How to Add the Weather to Your Taskbar in Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

Windows 11 brought a fresh design and lots of usability improvements. But one feature many users miss from Windows 10 is the weather widget on the taskbar. Luckily, Microsoft still lets you add it—you just need to know where to look.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to add the weather to your taskbar in Windows 11, why it’s useful, and how to customize it for the best experience. Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

Why Add the Weather to Your Taskbar?

1. Quick Glance at Conditions

No need to open your browser or weather app—your taskbar gives you real-time updates.

2. Saves Time

Perfect for busy mornings when you just want to know if you need an umbrella.

3. Customizable

You can change location, units (Celsius/Fahrenheit), and even appearance.

How the Taskbar Weather Works in Windows 11

The weather feature is part of the Widgets panel in Windows 11.

In Windows 11 22H2 and newer, the weather shows on the left corner of the taskbar.
It displays the temperature and weather icon (sun, cloud, rain, etc.).
Clicking it opens the Widgets board, where you can see more details.

Step-by-Step: How to Add Weather to Your Taskbar in Windows 11

Step 1: Open Settings

Press Windows + I or right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.

Step 2: Go to Taskbar Personalization

Navigate to Personalization > Taskbar.

Step 3: Enable Widgets

Under Taskbar items, find Widgets.
Toggle the switch On.

Step 4: Check Taskbar

Look at the bottom-left corner of your taskbar—the weather should now appear.

How to Change Weather Location

By default, Windows detects your location. If it’s wrong:

Click the weather widget on the taskbar.
In the Widgets panel, click the three dots (…) on the weather card.
Select Edit location.
Enter your city manually or let it auto-detect again.

How to Switch Between Celsius and Fahrenheit

Open the Widgets panel.
On the weather card, click the three dots (…) and choose Customize weather.
Toggle between °C and °F.

How to Resize or Move the Weather Widget

Inside the Widgets panel, right-click the weather card.
Choose Small, Medium, or Large.
You can also drag and drop it to rearrange your widget layout.

How to Hide the Weather from Taskbar

Not a fan of clutter? Easy fix:

Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.
Turn off the toggle for Widgets.
The weather icon will disappear instantly.

Troubleshooting: Weather Not Showing on Taskbar

1. Check Your Windows Version

The feature is available in Windows 11 build 22000.527 or later.

To check, press Win + R, type winver, and press Enter.

2. Restart Explorer

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
Find Windows Explorer → Right-click → Restart.

3. Re-enable Widgets

Sometimes toggling Widgets off and back on fixes it.

4. Update Windows

Go to Settings > Windows Update and install the latest patches.

Alternative: Use Third-Party Weather Apps

If you don’t like Microsoft’s widget, you can try:

Weather Bar – lightweight taskbar weather tool.
Rainmeter – highly customizable desktop widgets.
Forecast Bar – sleek design with live updates.

How the Weather Widget Compares to Windows 10

Windows 10: Weather was built directly into the News & Interests taskbar icon.
Windows 11: Weather is part of the Widgets panel, giving you more info in one place.

Tips for Making the Most of Windows 11 Widgets

Pin extra widgets like Calendar, To-Do, or Traffic.
Use the search bar inside Widgets for quick answers.
Sign in with your Microsoft account for personalized content.

Privacy Considerations

The weather widget may use location services. If you don’t want that:

Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Location.
Disable location or set it to manual city input in weather settings.

Pros of Adding Weather to Taskbar

Always visible at a glance.
Automatically updates with real-time conditions.
Integrates with Widgets for more details.

Cons of Adding Weather to Taskbar

Uses system resources in the background.
Location sometimes misdetects.
Limited customization compared to third-party tools.

Conclusion

Adding the weather to your taskbar in Windows 11 is a simple tweak that makes life easier. Whether you’re checking if it’s sweater weather or planning your commute, the taskbar widget puts key info right where you can see it.

And if you don’t like it? Disabling it is just as easy.

FAQs

1. Why can’t I see the weather option on my taskbar?
Make sure you’ve enabled Widgets under taskbar settings and updated Windows 11.

2. Can I choose multiple cities for the taskbar weather?
No, the taskbar shows only one city. But you can add more cities inside the Weather app or Widgets panel.

3. Does the weather widget drain battery on laptops?
The impact is minimal, but disabling it may slightly improve battery life.

4. Can I move the weather to the right side of the taskbar?
Not natively. It always stays on the left, though third-party tools may change this.

5. Is the taskbar weather available offline?
No, it requires an internet connection to update.