Windows Terminal 1.24 & 1.25: New Features, Search & Performance Boosts

The Windows Terminal, Microsoft’s increasingly popular command-line interface, has received a substantial update with both a new stable release (version 1.24) and a preview (version 1.25) rolling out now. These updates focus on enhancements geared toward power users, adding features designed to improve customization, performance, and usability. The ongoing development cycle, with quarterly major releases and frequent minor updates, demonstrates Microsoft’s commitment to refining the tool for developers, system administrators, and anyone who frequently works with the command line.

The stable 1.24 release introduces a dedicated Settings page for Extensions, allowing users to manage and configure extensions directly within the Terminal interface. This simplifies the process of adding functionality and customizing the Terminal to specific workflows. The update expands language support within the Command Palette and implements “Synchronized Output” DEC private mode. This mode aims to reduce screen tearing and flickering, a common issue when dealing with fast-moving text or complex visual output in terminal applications.

Digging into Settings Search and Keybinding Control

The Windows Terminal Preview 1.25 builds on this foundation with a set of four key highlights. Perhaps the most significant is the addition of a search function within the Settings menu. Users can now search across all built-in settings, color schemes, profiles, extensions, and even items within the New Tab menu and Actions. Microsoft notes that configurations applying to multiple profiles may appear more than once in the search results, a detail to keep in mind when navigating the options. This feature addresses a long-standing pain point for users who frequently customize their Terminal configurations.

Alongside settings search, Preview 1.25 introduces more granular control over keybindings. Users can now modify existing actions and even redefine what the “New Tab” command does. This level of customization allows for a highly personalized command-line experience, tailored to individual preferences and workflows. For those who rely heavily on keyboard shortcuts, this is a welcome addition.

Enhanced Input Handling and Broader Language Support

Input handling also receives a boost with the inclusion of support for the Kitty Keyboard protocol. Kitty is an open-source, GPU-accelerated terminal emulator known for its performance and features. Adopting its keyboard protocol allows Windows Terminal to handle keyboard inputs more efficiently and reliably, potentially improving responsiveness and accuracy, especially when dealing with complex input methods or specialized keyboard layouts. You can identify more information about the Kitty protocol on GitHub.

Expanding accessibility is another focus of the 1.25 preview. Windows Terminal now supports Serbian (Cyrillic) and Ukrainian languages, broadening its reach to a wider global audience. This localization effort demonstrates Microsoft’s commitment to inclusivity and making the Terminal accessible to developers and users worldwide.

Performance Gains and Visual Consistency

Beyond the headline features, the updates include a range of smaller enhancements. Display of Unicode characters has been refined, and performance improvements of 10-20% in I/O throughput have been achieved through the re-enablement of build-time “guided” optimization. This optimization focuses on improving the efficiency of data transfer between the Terminal and the underlying shell, resulting in a snappier and more responsive experience.

To promote visual consistency across the development environment, Windows Terminal now ships with both VS Code Modern Dark and Light color schemes. This integration ensures a more harmonious look and experience when switching between the Terminal and Visual Studio Code, a popular code editor. This seemingly compact detail can contribute to a more comfortable and productive workflow.

A Deep Dive into the Release Notes

The updates aren’t limited to the features highlighted above. A comprehensive list of bug fixes and further details can be found in the release notes hosted in the GitHub repository here. These notes provide a granular view of the changes and can be valuable for users who want to understand the full scope of the updates.

Microsoft follows a predictable release cadence for Windows Terminal, with major releases occurring quarterly and minor updates filling in the gaps. The next major release is expected in a few months, but users can anticipate further incremental improvements in the meantime. This continuous development model allows Microsoft to rapidly iterate on the Terminal, incorporating user feedback and addressing emerging needs.

What’s Next for the Windows Terminal?

The future of Windows Terminal appears focused on continued refinement and expansion of its customization options. The addition of settings search and keybinding control in the 1.25 preview signals a commitment to empowering users with greater control over their command-line environment. Further improvements to performance, language support, and accessibility are also likely to be priorities. The project’s open-source nature on GitHub encourages community contributions, suggesting that user feedback will continue to play a significant role in shaping the Terminal’s evolution. Expect to observe ongoing bug fixes and performance tweaks delivered through minor version bumps in the coming weeks and months, as Microsoft continues to polish this increasingly essential tool for developers and power users.