XWidget

XWidget helps you customize your Windows desktop, mainly by creating and adding widgets. Right after the installation, the application’s icon appears in the System Tray, from where you can access most of its features.

Three widgets also appear by default: a photo browser, a clock and weather info, which are enough for the user to know what the program is about. However, there are a total of 15 gadgets coming in the installation package. In addition, you can download much more from an online gallery. Also, you can manage themes as a combination of wallpaper and selected widgets.

In case you do feel satisfied with any of the ready-made widgets, you can try creating your own. It is good news that the application includes a visual editor. Luckily, you can start by choosing one of the templates available, which saves a lot of time and effort. It is shame that the text in the templates appears in Chinese, so you need to change the font family first. The editor supports object-oriented programming; yet, you can create some simple widgets without even knowing how to program. Moreover, there are also some simple but elegant animations available. This tool can conveniently help you create widgets for Windows but Android as well, and it supports exporting them directly to your smartphone via USB.

One of the main worries about using widgets is that they may have a negative impact on system performance. Fortunately, XWidget does not significantly increase boot time or consume a lot of RAM memory. In general, an assessment of the cost-effectiveness relationship favors the use of this customization package. As a final point, you should also know that you can use XWidget at no cost but there is also a purchasable Pro edition if you feel you need more features.