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Is Microsoft’s amazing new update the secret to better touchpad control in Windows 11?
Microsoft is making changes to Windows 11 to help you control your computer more easily. For a long time, Windows has had two places to change settings: the old Control Panel and the new Settings app. This can be confusing. To fix this, Microsoft is moving options from the Control Panel into the modern Settings app. Recent test versions of Windows 11 show new pages for keyboard and touchpad settings are starting to appear in the Settings app, making them easier to find and adjust.
This effort is part of a larger plan to modernize the Windows operating system. The Control Panel has been a part of Windows for many years, but the Settings app is designed to be simpler and more organized. By putting everything in one place, Microsoft hopes to create a more straightforward experience for everyone. This process is happening gradually, but the latest updates show significant progress in moving important hardware controls.
New Keyboard Adjustments
The new keyboard settings are now located in a more logical place. You can find them by going to the Bluetooth & devices section within the Settings app. This new section combines controls that were once hidden away in the old Control Panel.
Character Repeat Control
You can now change how your keys behave when you hold them down. Two key settings have been moved here. The first is the repeat delay, which controls how long you must hold a key before it starts repeating the character. The second is the repeat rate, which sets how fast the character repeats once it starts. These options are useful for tailoring the keyboard to your typing style.
Live Preview Box
A helpful new feature is a live preview box directly on the settings page. As you adjust the repeat delay and rate, you can type in this box to immediately see and feel how the changes work. This removes the guesswork, as you no longer need to open another program to test your new settings.
Future Controls
Microsoft is also preparing to add more controls for modern keyboards. If your laptop has a backlit keyboard, you may soon find options to adjust the brightness and other lighting features directly within this new settings area.
It is important to note that the transition is not yet complete. One specific setting, the cursor blink rate, remains in the old Control panel menus for now. This shows that Microsoft is moving features over in stages.
Redesigned Touchpad Options
If your laptop has a haptic touchpad, you will see improved options for controlling it. A haptic touchpad uses small vibrations to make it feel like you are physically clicking, even though the surface does not move. The new settings give you more precise control over this feedback.
Previously, touchpad sensitivity was managed with a simple slider. This has been changed to a dropdown menu with specific levels. This change can make it quicker to select a desired sensitivity level without needing to fine-tune a slider.
More importantly, the controls for haptic feedback are now more detailed. Haptic clicks and other haptic signals are managed with separate sliders and toggles. This allows you to customize the feel of your touchpad with great detail. For example, you can set the intensity of the vibration for a click separately from the feedback you get when navigating or performing gestures. This separation provides a more personalized experience, letting you decide exactly how responsive you want your touchpad to feel.
When to Expect These Changes
These new keyboard and touchpad settings are currently being tested in the latest Windows 11 preview builds. These builds are available to users in the Dev and Beta channels of the Windows Insider Program, which is a program for people who want to test new Windows features before they are released to the public.
Because these features are still in a testing phase, they are not yet available to all Windows 11 users. However, their appearance in these preview builds is a strong sign that they will be included in a future major update for Windows 11, such as version 25H2 or 24H2. This is consistent with Microsoft’s ongoing effort to move all settings out of the legacy Control Panel and create a single, unified settings experience for a more modern and user-friendly system.