The latest version of the Windows 11 operating system replaces the widget icon with the weather widget in the left corner. You can hover your cursor over the widget to see additional weather information and access other widgets.
However, if you don’t want to update to the latest version of Windows yet, you can use a third-party tool to enable the hidden weather widget. Next, we’ll show you how this is done:
How to enable the weather widget in Windows 11 with ViveTool
ViveTool is a third-party command-line utility. It enables you to enable new features that are still not available in public versions of the Windows operating system.
You can use it to enable the weather widget on your Windows 11 PC. ViveTool is also available for GUI versions, but here we’ll show you how to use the command-line version of the tool.
It should be noted that modifications to the Windows system through third-party tools involve risks. Make sure you have a Windows backup on hand, or create a recovery point to restore your PC in the event of an accident. In addition, you can create a recovery drive and system repair disc to have additional recovery options.
To enable the weather widget in Windows 11, here’s how:
1. Download ViveTool from its GitHub repository.
2. Extract the Zip archive to get the ViveTool folder.
3. Next, move the ViveTool folder to the following path:
C:\Windows\System32
4. Next, press the Win key and enter cmd. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
5. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command one by one and hit Enter to execute:
vivetool addconfig 34301415 2
vivetool addconfig 36553793 2
vivetool addconfig 36226054 2
vivetool addconfig 36226456 2
6. The above command will toggle the listed feature ID to enable the weather widget in Windows 11.
When the command executes successfully, you will see information about the successful setup of the feature configuration.
Close the command prompt, and then restart your PC to apply these changes. After the restart, the weather widget will appear in the left corner. If you see a normal widget icon, wait a few minutes for it to update and become a weather widget.
Use Weather Bar to Display Weather Info in Windows 11
Weather Bar is a third-party open-source application located in the taskbar and system tray. At a glance, it shows the temperature conditions. You can click on the icon to see other weather information, including the weather forecast for next week.
It is a better alternative to ViveTool because it works independently of the widget app. Here’s how to use the Weather Bar app to display weather information in the Windows 11 taskbar.
1. Go to the Weather Bar download page.
2. Click on the Exe Windows button to download the executable package.
3. Run the installer and complete the installation.
Once installed, the icon of the weather bar will appear in the taskbar. Tap the app to see additional information. You can also customize the temperature measurement units, layout, launch icons, and more on the app’s preferences page.
How to Disable Weather Widget in Windows 11
You can disable the widget option in Windows 11 to disable the weather widget completely. Here’s how to do it.
1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Open the Personalization tab in the left pane.
3. Click on the Taskbar option in the right pane.
4. Under Taskbar Items, toggle the switch for Widgets to disable the weather widget.
Easily check the weather
In short, you can easily enable the built-in weather widget on your computer using ViveTool. If you’re not used to running third-party applications to make system modifications, you can opt for the Weather Bar app. It is free, accurate, and works independently of the widget app in Windows 11.
