How to Change Touchpad Three-finger Tap Gesture in Windows 11
This tutorial shows you how to change the touchpad three-finger tap gesture on your Windows 11 account.
If your Windows 11 device (like a laptop) has a built-in precision touchpad, you can change what the three-finger tap does. Your options include doing nothing, opening search, opening Notification center, playing or pausing media, or acting like a middle mouse button click.
Option One
Change Touchpad Three-finger Tap Gesture in Settings
- Open Settings (press ⊞ Win+I).
- Click on Bluetooth & devices on the left side. Then click on Touchpad on the right side.
- Click on Three-finger gestures to expand the section.
- Select one option from the Taps drop menu: Nothing, Open search (default), Notification center, Play/pause, or Middle mouse button.
- You can now close Settings.
Option Two
Change Touchpad Three-finger Tap Gesture using Registry
⚠️ Admin privileges required
Change Touchpad Three-finger Tap Gesture to “Nothing”
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PrecisionTouchPad" /v ThreeFingerTapEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
Change Touchpad Three-finger Tap Gesture to “Open search”
This is the default setting.
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PrecisionTouchPad" /v ThreeFingerTapEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Change Touchpad Three-finger Tap Gesture to “Notification center”
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PrecisionTouchPad" /v ThreeFingerTapEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
Change Touchpad Three-finger Tap Gesture to “Play/pause”
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PrecisionTouchPad" /v ThreeFingerTapEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f
Change Touchpad Three-finger Tap Gesture to “Middle mouse button”
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PrecisionTouchPad" /v ThreeFingerTapEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 4 /f
Summary
You can change your touchpad three-finger tap gesture in two ways. The easiest way is through Settings where you can pick from several options. If you prefer using the registry, you can edit values to control the gesture. Both methods work well. Pick whichever one feels easier for you.
Was this guide helpful?
About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
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.
No comments yet — be the first to share your thoughts!