- Windows Terminal version 1.7 preview is now available with new features and improvements.
- Windows Terminal gets JSON fragment extensions support, read-only pane, automatic focus on mouse hover, and settings UI and windowing improvements.
- Windows Terminal preview 1.7 can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store and GitHub.
Windows Terminal version 1.7 is now available for download as a preview from the Microsoft Store and GitHub with a new wave of features and improvements.
According to Microsoft, version 1.7 brings support for JSON fragment extensions, improvements for windows, read-only panes, automatic focus on mouse hover, and various improvements for the settings interface, which is still in preview.
What’s new on Windows Terminal 1.7
Here’s everything that is new with version 1.7 of the Windows Terminal app for Windows 10.
JSON fragment extensions
On this release, the terminal can now download JSON snippets as extensions that can change the settings of the experience. It is referred to as “JSON fragment extensions,” and developers can use it to apply specific settings when using their command-line applications. For example, when launching an app, the application can apply a particular background or color scheme.
Windowing
Windows Terminal version 1.7 now can launch additional windows in the existing instance of the app.
You can do this by adding a new windowingBehavior setting, which allows you to set new instances of the terminal launch. Options include a new window (useNew), an already existing window (useAnyExisting), and an already existing window on this desktop (useExisting).
The new feature can also be found on the “Startup” page of the settings interface.
"windowingBehavior": "useNew"
This release adds a new newWindow action to open a new window with the command palette or keyboard.
{ "command": "newWindow", "keys": "ctrl+shift+n" }
Also, there is a new command argument for running commands on specific windows. For example, the --window,-w <window-id> with wt.exe can be used to specify which terminal window you want to interact with.
Read-only panes
The terminal app now includes read-only pane support, which prevents input into a pane during specific scenarios where you do not want interruptions.
If you attempt to close or input text into a read-only pane, the app will display a warning instead. You can enable or disable the read-only mode on a pane with the toggleReadOnlyMode action.
{ "command": "toggleReadOnlyMode" },
Focus on mouse hover
Windows Terminal also includes a new setting to focus a pane when hovering over with the mouse automatically.
This new option is available on the “Interaction” settings page, or you can configure it in your settings.json with focusFollowMouse.
"focusFollowMouse": true
Settings interface
Although the Settings interface still a work in progress, version 1.7 ships with several improvements for many of the settings pages and makes it easier to access the experience.
For instance, the new settings interface will open when selecting the Settings option from the main drop-down menu. If you want to use a keyboard shortcut, the Ctrl + , will open the settings interface, and Ctrl + Shift + , will open the settings.json file.
Windows Terminal has a new Actions page that includes a list of all the keyboard shortcuts you can use in the application.
The “Color schemes” page has been updated to have a cleaner design that is easier to use without much clutter.
Also, the company says that the settings experience has been validated for accessibility.
Finally, this flight introduces a new global setting called centerOnLaunch, which allows you to launch the terminal in the center of your screen. If you also include the initialPosition option, the app will launch centered on the monitor to which the initial position coordinates are set.
And a new action is now available for the search functionality, which allows you to find the next or previous match of a searched keyword without using the search box. This action can be found in the command palette by default, and you can add keys in the settings.json file.
{ "command": { "action": "findMatch", "direction": "next" } },
{ "command": { "action": "findMatch", "direction": "prev" } }
Windows Terminal 1.7 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.
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].