Monitor exchange rates using Windows 11 or Mac widgets
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The U.K. is in the grip of a monetary crisis, with the pound sterling exchange rate dropping alarmingly over the past few days. If you’re trying to keep tabs on the exchange rate, there are tools on both PC and Mac that make this easier.
How to monitor exchange rates on a PC
Windows 11 brought back the concept of desktop widgets to the PC. You can use these to easily track the exchange rate movements.
The widgets are activated by dragging your mouse to the far left of the Windows desktop or by pressing Windows key + W.
Amongst the widgets available in Microsoft’s rather paltry selection is one called Watchlist Movers, which you can use to keep tabs on how the pound is faring against the U.S. dollar or the Euro, for example.
If you don’t see the Watchlist Movers when you open widgets, click the + button next to your profile image at the top right of the Widgets pane. From there, add the Watchlist.
Once you’ve added it, click on the three dots at the top of the widget and select Large. Then click the ‘Go to watchlist’ link at the bottom of the widget.
At the top of the screen that opens in the browser select Exchange Rates, and then press the + button next to GBP/USD, GBP/EUR or whichever currency market you wish to follow.
You should now find the exchange rate appears in your widgets, as shown below, although it may take a few minutes for the widgets to refresh.
You can monitor exchange rates from Windows 11 widgets
Barry Collins
How to monitor exchange rates on your Mac
Macs also have widgets, found by clicking the date/clock in the top right corner of the screen or by dragging two fingers from the right of your touchpad.
If you don’t already have the Stocks Watchlist widget, open widgets, scroll down to the bottom and select Edit widgets, then choose Stocks and Symbol from the menu that appears.
Once the widget is in place, right click on it and select Edit Stocks. Search for the symbol “GBPUSD=X” and you’ll get a widget showing the current exchange rate of the pound against the U.S. dollar, as shown below.
The Mac Stocks widget in action
Barry Collins