Widgets are small windows with information you see at a glance: the weather, your calendar, reminders, the battery of your AirPods or share prices. On a Mac you can put widgets in Notification Centre and, from macOS Sonoma, directly on your desktop. This article explains how to add, change and remove widgets, and how to use your iPhone's widgets on your MacBook.
Blue Apple repairs MacBooks in Amsterdam. A handy widget, by the way, is Batteries: it shows at once how charged your MacBook and accessories are.
Putting widgets on the desktop
- Right-click an empty spot on the desktop.
- Choose Edit Widgets.
- The widget gallery appears at the bottom. Choose an app on the left, or search at the top.
- Drag a widget to the desktop, or click it to add it. For many widgets you first choose the size: small, medium or large.
- Click Done.
Widgets in Notification Centre
Click the date and time top right in the menu bar. Notification Centre slides open with your widgets. At the bottom is Edit Widgets, which you also use here to add, move or remove widgets.
Adjusting a widget
Right-click a widget. You can then change its size or choose Edit to show, for example, another city for the weather or another calendar. Not every widget has settings.
Removing a widget
Right-click the widget and choose Remove Widget. In edit mode you also see a minus sign at the top left of each widget.
Your iPhone's widgets on your Mac
If your iPhone and Mac are signed in with the same Apple Account, you can also put widgets from iPhone apps on your Mac, even from apps that are not on your Mac. They appear in the widget gallery under your iPhone. Your iPhone has to be nearby or on the same Wi-Fi network. Turn it on or off in System Settings, Desktop & Dock, under Widgets.
Dimming or hiding widgets
In System Settings, Desktop & Dock you can choose whether desktop widgets are always visible or only when you click the desktop, and whether they show in colour or monochrome. Monochrome makes them calmer while you work in an app.
Handy widgets for your MacBook
- Batteries: the charge of your MacBook, AirPods, iPhone and other Apple devices.
- Calendar and Reminders: what is on today.
- Weather and Clock: for people who work across time zones.
- Notes: a pinned note always in view.
Widgets you can click
Some widgets do more than show information. In Reminders you tick off a task without opening the app, in Music or Podcasts you start and pause playback, and in Home you control lights or the thermostat. Click a widget without a button and the matching app opens at the right place.
Widgets do not load or stay empty
- Open the app the widget belongs to; the widget often fills itself afterwards.
- Check the internet connection: weather, stocks and news need internet.
- Remove the widget and add it again.
- Restart the Mac after a macOS update.
If the battery widget shows your MacBook running down faster and faster, check the battery condition in System Settings, Battery. Read when to replace a MacBook battery.
What we do at Blue Apple in Amsterdam
If your battery drains fast or macOS says service is recommended, we measure the battery and replace it if needed. You hear beforehand what it costs. More on our pages about MacBook battery replacement and MacBook repair in Amsterdam.
Frequently asked questions
Which macOS do I need for desktop widgets?
macOS Sonoma or newer. On older versions widgets are only in Notification Centre.
Do widgets make my Mac slower?
Hardly. Widgets refresh now and then, but cost little.
Can I use widgets from other apps?
Yes, if the app's developer made a widget. They appear in the widget gallery by themselves.
