# Widgets on desktop, possible in Lion?



## peterv6 (Jul 26, 2011)

I've been running widgets on my OS X desktop for a few years, but since I've upgraded to Lion, the method of getting them onto the desktop doesn't work anymore.  I used to be able to bring up Dashboard with F12, then click and hold on a widget then hit F12 again and drag the widget and it'd stay on the desktop.  Now when I hit F12 again, the dashboard disappears, and so does the widget.  I used the command 
	
	



```
defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES
```
so that shouldn't be the problem.  I'd really like to be able to do this again, so anyone who can help, it will be greatly appreciated!


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## bradfordwithh (Aug 2, 2011)

I have been searching for an answer to the same question: how do we move widgets to the desktop in Lion???


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## peterv6 (Aug 3, 2011)

Here are the steps:

```
1. Open System Preferences.
2. Click on Mission Control.
3. Deselect Show Dashboard as a space.
4. In Terminal, enter the command 
   [COLOR="Red"][B]"sudo defaults write com.apple.dashboard demode YES[/B][/COLOR]
5. Exit terminal.
6. Logout of Lion.
7. Log back into Lion.
8. Open Dashboard (I do it by hitting F12).
9. Select the widget you want on the desktop and, 
   while dragging it, hit F12 again.  That closes 
   Dashboard and places the widget onto the desktop.
```


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## zmixter (Aug 20, 2011)

peterv6 said:


> Here are the steps:
> 
> ```
> 1. Open System Preferences.
> ...



Do you have to run the first original command? Then the sudo command? All I did was enter the Sudo command and followed the steps, then when I logged back in, before I moved any widgets, two of the them were already on the desktop. The other problem, was that the widgets were on top of the web pages and programs I had open. Then I moved both back to the dashboard, and couldn't move any of the widgets back to the desktop. I had them on Leopard, and really want them on Lion, any help is appreciated!


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## mmacuser (Sep 11, 2011)

This works for me now with the exception that on Snow the widget would show on all Spaces and now only shows on the one where I dragged it to.

Any suggestions?


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## DaveFlash (Dec 15, 2011)

the above is wel and good, but you do not need to log out and back in again, the following makes it work immediately:

step 1: make sure Dashboard as a Space is turned of.
step 2: open terminal and type defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES, and hit enter.
step 3: type killall Dock. hit enter.
step 4: there is no, step 4, your done.

now when you open dashboard, you can drag, and hold a widget while closing dashboard so it stays on your desktop. repeat in reverse to put the widget back in Dashboard.


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## DaveFlash (Dec 15, 2011)

thats because of how the new Spaces/Mission Control works in Lion, so there's no helping it, it'll stay on the first desktop you've dragged it to. Though ofc, you can always drag it to a different desktop/space


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## rmpbklyn (Dec 19, 2011)

for 10.7 followed the instructions
  as soon as click F12 nothing shows, just the desktop with apps that were running.
the F12 only now works as a 'overlay', after deselection of '...spaces...'

how does one get permanent window of widget as done with 'yahoo widgets'?
'widgetrunner' does not show all widgets,


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## DavidAzar (May 17, 2012)

DaveFlash said:


> the above is wel and good, but you do not need to log out and back in again, the following makes it work immediately:
> 
> step 1: make sure Dashboard as a Space is turned of.
> step 2: open terminal and type defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES, and hit enter.
> ...


Hey Dave Flash,
Is there a way to have the widgets go on the back always? 
for example, i've used your tip and now i have the cal widget on the desktop, but if i open a new application, that is not of full screen , the widget appears on the window of the app, blocking some of the space.
i hope i am being clear..

thanks


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## RMD3819 (Apr 19, 2013)

DaveFlash said:


> the above is wel and good, but you do not need to log out and back in again, the following makes it work immediately:
> 
> step 1: make sure Dashboard as a Space is turned of.
> step 2: open terminal and type defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES, and hit enter.
> ...



HELP!

I did the above in an attempt to move my widgets to my desktop and now Mission Control is gone! The icon is there but when I click it it "shrinks" the active windows but Mission Control does not appear as one of them.

This is my second day with my Mac and I've screwed something up already.


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## DeltaMac (Apr 19, 2013)

Undo what you did:
type in the same defaults write command, but change "devmode" from YES to NO.

You'll probably want to restart.
Assuming that's the only change that you made to dashboard/mission control, then you should be back to where you were.
If that doesn't change anything, delete the file "com.apple.dashboard.plist" from your user folder/Library/Preferences folder.
Logout, then log back in to your user.


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