Windows Terminal Preview gets a settings UI for the first time

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But you can still use the JSON file if you wish.

Ubuntu on Windows 10
Ubuntu on Windows 10 (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Windows Terminal Preview hits version 1.6 with a settings UI for the first time.
  • The JSON settings changes can still be made, nothing is changing there.
  • Latest update also adds startup actions, pixel shading and more.

This is a big step forward for those who aren't totally comfortable with using JSON to tweak their settings, and for those people, myself included, who just want a lazy way to make changes.

The settings UI is still very much a work in progress and isn't bound to open by default when you hit settings at this time. Instead, users will have to edit the existing settings JSON to add an action in order to trigger it. All the information needed is available in the Windows Terminal blog post about the newest release.

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Also coming with version 1.6 are some nifty new features, of which there are way too many to list here. A couple of the standouts include the new startup actions feature.

"Have you been wanting to start your terminal in a custom configuration when you launch it? Well today is your lucky day! You can now set startup actions in your global settings to configure how your terminal launches (Thanks @Don-Vito!). The startupActions setting accepts wt command line arguments. More information on command line arguments can be found on our docs site."

Pixel Shaders in Windows Terminal

Source: Microsoft (Image credit: Source: Microsoft)

Also launching in version 1.6 for the theme enthusiasts is experimental support for pixel shading. This won't be available through the new settings UI, but if you want your terminal to look anything like the image above, well it's here to play with.

"As a new experimental feature, you can now use HLSL pixel shaders inside your profile (Thanks @mrange!). Some examples of shaders can be found in our repository."

Full details on these and all other changes to Windows Terminal Preview can be found on the accompanying blog post and you can download it from the Microsoft Store right now.

Richard Devine
Richard Devine
Managing Editor

Richard Devine is the Managing Editor at Windows Central, where he combines a deep love for the open-source community with expert-level technical coverage. Whether he’s hunting for the next big project on GitHub, fine-tuning a WSL workflow, or breaking down the latest meta in Call of Duty, Forza, and The Division 2, Richard focuses on making complex tech accessible to every kind of user. If it’s happening in the world of Windows or PC gaming, he’s probably already knee-deep in the code (or the lobbies). Follow him on X and Mastodon.