Power2Go’s desktop burning gadget is a small drag-and-drop widget for quick disc burns, ISO writing, and backups without opening the full program.
What It Does In Plain Terms
Think of it as a mini control that sits on your desktop. You drag files onto its icon and it burns a data disc, makes an audio CD, writes a video disc, or starts a backup. No big window, no menus to hunt. It’s handy when you just want a disc without stepping through long screens.
The widget speaks the same language as the main Power2Go app. It calls the right engine behind the scenes, then shows a short progress window. When the tray pops out, you’re done.
How The Gadget Works
The interface shows a compact strip with arrows. Tap the arrows to switch functions: Data Disc, Audio CD, Video Disc, Copy Disc, Write ISO, and Backup. Each mode has its own icon. Pick one, drag files, click once, and the burn starts.
You can drop mixed content into the data mode. For music CDs, drop audio files or even video clips; the tool extracts the audio and makes tracks. For movie discs, drop video files and it turns them into a playable disc. If you drop an ISO in Write ISO, it writes the image to a blank disc. Copy Disc needs a source disc in the drive and a blank ready to go.
Capacity is visual. A bar fills as you add items. When it turns red, you’ve added too much for the disc in the drive. Remove a few files, or switch to a bigger blank like a DVD or Blu-ray.
Setup And First Run
Install the main program. During setup, the desktop tool is included. If it isn’t visible after installation, launch it from the Start menu entry for Power2Go. Pin it so it loads at login.
The strip can sit at the edge of the screen or float. You can set it to stay on top. Keep it near the file manager to speed up dragging.
Before the first burn, check your optical drive. Insert a blank disc to let Windows mount the media. Close any AutoPlay prompt. Pick a mode and you’re ready.
What You Can Burn
Data discs store files as they are. Use CD for tiny jobs, DVD for medium jobs, and Blu-ray for big jobs. Music CD turns audio files into tracks that play in car stereos and home players. Video Disc turns clips into a playable disc. Copy Disc reads and writes a one-to-one copy where allowed. The ISO tool writes image files that you created earlier or downloaded from a trusted source.
The software supports common blanks: CD-R/RW, DVD±R/RW, dual layer, DVD-RAM, and Blu-ray. Rewritable blanks can be erased, then reused. Some older players dislike rewritable discs, so use write-once blanks when you need broad playback.
Fast Start Workflow
Here’s a straightforward way to use it every day:
- Pick a mode with the arrow buttons.
- Insert the right blank for the job.
- Drag files or folders onto the icon.
- Click the big burn button.
- Name the disc when prompted, then watch the progress bar.
- Label the disc when it ejects and store it in a sleeve.
This saves time when you don’t need menus for filters or authoring. When you want menus for a movie disc, open the full program and use authoring there.
When To Use The Full Program Instead
The compact tool is about speed. Use the full window when you need deep control: disc menus, chapter points, transition styles, or custom file systems. Choose the big app for verification options, file exclusion rules, and long multipart backups. You can jump from the gadget to the full window at any time.
Think of the strip as the quick path and the big window as the studio. Both run on the same engine, so burn quality stays the same. The difference is choice count and screen size.
Playback And Compatibility Tips
For audio CDs, stick to WAV, MP3, or WMA sources for smooth results. Gapless albums may need the full app to set track pauses to zero. For video discs, use footage that matches standard TV formats to skip long conversions. If a player can’t read your disc, try a different blank brand, slow the burn speed in the full app, or use write-once media.
Data discs can use ISO 9660, Joliet, or UDF file systems. The gadget picks sensible defaults.
Backup And ISO Writing With The Gadget
The Backup mode lets you send folders to a disc or a USB drive with optional encryption. Set a password and keep a copy of that password somewhere safe. For big folders, span across several discs. Label them in order so restores are easy.
With Write ISO, you can burn an image to a blank with one click. This is handy for recovery discs or software you already own. Keep image files on a local drive rather than a network share to avoid hiccups during writing.
Care For Discs And Drives
Use name brand blanks and store them away from heat and sunlight. Avoid paper labels on high-speed discs. A soft marker on the hub area works well. Keep the drive tray clean and avoid bumping the desk while burning.
If a disc fails, don’t keep trying the same blank. Toss it and use a new one. Repeated fails can point to a cheap spindle, dust on the laser window, or an ancient drive that needs a replacement.
Pros, Limits, And Safety
Speed is the draw. One drag, one click, done. The size is tiny and stays out of the way. It can extract audio from video drops for quick music CDs. It can also write images and kick off a simple backup.
Limits are clear too. You get fewer toggles and checks. Complex movie menus, deep verify settings, and file system tweaks live in the main app.
Burn only licensed media and personal files you’re allowed to copy. Keep backups of family photos and work files, and store a second copy off-site or in the cloud.
Power2Go Desktop Gadget Explained For Windows
This compact tool pairs well with daily tasks on Windows. Drag folders from File Explorer and drop onto the strip. It hands the job to the burn engine and shows status. On laptops with slim drives, pick a low speed in the full app when you need the widest player support.
If you’re on a desktop with multiple drives, set the preferred drive in the main program. The gadget follows that setting. You can still click the drive selector when prompted.
Troubleshooting Quick Wins
Burns stall or fail early? Update the program and your drive firmware. Try a slower speed. Move the image or source files to a local SSD. Close other apps during a burn.
Discs won’t play on a set-top box? Use a write-once blank and pick a standard video disc mode. Keep total length within the capacity bar. Shorten long clips or switch to dual layer.
Audio tracks out of order? Sort the files by name before dragging or rename files with track numbers like 01, 02, 03. That order carries over to the disc track list.
Why People Like This Tool
It removes friction. You don’t need to remember dense menus. It’s visible and ready on the screen edge, which prompts you to back up more often.
A family member can learn it in minutes and make a photo disc without touching deeper settings. That keeps your main project profiles safe in the full app.
What To Prepare Before Each Burn
Pick the right blank. Check the capacity bar as you add files. Confirm the drive tray has no dust. Plug in laptops to power during long writes. Keep a sleeve ready for storage.
Run a quick test with a small set of files when you change brands of blanks. If the test works, proceed with the big job.
Quick Task Cheat Sheet
| Task | Drag This | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Make A Data Disc | Files or folders | Burned data CD/DVD/BD |
| Create An Audio CD | Audio files or video clips | Standard audio tracks |
| Write A Video Disc | Video files | Playable movie disc |
| Copy A Disc | Source disc in drive | One-step disc copy |
| Write An ISO | .ISO image file | Exact image on blank |
| Start A Backup | Folders | Disc or USB backup set |
Keep this table near your workstation. It maps each job to a simple action so you can move fast.
Safe Settings That Save Time
Set a sensible default speed in the full app so gadget burns inherit it. Enable verify only for archives and installs; skip it for throwaway data to save minutes. Use UDF when you write lots of large files. Keep the write cache on a fast drive.
When you need labels on data discs, prepare a tiny text file with metadata and add it to each job. That helps later when you search old spindles.
Want steady results across many discs? Stick to one brand and one speed that works on your drive. Keep a spindle of write-once blanks for archiving and a smaller pack of rewritable media for trials. Note the brand and speed on the sleeve for later reference.
Where To Learn More
The vendor keeps a short page that shows the drag-and-drop steps and the arrow switcher: Desktop Burning Gadget help. The feature list also mentions the desktop widget and other tools: Power2Go features.
When you need deeper options, open the full window from the taskbar or Start menu and use its guided screens. Keep both tools in your kit so each job gets the right balance of speed and control.
Both pages load fast.