How to put a widget on the Mac desktop

Since macOS Sonoma, widgets can live on the desktop itself instead of only in Notification Center. Here is where to find them, how sizes work and how to run two copies side by side.

Last updated September 24, 2026

Open the widget gallery

Desktop widgets need macOS 14 Sonoma or later. There are two ways in:

Control-click or right-click an empty part of the desktop and choose Edit Widgets.
Click the date and time in the menu bar to open Notification Center, scroll to the bottom and click Edit Widgets.

The gallery lists every app that offers widgets. An app's widgets usually appear only after you have opened the app at least once, so if one is missing, launch the app and look again.

Pick a size and place it

Select an app in the gallery to see its sizes, then drag the one you want onto the desktop, or click it to drop it in the next free spot. Widgets snap to a grid and to each other. To move one later, drag it; to remove it, Control-click it and choose Remove Widget.

Not every widget comes in every size. Morning Board, for example, offers Large and Extra Large, because four stacked sections do not fit in a smaller tile.

Two copies with different settings

You can add the same widget more than once. Each copy has its own settings: Control-click a widget and choose the edit option to change them. This is how you would put a work view on one side of the screen and a personal one on the other.

Why a widget looks faded

When app windows are in front, macOS can tone desktop widgets down so they do not compete with your work. They return to full color when you click the wallpaper to reveal the desktop. You can change this in System Settings, under Desktop & Dock, in the Widgets section, where you can also choose whether clicking the wallpaper reveals the desktop.

Buttons inside widgets

Widgets can contain buttons that act without opening their app, such as checking off a reminder. Clicking anywhere else on a widget usually opens its app at the relevant place.

Why a widget is not up to the minute

macOS decides when widgets refresh, to save battery, and gives each widget a limited budget. A widget that offers a refresh button can ask for an update when you need one. Widgets whose app keeps running in the background, for example in the menu bar, can also be kept current by that app.