Where to find widgets on your Mac
Widgets on macOS live in the Notification Center, which you open by clicking the clock and date in the top-right corner of your screen. That icon looks like a small calendar or clock depending on your Mac's appearance. When you click it, a panel slides in from the right side showing your widgets, calendar events, weather, and other information at a glance.
You can also add widgets to your Mac's desktop itself — they sit directly on your screen like small app windows. This is different from the Notification Center approach and gives you faster access without opening anything. Desktop widgets became available starting with macOS Sonoma (released in 2023), so if you have an older Mac, you'll only see the Notification Center option.
The widgets you see depend on what apps you have installed. Apple includes built-in widgets like Weather, Calendar, Reminders, and Stocks. Third-party apps like Slack, Spotify, and news readers can also offer widgets if their developers built them.
Key Takeaways
- Open Notification Center by clicking the clock in the top-right corner, then click the plus sign to add or remove widgets from that panel.
- On macOS Sonoma and newer, you can add widgets directly to your desktop by holding Control and clicking the desktop, then selecting "Edit Widgets".
- Widget availability depends on which apps you have installed — Apple's built-in apps offer widgets, and some third-party apps do too.
- Removing a widget from Notification Center or your desktop takes the same steps as adding one, using the minus sign or the edit mode.
Adding widgets to Notification Center
Click the clock and date in the top-right corner of your screen to open Notification Center. At the bottom of the panel, you'll see a button that looks like a plus sign (+). Click it to open the widget gallery.
The gallery shows all available widgets organized by app. Scroll through to find what you want — Weather, Calendar, Reminders, and Stocks are usually there by default. When you find a widget you want, click the plus sign next to it. Some widgets offer different sizes or styles; if you see options, choose the one you prefer and click "Add Widget".
The widget now appears in your Notification Center. You can rearrange widgets by dragging them up or down within the panel. To remove a widget later, open Notification Center, click the plus sign again, find the widget, and click the minus sign next to it.
Adding widgets to your desktop (macOS Sonoma and newer)
Hold down the Control key on your keyboard and click anywhere on your empty desktop. A menu appears with several options. Look for "Edit Widgets" and click it. This opens the widget gallery directly on your desktop.
The gallery works the same way as the Notification Center version — scroll through available widgets and click the plus sign next to the ones you want. When you add a widget to your desktop, it appears as a small window you can move around. Drag it to position it where you want it to sit.
Desktop widgets stay visible all the time, so they're useful for information you check frequently — weather, calendar events, or a clock in a different time zone. You can resize some widgets by dragging their corners, depending on what the app allows.
Removing and rearranging widgets
To remove a widget from Notification Center, open the panel, click the plus sign at the bottom, find the widget, and click the minus sign next to it. The widget disappears when ready.
To remove a desktop widget, hover your mouse over it and look for an X button or menu icon in the corner. Click it and select remove or delete. Alternatively, hold Control and click the widget itself, then choose "Remove Widget" from the menu that appears.
Rearranging widgets in Notification Center is straightforward — click and drag any widget up or down to change its order. Desktop widgets can be moved by dragging them anywhere on your screen. If you want to go back into edit mode on your desktop to adjust multiple widgets at once, hold Control and click the desktop again, then select "Edit Widgets".
Which apps offer widgets and where to find them
Apple's built-in apps almost always include widgets: Weather, Calendar, Reminders, Stocks, News, Maps, and Clock all have them. These appear in the widget gallery automatically once you open it.
Third-party apps vary — some developers create widgets and some don't. If you use Slack, Spotify, Discord, or other popular apps, check the widget gallery to see if they're there. If an app you use doesn't show up in the gallery, it either doesn't have a widget yet or the developer hasn't built one.
You can also read new apps from the App Store that are specifically designed as widgets. Search the App Store for "widget" to see what's available. Some are free and some cost money, but they all work the same way — find them in the gallery and add them like any other widget.
Troubleshooting widgets that don't appear
If you expect a widget to be in the gallery but don't see it, the app may not have a widget version available. Check the App Store page for that app — the description usually mentions if widgets are supported. If it says widgets are available but you still don't see them, try restarting your Mac. Sometimes widgets don't load until you restart.
If a widget appears in the gallery but won't add, or if it disappears after you add it, the app itself may have a problem. Try closing the app completely and opening it again, then try adding the widget once more. If that doesn't work, check the app's settings to see if widgets are turned on — some apps let you disable them.
On desktop, if a widget looks broken or shows old information, try removing it and adding it again. Desktop widgets sometimes need a fresh start to display correctly. If the problem persists, restart your Mac.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add the same widget more than once?
Yes. You can add multiple copies of the same widget to Notification Center or your desktop. This is useful if you want to see the same information in different sizes, or if you want a weather widget for multiple cities. Just click the plus sign next to the widget as many times as you want.
Do widgets use battery or slow down my Mac?
Widgets use very little power because they update only when you look at them or at set intervals. Desktop widgets that are always visible use slightly more resources than Notification Center widgets, but the difference is small on modern Macs. If you notice your Mac running slowly, widgets are rarely the cause.
What's the difference between a widget and an app?
A widget shows you information without opening the full app — you see weather at a glance instead of opening the Weather app. Widgets are faster and take up less space, but they don't let you do everything the app can do. If you need to do something beyond what the widget shows, you click it to open the full app.
Can I customize what information a widget shows?
Some widgets have settings you can change. Click and hold on a widget in Notification Center or right-click a desktop widget to see if "Edit Widget" or "Settings" appears. Not all widgets offer customization — it depends on what the app developer built.
Will widgets work the same way on older Macs?
Notification Center widgets work on most recent Macs. Desktop widgets only work on macOS Sonoma (2023) and newer. If you have an older Mac, you can still use Notification Center widgets, but you won't be able to add widgets directly to your desktop.