Set Your Lion Dashboard Widgets Free [OS X Tips]

Many of the complaints I’ve heard about Mac OS X Lion is about Dashboard. It now has its own space (virtual desktop) where all your Dashboard Widgets live. Well those living arrangements aren’t as permanent as one would think. Here is a tip on how you can set your Widgets free!

I’m not sure why Apple decided to give Dashboard and the Widgets it houses their own living space, but here is an easy fix that will return them to their free-floating selves again. Once you do this your Widgets will appear superimposed over the space you are currently viewing.

Simply launch System Preferences and then open the preferences for Mission Control. If you uncheck the option labeled Show Dashboard as a space, which is on by default, your Widgets will no longer be tied to their own space.

After you uncheck Show Dashboard as a space your Widgets will float over the current space just like before as shown below:

If you want to view your Dashboard Widgets at any time simply press function key F12 or FN+F12. The key sequence is dependent on the keyboard attached to your Mac. Generally, the latter sequence is used on Apple notebooks and wireless keyboards.

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