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Active Desktop

Webopedia Staff
Last Updated May 24, 2021 7:34 am
A feature of Windows that began in Windows 98 that allows the user to store Web content on the desktop. The items that are placed on the active desktop receive feeds from the Internet that update the information as needed. They can also be static Web pages with hyperlinks on the desktop instead of in a browser. For example, a user can add such items as a stock ticker, a news feed, search buttons or weather reports. Active Desktop can host any HTML item, Java applets and ActiveX components.