You can customize Windows Sidebar by hiding it, keeping it on top of other windows, adding and removing gadgets from it, detaching gadgets to place them on the desktop, and more. You can find a wide variety of Sidebar gadgets, from games to productivity tools, available for download at the Windows Live Gallery website.
You can keep Sidebar and any detached gadgets that are on your desktop on top of your open windows. If open windows are maximized, they will automatically lock against Sidebar.
1.
Open Windows Sidebar properties by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Windows Sidebar Properties.
2.
Select the Sidebar is always on top of other windows check box, and then click Apply. – or – Right-click a detached gadget, and then click Always on Top.
You can add any installed gadget to Sidebar. If you want, you can add multiple instances of a gadget. For example, if you are keeping track of time in two time zones, you can add two instances of the Clock and set each accordingly.
You can detach gadgets from Sidebar and place them anywhere on the desktop.
1.
Right-click the gadget you want to detach, and then click Detach from Sidebar.
2.
Drag the gadget to the location you want on the desktop.
Notes
To move the gadget back to Sidebar, right-click the gadget, and then click Attach to Sidebar.
The size of gadgets as they appear in Sidebar is fixed. However, many gadgets resize themselves slightly larger when detached from Sidebar and placed on the desktop.
a.
Right-click the gadget you want to detach, and then click Detach from Sidebar.
b.
Drag the gadget to the location you want on the desktop.
At the top of Sidebar, click the plus sign (+)
to open the Gadget Gallery.
Add Gadget button
2.
In the Search box, type the name of the gadget you want to find. As you type, the list of gadgets will narrow to the closest match.
You can narrow your search further by clicking the arrow to the right of the search box and selecting one of the items in the list. For example, clicking Recently installed gadgets will narrow the search to gadgets installed in the past thirty days.
At the top of Sidebar, click the plus sign
to open the Gadget Gallery.
Add Gadgets button
2.
Right-click the gadget, and then click Uninstall.
NoteIf you uninstall gadgets that came with Windows, you can restore them to the Gadget Gallery by following these steps:
a.
Open Windows Sidebar properties by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Windows Sidebar Properties.
You can move Sidebar to the left side of the screen or to a different monitor if you are using multiple monitors.
1.
Open Windows Sidebar properties by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Windows Sidebar Properties.
2.
Under Display Sidebar on this side of screen, select which side of the screen you want.
3.
Under Display Sidebar on monitor, select the monitor you want.
If you have two or more monitors, you can place Sidebar on any one of them.
1.
Open Windows Sidebar properties by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Windows Sidebar Properties.
2.
Under Display Sidebar on monitor, select the monitor you want.
The work area on a computer screen that simulates the top of an actual desk. You can arrange icons on the desktop, such as the Recycle Bin and shortcuts to programs, files, folders, and various types of documents, just as you would arrange real objects on top of a desk.
Icon
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Icon
A small picture that represents a file, folder, program, or other object or function.
Notification area
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Notification area
The area on the right side of the Windows taskbar. It contains shortcuts to programs and important status information.
Maximize
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Maximize
To increase the size of a window as much as possible. To maximize a window, double-click the title bar, click the Maximize button (the middle button on the right side of the title bar), or press ALT+SPACEBAR and then press X.
Taskbar
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Taskbar
The area of the desktop that contains the Start button and buttons for all open programs. By default, the taskbar is located at the bottom of the desktop, but you can move it.
Drag
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Drag
To move an item on the screen by selecting the item and then pressing and holding down the mouse button while moving the mouse. For example, you can move a window to another location on the screen by dragging its title bar.
Help and How-to
