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Microsoft Windows Tools, Applications, Tutorials, Tips and Tricks for Windows Users


Enable Windows 7 Gadgets

Windows 7 gadgets provide apps for Windows users like weather gadget or calendar gadget that will help Windows users in their daily tasks. Gadgets first introduced with Windows Vista but no longer supported by Microsoft in most recent operating system Windows 8. But if you like using Windows 7 gadgets or want to use gadgets for Windows 7, you must enable Windows Gadget Platform Windows feature from Control Panel

Recently I realized that somehow my gadgets were lost or disabled. First, I checked the if gadgets feature is turned off on Windows 7

To enable Windows 7 gadgets:
Open Control Panel
Choose Programs
Display Programs and Features
Click Turn Windows features on or off command link.

Open Turn Windows features on or off dialog screen. You will see Windows Gadget Platform listed near to the end of the Windows 7 features list. Make sure that you mark the checkbox in front of the "Windows Gadget Platform"

Windows7

After you choose the Windows Gadget Platform feature for your Windows 7 computer, press OK and let the OS install and activate Windows 7 gadgets for your PC

After Windows feature is activated the shortest method to reach Windows 7 gadgets is to right-click on Windows desktop and choose Gadgets from the context menu as shown in below screenshot.

Windows7

When the Gadgets console is displayes a list of default installed gadgets for Windows 7 will show up as in following screen.

Windows7

As you see by default the most used Windows 7 gadgets include calendar gadget, clock gadget, weather gadgets for Windows 7 and a CPU Meter. Other gadgets for Windows 7 are Currency, Picture Puzzle and a Slide Show gadget.

Here is a screenshot showing Windows 7 weather gadget and Windows 7 calendar gadget from Microsoft running on my desktop of office PC.

Windows 7 weather gadget and calendar gadget
Weather gadget for Windows 7 desktop

Unfortunately with the presentation of Windows 8 to the market, Microsoft no longer supports gadget gallery for Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. Microsoft now has a strategy to serve Windows 8 apps to the Windows users through Windows Market instead of gadgets through gadget gallery.




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