This tutorial will show you how to add "Restart Widgets" to the desktop context menu for all users in Windows 11.
Widgets in Windows are interactive elements that display dynamic content and provide quick access to various apps and features. You can view your location's current weather conditions directly on the taskbar and hover over the icon to see concise, scannable information on topics like sports, stocks, local news, and breaking headlines. Widgets are designed to help you staying informed and organized by presenting personalized information at a glance.
Widgets are displayed on the Widgets board, which contains a collection of cards, each representing a widget with relevant information and actions related to an app. On the Widgets board you can discover, pin, unpin, arrange, resize, and customize widgets to reflect your interests.
If Widgets will not open, frozen, or acting buggy, then you could see if restarting the Widgets process may help.
If you like, you can add Restart Widgets to the desktop context menu to make it easy to restart Widgets on demand as needed.
While you must be signed in as an administrator to add or remove the "Restart Widgets" context menu, all users can use the context menu.
EXAMPLE: "Restart Widgets" context menu
You will need to click/tap on Show more options first by default, then click/tap on Restart Widgets.
Here's How:
1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you would like to do.
2 Add "Restart Widgets" to Desktop Context Menu
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Add_Restart_Widgets_to_desktop_context_menu.reg
Download
(Contents of .reg file)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\RestartWidgets]
"MUIVerb"="Restart Widgets"
"Position"="Bottom"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\RestartWidgets\command]
@="cmd /c taskkill /im widgets.exe /T /F"3 Remove "Restart Widgets" from Desktop Context Menu
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Remove_Restart_Widgets_from_desktop_context_menu.reg
Download
(Contents of .reg file)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\RestartWidgets]4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
