Microsoft is testing a new on-screen keyboard layout that works better with game controllers

Microsoft has been working on improving small-screen and touchscreen input, focusing on making it more accessible to Windows handheld console users (think the ). Typing with a controller isn’t convenient, but Microsoft’s latest introduced a new onscreen keyboard layout that’s a lot easier to use with an Xbox controller, or the controls on a portable gaming PC.
The new layout isn’t confined to moving cursors and selecting specific keys anymore. For example, the X button can be used to backspace, while the Y button is a space bar. The left trigger opens the symbols and numbers page as well. It’s almost like a mobile keyboard but optimized for Xbox controller usage. Most importantly, all keys are vertically aligned, making navigating the keyboard easier.
The target users for this change include Windows-powered handheld users and PC gamers who prefer to stick to an Xbox controller while playing games. This latest update follows another change Microsoft made a few weeks ago that makes the Windows Game Bar easier to use on handhelds.
You Might Also Like
TikTok removes Russian state-owned media accounts for ‘covert influence’
TikTok has announced in its US Elections Integrity Hub that it has removed accounts associated with Rossiya Segodnya and TV-Novosti,...
Apple’s AirPods 4 are already on sale in this early Prime Day deal
It has been less than a week since Apple released the AirPods 4, and there's already a small sale available...
Spotify’s AI Playlists are now available for Premium users in the US
Spotify’s beta AI Playlist feature is now available for Premium users in the US, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. It...
OpenAI’s X account was hacked to promote a crypto scam
OpenAI opened a newsroom Twitter account earlier this month and it's already been hacked. The new handle was taken over...