A GADGET file is a small program that runs within the Windows Vista or Windows 7 sidebar. It stores several web-based files in a Zip archive format and may include .HTML, .CSS, .JS files, as well as other web files. GADGET files are used for small programs such as news feeds, search tools, system utilities, and small games.

Other types of gadgets include web gadgets and SideShow gadgets. Web gadgets can be placed on web pages, while SideShow gadgets run on mobile phones, digital picture frames, and other devices. If you install a user-level Windows gadget, the installation files are placed in the following directory: [user]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets\ The default Windows gadgets are installed to the following directories: C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Shared Gadgets\ C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets\ Formerly, gadgets could be downloaded from the Windows Live Gallery, but Microsoft discontinued the gallery service. NOTE: Since GADGET files are stored in a .ZIP format, you can rename their file extension to ".zip" and open them with any Zip-compatible decompression utility.