While some users appreciate this feature, a significant number prefer to disable the Bing-powered News and Interests widget for various reasons. Disabling the News and Interests widget on Windows is relatively straightforward for the average user, but it can be challenging for an organization’s IT staff to disable the widget on hundreds of PCs. They can use the Registry Editor or Group Policy Editor methods to disable it across the organization. Note: These steps are applicable on both Windows 10 & Windows 11.
Disable the Weather Forecast Widget Through the Taskbar
If you like the widget but find its pop-up behavior annoying when your mouse hovers over it, you can disable this and keep the widget still displayed. If you wish to retain the widget but are concerned about the taskbar space it occupies, you can resize it to an icon. If you prefer using the widget but are concerned about the internet data consumption (particularly if you are on a metered connection or using a mobile phone hotspot), you can configure the widget to use less data. Keep in mind that if you dislike a particular card within the News and Interests widget, you can disable it by clicking the three horizontal ellipses on the card and selecting Hide Card.
Disable the News and Interests Widget Through the Group Policy Editor
If you are an IT professional in your organization responsible for managing weather settings on Windows 10 for numerous PCs, you can use the Group Policy Editor to disable the weather widget and propagate the policy throughout all PCs. This method is also suitable for individual users, but the taskbar method is simpler for them.
Disable the News and Interests Widget Through the Registry Editor
Alternatively, you can use the Registry Editor to disable the weather display organization-wide, but this method may be excessive for a regular user. Warning: Editing the PC’s registry requires skill, and mistakes may lead to irreversible damage to your data/system. Proceed at your own risk and do not forget to back up your system’s registry as a safety precaution. You can also disable it using command-line: Simply copy and paste the command in Command Prompt and it restart your computer.
