This post shows how to remove the News Feed from the Widgets board and also how to turn off or disable the opening of the Widgets board on hover over in Windows 11.
In Windows 11, whenever we hover or place the mouse cursor on the Widgets icon available on the taskbar, the Widgets board or panel is opened automatically. And, as long as the mouse cursor is over there, it will remain open. But now, Microsoft has provided a dedicated options.
The features to add and customize Widgets in Windows 11, sign in or sign out of the Widgets board in Windows 11, add or remove Widgets from the taskbar, etc., are already there to use, but this feature was missing, and much awaited. Thankfully, we have this feature now. However, there is a little catch. Currently, this feature is in the Dev build (25211 or higher) of Windows 11, and it will take time to reach the stable build of Windows 11. But those already using the Dev build can now use this feature.
Disable opening of Widgets board on hover over in Windows 11
If you want to disable the opening of the Widgets board on hover over in Windows 11, then follow these steps:
- Click on the Widgets icon available on the taskbar to open the Widgets board. If you have removed the Widgets icon from the taskbar, then simply use the Win+W hotkey to open the Widgets board
- On the Widgets board or panel, click on the Settings icon (present on the top right side)
- Under the Widget taskbar settings, turn off the Show widgets on hover button
- Optionally, you can also toggle Show widget rotation and Show widget badging.
Now hover the mouse cursor over the Widgets icon placed on the taskbar. You will notice that the Widgets board is not opening anymore. You have to click on the Widgets icon or use the hotkey to open the Widgets board.
In case you want to turn on or enable the opening of the Widgets board on hover over on your Windows 11 computer, you can do this easily. Just open the Widgets board, click on the Settings icon, and turn on the Show widgets on hover button present under the Widget taskbar settings section.
Related: How to enable Full-Screen Widgets on Windows 11
How to remove News Feed from Widgets board in Windows 11
When we open the Widgets board, we see an expanded view of the Widgets board because the News Feed widget shows news stories or headlines. Some users find it useful, but others find it annoying and want to disable or remove News Feed from the Widgets board on their Windows 11 PC.
While there was no option to remove or turn off this widget earlier, Microsoft has finally made it possible to turn off the News Feed. By doing so, you can use the Widgets board to show only those widgets that you actually need. You can also add the News Feed widget whenever you want. So, the control will remain in your hands. Here are the steps to remove the News Feed from the Widgets board on Windows 11 PC:
- Place the mouse cursor on the Widgets icon (in the bottom left corner) or click on it. This will open the Widgets board
- Click on the Gear icon (or Settings option) available on the top right corner of the Widgets board
- Click on the Show or hide feeds setting
- Click on the button for the Feed option to turn it off
- Press the Turn off button in the confirmation box
- Wait for a few seconds till the Widgets board is closed.
The next time you open the Widgets board, you will see that the News Feed section is gone, and only the widgets you added are visible. The Expanded view of the Widgets board will not be available anymore. You might need to restart your PC if you don’t see the changes.
If you want to enable or turn on the News Feed again, follow the steps given above. Access the Show of hide feeds setting and turn on the Feed button. In the confirmation box, press the Turn on button.
Once the Widgets board is closed, the changes will be applied successfully.
I hope this helps.
Now read: Widgets Panel not working on Windows 11.
How do I stop widgets from opening on hover Windows 11?
As Windows 11 offers an in-built option to stop Widgets from opening on hover, you do not need to take the help of third-party apps. That said, open the Widget settings panel on your Windows 11 computer first. Here you can find an option named Show widgets on hover. You need to toggle this button to turn it off.
How do I stop Windows from opening Widgets?
If you want to completely disable Widgets in Windows 11, then it can be done by configuring the related settings in Local Group Policy Editor and Windows Registry. On the other hand, if you want to remove its taskbar icon, then you can access the Taskbar page in the Settings app and turn off the Widgets button.
Also read: Cannot add or remove Widgets in Windows 11.
