Widgets Blank

Allan Burek 40 Reputation points
2026-09-20T13:18:06.36+00:00

Widgets no longer populate. What has been done so far:

sfc /scannow and related DISMs

uninstalled/reinstalled web experience pack

repair install of Win11 PRO

All with no help. Found that Widgets.exe is not running as a task, but widgetboard is. Thanks in advance for any help.

Windows version is Win11 25H2 (26200.9457). Created another local account and the widgets worked as expected in the test account, search still remains affected.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Desktop, Start, and personalization | Task Bar
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Answer accepted by question author
Norah-L 11,410 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-09-21T03:21:17.5366667+00:00

Hello Allan Burek,

Since Widgets works in the test account, the original profile’s Widgets data may be damaged. However, Search is also affected in that profile, it may be worth treating that as a separate issue alongside the Widgets behavior.

First, open Windows Terminal, select PowerShell, and run:

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.WidgetsPlatformRuntime | Reset-AppxPackage

Restart the computer and test Widgets again.

If that does not help, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime, select the three-dot menu, and choose Modify > Repair. Widgets depend on WebView2 to display their content.

For Search, try Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows > Advanced indexing options > Advanced > Rebuild.

If Widgets remain blank, use the working test account as a temporary workaround. Since the problem appeared on build 26200.9457 despite a repair install, please also report it through Feedback Hub under Desktop Environment > Widgets, and submit Search separately under Desktop Environment > Search. This may help bring the issue to the attention of the relevant product team for further investigation.

Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators, contributors including external Microsoft employees cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas.

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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-20T13:18:23.1433333+00:00

    Since Widgets works in the new local account, the Windows installation and core Widgets components are likely intact, and the problem is isolated to the original user profile.

    Try this path:

    1. Update the Windows Web Experience Pack again from Microsoft Store.
      • Open Microsoft Store > Library.
      • Search for Windows Web Experience Pack.
      • If Update appears, install it.
      • Also turn on App updates in Microsoft Store > user profile icon > Store settings.
    2. Check that Widgets is enabled on the taskbar.
      • Right-click the taskbar > Taskbar settings.
      • Make sure Widgets is turned On.
    3. Restart the Widgets process.
      • Open Task Manager.
      • If Widgets.exe or Windows Widgets appears, end it.
      • Press Windows + W to relaunch it.
    4. If the original profile still shows a blank Widgets board while the test account works, use the new account result as confirmation that the issue is profile-specific.
      • In that case, the practical workaround is to move to a new user profile, since the same device already proves Widgets can function normally.
    5. If search is still affected only in the original profile, that also points to a profile-level issue rather than a system-wide Windows or Widgets package failure.

    Relevant product behavior:

    • Widgets in Windows 11 are delivered through the Windows Web Experience Pack and update through the Microsoft Store.
    • Widgets are a connected Windows experience.
    • Some Widgets behavior and settings have changed in newer Windows 11 builds, including a full-page Widgets Settings experience in later updates.
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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