows 11 widgets panel opens with a button on the taskbar and shows weather, news and other personalized content. According to the BoosterX description, widgets run in the background and load content, using CPU and internet.

The setting disables the widgets feature. The visible result: the “Widgets” button disappears from the taskbar, and the panel no longer opens — neither with the button nor from the keyboard via Win+W. Background loading of widgets content stops.

Exceptions and differences

Section titled “Exceptions and differences”

Distinguish between “hiding the button” and “disabling the feature”. The standard way of hiding the button removes only the icon from the taskbar — the panel can still open from the keyboard and continue updating content. The BoosterX setting disables the feature itself: neither the button nor the keyboard shortcut remains. The setting applies only to Windows 11 — in Windows 10 it is hidden; the news equivalent for Windows 10 is “News and Interests”.

How to verify the result

Section titled “How to verify the result”

Press Win+W and look at the taskbar: the widgets panel does not open, and there is no button on the taskbar.

How to change and revert

Section titled “How to change and revert”

Open Optimization → Customization → Search and assistants → Widgets and set the toggle to “Enabled”: BoosterX will apply the disabling of the widgets feature. Click “Apply” at the bottom of the page; if “Instant apply” is enabled, a separate button is not required. To revert, set the toggle to “Disabled”: BoosterX will return Windows to its default state — widgets are enabled again.

Confirmation

Section titled “Confirmation”

Last checked: 2026-09-19.