Facebook Messenger widget debuts in latest Windows 11 preview

The widget system in Windows 11 is mostly Microsoft-made apps, but a prominent developer is already working on using the feature. Microsoft has released a new preview version of Windows 11, which includes the first ever third-party widget, Facebook messenger.

Microsoft stated that a preview version of the app with widget support is now available on the Microsoft Store, so you can view your latest posts directly from the widget drawer.

Facebook Messenger only available on the recent Insider Preview

The widget doesn’t seem to be available until you use the most recent Insider Preview release, so most users won’t be able to test it for now. If so, it can be a hit and miss experience; Microsoft claims the preview contains some known bugs, including “third-party widgets that don’t often disappear from the widgets board” or get unpinned.

If you are using the preview, you can try out the Messenger widget by installing or upgrading the application, visiting the widget board and selecting the “+” button to access a list of available widgets. Then click the Messenger icon to pin it to the top of the board.

While still in its early stages, it’s amazing to see a major app receive a widget after Microsoft opened up the system to developers late last year. When Windows 11 was released over two years ago, widgets seemed intriguing, but some people (myself included) didn’t find them particularly useful.

It is now available as a feed from “personalized content” provided through Microsoft’s proprietary applications. However, if I could suddenly add widgets from applications I actually use and place them above the river of news headlines and stocks, it might deserve a spot on my taskbar. Messenger will hopefully pave the way for many such widgets to follow.