Where to find and add widgets on your Mac

Widgets on Mac live in the Notification Center, which you open by clicking the clock in the top-right corner of your screen. From there, you can add widgets by scrolling to the bottom of the Notification Center and clicking the edit button (a pencil icon in a circle). A list of available widgets appears — click the plus sign next to any widget to add it, or the minus sign to remove one.

The order of widgets in your Notification Center matches the order they appear in the edit menu. Drag widgets up or down to rearrange them. Once you finish editing, click the "Done" button to close the edit menu and see your updated widget list.

Not all widgets are available by default. If you don't see a widget you want, check whether the app that provides it is installed on your Mac. Some widgets only appear after you download their app from the App Store.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Notification Center by clicking the clock in the top-right corner of your menu bar, then click the pencil icon at the bottom to edit widgets.
  • Click the plus sign next to any widget name to add it to your Notification Center, or the minus sign to remove it.
  • Drag widgets up and down in the edit menu to change the order they appear in your Notification Center.
  • Some widgets only show up after you download their app from the App Store, so check whether the app is installed if you can't find a widget you want.

Which widgets come built in with macOS

Apple includes a standard set of widgets with every Mac. These include Calendar, Weather, Stocks, Reminders, Notes, Maps, Mail, and World Clock. You also get widgets for Batteries (which shows the charge level of your Mac and any connected devices), TV, Books, Podcasts, and News.

The exact list varies slightly depending on which version of macOS you're running. Older Macs may not have all of these widgets available. If you want a widget that isn't showing up, check your macOS version — you can find this by clicking the Apple menu in the top-left corner, selecting "About This Mac", and looking at the version number.

How to add widgets from third-party apps

Many apps from the App Store offer their own widgets. To add one, first make sure the app is installed on your Mac. Then open Notification Center, click the edit button, and scroll through the list to find the app's widget. Click the plus sign to add it.

If you don't see a widget for an app you have installed, the app may not offer one. Some older or simpler apps don't include widgets. Check the app's page on the App Store — it usually lists which widgets the app provides under the "Information" section.

You can add multiple widgets from the same app if that app offers more than one. For example, a weather app might have both a current conditions widget and a forecast widget.

Resizing and customizing widgets

Most widgets on Mac come in a single size and cannot be resized. Unlike iPad or iPhone widgets, Mac widgets don't offer size options. What you see in the edit menu is the size the widget will display at in your Notification Center.

Some widgets let you customize what information they show. To access these options, right-click the widget in your Notification Center (not in the edit menu) and look for an "Edit Widget" option. Not all widgets support this — if you don't see the option, that widget doesn't have customization settings.

Removing widgets you no longer want

To remove a widget, open Notification Center and click the edit button. Find the widget in the list and click the minus sign next to its name. Click "Done" when you're finished.

Removing a widget from Notification Center doesn't delete the app that provides it — the app stays on your Mac. You can add the widget back anytime by following the same steps and clicking the plus sign instead.

Troubleshooting widgets that won't appear

If a widget you expect to see isn't showing up in the edit menu, first check that the app providing it is installed. Open your Applications folder (you can reach it by clicking the Finder icon in the dock, then clicking "Applications" in the sidebar) and search for the app by name.

If the app is installed but the widget still doesn't appear, try restarting your Mac. Sometimes widgets don't load properly until you restart. Click the Apple menu, select "Restart", and wait for your Mac to turn back on.

If the widget still doesn't show up after a restart, the app may not support widgets, or it may require a newer version of macOS than what you're running. Check the app's page on the App Store to see what macOS version it needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add widgets to my Mac desktop instead of Notification Center?

No. On Mac, widgets only appear in Notification Center. You cannot place widgets directly on the desktop the way you can on iPhone or iPad. Notification Center is the only place to view and manage widgets on macOS.

Why did a widget disappear from my Notification Center?

The most common reason is that you accidentally removed it. Open Notification Center, click the edit button, and add it back by clicking the plus sign. If the widget isn't in the list at all, the app that provides it may have been deleted from your Mac.

Do widgets use battery power on my Mac?

Widgets use very little power, especially since Notification Center is closed most of the time. The impact on battery life is negligible. You don't need to remove widgets to save power.

Can I move widgets between different Macs?

No. Widget settings are stored on each Mac individually. If you set up widgets on one Mac and then use a different Mac, you'll need to add and arrange the widgets again on the second machine.