Short answer: Windows 11 doesn't give you a scrolling ticker to pin to the taskbar, at least not in anything Microsoft documents. What it has is the Widgets button at the left of the taskbar. It shows weather most of the time, and with a stock watchlist set up it can show stock updates there too. The full list sits on the Widgets board.
We make InvestFellow, a browser extension, and it comes up near the end for people who want more. The Windows steps come from Microsoft's own support page and a gHacks article (both linked at the bottom). Prices can be delayed, and nothing here is advice on what to buy or sell.
Set up the Widgets watchlist
- Make sure Widgets is on the taskbar. Right-click the taskbar, choose Taskbar settings, and under Taskbar items turn Widgets on.
- Open the Widgets board by selecting that button or pressing Windows key + W.
- If there's no stock watchlist on the board, select the + button to open the widget picker and add the watchlist widget.
- On the watchlist, select the more options button (the three dots) and choose Customize widget. That's where you update the list of stocks.
If you'd rather open the board by pointing at the button, open Widgets, select the settings button and turn on Open Widgets board on hover.
What shows on the taskbar, and what doesn't
Microsoft says the taskbar shows weather most of the time. When something important happens in one of your widgets, finance included, you might get a short announcement, and then the taskbar goes back to the weather. So expect a stock update now and then, not a constant feed of your list. For the whole list with prices, open the board.
Microsoft says widgets are refreshed "dynamically throughout the day" and aren't meant to replace full apps. It gives no refresh interval on that page, so treat the prices as a glance, not a trading screen.
How to turn stock prices off on the taskbar
gHacks found that the stock information on the taskbar comes from the watchlist widget on the board. Open the board, select the three dots on the Watchlist Movers widget and unpin it (or use Remove widget, the option Microsoft describes). In gHacks's testing, Windows then added a smaller Watchlist Movers widget, and that one has to be hidden the same way before the stock information leaves the taskbar.
To remove the Widgets button altogether, turn Widgets off in Taskbar settings. Windows key + W still opens the board.
If you want more than a glance
A desktop ticker app. If you want prices scrolling over every window, you need a separate program. We looked at a few in Scrolling stock ticker for your desktop.
A ticker bar in your browser. If most of your day is in Chrome or Edge, a bar in the browser keeps prices in view on the pages you read. That's what InvestFellow does. It puts a scrolling or static bar at the top or bottom of web pages, with a free watchlist of stocks, ETFs and indices that refreshes every 2 minutes. Premium ($4.99 a month after a 7-day free trial) refreshes every 4 seconds and adds price alerts, crypto and a second bar with market movers. Every new install also gets one free AI insight.
The limits: it shows only inside the browser, not on the taskbar or over other apps, and prices can be delayed. Setup is in our Edge guide and watchlist guide.
FAQ
Can I add a scrolling stock ticker to the Windows 11 taskbar?
Microsoft's Widgets page doesn't describe one. The Widgets button can show a stock update now and then, and the watchlist sits on the Widgets board. For a scrolling ticker over your apps you need a separate desktop app, such as the ones in our desktop ticker guide.
Why are stock prices showing on my taskbar?
The watchlist widget on your Widgets board feeds the taskbar. Remove it from the board, or turn Widgets off in Taskbar settings.
Does InvestFellow show on the taskbar?
No. It's a browser extension, so the bar appears on web pages in Chrome or Edge only (not on browser settings pages) and not over other apps.
Is this financial advice?
No. This page explains how to see prices. It doesn't recommend any stock.