Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in

25 Free and Useful Windows Desktop Gadgets

25 Free and Useful Windows Desktop Gadgets
By
Gadgets for your desktop

Gadgets first debuted on Windows Vista. These small programs remain useful, even though Microsoft withdrew official support for them on Windows 7. They're still a great way to keep useful information at hand so that you access it at any time.

Many Gadgets originally designed for Vista work properly on Windows 7, despite what Microsoft says. Here’s a rundown for the Windows Vista and Windows 7 users out there--a list of 25 Windows Gadgets that will appeal to the power-user.

Take note, however, that not all of the following gadgets are designed to run at the same time. Every Gadget you use takes up screen real-estate, which is even more valuable on the smaller screens of laptops and netbooks. Our recommendation: Look through the list and pick what is useful to you (or even suggest some of your own in the comments below). Happy browsing, and feel free to come back here for our regular updates.

See more See less
There are 33 Comments.
Other Comments
  • 2
    mcd023 , October 18, 2011 6:16 AM
    I really like Rainmeter, but the Clipboard manager looks promising.
  • 3
    ickarumba1 , October 18, 2011 10:01 AM
    The remote desktop gadget seems useful.
  • 1
    amk-aka-Phantom , October 18, 2011 8:56 PM
    Huh, not so bad. Like the hardware monitoring gadgets; no real use but they look cool :) 
  • 2
    CaedenV , October 18, 2011 11:11 PM
    The only one I have ever found useful is the weather app built into Windows. I also love sticky notes, it is the best gadget that isn't really a gadget
  • 0
    anonymous@guest , October 19, 2011 7:17 PM
    I've been using the CPU/RAM meter, network meter for quite some time now. They go along with the RSS new feed, weather and dark calendar nicely.
  • 0
    anonymous@guest , February 1, 2012 9:16 PM
    I am not able to download any desktop gadgets. But why ?
  • 0
    anonymous@guest , February 6, 2012 6:24 PM
    @Md uzzal hosen Microsoft stopped the gadget Gallery a couple of months ago. They want to get gadget developers to start developing Windows 8 'Metro apps'.

    A gadget which I like a lot is CalendarMark. It is a calendar/agenda gadget which also works with Google Calendar. You can still get it on their website (http://calendarmark.com).
  • 1
    warezme , April 6, 2012 1:24 AM
    I used to use gadgets but found them more annoying than useful. They must have the worst development incentive because I have gone to the MS gadgets download web and it's always the same old tired gadgets and like 20 different calendar gadgets or 50 different CPU meters, nothing really interesting.
  • 0
    sliem , April 6, 2012 4:28 AM
    Useful to me: Clipboard manager, clock, remote desktop, cpu meter
    Probably useful to me: network meter, drive meter, drive activity
  • 0
    burnley14 , April 7, 2012 12:26 AM
    Man Rico, your poor computer. 427/465GB full and no restarts for 58 days?
  • 0
    ITsonic , April 10, 2012 9:15 AM
    I one gadget that’s really useful System Control 1.2 the lower left hand corner of the gadget there is a PC icon which is named timer, when you click that pulls out a menu which allows you to set when you can Shut Down, Restart, Lock, and Sleep / Hibernate, Switch User, Log Off, Task Manager, Run Window, Control Panel and Command Prompt. Also you will be able to set the hour, minute(s) and second(s) when you are going to Execute the command.

    System Control 1.2
  • 0
    anonymous@guest , April 10, 2012 5:21 PM
    Probably useful to me: network meter, drive meter, drive activity
  • 1
    anonymous@guest , April 10, 2012 7:55 PM
    If you like gadgets like the Magic Folder, take a look at Windows 7's Pinned items.
    Just add Explorer to your quicklaunch, drop any of your favourite folders on the icon and presto! you have instant bookmarked folders. :) 

  • 0
    dreadlokz , April 20, 2012 12:03 AM
    Using the earthquake one... put it to 5+ with 1m update, better safe them dead? ;p
  • 0
    anonymous@guest , June 12, 2012 3:10 PM
    look so great
  • 0
    zeevw , September 22, 2012 6:00 PM
    rainmeter is best
  • 1
    zeevw , September 22, 2012 6:07 PM
    When you are pasting exactly the same pieces of text again and again again, Clipboard Manager could save you considerable time. All of your replicated text is organized like a small list, and choosing what should appear whenever you press Control V or choose Paste inside your text editor’s menu is as simple as hitting a block of text
  • 0
    xcaninox , October 13, 2012 3:38 AM
    all gadgets are crap, except the one that shows the earthquakes.

    damn, why did i even bother to believe the word USEFUL on the title
  • 1
    shin0bi272 , October 13, 2012 4:24 AM
    Nice spyware with the calculator app. Also I thought I remembered seeing this article... slow tech news day guys?
  • 1
    guardianangel42 , October 13, 2012 3:00 PM
    Vista Shutdown Control: Single most useful gadget on Windows 8.
Display more comments
Tom’s guide in the world
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Ireland
  • UK
Follow Tom’s guide
Subscribe to our newsletter