Windows 10: Windows 11 Widgets: News, Discover and Play pannels are distracting and make it useless or...

Dear Microsoft, What's the use of promoting widgets as a great feature, when you also supply it with annoying and distracting news Discover / Play panels.It beats the entire purpose of using widgets to ease the workflow by quickly focusing on the required/desired information from the respective widget.The distracting panels only serve the purpose of directing us to useless links and aid in advertisement related revenue. But as a user it is of no use to me.So dear sir,The widgets are entirely useless to me and shall be disabled until you provide the user the flexibility to remove the distract

:)

 

Disabling News in Windows 11 Widgets

Sumit,

Your reply got me thinking about how Microsoft is monetizing Windows and I do not think it is fair that they generate revenue by forcing users to see news that are often questionable or, at the very least, extremely distracting. Windows 11 is an operating system used by millions of workers around the world and we do not need more distractions. We are already bombarded by so many useless notifications on our phones that we deserve a clean and distraction free operating system. With our busy schedules, we should be able to decide when we want to read news and what we want to read. On the one hand, you give us the "Do not disturb feature," but on the other hand, you force us to see unwanted and distracting content.

When I visit a website and I see news and publicity, I understand that unless I pay to access this site, someone has to subsidize it and news and publicity are one way of doing it. However, I paid for Windows 11 when I purchased my Microsoft Surface Pro. It was preinstalled, but it was not free.

Basically, to put things in perspective, to force users to see unwanted news in a dashboard like Windows Widgets on a work computer would be like forcing truck drivers and all those people earning a living by driving vehicles to see unwanted news as they look up a traffic report or directions on the map.

I am sad to completely turn off Widgets today because I liked the concept and I foresaw this a productivity tool that could allow me to see and plan my day in a centralized dashboard aggregating my schedule, my to-do list, the weather and other info I choose. However, because I cannot control which widgets I want to see, I do not have any other choice but to disable Widgets altogether.

Come on Microsoft (and especially you Mr. Panay who presented with such pride Widgets to the world and made us dream of it like the next best thing after sliced bread), hear us out. Play fairly and dont monetize Windows by forcing us to see undesired news.

 

Disabling News in Windows 11 Widgets

Yet another thread about how to disable the news from reappearing in the Windows 11 Widgets. I mean, I love the idea of seeing my schedule or my to dos at a glance, but boy, the useless news coming from tabloids, I could live without. I tried several times to prevent stories from specific feeds and news agencies, but they keep coming back!

Has anyone figured a way to hack the registry or block the TPC/IP ports feeding the Windows 11 Widgets without blocking the desired widgets like the to dos or the Outlook Calendar?

@MiCrOsOfT, if you see this, please, consider adding a feature that allows us turning off those unproductive nuisances.

@support agents: don't give me those pre-written replies telling me to reset, reboot or reinstall my Windows machine... And don't tell me to leave a suggestion to Microsoft... I already did and it does not seem Microsoft is listening.

 

How to disable news and interest in Windows 11 widget

Hi Haylie. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, specializing in Installation, Performance, Troubleshooting and Activation, here to help you.

Here's how to disable News and Interest widget in WIndows 11:

https://www.lifewire.com/disable-news-and-inter...

A good guide to the Widgets in Windows 11:

https://www.howtogeek.com/739989/how-windows-11...

The inside story In the developer's own words:



I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions. Please report back results for all steps given so I know what else to suggest if necessary.

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