Title: How widgets work
Last modified: August 19, 2016

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# How widgets work

 *  [fs_tigre](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fs_tigre/)
 * (@fs_tigre)
 * [16 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-widgets-work/)
 * Hi,
 * 1- Can someone be so kind and explain what widgets are and how they work?
 * 2- What is the main function?
 * Thanks

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  [Rev. Voodoo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rvoodoo/)
 * (@rvoodoo)
 * [16 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-widgets-work/#post-1316340)
 * widgets can be pretty much anything. They are a bit of code that accomplishes
   some function. A lot of the time they go in your sidebar (but they can go anywhere
   really, depends what your theme is set up for).
 * To use them frequently, if they are not core widgets, you first install the plugin.
   Next in your appearance ->widgets menu you position them where you need them,
   and set up anything that may need setting up.
 * Its impossible to give a thorough description of what widgets are, since they
   are all different. I’ve got music playing widgets, photo showing widgets, advertising
   widgets, etc
 *  Thread Starter [fs_tigre](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fs_tigre/)
 * (@fs_tigre)
 * [16 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-widgets-work/#post-1316352)
 * Fist of all thank you for your reply!
 * So, they are inactive by default and need to be activated before they can be 
   used?
 * Thanks
 *  [Rev. Voodoo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rvoodoo/)
 * (@rvoodoo)
 * [16 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-widgets-work/#post-1316353)
 * well, the core ones that come with wordpress, that is correct. You would drag
   them onto your sidebar to activate them.
 * There are also many widgets here….
    [http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/](http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/)
   First you would have to install the plugin, then you would have access to the
   widget
 *  Thread Starter [fs_tigre](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fs_tigre/)
 * (@fs_tigre)
 * [16 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-widgets-work/#post-1316457)
 * Thanks a lot!

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

The topic ‘How widgets work’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 4 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [fs_tigre](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fs_tigre/)
 * Last activity: [16 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-widgets-work/#post-1316457)
 * Status: not resolved

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