Microsoft added a “News and interests” widget to the Windows 10 taskbar that displays the current weather, temperature, and a rotating feed of news headlines, stocks, and sports scores. While some users appreciate having this information at a glance, many find it distracting, resource-heavy, and prone to accidental clicks that launch Microsoft Edge.
If you prefer a clean, minimalist desktop environment, you can completely remove the “News and interests” widget from your taskbar in just a few seconds.
How to Turn Off the News and Interests Widget
You do not need to uninstall any software or edit the Windows Registry to remove the widget. It can be disabled directly from the taskbar context menu:
- Locate the News and interests widget on your Windows 10 taskbar (it is usually positioned on the right side, near the clock and system tray icons).
- Right-click anywhere on an empty space on the taskbar, or right-click directly on the weather widget itself.
- In the menu that appears, hover your mouse over News and interests.
- A sub-menu will slide out. Click on Turn off.
The weather icon and news feed will immediately vanish from your taskbar, freeing up space for your application icons and creating a less distracting work environment.
How to Reduce the Widget Without Completely Disabling It
If you like having the weather displayed but find the news pop-up annoying when your mouse accidentally brushes past it, you don’t have to turn the feature off completely. You can modify its behavior instead:
- Right-click on the taskbar and hover over News and interests.
- Select Show icon only. This removes the text describing the weather and shrinks the widget down to a single small icon, saving taskbar space.
- Uncheck the option labeled Open on hover. By disabling this, the massive news panel will no longer pop up when your mouse accidentally moves over the weather icon. You will have to intentionally left-click the icon to view the news feed.
These adjustments provide a great middle ground, allowing you to check the weather without suffering from intrusive pop-ups.