Microsoft is preparing to let third-party developers use the Microsoft Store to create and distribute custom Windows 11 gadgets. Twitter user FireCube (@FireCubeStudios) found evidence of the upcoming feature upgrade in a Widgets manifest update (he found a similar reference back in January).
The addition of third-party developers will make the Windows gadget space more useful for everyday use. For now, it only offers some basic first-party widgets like a calendar, to-do list, photos for OneDrive, weather, traffic, and more. The lack of support from other developers makes Windows Widgets look and feel half-baked and clearly not ready for its prime, especially compared to the rich widget ecosystem on iOS and Android.
Windows 11 users can access Windows gadgets by pressing Win + W, tapping the Gadget button on the taskbar, or swiping from the left edge of the screen. Microsoft is also using the bottom left corner of the screen to display the weather on the taskbar, and many users want the company to allow a third-party option to replace the weather.
At its recent Windows 11 event, Microsoft also teased an updated Windows widget space with a full-screen UI, which will provide more screen real estate to accommodate all third-party widgets from users’ favorite developers. Of course, the premise is that these developers are willing to develop gadgets for Windows 11.