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How to remove gadgets from the Vista sidebar

#52 | 1:10 |

Tutorials

Wednesday November 19, 2008

Windows Vista includes a bunch of interesting or superfluous (depending on your perspective) features. One of those is the Windows Vista Sidebar. The Sidebar displays a few gadgets by default. They may not be the gadgets you want though. Today we'll show you how to remove gadgets from the Vista Sidebar or, if you subscribe to the superfluous school of thought as outlined above, how to remove it entirely.

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Show Notes

To remove a gadget

- Hover your mouse over the gadget in question. A small menu appears. Click on the X and the gadget is no more.

To hide the Sidebar temporarily

- Right-click on the Sidebar and select Close Sidebar from the context menu that appears.

- To re-open the Sidebar, click on the Sidebar icon in the system tray.

To disable the Sidebar for the current session

- Right-click on the Sidebar icon in the system tray and select Exit.

To permanently close the Sidebar

If your system just ekes by on Windows Vista minimum specs or if you use Google Desktop, the Vista sidebar may be surplus to requirements.

- Right-click on the Sidebar icon in the Windows system tray.

- Select Properties.

- Un-check the box beside Start Sidebar when Windows starts.

- Click OK.

Now when you start up your computer, Sidebar won't start with it.

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