How to Add New Gadgets to a Sidebar
If you have Windows Vista or Windows 7, then you have the ability to add "gadgets" to the Windows "sidebar." Gadgets are small programs that can give you information of functionality about a niche area, such as stock quotes, a small notepad, a calendar or other things. The sidebar is a special narrow vertical bar on the Windows desktop where these gadgets are located. If you want to add gadgets to your Windows desktop, you can do so by using a built-in tool in the operating system.
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Instructions
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Start your computer and log into Windows. Open Windows Sidebar by clicking the "Start" button, clicking "All Programs," clicking "Accessories," and then clicking "Windows Sidebar."
Then right-click on a blank part of the desktop and select the "Gadgets" option. Wait for the gadgets window to appear.
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Select the gadget you want to use by clicking on the right and left arrow buttons near the upper left portion of the window. Once you find the gadget you want, click and drag it to your desktop. To keep the gadget attached to the Windows sidebar, drag it close to the right or left edge of your screen; the gadget will snap to the sidebar.
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Add more gadgets by clicking on the "Get more gadgets online" button, which takes you to Microsoft's website. Download the gadgets you wish to use and save them to your computer. Double-click on the gadget once it has finished downloading and it will be added to your gadget list and started in your sidebar.
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Tips & Warnings
You can download new gadgets from other websites on the internet and add them to your sidebar just as you can from the Microsoft website. But use caution when downloading gadgets from unknown websites, as they could contain malicious code designed to compromise your computer.
You can customize the size of the sidebar by clicking and dragging on the edge of it. You can also customize the size of your gadgets by right-clicking on them and choosing the "Size" option, then selecting which size option you want.
Running too many gadgets at once can cause your computer to slow down, especially if you don't have very much RAM in your machine. Consider upgrading your RAM or other computer components if you plan on running a lot of gadgets at the same time.
