Windows 11 touchpad gestures: the full list and how to change them

2 min read · 7 steps · Updated 3 October 2026

The touchpad of a modern Windows laptop understands far more than pointing and clicking. A handful of finger movements replaces the Alt-Tab key combination, the Show desktop button and the scroll bar. Most of them need a so-called precision touchpad, which nearly every laptop of recent years has.

These steps are for Windows 11. Names of settings can differ slightly between versions.

Step by step

1. One finger: point and select

   Slide one finger to move the pointer. Tap the touchpad to select an item, the same as a left click.

   Done

2. Two fingers: right-click, scroll, zoom

   Tap with two fingers for the right-click menu, or press down in the lower right corner of the touchpad. Slide two fingers up, down or sideways to scroll. Pinch two fingers together or stretch them apart to zoom out and in.

   Done

3. Three fingers up or down

   Swipe up with three fingers to see all open windows in Task View. Swipe down with three fingers to hide everything and show the desktop; swipe up again to bring the windows back.

   Done

4. Three fingers sideways

   Swipe left or right with three fingers to switch between open apps and windows.

   Done

5. Four fingers sideways

   Swipe left or right with four fingers to move between virtual desktops, if you have more than one.

   Done

6. Change what the gestures do

   Right-click the Start button and choose Settings, then Bluetooth & devices and Touchpad. Click Three-finger gestures or Four-finger gestures to expand the section, and choose another action from the drop-down menus, for example volume control or media playback instead of switching apps.

   Done

7. Set the speed, taps and scroll direction

   On the same page you can change the cursor speed, switch tapping on or off under Taps, and reverse the scrolling direction under Scroll & zoom.

   Done

Good to know

If the three- and four-finger gestures do nothing, the laptop may not have a precision touchpad. The Touchpad page in Settings then shows only a few options. A driver update from the laptop maker sometimes adds them.

On a touchscreen, the same ideas apply directly on the display: three fingers up shows all windows, three fingers down the desktop, a swipe in from the right edge opens the notification centre and from the left edge the widgets. They are switched on under Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Touch.

If the touchpad does not react at all: Windows 11 keyboard or mouse not working: 7 fixes to try.

Related: how to use multiple desktops on Windows 11 and Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts: the ones worth knowing.

In short: Two fingers: right-click, scroll, zoom. Three fingers: up for all windows, down for the desktop, sideways to switch apps. Four fingers sideways: desktops. Change them under Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Touchpad.