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How to customize Touchpad Gestures in Windows 11

How to customize Touchpad Gestures in Windows 11
Russell Kidson

Russell Kidson

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Windows 11 can sometimes be a little difficult to navigate. While all of your apps and settings are primarily in similar places on Windows 10 and 11, it does sometimes take a short while to get used to the slightly more intuitive layout. However, Windows 11 PCs do have a new native feature that makes navigation as easy as a simple gesture.

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Welcome to the definitive guide to using Windows 11 custom touchpad gestures. Below, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about Windows 11’s intuitive new feature.

Before you begin

The Windows 11 touchpad gestures are meant for modern Windows 11 laptops. That is to say, laptops that come natively with Windows 11 preinstalled. If you upgraded to Windows 11, you might not have the necessary drivers to support gestures. 

To check whether you have the Windows Precision Touchpad driver, all you need to do is head to your Settings app. If you don’t have the required drivers, Windows won’t allow you to make any changes to your touchpad setup. You could also install third-party software for your trackpad, but you’ll need to make sure the drivers you install are up to date.

How to customize Windows 11 touchpad gestures

  1. The basics

    How to Customize Touchpad Gestures in Windows 11

    This is incredibly easy to do, and you do everything within the Settings interface. 

    Hit the Windows key + I or click the Windows logo on your taskbar and open the Settings app. 

    In Settings, head to Bluetooth & Devices and hit Touchpad on the right-hand side of the interface. 

    Next, you need to scroll to Gestures & Interaction and click on Three and four-finger gestures. Expand the section for three-finger gestures and click where you see Switch apps and show desktop. Here you can see all the options available for this specific gesture format. Choose an action for swiping up, down, left, and right, and tapping your trackpad with three fingers.

  2. Advanced touchpad gestures

    Windows 11 doesn’t only let you use built-in gestures; it also lets you create your own gestures. Here’s how:

    Open up your Settings app again (Windows key + I).

    Head to Bluetooth & Devices and then click on Touchpad

    Next, scroll down to the Related settings section and then click on Advanced gestures

    Here, you can set custom actions for each of the gestures listed.

  3. Resetting touchpad gestures

    If you no longer want to use touchpad gestures, you can easily turn them off. Here’s how:

    Open up your Settings app and head to Bluetooth & Devices

    As you did before, click on Touchpad, and then hit Reset

    That’s it. Your touchpad gestures are now a thing of the past until you decide to activate them again.

Peak efficiency and accessibility 

Windows 11 is the not-so-widely recognized king of productivity. The improved touchpad gestures are just one of many incredible ways this operating system is revolutionizing how people interact with their tech. Whether you’re using your Windows laptop for work or play, touchpad gestures can streamline your setup.

Another way Windows 11 can help you increase your productivity is through setting up additional monitors. If you have a multi-monitor setup, you can even set different wallpapers on your different Windows 11 monitors!

How to Set Different Wallpapers on Dual-monitors: Windows 10 & Windows 11 READ MORE
Russell Kidson

Russell Kidson

I hail from the awe-inspiring beauty of South Africa. Born and raised in Pretoria, I've always had a deep interest in local history, particularly conflicts, architecture, and our country's rich past of being a plaything for European aristocracy. 'Tis an attempt at humor. My interest in history has since translated into hours at a time researching everything from the many reasons the Titanic sank (really, it's a wonder she ever left Belfast) to why Minecraft is such a feat of human technological accomplishment. I am an avid video gamer (Sims 4 definitely counts as video gaming, I checked) and particularly enjoy playing the part of a relatively benign overlord in Minecraft. I enjoy the diverse experiences gaming offers the player. Within the space of a few hours, a player can go from having a career as an interior decorator in Sims, to training as an archer under Niruin in Skyrim. I believe video games have so much more to teach humanity about community, kindness, and loyalty, and I enjoy the opportunity to bring concepts of the like into literary pieces.

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