How to Fix How to Add Widgets to Your Mac's Desktop

With the introduction of macOS Sonoma, Mac users can now add widgets directly to their desktop, enhancing productivity and convenience. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to add and manage these widgets.

Enabling Widgets for Desktop

To start adding widgets to your Mac desktop, you first need to ensure that the feature is enabled. Follow these steps:

Go to System Settings: Click on the Apple menu and select System Settings.
Navigate to Desktop & Dock: In the sidebar, click on Desktop & Dock.
Enable Show Widgets: Scroll down to the Widgets section and make sure the checkbox for On Desktop is checked.

Adding Widgets to Your Desktop

There are two primary methods to add widgets to your Mac desktop: through the Notification Center and directly from the desktop.

Adding Widgets via Notification Center

Open Notification Center: Click on the date and time in the upper-right corner of your screen.
Edit Widgets: Scroll to the bottom of the Notification Center and click Edit Widgets.
Select a Widget: In the widget gallery, choose an app from the left sidebar and select the corresponding widget in the right pane.
Drag to Desktop: Drag the selected widget to your Mac's desktop and place it anywhere you prefer.

Adding Widgets Directly from Desktop

Right-Click on Desktop: Right-click or Control-click on your desktop wallpaper.
Select Edit Widgets: Choose Edit Widgets from the context menu.
Choose a Widget: In the widget gallery, select a widget from the list or choose an app from the left to see its available widgets.
Add to Desktop: Click on the preferred widget, and it will automatically be added to your desktop. You can also drag it to a desired spot.

Customizing and Managing Widgets

Once you have added widgets to your desktop, you can customize and manage them as needed.

Resizing Widgets

Widgets come in different sizes, and you can adjust them to fit your needs:

Right-Click on Widget: Right-click or two-finger-tap on the widget you want to resize.
Select Size Option: Choose from Small, Medium, Large, or Extra Large to change the widget size.

Reorganizing Widgets

You can easily reorganize the layout of your widgets:

Drag and Drop: Click and drag a widget to a new location on your desktop. macOS will suggest an alignment grid to help you keep your widgets neatly arranged.

Removing Widgets

If you no longer need a widget, you can remove it:

Right-Click on Widget: Right-click or two-finger-tap on the widget you want to remove.
Select Remove Widget: Choose Remove Widget from the context menu.

Using iPhone Widgets on Your Mac

macOS Sonoma also allows you to use widgets from your iPhone on your Mac desktop, leveraging Apple's Continuity feature:

Enable Use iPhone Widgets: Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock and turn on the Use iPhone widgets toggle.
Right-Click on Desktop: Right-click on your desktop and select Edit Widgets.
Select iPhone Widget: In the widget gallery, click on the app you want to use, which will show "From iPhone" if it's not from an app on your Mac.
Add to Desktop: Drag the widget to your desktop and click Done.

Additional Customization Options

You can further customize how your widgets appear and behave:

Change Widget Style: Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Widgets and choose between Automatic, Monochrome, or Full-color styles.
Change Default Browser: In the same Widgets section, you can select a default web browser for your widgets.

By following these steps, you can effectively add, customize, and manage widgets on your Mac desktop, enhancing your productivity and user experience.

How to Fix How to Add Widgets to Your Mac’s Desktop