Widgets Pane loads but without visible widgets

plat · Jun 27, 2021

leetron said:
Just had a .NET update, rebooted and now the widget pane tries to load the widgets, fails then disappears rather than remaining as a blank pane.

Yes, the EXACT same situation here--also got a .NET Framework cumulative update--yesterday. KB5004034 When Widgets made an extremely brief appearance on here, there were several endlessly loading panels and then it simply disappeared. Maybe this error in the spoiler correlates with the Widgets issue? Already tried sfc and dism, doesn't correct anything related to this. In fact, I can't even find it anymore, lol.

johnlgalt · Jun 27, 2021

it's certainly the right app name. Could be.

Maybe try removing .NET 3.5, reboot, and then add it back in?

Lance1 · Jun 27, 2021

Interesting. I'm in my VM on my main system. The Widgets is just a blurry mass. My laptop with an in place upgrade to Win 11 has the exact same thing. Being a DEV could be the thing. The VM is a MS account login and the Laptop is a Locale account.

plat · Jun 28, 2021

johnlgalt said:
Maybe try removing .NET 3.5, reboot, and then add it back in?

Thanks, this issue happened almost immediately after Windows 11 installed. So, I'm hesitant to uninstall the .NET Framework KB since this installed well after the fact. The error seems to come every time the machine starts up.

Took a look in Task Scheduler- but nothing specific jumped out (didn't look too hard) and it's not listed in Apps and Features.

So I'm chalking it up to one of those "exotic" new system quirks that I've handed back to Microsoft via telemetry. :)

Hope this thread doesn't die on the vine, kinda want to see a resolution eventually.

johnlgalt · Jun 28, 2021

Yeah, not sure. My in-place upgrade was on a system with .NET 3.5 already installed as I needed it for a couple of apps I use. I wonder if that makes a difference?

I did receive an update for it after upgrading to 10, but the widget worked both before and after the update.

And, IIRC, recently (well, maybe not so recently) wasn't there an issue where .NET 3.5 would not install through the normal means and people had to use DISM to force install it? You might could also try that....

plat · Jun 28, 2021

Hmmm, tried several things someone suggested: Windows key + W calls up the shell of the Widgets but then it just disappears after about a second. Also tried signing out and back in, no cigar. Dism.../restorehealth fails to fix it.

So I changed my Insiders channel from Beta to DEV, restarted and am now installing the release preview (21996.1 to 22000.51). Unfortunately, the Widgets issue persists despite the updated build. Hopefully, telemetry will take care of this eventually. Widgets does appear to have several issues, according to several online sources.

UPDATE Well, Widgets does work, and quite well....once you turn in on in Settings.

I found it via: right-click on Taskbar/Taskbar Settings/Widgets. Mine was toggled to "off." Once I toggled it to "on," it showed right up when pressing Windows key + W.

Very nice, I'll make use of this app down the road.

OK, issue solved for me.

s.holden · Jun 29, 2021

Similar issue here. Blurred, but can click and opens in browser. Also got .Net update after install. Still not working here, whether icon shown on taskbar or not...

johnlgalt · Jun 29, 2021

plat said:
Hmmm, tried several things someone suggested: Windows key + W calls up the shell of the Widgets but then it just disappears after about a second. Also tried signing out and back in, no cigar. Dism.../restorehealth fails to fix it.

So I changed my Insiders channel from Beta to DEV, restarted and am now installing the release preview (21996.1 to 22000.51). Unfortunately, the Widgets issue persists despite the updated build. Hopefully, telemetry will take care of this eventually. Widgets does appear to have several issues, according to several online sources.

UPDATE Well, Widgets does work, and quite well....once you turn in on in Settings.

I found it via: right-click on Taskbar/Taskbar Settings/Widgets. Mine was toggled to "off." Once I toggled it to "on," it showed right up when pressing Windows key + W.

Very nice, I'll make use of this app down the road.

OK, issue solved for me.

View attachment 1165

At least you were able to upgrade eh leak to the new release.

It took a hard pass on my system. Twice.

I had to restore my Win 10 install and then upgrade.

Mooly · Jul 2, 2021

I have this issue as well after doing an upgrade install over W10. Widgets is switched on in settings (didn't know about that one but yes, it was set to on).

larc919 · Jul 2, 2021

Widgets are available, but I don't see any I'm interested in running.

johnlgalt · Jul 3, 2021

Mooly said:
I have this issue as well after doing an upgrade install over W10. Widgets is switched on in settings (didn't know about that one but yes, it was set to on).

