Windows Terminal Preview 1.23 Introduces User Interface Settings

Microsoft has unveiled the Preview version 1.23 of its command-line tool, Windows Terminal, which supports various environments including Command Prompt, PowerShell, and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). This latest release introduces significant enhancements, particularly the ability to modify settings through a user-friendly interface, simplifying user interactions with the application.

Prior to this update, users were required to manually adjust settings within the settings.json file. However, the new version allows for these adjustments to be made directly within the settings view of the application. Among the new features is the option to display a shield icon in the title bar when Windows Terminal is run with administrative privileges. Additionally, users can now enable Acrylic Material in non-selected windows via the UI.

Furthermore, a new compatibility settings page has been introduced, which is also being backported to the stable version 1.22. This page includes functionalities that allow Windows Terminal to operate in the background, activate debugging features, and alter text measurement modes. Developers can choose from methods such as Grapheme-Cluster, which accurately represents Unicode characters, the UNIX standard wcswidth, or the traditional Windows console method.

Another notable addition is the settings page for the 'New Tab Menu', where users can customize their profile selections when opening new tabs. Since version 1.17, users have had the capability to modify the dropdown menu for profiles, rearranging them or nesting them in subfolders. The latest update enhances this feature by enabling drag-and-drop functionality for easy profile management.

In terms of accessibility, significant improvements have been made. The settings interface is now compatible with screen readers, and issues with high contrast mode within the settings UI and command palette have been addressed. Enhancements have also been made to the color contrast of the reset button and tab colors in high contrast mode.

Windows Terminal can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store or its GitHub repository. A Canary version, which is less stable but provides access to the latest features, is also available on GitHub. With the release of Preview 1.23, version 1.22 remains the current stable iteration of the software.

For more comprehensive details about the new features in this preview release, users can refer to Microsoft's developer blog.