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How to Change the Scrolling Direction on Your Mac
The mouse or trackpad preference pane controls the scrolling direction
By Tom Nelson Tom Nelson Writer Tom Nelson is an engineer, programmer, network manager, and computer network and systems designer who has written for Other World Computing,and others. Tom is also president of Coyote Moon, Inc., a Macintosh and Windows consulting firm. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on August 3, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email In This Article
Expand Jump to a Section Step-by-Step: Mouse Scrolling Direction Trackpad Scrolling Direction Unnatural Came First Natural Scrolling Scrolling in macOS currently includes an option to use what Apple calls a "natural" method. The "natural" method is based on how multi-touch iOS devices scroll: You use your finger directly on a screen to control the scrolling process. It's like you're physically moving the page, so scrolling up moves the page down. On a Mac, this method may seem strange at first. But if it's too weird, you can change it. Here's how. These instructions apply to devices running macOS 10.7 and later. Changing Scrolling Direction in OS X for the Mouse
Two devices can scroll in macOS: mice and trackpads. You can make each one behave differently if natural scrolling feels intuitive on one but not the other. First, here's how to change the settings for a mouse. Launch System Preferences by clicking the System Preferences icon in the Dock, selecting System Preferences from the Apple menu, or clicking the Launchpad icon in the Dock and selecting the System Preferences icon. When System Preferences opens, select the Mouse preference pane. You must have a mouse connected to your Mac and switched on to access these settings. Depending on your version of macOS, you may need to select the Point & Click tab to get to the scrolling settings. Newer editions skip this step. Remove the checkmark next to Scroll direction: natural to use the default scrolling direction. With no check in this box, a page will scroll in the same direction you turn the scroll wheel or move your finger along a touch-sensitive mouse. Changing Scrolling Direction in OS X for the Trackpad
These instructions work for a MacBook product with a built-in trackpad, as well as the Magic Trackpad Apple sells separately. In System Preferences, select the Trackpad preference pane. Select the Scroll & Zoom tab. To return the scrolling direction to the older method, remove the checkmark from the box labeled Scroll direction: natural. To use the new iOS-inspired scrolling method, place a checkmark in the box. The video clip on the right side of the window will demonstrate the current scrolling setting. Unnatural Came First
The unnatural setting is the one both Mac and Windows computers used in earlier versions of their operating systems. Scrolling down to reveal additional information became the standard for scrolling. It especially made sense for the first mice that included scroll wheels. Their default scrolling behavior was for a downward movement of the wheel to move down on the page. Natural Scrolling
When you have a direct interface to the viewing device, such as an iPhone or iPad's multi-touch user interface, then natural scrolling makes more sense. With your finger directly in contact with the display, it's more intuitive to view content that is below the window by pulling or dragging with an upward swipe. If Apple had used the indirect scrolling interface then in use on the Mac, it would have been an odd process. Placing your finger on the screen and swiping down to view content would not seem natural. When you move the interface from a finger on the screen to a mouse or trackpad that isn't on the same physical plane as the display, the choice of a natural or unnatural scrolling interface comes down to preference. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Zoom In or Out With Your Keyboard How to Turn off Mouse Acceleration on Mac How to Right-Click on a Mac 8 Things to Consider Before Buying a Computer Mouse Configure Your Mac's Trackpad to Meet Your Needs How to Use Your Mac's Display Calibrator Assistant How to Use a Trackball Mouse How to Use a Multi-Button Mouse With Your Mac How to Use Hot Corners on a Mac How to Hide or Show the Mac's Dock How to Remotely Restart or Shut Down Your Mac How to Left-Click on a Mac The 8 Best Mice for Macs The 9 Best Mice for iPads, Tested by Experts Setting up an iCloud Account on Your Mac How to Fix It When Your Mouse Scroll Is Not Working Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies