Popular gadgets for windows 7. Download Gadgets for Windows

28.12.2009 03:49

Gadgets (mini-applications) are small programs that display a variety of information on the Windows 7 desktop.

How gadgets work in Windows 7

A gadget, like a web page, consists of graphic images and files written in HTML, JavaScript and CSS. Therefore, to display gadgets, it is necessary that at least one browser is installed on the system. To use pre-installed (standard) Windows 7 gadgets, you must have a browser Internet Explorer. Some gadgets (for example, Weather) require an Internet connection, while other gadgets can work offline (for example, Clock).

The installation file of the widget is a regular zip archive with the extension .gadget. For a gadget to be displayed on the desktop, it must be installed and running.

To install the widget, double-click installation package gadget. The widget will then be added to your gadget collection, from where you can add it to your desktop.

The Desktop Gadgets Gallery is a panel that displays all installed gadgets. This panel is powered by the application sidebar.exe located in the folder %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar.

To open the Desktop Gadget Collection, click right click mouse on the desktop and in the context menu that appears, select Gadgets.

Adding gadgets to your desktop

2. Double-click one of the suggested gadgets.

Gadget menu

When you hover your mouse over a gadget, a small menu appears to the right of it.

Depending on the features of the gadget, this menu may contain buttons Close(removes the gadget from the Windows desktop), Options(displays additional settings), Size, Moving.

Removing a gadget

1. To remove a gadget from the collection, right-click on the desktop and select Gadgets.

2. Right-click on the widget you want to remove and select Delete.

After this, the widget will no longer be available in the Gadget Collection.

Recovering deleted gadgets

To restore all default Windows gadgets 7:

1. Open the Control Panel, set the view to “Category”.

2. Click .

3. In the section Desktop gadgets click Recovering desktop gadgets installed by Windows.

To restore a deleted third-party widget, simply install it again.

Turn Gadgets on or off

By default, gadgets are enabled in Windows 7. You can disable installing, viewing, and adding widgets to your desktop using Windows Features in Control Panel and using Local Desktop Editor. group policy(Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Enterprise only).

• Turn gadgets on or off using Control Panel

1. Open Control Panel (Large Icons View) > Programs and Features.

2. From the left menu, select Turn Windows features on or off.

3. To turn off the Gadgets feature, uncheck the Windows gadget platform. To enable Gadgets, select this checkbox.

4. Restart your computer.

• Enable or disable gadgets using the Local Group Policy Editor

1. Open the Start menu, enter search bar and press Enter.

2. Perform the required action:

• To disable the gadgets feature for your account, in the left menu of the Local Group Policy Editor, open Policy " Local computer» > User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows components> Desktop gadgets .

• To disable the gadgets feature for all users on the computer, in the left menu of the Local Group Policy Editor, open Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Desktop Gadgets, on the right side of the Local Group Policy Editor window, double-click the option Disable desktop gadgets.

3. Select Turn on and press OK.

If this setting is enabled, desktop gadgets will be disabled. If this option is disabled or not specified, desktop widgets will be enabled.

4. Restart your computer.

Creating your own gadgets for Windows

If you are familiar with programming languages ​​such as HTML and JavaScript, as well as cascading tables CSS styles, then you can use Donavan West's guide to creating Windows gadgets. The manual has been translated into Russian. Although this guide is focused on creating gadgets for Windows Vista, it covers the general principles of creating widgets that are necessary to understand the process.

1. Gadgets in Windows 7 can be freely moved with the left mouse button within the desktop. To move widgets closer together, press and hold the Shift key while moving the gadget.

2. So that the gadget is always displayed on top of all others open windows, right-click on it and select from the context menu that appears On top of other windows.

3. To hide all active gadgets, right-click on the Windows 7 desktop, select View and uncheck Show desktop gadgets. To make gadgets appear again, check this box.

4. To move all active gadgets to the front, press the Windows key + G key combination.

5. To adjust the transparency of a gadget, right-click on it and set the opacity level.

Pre-installed Windows 7 gadgets

Windows 7 comes with nine pre-installed gadgets (mini-applications):

• Windows Media Center

This gadget is a convenient, customizable launcher Windows Media Center.

• Currency

When connected to the Internet, the Currency gadget displays the value of the user's selected currencies, according to MSN Money providers. In total, the gadget can display from 2 to 4 currencies. This widget requires an Internet connection to work.

To add currency, click + in the lower right corner of the gadget. To remove currency, hover your mouse over it and in the right top corner click the red cross.

To change currency, click its name and select the desired currency in the list that appears.

• Puzzle

Gadget "Puzzle" is a mosaic game. An Internet connection is not required for the gadget to work.

To view the picture you need to collect, click the “?” at the top of the widget.

To automatically assemble or shuffle the mosaic, click the arrow icon in the upper right corner of the gadget.

The timer can be paused by clicking on the clock in the upper left corner of the gadget.

To change the picture, right-click the widget and select Options.

• Web channel news headlines

This gadget allows you to view news headlines from web channels (RSS feeds) without launching a browser (however, an Internet connection is required). The gadget displays news only from those sites whose RSS feeds are added to Internet browser Explorer. To view or change the list of RSS feeds, open Internet Explorer > Favorites > Channels Tab.

Any RSS feed added to Internet Explorer will become available for display in the Feed News Headlines gadget. For example, you can add our web feed to always know when a new article appears on our site. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Launch Internet Explorer browser.

2. Enter in address bar the address of our RSS feed: http://www.site/feed/ and press Enter.

3. Click Subscribe to this channel.

• CPU indicator

The CPU Indicator gadget displays the load on RAM (right) and processor (left) in real time. Additional settings does not have. An Internet connection is not required for the widget to work.

• Calendar

Options and use the “…” button to specify the desired folder.

Here you can adjust the speed of changing the picture and select one of the transition effects from one image to another.

By default, images follow each other in the order in which they are sorted in the folder. The sequence of changing images in the gadget can be changed to random by checking the “Images in random order” checkbox.

The Clock gadget can display the time in any time zone known to the operating system Windows system. To make the Clock gadget display a time other than the default time selected in OS settings, right-click the widget and select Options. On the gadget settings page, select the desired time zone and click OK.

To display the time in multiple time zones on your desktop (like in Mission Control), launch the Clock gadget the required number of times and configure the desired time zone in each.

Also on the settings page, you can choose the appearance of the “Clock” gadget and even assign a name to the clock that will be displayed on the watch face.

Download gadgets for Windows 7

There are many sites on the Internet that offer gadget downloads. Since Windows 7 is a new operating system, at the time of this writing, many of the gadgets available for download are written for Windows Vista. Most of them work quite well under Windows 7, but their functionality may change. At the same time, gadgets written for Windows 7 may be incompatible with Vista.

When downloading gadgets from third-party developers, you should pay attention to the bit depth and availability. Gadgets designed for 32-bit Windows 7 may not work on 64-bit Windows 7. Gadgets without digital signature may not install or work correctly in Windows 7. In addition, unscrupulous publishers distribute viruses and other malware under the guise of gadgets. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you download gadgets only from trusted sites.

Windows 7 components

The word “gadget” comes to us from the English “gadget”, translated as “device, device”. Such a device can be seen in the figure on the left - a fan with a clock, which is connected to the laptop via.

Currently, gadgets include any digital devices whose dimensions allow them to be connected to personal computer, smartphone or put on your hand.

Gadgets are compact and designed to perform specific, highly specialized tasks. Distinctive feature gadgets is that they are new, that is, an unusual, creative solution to certain problems compared to existing standard technologies.

Often gadgets cannot work independently; their main task is to expand functionality devices to which they are connected. I would like to note that calling all “advanced” technological devices, such as, for example, a tablet, gadgets eBook or, it will not be entirely correct.

After all, these devices may well work in offline mode without connecting to any other device. Therefore, on the one hand, they are gadgets, and on the other hand, they do not quite fall under the category of gadgets. This is the confusion associated with the release of a large number of new gadgets and, especially, with escape velocity their appearance.

More specifically, what is a gadget?

I’ll say right away that there is no catalog or list of devices that are gadgets. There are also no standards for gadgets. In general, gadget manufacturers are trying “to the best of their ability,” as they say, “as best they can.”

Here are some examples of gadgets:

• iPod,
• Mp3 player,
• digital camera,
• smartphone,
• communicator,
• a lot of useful, as well as useless, comic, “cool” devices connected to the computer via USB port, and so on.

USB gadgets

These are small devices that connect via a USB port. I do not classify as USB gadgets such devices (which have already become familiar to many) such as a keyboard, mouse, printer, external hard drive, although they all connect to the computer, usually via USB.

I will give examples of USB gadgets that, alas, do not always perform their functionality conscientiously:

• mug with USB heater,
• USB ashtray,
• USB mini-fridge (for example, for cooling one can of drink),
• USB keyboard vacuum cleaner for crumbs and dust,
• USB heated mouse pad,
• USB heated foot mat,
• USB heated slippers,
• USB backlight for keyboard,
• USB finger mouse
• USB laptop stand,
• USB fan, etc.

iPod as an example of a gadget

I’ll tell you a little more about such a gadget as the iPod - small device to listen to music and audio files in good quality. The idea was to unite HDD with a processor in a compact form for listening to music.

Used to work with iPod iTunes programs, which is pre-installed on your computer for free from the official website. When you connect your iPod to your computer, this program allows you to synchronize music (more precisely, any audio files) on your computer and on your iPod. You can download new music files to your iPod, delete them, and other necessary actions.

It is possible to charge via USB from a computer, then charging the iPod depends on the presence of a computer. Or you can use your own Charger, with which the iPod is charged through a regular 220V outlet.

iPod provides the opportunity not only to listen to music, audio books and audio casts, but also to use an organizer, listen to FM radio, and watch videos. True, I find it difficult to say what can be seen in a video clip on the tiny iPod screen, but if manufacturers have included this feature, it means that someone needs it.

What is a widget?

The well-known formula is computer = hard + software (or in Russian: ). In accordance with this formula, or perhaps according to the Russian tradition, “they wanted the best, but it turned out as usual,” but for some reason on the Internet the word “gadget” is used not only in relation to hard (hardware), but also in relation to software (software).

That is, gadgets are found in various software(there they are also called widgets) in the form of applications that make it easier for users. Widgets provide various types of information, such as:

• weather forecast,
• Exchange Rates,
• time,
• date and so on.

Widgets can also be:

• alarm clock,
• calendar,
• notebook,
• show the current state of the computer, etc.

In general, widgets are everything that allows you to as soon as possible get the information you personally need without using a browser to search for this information on the Internet.

Widgets are sometimes called informers (Russian version), which more clearly reflects the essence of such small programs. Words borrowed from in English(V in this case– widgets), more accurately express this or that concept, but for “” they often serve as a barrier to the perception of information.

If you were to ask me again what a gadget and a widget are and what they are needed for, then I would answer that a gadget is a small electronic device to add variety and convenience to daily life, and a widget is a small program for quick access to frequently used information. Although there is no consensus yet on the use of the new terms “gadget” and “widget”. Over time, perhaps everything will fall into place.

Widgets can also include applications, small programs that perform highly specialized functions and expand the capabilities of the main program.

On this site (and on millions of other sites), widgets are all the windows in the side columns of the main text that you are currently reading, for example, the “Search” windows for the site, “Start with a course”, “Popular articles”, “Categories” and etc. Such widget windows on the site are convenient for users to quickly access useful information.

Windows Gadgets

I wonder what Windows developers called mini-applications for quick access to necessary information gadgets. And the domestic search engine Yandex similar applications in relation to its search engine, it calls it widgets. Would you like to see this for yourself? Then take a look at the official Windows and Yandex websites using the links below.

Yandex widget “Weather” on your desktop

Yandex Widgets

If you prefer domestic search engine Yandex, then take a look at the Yandex widgets catalog:

Yandex offers two types of widgets:

1) widgets for Yandex (the subject of widgets is extensive: Auto, Business, Home, Games, Culture, News, Education, Announcements, Work, Entertainment, Sports, Help, Technologies, Tourism),

2) widgets for the Desktop (Search, Weather, Traffic, News, Clock).

Other meanings of the word "gadget"

The term "gadget" has other meanings. For example, the first atomic bomb was called a gadget at one time. In literature, this word is found most often in spy films (the James Bond series). Cartoon fans may remember Inspector Gadget, whose power lies in his collection of gadgets.

It is interesting to know that at the beginning of the 20th century, sailors in the English Navy called gadgets all technical devices whose names they did not remember, did not know, etc. From point of view computer literacy It turns out very convenient if you “in conversation” use the word “gadget” every time you forgot (or don’t know) the name of a new one technical device or the name of the new application. Not entirely competent, but maybe sometimes it’s better than saying, “that thing whose name I don’t know (or don’t remember).”

Without gadgets, life would not be so interesting. Humanity is constantly striving for something new and more perfect, for something that could make its life easier, thereby moving forward new technologies.

To make it interesting for us, I ask you to take part in the voting. If there is no gadget in the voting list below, please write in the comments to the article, and I will add it to the existing list of gadgets.

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With the release of new versions of Windows OS, many functions of the “seven” were undeservedly forgotten by users. Among these forgotten features are desktop gadgets.

Gadgets are special mini-applications for the desktop in Windows 7. Their compactness allows you to place a large number of functions directly on the main computer screen. They are used for quick access to certain functions, monitoring system status, improving appearance home screen, etc.

Adding gadgets is available even to novice users; installing and configuring them is not difficult. Below we will take a closer look at the launch and personalization features for specific user data of program elements.

First of all, convenience of this instrument is that it is virtually always at the user's fingertips. You can open and install all the gadgets available in the system as follows:

1. To see all the elements available for adding, you just need to right-click context menu on an empty area of ​​the desktop. Here, among all the items, select “Gadgets”.

   

2. To install any gadget, right-click on it and select “Add”.

   

   

   On a note! The system will open a window for a set of gadgets installed on this moment on the computer. You can find and download new ones here using the corresponding function below.

3. The selected gadget will appear on your desktop in the place you clicked on first.

   

4. In the future, you can drag it to any area of ​​the screen.

   

5. You can also open the gadget collection by finding it in the list of programs in the main Start menu.

   

6. You can remove a gadget from your desktop by simply clicking the “cross” in the upper right corner of the element itself.

   

On a note! In order to completely remove an unwanted gadget from your computer, without the possibility of re-locating it on the desktop, you need to reopen the gadget collection and right-click and select “Delete”.

How to download additional gadgets

You can download and add new gadgets in addition to the preinstalled ones from various sources - either using official store gadgets from Microsoft.

In order to download an item from the official gadget store from Microsoft, you need to:

In the future, the algorithm is as follows:

Read also useful and interesting information with two in simple ways, in the article -

Settings and other manipulations with gadgets

Each gadget has its own set of settings for personalizing display or setting functions, which can be opened by clicking the “Options” icon (image of a wrench) under the close button of the gadget.

However, there are also common basic settings its position and display directly on the desktop. You can call this setup menu by right-clicking on a gadget already installed on your desktop.

Here you can:

Setting example special parameters for a gadget showing system status and performance.

Disable all gadgets on your computer

In some situations, gadgets can pose a danger to a computer, since they have vulnerabilities when connecting to the Internet and working in other types of networks.

If the user has concerns about the quality of protection of his device, the use of gadgets should be stopped, and the elements themselves should be completely deactivated to eliminate threats.

In order to completely disable the use of any gadgets on your computer, you must:

1. Call, using the combination “Win ​​(OS icon) + R”, the “Run” line, and write “gpedit.msc” in it.

   

2. A special Group Policy editing window will open. Here we open the “Administrative Templates” category, in it – “Windows Components”. Among all the standard software components, select “Desktop Gadgets”.
3. A mini settings window will open various features and gadget access. Opening double click"Disable desktop gadgets" option.

   

4. The system will launch another window in which you can activate this parameter by selecting “Enable” and clicking “OK”. After this, installation and use of desktop gadgets will be impossible.

   

Recovering deleted gadgets

In other cases, it may be necessary to restore an accidentally or intentionally deleted gadget.

You can restore a lost gadget in this way:

Video - How to install, remove or disable gadgets in Windows 7

With development computer technology and the emergence of new operating systems, developers began to come up with a large number of various programs and elements. The purpose of these programs and elements is to improve the quality and convenience of the user's experience in operating systems. Gadgets are distinctive small programs, the purpose of which depends on the characteristics of each individual gadget. Gadgets are basically installed as programs and displayed on the desktop wherever or however the user wants. Many gadgets perform useful features such as showing the CPU load involved RAM, retrieve information from the Internet. There are also entertainment gadgets in the form of mini games and much more. You can download gadgets for Windows from us, free of charge and without registration on your desktop.

Gadgets are diverse in themes and functions; each gadget has a lot of settings that allow you to customize the gadget as it is more convenient for you. We have collected a fairly large number of gadgets for Windows that you can choose and download, completely free of charge, without registration and any stupid SMS and file sharing services. Gadgets for Windows will give your desktop good functionality and a beautiful, stylish look. Gadgets are customizable in design and display, which allows you to select them in accordance with your chosen Windows theme or desktop background. In order for the gadgets to fit harmoniously into the interior of the monitor, we recommend that you also download along with them

Gadgets (Widgets) are one of the most controversial features in a windowed OS. Some users install them and don’t even imagine how they can fully use their PC without their help. Others don’t even know what it is, and cope quite successfully. Are there gadgets for Windows 10, what are they and how to install them? We will discuss the answer to these questions in detail later in the article.

Why did widgets disappear from Windows 10?

With the arrival of first 8 and then the tenth version, this issue was resolved because Microsoft decided to completely remove the function from the system for some reasons:

• As unnecessary. A big emphasis in the new systems has been on live tiles, which, in some ways, work the same way as widgets. They display useful information, are updated in real time and look more relevant;
• For security reasons. Here the developers, rather, said without any particular reason. Because it is hard to imagine that such a small component of the system as a widget can greatly influence security, and parts of its code can be used by attackers. Although this may have affected performance. You can check this by returning the functionality and .

Now gadgets for Windows 10 cannot be found on the official website.

However, there are no more widgets and the reasons are given. Most users simply agreed and started using the tiles, but there are also those who do not want to deprive themselves of such convenient opportunity and wondered how to install gadgets on Windows 10. For their sake, we tried third party developers, who have created software that copies the functionality of widgets as closely as possible and tells you how to install gadgets on the desktop in Windows 10.

How to install gadgets on the Windows 10 desktop using programs

8GadgetPack

• Media center;
• Movie Maker;
• .NetFramework;
• DirectX 9 versions and much more.

It is likely that, by rummaging around on the Internet, you can find other less known solutions, but is it necessary to do this, given that the ones described above allow you to return the functionality that was in 7 and even more.

If you are looking for ways to remove gadgets on Windows 10, then this is done by adding them to the OS.