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

It looks like the new 'Dynamic Lighting' control panel mainly supports third-party mice and keyboards from Razer for now, but other vendors plan on joining.

 & Michael Kan Principal Reporter

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A universal app that can control the RGB lighting for your various PC accessories is now rolling out in Windows 11 through a beta build. 

The so-called “Dynamic Lighting” panel is shipping in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23475, which is available for users enrolled in the 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 on Wednesday. 

Dynamic Lighting panel

“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 on 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 on 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 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 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." 

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

My Experience

I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.

Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

The Best Tech I've Had:

  • My first video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
  • I loved my Sega Saturn despite PlayStation's popularity.
  • The iPod Video I received as a gift in college
  • Xbox 360 FTW
  • The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone I was proud to own.
  • The PC desktop I built in 2013, which still works to this day.

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