[Libs-Or] Tech-Talk: WINDOWS 11 - Get Rid of (or Personalize) the Weather/News App

Tue Jul 1 14:50:53 PDT 2025

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Personalize the Weather and News app

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WINDOWS - Get Rid of (or Personalize) the Weather/News App in Windows 11

Novice

In Windows 11, there is an option available in the taskbar at the bottom left of the screen. It sometimes appears as a weather notification or a news icon. (See arrow) It's called the News and Interests App.

[https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/765817b8-5a1f-4750-a55a-f179c63091e2.png?rdr=true]

When you click on the icon, it opens up a whole new screen with a bird's eye view of top news stories, traffic, sports, and more.

While this could be helpful to some computer users, others may find it distracting – especially when they unintentionally mouse over it and the busy pop-up screen opens.

[Windows desktop with weather news and market widgets open]

Let's look at both how to hide this taskbar option … and if keeping it, how to add some customizations.

Hide the News and Interest App in Windows 11

If you want to hide this feature, here are the quick steps:

·     Right-click an empty area of the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings.
·     Be sure that you're in Personalization navigation on the left and then toggle OFF the Widgets option.
·     If you'd like to bring it back, again, right-click in a space in the taskbar, select Taskbar settings and toggle the Widget back ON.

[https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/ac66d204-10e9-4232-afb2-8a3405c9f7e7.png?rdr=true]

Customize the News and Interest App in Your Taskbar

If you want a quick way to stay up-to-date with current events or weather, you can customize which info blocks are included – weather, finance, sports and traffic – and personalize them. Have a favorite sports team? Make sure you get the updated game results!

NOTE: Because you are personalizing this for your Microsoft account, you must be signed in to save the settings. To see if you are connected, open the News and Interest app and look in the upper right corner. It will show the connected account with your picture icon, or a link to sign in.

To hide a block or personalize what is displayed for you, click on the News and Interest icon in the taskbar to open the full pane. Here you have several choices.

[https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/1e570268-a1d1-4d2a-a56c-d71ff3835a0f.png?rdr=true]

For the Weather, Sports, Money/Markets and Traffic blocks, click the three dots in the upper corner of each individual app (weather, for example).

·     Select to hide or customize widget.
·     Each block has different options. For example, for both Weather and Traffic, it detects your computer's location, but you can change the default to another region or city.

Under the Top Stories block, it will start to learn the type of news you like. Just mouse over an article and click the three dots to tell it to Follow, Block or Manage Interests.

To see more stories in the preview window, click the refresh (circular arrow) button at the top of the window.

To manage the type of content displayed in the News, Money and Sports blocks, with the News and Interests app open, click on your picture icon at the top of the window. This will open the Personalize Microsoft Start window.

Here you can select the type of items to be displayed in different ways.

1.  Use the search bar to look up specific channels to follow. For example, you could type in "health" to see specific channels realted to that topic.
2.  Or scroll through the icons, and in each section, there are choices. Click the plus (+) sign next to a topic to add it to your feed. For example, under Recommended Topics you could choose Technology, International Relations or Music.

Over time, the app will show you stories based on your selected interests!

[MSN personalization window showing account info, region, language, and topics to follow like Health, Pets, Amazon, Food, and Gaming.]

[https://files.constantcontact.com/ee1208b4001/e565d7d1-215e-487a-8e78-f332113e7825.jpg?rdr=true]

Communications: Talking

Avoid saying, "I want to be honest ..."

We’ve all done it, right? Started a response with, “I want to be honest with you,” “To tell the truth,” or “Honestly…” This technique feels like a way to show sincerity, especially when the topic is sensitive or uncomfortable.

But here’s the problem: using those phrases can backfire. Instead of building trust, they can plant seeds of doubt.

Why? Because honesty is supposed to be the default in any conversation. When you announce it, it makes people wonder, Were you not being honest before? or Is this going to be difficult to hear?

Take this example: “Honestly, I didn’t like your idea.” This can sound abrupt and dismissive, right?

A better way to phrase it would be: “I see what you’re aiming for, but I have a few concerns about how it might work.” This version is more constructive and invites collaboration.

Here's another: “To tell the truth, your report was confusing." This implies you’ve been holding back or are about to criticize.

Instead try: “There were some parts of the report I found hard to follow—can we walk through them together?” This version shows you were attentive and are willing to be helpful.

Bottom line: Skip the disclaimers. Trust is built through tone, clarity, and consistency ... not through announcing your honesty. Speak with confidence and respect, and people will naturally believe you mean what you say.

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