Microsoft is making Windows 11 a little bit worse for touch users — I hope they change this

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An upcoming change will make it impossible to access your notification center with a single swipe.

Surface Pro 9
(Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft is testing an update for Windows 11 that will change a core system-wide gesture on tablets.
  • Swiping in from the right now opens Copilot instead of your notification center.
  • This change means there is now no way to access your missed notifications with a gesture, and it is infuriating.

Over the last few weeks, an invisible update landing on some Windows 11 PCs has changed one of the core touch gestures that is really messing with my workflow. I use Windows 11 across a wide variety of device form factors, including tablets, and I really like it. But a recent Windows 11 update that is now in testing has swapped the gesture for accessing the notification center with opening the Windows Copilot panel instead, and it is infuriating.

Every modern platform has a system-wide gesture for accessing the notification center. On iOS and Android, it's a swipe down from the top of your screen no matter where you are. On Windows, it's always been a swipe in from the right. That was until a few weeks ago, when that gesture was changed to now open Windows Copilot instead, with no option to return it to its original behavior.

This update means there is now no easy way to access your notification center on Windows 11 when using a tablet device. Accessing the notification center is now a two-step process, first swiping up on the Taskbar to reveal the date and time button, then tapping that button to open your notifications. It's so frustrating, as I often check my notification center multiple times a day on my Surface Go, and that swipe from the right was the quickest and easiest way to do it.

Now, swiping in from the right opens a feature I never use, and it sucks that I cannot change it back. Microsoft began testing this feature a handful of months ago in the Windows Insider Dev and Canary channel, and it seems to be enabled by default for everyone on Windows 11 version 24H2, coming later this year. Hopefully, Microsoft reverses this decision, or at the very least allows us to configure what that gesture does.

Zac Bowden
Zac Bowden
Senior Editor

Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch on Twitter and Threads

7 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Jeffery L
    Have you tried disabling Windows Copilot via Local Group Policy Editor > User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot > Turn off Windows Copilot set to "Enabled"? I would hope that would return the notification gesture. Good to hear you use Windows in tablet mode. I think Microsoft should fight a little harder for Windows tablet to grow in usage. There needs to be more devices like the Surface Go (e.g. small and light).
    Reply
  • TheIzzz
    Jeffery L said:
    Have you tried disabling Windows Copilot via Local Group Policy Editor > User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot > Turn off Windows Copilot set to "Enabled"? I would hope that would return the notification gesture. Good to hear you use Windows in tablet mode. I think Microsoft should fight a little harder for Windows tablet to grow in usage. There needs to be more devices like the Surface Go (e.g. small and light).
    thank you this worked (after a reboot). I was wondering how to fix the swipe from right gesture since I have no reason to use Copilot. disabling it in the Settings only removed it from the taskbar. WC needs to update the article with your tip.
    Reply
  • bradavon
    Annoying yes but most users ignore the Notificaiton panel on Desktop operating systems like Windows and MacOS anyway.

    I tend to only look at it to clear it out. It's nowhere near as useful as it is on a phone.
    Reply
  • tom bae 2023
    bradavon said:
    Annoying yes but most users ignore the Notificaiton panel on Desktop operating systems like Windows and MacOS anyway.

    I tend to only look at it to clear it out. It's nowhere near as useful as it is on a phone.
    What are you talking about? Many Windows PC is the 2 in 1 and the convertible, so that touch screen UI and touch gesture is very important!
    Reply
  • tom bae 2023
    Windows Central said:
    A recent Windows 11 update that is now in testing has swapped the gesture for accessing the notification center with opening the Windows Copilot panel instead, and it is infuriating.

    Microsoft is making Windows 11 a little bit worse for touch users — I hope they change this : Read more
    MS is pushing the copilot , so that the touch gesture for notification center is gone, it is very annoying. it is unusable
    Reply
  • bazanime
    tom bae 2023 said:
    What are you talking about? Many Windows PC is the 2 in 1 and the convertible, so that touch screen UI and touch gesture is very important!
    It's true that most non power users barely check notifications and yiu find that they just let things pile up until the system forces whatever update is pending.
    By leveraging that gesture, MS are hoping these user stumble upon Copilot and become curious about it. It's a more interactive tool/toy that just a list of notifications.

    Maybe MS can implement a single swipe for notifications, and a deeper continuous swipe to reveal the copilot, or vice versa.
    Reply
  • bradavon
    tom bae 2023 said:
    What are you talking about? Many Windows PC is the 2 in 1 and the convertible, so that touch screen UI and touch gesture is very important!
    I said most users remember and most users are never converting their 2 in 1s into convertibles.

    Important for you yes I agree.
    Reply