Solved Disable Widget Categories

How can I stop seeing content from certain categories in the Widget section? For example, I keep receiving the below alerts in widgets related to finance which I am not interested in.



I have been to the Widget settings page, but it just allows me to follow new content. How can I block this category?

If I recall correctly, you have to disable it online in your MS account or similar...not entirely sure because most widgets are more clickbait rather than proper news, so I disabled the whole feature a very long time ago.

SlicEnDicE said:

If I recall correctly, you have to disable it online in your MS account or similar...not entirely sure because most widgets are more clickbait rather than proper news, so I disabled the whole feature a very long time ago.

Click to expand...

The second screenshot in my first post is taken from my account page itself. I do not see any option to disable the category.

There was some defaults added, but I don't recall where to get rid of them or if it was even possible. Also that page has probably changed multiple times since then. Same goes for other account settings that were easy to find and modify, are now either gone completely or misplaced in some illogical location.

Hello Nzyme,

You can check through the options in the tutorial below to see if one may remove it.

Nzyme said:

How can I stop seeing content from certain categories in the Widget section? For example, I keep receiving the below alerts in widgets related to finance which I am not interested in.

Click to expand...

There are options in the upper right of each widget (three dots ... ) in the open widgets panel with options to hide, customize or block feeds.
There is also a Notifications section in Widgets Settings where you can disable notifications and announcements.

What I do is open widgets > open settings (icon in top right corner) > scroll to and click "Show or hide feeds" > turn off "Microsoft Start"
I keep only weather, traffic and stocks without getting notifications.

I hope this helps.

Or anyone hating those little suckers as much as I do can disable widgets Enable or Disable Widgets Feature in Windows 11 Tutorial

glasskuter said:

... anyone hating those little suckers...

Click to expand...

Gone a long time ago!
I don't hate them per se..., it's just that, between Edge, Widgets and whatever else, your whole damn PC looks and acts like a Tabloid Rag!!!

Edwin said:

Gone a long time ago!
I don't hate them per se..., it's just that, between Edge, Widgets and whatever else, your whole damn PC looks and acts like a Tabloid Rag!!!

Click to expand...

Thinking that is the MS way now days lol

And now, it seems that MS has disallowed users from hiding any widget. This has started happening few weeks ago. Until then, I was able to hide any widget even though I was not logged in to MS account.

Just realized that clicking on a widget option and selecting Hide this card does nothing really. The widget stays there no matter what. Can anyone of you confirm if this is just happening with me or does it work correctly at your end? (Note that you should not be logged in to a MS account)

Nzyme said:

And now, it seems that MS has disallowed users from hiding any widget. This has started happening few weeks ago. Until then, I was able to hide any widget even though I was not logged in to MS account.

Just realized that clicking on a widget option and selecting Hide this card does nothing really. The widget stays there no matter what. Can anyone of you confirm if this is just happening with me or does it work correctly at your end? (Note that you should not be logged in to a MS account)

View attachment 95143

Click to expand...

This widget is embedded within an assets.msn.com call.
If you block that address thru the hosts file , you lose all the widgets, whether logged in to MS or not.
The action is triggered by msedgewebview2.exe.

Nzyme said:

And now, it seems that MS has disallowed users from hiding any widget. This has started happening few weeks ago. Until then, I was able to hide any widget even though I was not logged in to MS account.

Just realized that clicking on a widget option and selecting Hide this card does nothing really. The widget stays there no matter what. Can anyone of you confirm if this is just happening with me or does it work correctly at your end? (Note that you should not be logged in to a MS account)

View attachment 95143

Click to expand...

Widgets are working fine for me on 2 machines, I am on the latest official build with all updates. I do notice sometimes widgets doesnt respond correctly and I might need to restart the computer if it has been awhile....

but anyways,

I would just disable feeds:


And make widgets just what you actually want

andrew129260 said:

Widgets are working fine for me on 2 machines, I am on the latest official build with all updates. I do notice sometimes widgets doesnt respond correctly and I might need to restart the computer if it has been awhile....

but anyways,

I would just disable feeds:

Enable or Disable Feeds on Widgets Board in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable news feeds on the widgets board for your account in Windows 11. Widgets are small windows that display dynamic info on your Windows desktop. They appear on the widgets board, where you can add, remove, arrange, resize, and customize them to...

www.elevenforum.com

And make widgets just what you actually want

Click to expand...

That 'MS games' widgets will still show even if you disable feeds.
It will re-appear after a 'refresh' or a restart of the widgets.
As the OP correctly stated, choosing to hide it, is irrelevant.

Yes but I can still remove widgets and use just the ones I want is what I am saying. For example here is mine:

andrew129260 said:

Yes but I can still remove widgets and use just the ones I want is what I am saying. For example here is mine:

View attachment 95151

Click to expand...

Yes Andrew, this is my setting as well.
It does not help the OP though.

OAT said:

Yes Andrew, this is my setting as well.

Click to expand...

Yeah I mentioned the feeds and being able to remove widgets because they were saying they could not turn them off. That is why I offered the remove feeds option and then they can just remove all the widgets and then add just the ones they want so its cleaner and has just what they want. For example finance alerts for me shows because I have added the finance widget. But If I remove it and everything else, I just get weather because thats the widget I have enabled.

Thanks folks. The funny thing is I am now able to hide the 'Games' widget using 'Hide this card' option. Wonder why I was unable to hide it all this while.

Nzyme said:

Thanks folks. The funny thing is I am now able to hide the 'Games' widget using 'Hide this card' option. Wonder why I was unable to hide it all this while.

Click to expand...

It has gone from my widget pane as well running Dev.
But it still is present on the Canary build.
I can't be sure if it's using the same msedgewebview2/Widgets versions.

FWIW, if you search for microsoftstart.com, you'll get to your Microsoft Start page. Select personalise



then select Experience Settings,



you get to the info cards settings.

Fabler2 said:

FWIW, if you search for microsoftstart.com, you'll get to your Microsoft Start page. Select personalise
then select Experience Settings,
you get to the info cards settings.

Click to expand...

Thank you.
I never go to the start page though, I select Settings (gear) from Widget pane, personalize Microsoft Start.
Either way, the outcome is the same.