Microsoft Win11 adds the first-party "Phone Link" widget to display mobile phone notifications and battery status, etc.

CTOnews.com January 27, Microsoft Windows 11 users finally got more widgets. Messenger applications recently became the first third-party widget to enter Microsoft Store, and Microsoft now provides new widgets for users of Phone Link apps on Dev channels.

After installing Phone Link application version 1.23011.73.0 or later from Microsoft Store, users can add Phone Link widgets, which come in three sizes to view notifications and various status indicators, such as battery power, network, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. CTOnews.com learned that clicking a message on the widget launches the Phone Link application and goes to the notification section.

Microsoft began to add more useful widgets to the operating system, not just using the area to promote MSN and various promotions. However, the substantive problem remains the same: accessing the widget requires additional actions, such as clicking, shortcut keys, or hovering the cursor over the widget icon. Some users think that opening the Windows widget to view Phone Link notifications is no different from launching the application from the taskbar.

Although Microsoft is still reluctant to turn Windows 11 widgets into Windows 7-era gadgets, the company is at least trying to make Windows widgets more ecological through third-party support and more first-party widgets.

Related readings:

"Microsoft Win11 Dev Preview Build 25284 release: experience third-party widgets (with updated content)"