- Windows Terminal version 1.13 releases as a preview.
- The update introduces a new redesigned settings interface and option to run profiles as an administrator at launch.
Microsoft is now rolling out Windows Terminal version 1.13 as a preview with new visual changes to the settings interface and features, such as the ability to run the terminal as an administrator by default.
According to the official changelogs, version 1.13 introduces a new settings interface design that aligns with the Windows 11 style with rounded corners, expandable settings, and more.
If you are a technical user that often uses a command shell elevated, starting with this release, you can configure each profile to run elevated when launching the Windows Terminal automatically. You can hold the “Ctrl” key and click the profile to run it as administrator.
Additionally, the terminal adds the elevate argument to the new-tab and split-pane actions, allowing you to launch a new profile as elevated using an action.
// Profile setting
"elevate": true
// New tab action
{ "command": { "action": "newTab", "elevate": true }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+1" }
// Split pane action
{ "command": { "action": "splitPane", "split": "auto", "elevate": true }, "keys": "alt+shift+e" }
Also, Windows Terminal 1.13 introduces a new experimental rendering engine, which you can enable by setting experimental.useAtlasEngine to true. According to the company, you won’t see significant performance benefits. However, the new renderer will draw at the display refresh rate regardless of screen resolution when dealing with many colors.
Finally, you can now customize your profile’s bell sound using the bellSound setting. This setting accepts a file path as a string or an array of file path strings. While using an array, the terminal will randomly select a bell sound to play.
Furthermore, you can now restore recently closed tabs or panes with the new restoreLastClosed action. The new exportBuffer action allows you to export the text within the buffer into a text file. And the new adjustOpacity action lets you change the opacity of the terminal window at runtime.
Windows Terminal 1.13 is now available as a preview with the new features mentioned above and several bug fixes, and you can download it from the Microsoft Store or GitHub. If you are using the stable channel of the app, you can now update to version 1.12, which includes all these improvements.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].