6 Ways to Fix Widgets Not Working or Loading on Mac

Quick Tips

• Widgets help us quickly learn the news, check temperature, set reminders, etc.
• If they aren’t working on your Mac, start with basic fixes, such as checking your network connection and updating your Mac.
• For those with Intel-based Macs, should all fail, restart your Mac. Then, keep pressing the Command + Option + P + R keyboard.

Basic Fixes

• Restart Your Mac: Start with a simple restart. Click on the Apple logo at the top right corner of your Mac to locate the restart option.
• Check Network Connection: Some widgets, like temperature, stock changes, etc., need a stable internet. First, do a quick internet speed test. Then, check if your Wi-Fi has greyed out.
• Ensure the app is installed on Mac: If a widget enables you to search on Chrome, it won’t work unless Chrome is downloaded on your Mac. So, ensure the app related to the widget is installed.
• Reinstall and update the affected app: Delete the app related to the widget in the issue and reinstall an updated version.
• Update macOS: An error in your Mac could be the reason for glitching widgets. Go to System Settings > General > Software Update.

Fix 1: Remove and Re-Add the Widgets

To solve this issue, you can re-add the widgets. Here’s how.

Step 1: Click the clock icon in the Mac menu bar > select Edit Widgets at the bottom.

Step 2: Select the – icon beside the widget to remove it. Now, drag and drop the same from the bottom widget panel to re-add the widget.

Fix 2: Check iCloud Space

Some Mac apps require iCloud to sync the latest data. For example, when you add new notes or reminders from an iPhone or iPad, they won’t appear on the Mac widget if you have insufficient iCloud space.

To do so, open System Settings on your Mac. Then, select your Apple ID and open iCloud.

Now, remove existing media and files to free up iCloud space or upgrade to one of the iCloud+ plans.

Fix 3: Reset Notification Center

Mac widgets reside in the notification center, which you can reset using the Terminal app. Open Terminal on Mac, run the following command, and hit Enter.

defaults delete com.apple.notificationcenterui; killall NotificationCenter

Fix 4: Check Location Services

Some Mac apps require location permission to update widgets with astute information. You should check location services and give the required permission to install apps.

Step 1: Open System Settings on your Mac > scroll to Privacy & Security > select Location Services.

Step 2: Enable the toggle for Location Services.

Fix 5: Clear Mac Cache

If your Mac is infected with a corrupt or bogus cache, it may fail to load widgets properly. You can use a third-party app like CleanMyMac X to find and remove such cache files on Mac.

CleanMyMac X is a paid solution, though. You can also use Onyx to delete Mac cache files.

Fix 6: Reset NVRAM (Intel Macs)

When none of the tricks work, reset NVRAM on Mac. It stores system settings, and resetting it fixes normal Mac glitches. Note that the steps below only work on Intel-based Macs.

To do so, first Restart your Mac. Then, keep pressing the Command + Option + P + R keyboard shortcut and release them when you hear the startup chime.