Microsoft continues moving the classic Control Panel options to the modern Settings app. Mouse options are now fully available in the Settings app for some Insiders. In the near future, the options they leave their classic place, making the Control Panel more and more useless. Microsoft is actively working on making the latter ready for the removal.
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Mouse Options in Windows 11 Settings
As discovered by @phantomofearth, Windows 11 Build 26376, released in the server branch for Insiders, now hosts all the possible mouse options under Accessibility > Mouse. The options include including pointer trails, pointer shadow, pointer customization, and more. Besides, the options that were already there, including enhance pointer precision/pointer speed, have received the new icons. Check out the screenshots below.
Microsoft has been gradually transitioning various system settings and configuration options from the classic Control Panel to the modern Settings app. That process that began with the release of Windows 8. It continued in Windows 10, and this is still going on in Windows 11.
Here's a brief overview:
Windows 8 (2012)
The transition started with the introduction of the "PC Settings" app, which was a precursor to the modern Settings app. This new interface aimed to provide a more touch-friendly experience and unified look on all devices, including tablets and other touch-enabled devices.
Windows 10 (2015)
With Windows 10, Microsoft introduced the revamped Settings app, which was finally designed to eventually replace the Control Panel entirely. Many commonly used options were moved to the Settings app, but the Control Panel remained accessible for features that hadn't yet been fully integrated into the new system.
Windows 11 (2021 - now)
In Windows 11, Microsoft continues this ongoing migration. The Settings app has been further refined with a cleaner design, improved navigation, and additional functionality. However, despite these advancements, not all options have been fully migrated from the Control Panel to the Settings app. Some advanced configuration settings remain exclusively available in the classic Control Panel.
As of Windows 11, the Settings app has become the primary destination for most user-configurable settings, offering a more intuitive and visually appealing interface compared to the Control Panel. However, there are still certain advanced settings and configurations that are only accessible through the Control Panel. For example, certain user account options, advanced system properties, and even Device Manager - these are part of the old Control Panel and/or classic standalone apps. But this is changing.
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Are cursor schemes still available or do you have to manually browse and replace each cursor type one by one?
Where to vendor-specific (driver) settings go then?
That was the first thing that came to my mind. I think vendors will be forced to release “UWP” versions of their settings app, like Dolby and Realtek do.