The Tool Desk
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Change touchpad sensitivity and scrolling settings
- Open the Touchpad settings page: Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad.
- Check the controls shown for your device: On supported Surface devices, the page includes a cursor-speed control. Adjust it until pointer movement feels comfortable. Surface options vary by model; Microsoft’s Surface touchpad use and settings also describes changing scrolling direction and turning the touchpad on or off.
- Try the change: Move the pointer and scroll in a document or webpage. Make small adjustments and test again rather than assuming the same speed value will feel identical across devices.
Windows’ documented Surface control is described as cursor speed; the available sources do not establish a universal sensitivity scale for all Windows 11 touchpads. If your Touchpad page has no speed slider, your PC may expose different controls through its driver or manufacturer touchpad software.
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Choose three- and four-finger gestures
In Touchpad settings, expand Three-finger gestures or Four-finger gestures, when available, and select an action from the menus. The gesture options vary by device. Microsoft documents common actions such as using three-finger swipes to show open windows, show the desktop, or switch apps and windows, and using four-finger swipes to switch desktops. See Microsoft’s guide to touch gestures for Windows for the documented gestures.
Two-finger gestures include scrolling and pinch-to-zoom. A two-finger tap or pressing the lower-right area of the touchpad can open additional commands, depending on the touchpad. Microsoft notes that “Some of these touchpad gestures only work with precision touchpads.” A gesture listed in Windows guidance may therefore be unavailable on a particular PC.
#1 Best Overall
- Compact Mouse: With a comfortable and contoured shape, this Logitech ambidextrous wireless mouse feels great in either right or left hand and is far superior to a touchpad
- Durable and Reliable: This USB wireless mouse features a line-by-line scroll wheel, up to 1 year of battery life (2) thanks to a smart sleep mode function, and comes with the included AA battery
- Universal Compatibility: Your Logitech mouse works with your Windows PC, Mac, or laptop, so no matter what type of computer you own today or buy tomorrow your mouse will be compatible
- Plug and Play Simplicity: Just plug in the tiny nano USB receiver and start working in seconds with a strong, reliable connection to your wireless computer mouse up to 33 feet / 10 m (5)
- Better than touchpad: Get more done by adding M185 to your laptop; according to a recent study, laptop users who chose this mouse over a touchpad were 50% more productive (3) and worked 30% faster (4)
Stop an unwanted three-finger tap from opening Search
If tapping with three fingers opens Windows Search and you do not want that behavior, return to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad > Three-finger gestures. If your device offers a tap-action menu, change it to Nothing or another preferred action. The control may not appear on every PC. Microsoft also explains this adjustment in Prevent Windows Search from randomly launching.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Smooth, precise and affordable wireless optical 3-button mouse with USB nano receiver for laptop, desktop and netbook PCs
- 2.4 GHz wireless (not Bluetooth) provides a powerful, reliable connection
- Nano-receiver stays in the PC USB port or stows conveniently inside the wireless mouse when not in use (note: Receiver is stored within the mouse from production and needs to be removed upon setup)
- Compatible with Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10
- Easy installation - refer to user manual for instructions
Rank #4
- Pair and Play: With fast, easy Bluetooth wireless technology, you’re connected in seconds to this quiet cordless mouse —no dongle or port required
- Less Noise, More Focus: Silent mouse with 90% reduced click sound and the same click feel, eliminating noise and distractions for you and others around you (1)
- Long-Lasting Battery Life: Up to 18-month battery life with an energy-efficient auto sleep feature, so you can go longer between battery changes (2)
- Comfortable, Travel-Friendly Design: Small enough to toss in a bag; this slim and ambidextrous portable compact mouse guides either your right or left hand into a natural position
- Long-Range: Reliable, long-range Bluetooth wireless mouse works up to 10m/33 feet away from your computer (3)
Rank #3
- Your hand can relax in comfort hour after hour with this ergonomically designed mouse. Its contoured shape with soft rubber grips, gently curved sides and broad palm area give you the support you need for effortless control all day long.
- You’ve got the control to do more, faster. Flipping through photo albums and Web pages is a breeze, especially for right-handers—with three standard buttons plus Back/Forward buttons that you can also program to switch applications, go full screen and more. And side-to-side scrolling plus zoom gives you the power to scroll horizontally and vertically through your music library, maps and Facebook feeds, and zoom in and out of photos and budget spreadsheets with a click.* * Requires Logitech SetPoint software (Windows) or Logitech Control Center software (Mac OS X)
- Two years of battery life practically eliminates the need to replace batteries. ** The On/Off switch helps conserve power, smart sleep mode extends battery life and an indicator light eliminates surprises. ** Battery life may vary based on user and computing conditions.
- The tiny Logitech Unifying receiver stays in your laptop. There’s no need to unplug it when you move around, so there’s less worry of it being lost. And you can easily add compatible wireless mice and keyboards to the same wireless receiver.
Rank #2
- The next-generation optical HERO sensor delivers incredible performance and up to 10x the power efficiency over previous generations, with 400 IPS precision and up to 12,000 DPI sensitivity
- Ultra-fast LIGHTSPEED wireless technology gives you a lag-free gaming experience, delivering incredible responsiveness and reliability with 1 ms report rate for competition-level performance
- G305 wireless mouse boasts an incredible 250 hours of continuous gameplay on just 1 AA battery; switch to Endurance mode via Logitech G HUB software and extend battery life up to 9 months
- Wireless does not have to mean heavy, G305 lightweight mouse provides high maneuverability coming in at only 3.4 oz thanks to efficient lightweight mechanical design and ultra-efficient battery usage
- The durable, compact design with built-in nano receiver storage makes G305 not just a great portable desktop mouse, but also a great laptop travel companion, use with a gaming laptop and play anywhere
If the setting or gesture is missing
- Check the device’s available controls: Touchpad options differ by PC and Surface model. Missing controls do not necessarily mean Windows is malfunctioning.
- Consider touchpad capability: Some gestures require a precision touchpad; other devices may provide a different set of gestures.
- Look for manufacturer touchpad software: For non-precision touchpads, Microsoft points users to additional settings and manufacturer support. Check your PC maker’s guidance if Windows Settings does not expose the control you need.
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