Windows Sidebar

Windows Sidebar

Windows Sidebar was a component of Microsoft Windows that displayed mini-applications known as gadgets. It was introduced in Windows Vista and Windows 7, but was later discontinued. The gadgets provided easy access to information like weather, news, photos, etc.
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Windows Sidebar alternatives ➤

Windows Sidebar: Mini-Applications for Easy Access

Discover the mini-applications and features of Windows Sidebar, a component of Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7, providing easy access to information like weather, news, and more.

What is Windows Sidebar?

Windows Sidebar was a vertical bar component of Microsoft Windows that was introduced in Windows Vista and included in Windows 7. It displayed small applets called gadgets that provided quick access to information and features like weather, news headlines, photos, calendars, calculators, clocks, RSS feeds, and more.

The Windows Sidebar occupied the right side of the desktop screen by default. Gadgets could be dragged and resized freely along the sidebar and they would automatically rearrange themselves. The sidebar could also be made wider to accommodate more gadgets if desired.

In addition to several gadgets that came pre-installed with Windows, many third party gadgets could also be downloaded and installed from websites. This allowed users to customize their sidebar with the information that was most useful to them.

While useful for quickly glancing at information, the Windows Sidebar concept was eventually discontinued and not included with later versions of Windows after Windows 7. But at the time, it introduced an innovative idea of desktop widgets and mini-applications that have become commonplace today.

Windows Sidebar Features

Features

  1. Displayed mini-applications known as gadgets
  2. Provided widgets for quick access to information like weather, news, photos, etc
  3. Gadgets were hosted on a sidebar that could be positioned on either side of the screen
  4. Included built-in gadgets like a calendar, clock, email notifier, etc
  5. Could add third party gadgets
  6. Gadgets could be dragged around and resized on the sidebar

Pricing

  • Free

Pros

Provided quick access to frequently used information

Customizable with different gadgets

Made some tasks convenient like checking weather or emails

Cons

Could be distracting and take up screen space

Limited selection of useful default gadgets

Performance issues on some hardware configurations

Security issues with some third party gadgets

Discontinued so no longer supported

Official Links

Official Website
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13787/...

The Best Windows Sidebar Alternatives

Top Os & Utilities and Desktop Utilities and other similar apps like Windows Sidebar

Here are some alternatives to Windows Sidebar:

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Rainmeter
GiMeSpace QuickMenu icon
GiMeSpace QuickMenu
Moo0 System Monitor icon
Moo0 System Monitor
Suggest an alternative ❐

Rainmeter icon

Rainmeter

Rainmeter is an open source desktop customization tool for Windows that allows users to personalize their desktop with customizable skins, widgets, and other graphical elements. It provides extensive options for customizing the look and feel of the Windows desktop.Some of the key features of Rainmeter include:Customizable skins and themes -...
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GiMeSpace QuickMenu icon

GiMeSpace QuickMenu

GiMeSpace QuickMenu is a free, open source application launcher and dock for Windows operating systems. It provides quick access to frequently used programs, files, and folders directly from an always-visible dock on the desktop.Some key features of GiMeSpace QuickMenu include:Clean, customizable interface with support for different themes, skins, icons, and...
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Moo0 System Monitor icon

Moo0 System Monitor

Moo0 System Monitor is a free and open source system monitoring and performance tracking utility for Windows. It provides real-time graphs and statistics on key system resources including CPU usage, memory utilization, network traffic, and disk activity.Some of the key features of Moo0 System Monitor include:Customizable and interactive graphs for...
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