View attachment 1680

You need .NET 3.5 from Windows Features enabled.

Then, read this post above:

Widgets Pane loads but without visible widgets

Just had a .NET update, rebooted and now the widget pane tries to load the widgets, fails then disappears rather than remaining as a blank pane. Yes, the EXACT same situation here--also got a .NET Framework cumulative update--yesterday. KB5004034 When Widgets made an extremely brief...

www.elevenforum.com

Mooly · Jul 4, 2021

@johnlgalt thanks John, I'll look into this shortly.

I've been clean installing W11 as a trial and also taking backups along the way so if anything goes pear shaped... well I can undo it.

Badger · Jul 17, 2021

I've had the exact same issue with all 3 builds so far. Has anyone found a solution to the widgets window just opening blurry and not be populated with anything?

Ghot · Jul 17, 2021

Badger said:
I've had the exact same issue with all 3 builds so far. Has anyone found a solution to the widgets window just opening blurry and not be populated with anything?

My widgets works fine once I sign in with MS account and allow all the firewall rules. LOL

Programs I needed to allow in my Bitdefender firewall...

msedgewebview2.exe
WWAHost.exe
taskhostw.exe
SystemSettings.exe
svchost.exe

Ben Myers · Jul 17, 2021

For me, the problem was the driver for the display adapter in Device Manager. I tried using the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter and Widgets worked fine, but my desktop wallpaper was distorted. Downloading and installing an older version of the driver from my manufacturer's web page solved the problem. Please be advised that changing the display adapter driver may cause the screen to go blank, forcing a hard restart.

Ben

Ghot · Jul 17, 2021

Ben Myers said:
For me, the problem was the driver for the display adapter in Device Manager. I tried using the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter and Widgets worked fine, but my desktop wallpaper was distorted. Downloading and installing an older version of the driver from my manufacturer's web page solved the problem. Please be advised that changing the display adapter driver may cause the screen to go blank, forcing a hard restart.

Ben

Good point too.

I am on an older Nvidia driver. 442.74 if that makes a difference.

Badger · Jul 17, 2021

Ghot said:
My widgets works fine once I sign in with MS account and allow all the firewall rules. LOL

View attachment 3299

Programs I needed to allow in my Bitdefender firewall...

msedgewebview2.exe
WWAHost.exe
taskhostw.exe
SystemSettings.exe
svchost.exe

When I tried signing in with a MS account the problem still remained. On a new 11 .75 install the first time I do the Windows + icon command I get the large icon window to come up with the various smaller rectangles within that window but they never populates and it then immediately closes. When I try it again using the same keyboard command I just get a large blurry icon window popping up from the left side and that's it. FYI the taskbar also has the option show widgets on. Not sure what the issue is at this point.

johnlgalt · Jul 18, 2021

check your .NET 3.5 status, as well as your firewall.

Bree · Jul 18, 2021

leetron said:
The widgets transparent pane displays but without visible widgets. If I mouseover the pane, description bars appear related to articles etc. but the articles etc. are invisible.

plat said:
Yes, the EXACT same situation here--

Lance1 said:
Interesting. I'm in my VM on my main system. The Widgets is just a blurry mass. My laptop with an in place upgrade to Win 11 has the exact same thing. Being a DEV could be the thing. The VM is a MS account login and the Laptop is a Locale account.

Very interesting. I am not an Insider, but have got the W11 ISO from UUPDump. I have two installs of W11 running, one a clean install in a VM, the other a W10 to W11 in-place upgrade on a physical machine. Details in 'My computers' below.

In both cases the install was done with a local account. It was only after the event that I tried using an MS account.

In my case it's the VM where the Widgets are in full working order and it's the laptop that behaves exactly as leetron describes.

Bree · Jul 18, 2021

Lance1 said:
The Widgets is just a blurry mass. ...the Laptop is a Locale account.

You cannot access the Widgets without an MS account, either signing in with one, or by adding an MS account to a local account. Attempting to open Widgets without an MS account should not be a 'blurry mess' though. After briefly appearing to try and load the Widgets it should show this, as my VM install does. My laptop has the 'blurry mess' like yours does.