How to Close Widgets on a Mac

Use widgets to perform small tasks on your Mac.

Apple installs a variety of small applications called widgets on every Mac, and when you no longer want to use a widget, you might not be sure how to close it. You access widgets with the Dashboard, a transparent layer that appears above your open applications and Finder windows. Widgets enable you to quickly do tasks such looking up the definition of a word, performing a calculation or checking the local weather forecast. Widgets are easily closed.

Instructions

1. Press the "F12" key on your Mac's keyboard, or click "Dashboard" on your Mac's Dock located on the bottom or side of the screen. The Dashboard opens, showing your widgets.

2. Click the "Plus" sign icon at the bottom left of the display. An icon of a circle enclosing an "X" appears on the upper-left corner of each widget.

3. Click the "X" on each widget that you want to close.

4. Press the "F12" key or click your mouse on an application or Finder window to exit the Dashboard.

References

• Apple: Mac OS X 10.6 Help: Using Dashboard Widgets
• Apple: Mac OS X 10.6 Help: Dashboard and Widgets
• Apple: Mac 101: Dashboard

Resources

• Apple: Downloads -- Dashboard