How-To

How to Remove the Weather Widget on Windows 11

By Brian Burgess

Published February 27, 2022

The Weather widget included in a recent update may be annoying for some. Luckily, you can remove the Weather widget on Windows 11.

If you’ve recently updated your Windows 11 system, you’ve probably noticed a new weather widget button on the taskbar. It’s a lot like the News and Interests widget on Windows 10. However, this one appears in the left corner of the Windows 11 taskbar.

You only need to hover over the icon for it to appear, and it can conflict with your workflow, especially if you move the Start button to the left corner. The good news is you can remove the weather widget on Windows 11. Here’s how.

How to Remove the Weather Widget From the Taskbar on Windows 11

One of the easiest ways to get rid of the weather widget is by disabling it in Settings.

To disable the weather widget via Settings, use these steps:

1. Press Start, then select Settings.
2. When Settings opens, click on Personalization from the list on the left.
3. On the right, choose the Taskbar option.
4. Expand the Taskbar items section and turn the Widgets switch off.

The weather widget will disappear from the taskbar when you toggle the switch off. If you want to reenable it, go back to Start > Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and toggle the Widgets switch back on.

Note: You can turn other taskbar buttons on or off in this area of the Settings menu. For example, you can remove the Teams chat icon.

How to Remove the Weather Widget on Windows 11 via Group Policy

You can disable the weather widget if you’re running Windows 11 Pro or above by using Group Policy.

To remove the weather widget via Group Policy:

1. Use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + R to launch the Run dialog.
2. In Run, type gpedit.msc and click OK.
3. When the Group Policy Editor opens, navigate to the following path:

   Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Widgets

   

4. Double-click Allow widgets in the right pane.
5. Select the Disabled option at the top and click Apply and OK at the bottom of the screen.
6. After following the steps above, the weather widget will no longer display. However, if you go to Taskbar options in Settings, you’ll notice the Widgets toggle switch is grayed out. To enable it again, you’ll need to go through Group Policy again and set it to Not Configured.

How to Modify the Registry to Disable the Windows 11 Weather Widget

Windows 11 Home doesn’t include Group Policy, but if you don’t want to use Settings to disable the weather widget, you can edit the Registry instead.

To disable the Windows 11 weather widget using the Registry, use these steps:

1. Press Windows key + R to launch Run.
2. Type regedit and click OK.
3. When the Registry Editor opens, navigate to the following path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\

4. Right-click the Microsoft key and select New > Key.
5. Name the new key Dsh.
6. In the Dsh key you created, right-click an empty area in the right pane and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
7. Name the key as AllowNewsAndInterests and give it a value of 0.
8. Exit the Registry Editor and restart Windows 11. The weather widget will no longer appear on the taskbar when your PC reboots.

Modifying the Windows 11 Taskbar

Microsoft has a habit of adding items to the taskbar that some users may not appreciate—like the weather widget. Luckily, you can use one of the methods above to remove it.

You might also be interested in showing all taskbar corner overflow icons or making more space on the taskbar. The taskbar on Windows 11 is a new experience and if you’re new to Windows 11, check out some easy ways you can customize the taskbar.

Also, if you have limited screen real estate, you can autohide the taskbar.