 | |
 Windows Vista's sidebar, showing analog clock, picture slideshow, and current weather of Redmond, WA | |
| Developer(s) | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows XP SP2 or later |
| Included with | |
| Predecessor | Active Desktop |
| Successor | Live Tiles in Windows 8 |
| Type | Desktop widget engine |
Windows Desktop Gadgets (called Windows Sidebar in Windows Vista) is a discontinued widget engine for Microsoft Gadgets. Desktop Gadgets have been replaced by Windows 10 Taskbar Widgets. It was introduced with Windows Vista, in which it features a sidebar anchored to the side of the desktop. Its widgets can perform various tasks, such as displaying the time and date. In Windows Vista, the widgets are restricted to a sidebar but in Windows 7, they can be freely moved anywhere on the desktop.
Windows Desktop Gadgets was discontinued in Windows 8. The Windows 8 Live Tiles can perform a similar function, but they are only visible when the Start menu is visible. They run in a more restrictive environment, making them less risky, but also less useful for some purposes, like system monitoring.