Microsoft removes junk MSN feed from Windows widgets
▼ Summary
– Microsoft is hiding the MSN news feed in the Windows 11 widgets feature by default to make the experience “quiet by default.”
– Users have been able to disable the MSN feed for over two years, but it will now be hidden automatically.
– The change is part of an effort to reduce distracting alerts and visual interruptions in the widgets panel.
– Microsoft is also testing default settings that disable the widgets panel from opening when hovering over its taskbar icon.
– The update aims to make widgets feel less overwhelming and more focused for users.
Microsoft is finally pulling the plug on the intrusive MSN news feed that has long cluttered the Windows 11 widgets panel. More than two years after giving users the option to manually disable it, the company now plans to hide the feed by default as part of a broader push to make widgets “quiet by default.”
“We’re working to make Widgets feel less distracting and overwhelming by making the experience quiet by default,” Microsoft stated in a recent announcement. “To do this, we’re testing a new set of default settings designed to reduce unexpected alerts and visual interruptions.”
The change means that opening the widgets panel will no longer automatically bombard users with a stream of headlines and stories from MSN. Instead, the panel will present a cleaner, less noisy interface. Microsoft is also testing a setting that prevents the widgets panel from opening simply by hovering the mouse over its taskbar icon, a behavior that many users have found annoying.
This move signals a significant shift in Microsoft’s approach to the widgets feature, which was originally designed to surface personalized content and quick information. By scaling back the MSN feed, the company is acknowledging that the default experience was too overwhelming for many users. The new default settings aim to put control back in the hands of users, letting them decide what alerts and interruptions are truly relevant, rather than forcing a firehose of news on them every time they glance at the taskbar.
(Source: The Verge)
