Potential details about Windows 11 third-party widgets appear

Details may have emerged of how widgets from developers other than Microsoft would work in Windows 11. The operating system now only shows widgets from Microsoft.

The information comes from Microsoft leaker FireCube† The images are answers to questions about third-party widget support in Windows 11. The fact that there are screenshots indicates that Microsoft wants to add widget support in Windows 11 soon, according to FireCube. Microsoft has not yet said if or when that will be. to happen.

The screenshots indicate that developers can publish widgets via the Microsoft Store. There are three ways developers can install widgets. In a ‘packaged’ app, this can be done via the App Extension Manifest. In an ‘unpackaged’ app, which does not have such a manifest, this is done via the installer. ‘Web widgets’ state that they are supported, but that information will come later.

Widgets can function through the pre-existing Adaptive Cards framework. That’s a piece of json code, the interface of which can automatically adapt and get that information from another app.

Widgets are in Windows 11 in a separate panel to the left of the desktop. For the time being, only widgets from Microsoft itself can be added with information about the weather or headlines from the news.