Facebook Messenger will be able to display contacts and incoming messages in the Windows 11 widget panel

Facebook Messenger could be one of the first non-Microsoft apps to implement widget support in Windows 11.

Although supported since Windows Vista, widgets aren’t very visible, with Windows 11 requiring at least one click to see them. But that doesn’t mean widgets aren’t useful, just that they’ve become less intrusive, which can only be a good thing.

First announced for the Messenger Preview version, the new feature will eliminate the need to open the app to access your contact list or check your inbox. To try out the new widget requires both updating the Facebook Messenger app to the latest version available on the Microsoft Store and signing up for the Windows Insiders trial program, followed by installing the latest Windows 11 build distributed through the Insider Preview channel. Even with these conditions met, Microsoft reports that some widgets created for non-Microsoft apps may spontaneously disappear from the panel where they’re supposed to be displayed, and the issue will be fixed by the official debut of this feature.

Although it was part of the Windows 11 release announcement two years ago, widget support has so far only been accessed by a few of the pre-installed apps. But that’s about to change, as Microsoft is bringing other software developers into the testing program, with widgets set to take on a bigger role in the Windows 11 user experience.