Что такое формат файла GADGET?
.gadget files are used for storing smaller applications for Windows, bundled as self-contained packages known as Desktop Gadgets or Windows Sidebar Gadgets. Files with the .gadget extension contain mini-programs capable of monitoring system resources - a simple clock or CPU meter, for example. Each package can include various combinations of CSS, HTML, and JavaScript files, together with image assets and a gadget.xml manifest that declares the gadget's name, author, version, and entry-point page.
.gadget data is stored in a compressed ZIP archive under a different file extension. You can access the contents by renaming the file suffix to .zip and opening it in any archiver such as 7-Zip. The unpacked folder can then be browsed like any other directory, revealing the gadget.xml manifest alongside the HTML, CSS, and script files that make up the gadget's interface and logic.
Gadgets were introduced with the Windows Vista Sidebar in 2007 and continued in Windows 7, where they moved to the open desktop rather than a fixed side panel. They were never available in Windows XP. Microsoft disabled the Desktop Gadgets platform entirely in Windows 8 (2012) and later issued security advisory KB2719662, recommending that Windows Vista and Windows 7 users also turn off gadgets - because gadgets run with full user privileges and had been exploited as a malware vector. Gadgets do not run natively on Windows 10 or Windows 11; third-party tools such as 8GadgetPack can restore limited support.
Безопасность и защита
РИСК: HIGHWindows Desktop Gadgets are a recognised security risk: they are unsigned HTML/ JavaScript that run with the full privileges of the current user, so a malicious .gadget can execute arbitrary code, install malware or steal data. This is exactly why Microsoft removed the platform in Windows 8 (2012) and issued a security advisory plus a "Fix it" to disable gadgets on Vista/Windows 7. Never install a .gadget from an untrusted source. The safe action is to rename it to .zip and read the HTML/JS rather than running it. Third-party restorers (8GadgetPack) bring back the same exposure - use only with gadgets you trust.
Детали формата
в двух словахПрограммы, открывающие файлы GADGET
Windows3 apps
7-Zip
Открытый код Right-click > 7-Zip > Open archive (or rename to .zip) to safely inspect the HTML/JS inside without running it. 
Windows Desktop Gadgets (Vista/Windows 7 only)
Встроенная On Vista/Windows 7, double-click the .gadget and confirm Install. NOT available on Windows 8/10/11.
8GadgetPack (third-party restorer, modern Windows)
Бесплатно Unofficial tool that re-enables gadget hosting on Windows 8/10/11. Use only with trusted gadgets - it reintroduces the old security risk. Технические подробности
глубокая спецификация| Container format | Standard ZIP archive - local file header plus DEFLATE per-entry compression |
| Magic bytes | `50 4B 03 04` at offset 0 - the "PK" signature shared with all `.zip` files |
| MIME type | `application/x-windows-gadget` |
| Internal manifest | `gadget.xml` - declares gadget name, author, version, and the entry-point HTML page |
| UI rendering | HTML + CSS rendered by the Internet Explorer engine hosted inside `sidebar.exe` or the Desktop Gadgets process |
| Scripting engine | JScript (IE-based); scripts access `System.Gadget` and `System.Shell` objects for Windows integration |
| Typical package size | 10 KB to a few MB - HTML, JS, and CSS source files plus icon and background images |
| Integrity | ZIP CRC-32 per internal entry only; the `.gadget` package itself carries no code-signing |
| Install location | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets\<GadgetName>.gadget\` |
| Hosting process | `sidebar.exe` on Vista; Desktop Gadgets host on Windows 7; both run with full user account privileges |
| Native OS support | Windows Vista and Windows 7 only; platform removed in Windows 8 (2012) |
| Security status | Disabled by Microsoft security advisory KB2719662 (2012) due to arbitrary code execution risk |
| Third-party compatibility | 8GadgetPack restores `.gadget` installation and hosting on Windows 10 and Windows 11 |
| Выпущен | 2007 (Windows Vista Sidebar) |
| Последняя версия | Windows 7 Desktop Gadgets (final; feature removed in Windows 8, 2012) |
| Спецификация | learn.microsoft.com |
Конвертации GADGET
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