Widget icon on taskbar not showing temperature & weather

wabbit · Nov 21, 2022

Just got a new Dell PC with Win 11 Pro 22H2 pre loaded. Everything is running great, but the widget button on the taskbar doesn't show the weather. It does on my laptop with 22H2. I see it as a minor inconvenience, but wondering if something might have happened during updates while setting up the system or is there a fix?

johnlgalt · Nov 22, 2022

I see this happen quite a bit, especially after the first update to 22H2.

In Task Manager, I usually killed Widgets.exe task, and then it would automatically reload and start showing the weather. Recently, it's not happened in at least a couple of weeks, so I'm hoping that recent updates have fixed something. At any rate, 95% of the time just killing that task would solve the problem.

Berton · Nov 22, 2022

I have one machine that will have the Widgets in the Taskbar but not show the weather, just gray blobs. Hovering to get the list then clicking the reload arrow at the top refreshes and gets back to normal. There's also a + beside it to add widgets and for removing is the 3 dots on each one with more choices, I don't need the Sports and Finances so take them off.

Edit: image didn't make it.

OAT · Nov 22, 2022

To fix broken widgets, you can use winget (App Installer needs to be on your system, go to the store to get it if not)

command line as admin(cmd.exe):

winget uninstall "windows web experience pack" Enter

Then reinstall from the store.

johnlgalt · Nov 22, 2022

Early on when I was having the issue, it would almost always happen after the screen had been locked via Dynamic Lock. Which, interestingly enough, now that I think about it, I disabled Dynamic Lock a couple of weeks ago as well, maybe a bit longer than that, when I got my new phone and never set it up on the new phone.

I think I will set it up and see if the issues start to recur, and if they do, then go through all the methods listed here to see if I can either get a permanent fix, or else confirmation that there is a real issue here.

@wabbit - are you by chance using Dynamic Lock with the new device?

wabbit · Nov 22, 2022

johnlgalt said:
Early on when I was having the issue, it would almost always happen after the screen had been locked via Dynamic Lock. Which, interestingly enough, now that I think about it, I disabled Dynamic Lock a couple of weeks ago as well, maybe a bit longer than that, when I got my new phone and never set it up on the new phone.

I think I will set it up and see if the issues start to recur, and if they do, then go through all the methods listed here to see if I can either get a permanent fix, or else confirmation that there is a real issue here.

@wabbit - are you by chance using Dynamic Lock with the new device?

I don't have dynamic lock enabled. I just closed the widget for now. I'll wait and see if a later windows update fixes the issue.

OAT · Nov 22, 2022

@wabbit,
Did you try the solution I posted above?

wabbit · Nov 22, 2022

OAT said:
@wabbit,
Did you try the solution I posted above?

I did, but still having the same issue. I can still add widgets and move them around within it. I can access the widgets, but the icon on the taskbar still doesn't show the temperature like it does on my other Win 11 PC. I'll just wait until the next windows update comes around. Not a major concern.

wabbit · Nov 23, 2022

It's back now. I just went to the MS Store and updated the apps in the library.

Mooly · Nov 26, 2022

I've been doing a clean install on a Dell and guess what...

I would not have thought to update the Apps as a fix. It is the Windows Web Experience Pack that fixes this.

Thanks.

Edit... and Edge only displaying the default Edge screen just needs you to wait 24/48 hours for it to change to 'Picture of the Day' if that is what you have selected.