New Windows 11 Build Tests Universal Control For PC Accessory RGB Lighting

Jan 18, 2024

A universal app that can control the RGB lighting for your various PC accessories is starting to arrive in Windows 11 through a beta build.

The so-called "Dynamic Lighting" panel is shipping in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23475, which is becoming available for users enrolled in Windows 11 Dev Channel.

The panel can be accessed via Settings > Personalization page > Dynamic Lighting, and it's designed to let you control the RGB lighting on peripherals built with the "open HID LampArray standard," Microsoft said in a blog post(Opens in a new window) on Wednesday.

"By adopting an open standard, and by working with our OEM and ODM partners, Microsoft seeks to improve the RGB device and software ecosystem for users by increasing interoperability of devices and apps," the company added.

That means you won't need to necessarily download and run various third-party apps to control the lighting over the peripherals. Instead, you can tap the Dynamic Lighting function, which can calibrate the brightness and colors at "both the per-device and all-device level." The new settings function is also smart enough to cede the RGB lighting configuration to an app or game running over the PC, whether it be in the foreground or running the background.

"Several device manufacturers including Acer, Asus, HP, HyperX, Logitech, Razer, and Twinkly have partnered with Microsoft on Dynamic Lighting," the company said. But for now, it looks like Dynamic Lighting can only let you configure the lighting for mice and keyboards, not other accessories and components such as headphones or PC fans. But the company's support documentation(Opens in a new window) notes a whole collection of peripherals built with HID LampArray will be supported, including "chassis," "headset," and "game controller."

Microsoft adds that currently the feature only offers compatibility with 26 accessory models, most of which are from Razer. (You can check out the company's blog post(Opens in a new window) for each model name.) But we expect Dynamic Lighting will support a larger array of products once Microsoft decides to bring the feature out of beta to mainstream users.

The company added: "The latest firmware should be used with these devices. We are aware of several issues with wireless device connections so please use a wired connection with a compatible device to a PC, if possible, for the time being."

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