How to Disable Widgets on Windows Devices Using SureMDM

Purpose

This article explains how to disable Widgets on Windows devices managed through SureMDM. By removing the Windows Web Experience Pack, Widgets will be disabled from both the Home Screen (Taskbar) and the Lock Screen.

Prerequisites

• A Windows device enrolled and managed through SureMDM.
• Administrative access to the SureMDM Console.
• Permission to create and deploy Run Script jobs.

Steps

1. Create a Run Script Job

1. Log in to the SureMDM Console.
2. Navigate to Jobs > Windows > Run Script.
3. Select PowerShell as the script type.
4. Enter the following PowerShell command:

Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers MicrosoftWindows.Client.WebExperience | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers

5. Save the job.
6. Deploy the Run Script job to the target Windows devices.

The script will remove the Windows Web Experience Pack, which is responsible for providing the Widgets functionality.

2. Sign Out and Sign In to Apply Changes

After the script execution is completed:

1. Sign out of the Windows user session and sign back in.
   OR
2. Restart the device.

A user sign-out/sign-in or device restart is required for the changes to take full effect.

3. Verify Widgets Are Disabled

After the user logs back in:

1. Check the Windows Taskbar and Lock Screen.
2. Confirm that the Widgets feature is no longer available.

The Widgets UI should no longer be displayed on the device.

Re-Enable Widgets

If Widgets need to be restored:

1. Open the Microsoft Store on the Windows device.
2. Search for and install the Windows Web Experience Pack.
3. Once the installation is complete, sign out and sign back in (or restart the device).

The Widgets feature will be restored and available on the device.

Conclusion

By removing the Windows Web Experience Pack using a SureMDM Run Script job, administrators can successfully disable Widgets on Windows devices. This removes Widget access from both the Home Screen and Lock Screen, helping organizations maintain a controlled and distraction-free user experience. Widgets can be re-enabled at any time by reinstalling the Windows Web Experience Pack from the Microsoft Store.

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