Allow widgets
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows 10
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Widgets Description
This policy specifies whether the widgets feature is allowed on the device. Widgets will be turned on by default unless you change this in your settings. If you turned this feature on before, it will stay on automatically unless you turn it off.
Registry
HKLM
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh Value name: AllowNewsAndInterests
Enabled: AllowNewsAndInterests = 1
Disabled: AllowNewsAndInterests = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/NewsAndInterests/AllowNewsAndInterests Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
CSP values
-
0- Not allowed. -
1 (Default)- Allowed.
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Allow widgets
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows 10
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh]
"AllowNewsAndInterests"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow widgets
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowNewsAndInterests' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/NewsAndInterests/AllowNewsAndInterests
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow widgets
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh' -Name 'AllowNewsAndInterests' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow widgets
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowNewsAndInterests' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow widgets
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow widgets
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh' -Name 'AllowNewsAndInterests' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow widgets
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows 10
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'AllowNewsAndInterests' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.