How to Change Touchpad Three-finger Swipe Gestures in Windows 11
Want to speed up how you work in Windows 11? You can customize your three-finger swipe gestures.
Your Windows 11 touchpad lets you use three-finger swipes for quick actions. You can switch apps, manage desktops, or control audio.
This feature works automatically on most Windows 11 laptops that have a ‘precision touchpad,’ which is a type of touchpad designed for better gesture support. You can set these gestures to do things like “Switch Apps and Show Desktop” or “Change Audio and Volume.”
Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad > Three-finger gestures. Select your desired action from the Swipes dropdown menu to customize what three-finger swipes do.
Option One
Change Touchpad Three-finger Swipe Gestures in Settings
You can change your touchpad’s three-finger swipe gestures in Windows 11 directly through the Settings app.- Open Settings by pressing
Win+I. - Click on Bluetooth & devices on the left side. Then click on Touchpad on the right side. Open Touchpad settings
- Click on Three-finger gestures to open it.
- Choose what you want from the Swipes dropdown menu. Your options are:
- Nothing
- Switch apps and show desktop (this is the default)
- Switch desktops and show desktop
- Change audio and volume
- You can now close Settings.
Option Two
Change Touchpad Three-finger Swipe Gestures Using Registry
If you’re comfortable making advanced changes, you can change touchpad three-finger swipe gestures using the Windows Registry.
Change Touchpad Three-finger Swipe Gestures to “Nothing”
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PrecisionTouchPad" /v ThreeFingerSlideEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
Change Touchpad Three-finger Swipe Gestures to “Switch apps and show desktop”
This is the default setting.
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PrecisionTouchPad" /v ThreeFingerSlideEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Change Touchpad Three-finger Swipe Gestures to “Switch desktops and show desktop”
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PrecisionTouchPad" /v ThreeFingerSlideEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
Change Touchpad Three-finger Swipe Gestures to “Change audio and volume”
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PrecisionTouchPad" /v ThreeFingerSlideEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f
Summary
Changing your touchpad gestures in Windows 11 is straightforward, with two main methods available to suit your comfort level.
How do you customize the Trackpad gestures on a Mac?
Trackpad gestures For more information about these gestures, choose System Settings (or System Preferences) from the Apple menu , then click Trackpad. There you can turn a gesture off, change the type of gesture, and learn which gestures work with your Mac. Tap with one finger to click.
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Richard
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Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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