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The company has started testing a new Gamepad keyboard layout designed specifically for Xbox controllers within Windows 11. The new Gamepad keyboard layout will improve the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11, giving you the ability to type with your Xbox controller without having to leave the Operating system.
The Gamepad keyboard is currently being tested as part of the Windows 11 beta, and it even features button accelerators so you can use the X button for backspace, the Y button for space, and the menu button on the Xbox controller to enter. Keys on the keyboard are also vertically aligned for easier typing with a controller. It is good to finally see Microsoft implement something like this, because really these are the sorts of updates that Windows-powered handhelds need. Last month, I noted how Microsoft is finally officially joining the race of handheld gaming with Valve - as the maker of the Steam Deck prepares to take efforts made with SteamOS and bring it to more Windows-powered handhelds. This is not to say that Microsoft can't yet iron out some of the basic issues, like not being able to log into Windows using a controller or not using the on-screen keyboard when a text field is clicked.
Hopefully, this new gaming grip keyboard is a step in the right direction, though one more thing that we need to see. That includes the company's Windows Game Bar getting a new, more handheld-friendly compact mode to better fit smaller screens. In fact, it's very similar to the overall compact design of Microsoft's main app on PC. Microsoft also included further controller refinements for the Xbox app, making it a lot easier to get around while using just an Xbox controller.
