Developers can now start working on widgets to Windows 11.
However, the availability for users should not be for now.
Soon more interesting widgets for Windows 11
The real new features of Windows 11 compared to Windows 10 are not very numerous. But the widget system is one of them. Unfortunately, like many features of the latest Microsoft OS, it is still quite timid and its full potential will only be revealed over the months and updates.
For the moment, it is only possible to display fairly standard and limited elements there, such as the weather, news, the stock market or even elements linked to Microsoft services (Outlook calendar, tasks, OneDrive, etc.). But that will soon change. The Redmond firm has indeed officially authorized third-party developers to work on widgets for Windows 11.
A deployment probably not for now
It is thanks to the very recent build 25217 in Preview for Insiders that it is now possible to start creating third-party widgets. It will be necessary to obtain the new preview of the WinAppSDK 1.2, but also to activate the developer mode on its Windows 11 machine to test its creation locally.
Unsurprisingly, Microsoft has not yet specified when the future developer widgets will be available to everyone in the dedicated panel (to be obtained via the Microsoft Store). Activation via a minor update is possible, but it is just as possible that we will have to wait for the next major patch, expected for the end of 2023.
But what to expect? Alternatives to weather and news widgets of course, but also widgets that take over the operation of what is already found on smartphones and tablets. Diaries, multimedia apps, emails, file management… the possibilities are endless. Provided of course that the developers give themselves the means and that Microsoft does not restrict them too much.
Source : ghacks
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