[Fix] News and Interests Feature Not Available in Your Windows 10 Device

Recently Microsoft added a new feature called “News and Interests” to Windows 10 operating system. This new feature shows weather forecast information in form of a widget on Taskbar in notification area. When the user hovers mouse cursor over the weather icon or clicks on the icon, Windows 10 launches a flyout panel showing latest news feed.

Following screenshot shows News and Interests feature in action in Windows 10 operating system:

Many Windows 10 users are not finding this feature and complaining about the missing News and Interests tool. I have also received many emails from readers asking how to get News and Interests feature installed in their Windows 10 devices? Many readers have asked me that they have installed all latest updates in their Windows 10 devices but still there is no News and Interests option available in their computer.

In this article, I’ll tell you how to add News and Interests feature in Windows 10 and why some Windows 10 devices are not receiving and not showing this new feature.

POINT 1:

News and Interests feature was implemented in the latest Windows 10 version 21H1. So to get this feature, you must install or upgrade to the recently released feature update 21H1.

How to Download and Upgrade to Windows 10 May 2021 Update (Version 21H1)

OR

Microsoft also released an optional update to bring News and Interests feature to some older versions of Windows 10 such as version 2004 and 20H2. The update required to get News and Interests feature is KB5003214. It’s an optional update and users need to manually download and install the update in their Windows 10 devices.

To download and install the update, open Settings app by pressing WIN+ I keys together or from Start Menu. Now click on Update & Security section. On Windows Update page, check if KB5003214 update is available for download. If not, then click on “Check for updates” button and the update will be available.

Now click on “Download and install” button given below the KB5003214 update.

Once the update is installed and you restart your computer, you’ll get News and Interests feature in Taskbar.

TIP: You can also manually download and install KB5003214 update from official Microsoft Update Catalog website:

Download and Install KB5003214 Update from Microsoft Catalog

PS: Older versions of Windows 10 (released before year 2020) will not receive this feature. You can check which Windows 10 version is installed in your computer system with the help of this tutorial.

POINT 2:

Even after installing the required update, if you don’t see News and Interests feature in Taskbar, there are chances that Windows Explorer or some other system processes or executables are blocked by your Firewall software from connecting to Internet.

In one of my Windows 10 devices, I encountered similar situation. Long time back, I blocked following processes or executables from connecting to Internet using my Firewall software in that device:

• Windows Explorer (explorer.exe)
• Download/Upload Host (backgroundtransferhost.exe)
• Background Task Host (backgroundtaskhost.exe)
• NT Kernel and System

When I installed KB5003214 update in that device, I didn’t get News and Interests feature. After some troubleshooting, when I removed above mentioned executables from Firewall blocking list, Explorer.exe immediately tried to connect to Internet. I allowed the process to connect to Internet and after a few minutes, I restarted Explorer and surprisingly News and Interests feature was added to the Taskbar.

So it seems even after installing the KB5003214 update, Explorer or Windows shell needs to connect to Internet to activate or download the News and Interests feature.

If you also blocked any of above mentioned executables (specially Explorer.exe) from connecting to Internet using Firewall software, unblock it and News and Interests feature should be added to your device.

POINT 3:

As suggested by our reader “Cheryl Anne“, News and Interests widget will only appear if you have Taskbar on bottom. If you have set Taskbar to display at left, right or top position, the News and Interests widget will not appear. So unlock the Taskbar by right-clicking on the Taskbar and unchecking or deselecting “Lock the taskbar” option and then drag-n-drop the Taskbar to move it to bottom and now News and Interests widget will start showing. It reminded me of this bug found in Windows 8.

POINT 4:

Last but not least, the feature is being rolled out to all Windows 10 devices having version 2004 and 20H2. It might be possible that your device is set to receive the feature in next phase. So wait for some days.

Also Check:

[Tips] Customize or Remove “News and Interests” (Weather) Widget in Windows 10 Taskbar

[Tip] Completely Disable and Remove “News and Interests” Feature in Windows 10