Windows 11 is built for touch, including gestures and improved snapping

Windows 11 Start X1fold (Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)

What you need to know

Windows 11 has a touch-optimized experience.
The operating system supports gestures and has larger touch targets for easy navigation.
Windows 11 also has a new touch keyboard.

Win11 Touch Screen — Source: Microsoft (Image credit: Source: Microsoft)

When you remove a keyboard from a device, such as a Surface Pro 7, the Taskbar spaces the icons out, making them easier to touch. The touch targets on windows are a bit larger, which makes dragging and resizing them easier.

Windows 11 has an improved snapping system, including the ability to have windows snapped on top of each other vertically.

The operating system supports the same gestures with touch as when using a trackpad, such as three-finger swipe down to minimize your windows.

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Windows 11 also supports haptic feedback with pens, giving you feedback as you interact with your device.

There's also a new touch keyboard on the OS that looks quite a bit like Microsoft's SwiftKey.

This is a developing story. We'll add more details as they come in.

Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.