Where to find and change your Mac widgets

Widgets on Mac live in the Notification Center, which sits on the right side of your screen. You access it by clicking the date and time in the top-right corner of your menu bar, or by swiping left from the right edge of your trackpad. Once it opens, you'll see a stack of widgets — weather, calendar, stocks, reminders, and others depending on what you have installed.

To edit which widgets appear and how they're arranged, click the "Edit" button at the bottom of the Notification Center. This puts you into edit mode, where you can add new widgets, remove ones you don't use, and reorder them by dragging. The changes save automatically when you close the Notification Center.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Notification Center by clicking the date and time in your menu bar, then click "Edit" at the bottom to customize your widgets.
  • You can add widgets from the list of available apps, remove widgets you don't want, and drag them to reorder how they appear.
  • Some widgets let you resize them or change their settings by right-clicking the widget itself while in edit mode.
  • Widgets you remove from Notification Center don't delete the app — they just stop showing information on your desktop.
  • macOS includes built-in widgets like Weather, Calendar, and Reminders, and third-party apps can add their own widgets if you install them.

Adding a new widget to Notification Center

In edit mode, scroll to the bottom of the widget list and look for a plus sign (+) next to "Add Widgets". Click it to see all available widgets from apps on your Mac. The list includes built-in widgets like Weather, Stocks, and Reminders, plus any third-party apps that support widgets.

Find the widget you want, click the plus sign next to it, and it appears at the bottom of your Notification Center. You can then drag it to a different position if you prefer it higher or lower in the stack. If an app offers multiple widget sizes or styles, you'll see those options when you add it.

Removing widgets you don't use

In edit mode, each widget shows a minus sign (-) on its left side. Click that minus sign to remove the widget from your Notification Center. The app itself stays on your Mac — you're only removing the widget display.

Removing widgets you don't check regularly can make your Notification Center faster to scan. If you change your mind later, you can always add it back through the plus sign at the bottom of the list.

Resizing widgets and changing their settings

Some widgets let you change their size or display options. While in edit mode, right-click (or Control-click) on a widget to see if it has size options. Common choices are "Small", "Medium", or "Large". Not all widgets support resizing — some have a fixed size.

A few widgets also let you configure what information they show. For example, the Weather widget might let you choose which city to display, or the Stocks widget might let you pick which stocks appear. These settings usually appear in a small menu when you right-click the widget in edit mode.

Reordering your widgets

While in edit mode, click and hold on any widget, then drag it up or down to change its position in the stack. Widgets at the top of the list appear first when you open Notification Center, so put the ones you check most often near the top.

You can also drag widgets between different sections if your Notification Center is organized into groups (this depends on your macOS version). Once you're happy with the order, click outside the Notification Center or press Escape to exit edit mode and save your changes.

Installing widgets from new apps

When you read and install a new app from the App Store or elsewhere, it may include a widget. You won't see it in your Notification Center automatically — you have to add it yourself. Open Notification Center, click "Edit", scroll to the plus sign at the bottom, and look for the app's name in the list.

Not every app includes a widget. If you don't see an app in the widget list, it either doesn't have one or the developer hasn't built one yet. You can still use the app normally — widgets are optional extras that some developers choose to create.

Troubleshooting widgets that don't work

If a widget shows outdated information or stops updating, try removing it and adding it back. Close Notification Center, open it again, click "Edit", remove the widget with the minus sign, then add it back with the plus sign at the bottom. This often fixes widgets that are stuck or slow to refresh.

If a widget keeps failing, restart your Mac. Widgets rely on the apps they're connected to, so if an app has crashed or frozen, its widget won't work until you restart. You can also check if the app itself has an update available in the App Store — outdated apps sometimes have widget problems that updates fix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put widgets on my Mac desktop instead of Notification Center?

Not in the same way as Notification Center. However, newer versions of macOS let you add widgets directly to your desktop by clicking and holding on an empty area, then selecting "Edit Widgets". These desktop widgets work similarly to Notification Center widgets but appear on your desktop background instead.

Why did a widget disappear from my Notification Center?

The most common reason is that you accidentally removed it in edit mode. Open Notification Center, click "Edit", scroll to the plus sign at the bottom, and add it back. If the app itself was deleted from your Mac, its widget will no longer be available to add.

Do widgets slow down my Mac?

Widgets use very little processing power, especially if you don't open Notification Center often. Removing widgets you never look at won't noticeably speed up your Mac, but it does make Notification Center cleaner and easier to scan.

Can I customize what information a widget shows?

Some widgets allow customization through a settings menu — right-click the widget in edit mode to see if options appear. Not all widgets have settings. For deeper customization, you may need to adjust the app's main settings instead of the widget itself.

What's the difference between a widget and the app itself?

A widget is a small window that shows information from an app without opening the full app. The app is the complete program. Widgets are designed for quick glances at information like weather or calendar events, while the app gives you full control and more details.