The results of nonintrusive high-resolution imaging of the magnetic states present in wide Co rings with a small inner hole ͑1.7 m outer diameter, 300 nm inner diameter, and 700 nm width͒ are presented. Rather than the reproducible onion state commonly found in rings, a prevalent triangle state is observed, with other magnetic states characteristic of disks also occurring. The uniformity and the magnetic states in these wide rings are found to be more typical of disks than of rings. Analyzing the energetics of the formation of the magnetic states, this is attributed to the reduced shape anisotropy in wide rings as compared to narrow rings.The evolution of devices to smaller and smaller scales has fueled an increasing research interest in mesoscopic magnetic elements. In addition to insights into the underlying physical principles, mesoscopic structures have shown a potential for a range of applications in nanotechnology. These applications include memory elements in high-density storage media or miniaturized sensor elements. 1,2 Intensive research has been devoted to understanding and, in particular, controlling the magnetic properties of small ferromagnetic elements. A key issue is the magnetic switching, since this determines whether a magnetic nanostructure can be utilized in applications. Narrow magnetic rings have shown to be a useful geometry, since particularly well-defined states are observed and the switching between these states has been found to be reproducible, simple, and fast. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] In most of the ring geometries investigated so far, micromagnetic simulations and magnetization measurements show the existence of two magnetic states: 3,4,10,12 the flux-closure vortex state and the "onion" state, accessible reversibly from saturation and characterized by the presence of two opposite head-to-head walls. In narrow magnetic rings the magnetic states and the switching have been thoroughly studied, [3][4][5][6]12,13 with particular emphasis on the head-to-head domain walls present in the onion state. 12,14 In disks and similar topologically simply connected elements ͑ellipses, rectangles, etc.͒, in addition to the vortex state, more complex states ͑s state, c state, and triangle state͒ have been predicted and observed. [15][16][17][18][19][20] A consequence of the existence of different magnetic states with similar energies in disks is that after subjecting an array of nominally identical disks to the same field history, disks are found in different magnetic states. 20 This is due to small edge irregularities or film defects, which cause energy barriers between the metastable states and the ground state. In narrow rings with a limited number of magnetic states, good reproducibility and uniformity of the magnetic states across an array have been observed. 21