How to Change Mouse Scroll Direction on Mac

Posted By Volodymyr Chubei | 29 Aug 2024

In macOS, trackpads and mice have a scrolling direction similar to the way you use your fingers on a touchscreen. For example, after using a Windows PC, many people find it difficult to get used to it. The mouse can also scroll in the opposite direction due to various reasons.

In this article, we will look at how to change the scroll direction on a Mac, and give you a step-by-step guide on how to solve the problem in different ways. Besides, you will learn how to change the scrolling speed of the mouse.

Why is my mouse scrolling backwards on my Mac

There could be several reasons why your mouse scrolls in the opposite direction on your Mac:

configuration failure;
incorrect booting of the device;
the latest updates are not installed;
device failure.

Also: How to Change Keyboard Shortcuts on a Mac

How to change MacBook scroll direction

You can change the scrolling direction in the system settings or use a special application.

If you use the first option:

Click on Apple in the top left corner of the screen.
Go to System Preferences and select Mouse.
Point & Click.
Disable the "Natural Scrolling" option using the switch.

To adjust your mouse to make it as convenient for you as possible, you can use the BetterTouchTool application. You can use it to program mouse gestures, Touch Bar options, new function keys, set up copying multiple elements at once, etc. All this is done through the clear and simple BetterTouchTool menu.

How to change Mouse speed on MacBook

If you find Magic Mouse scrolling speed fast or slow, you can change it to a comfortable speed in the device system settings.

Connect the Magic Mouse.
Go through the Apple menu to "System Preferences."
Select the "Accessibility" section.
Click on "Manage Pointer".
Select "Mouse Options."
Adjust the scrolling speed by testing its changes on the fly.

How to switch mouse scroll direction on Mac with Automator

You can change settings and automate processes using a special Automator program. If you correctly follow the instructions that we provide below, then in the "Services" menu of each application you will see the item "Reverse scrolling" with the keyboard shortcut.

How to change the scrolling direction with Automator:

To start the program, press Command+Space, enter Automator in the search window and confirm your entry.
Press Command+H or "File" to proceed to create a new document and select its type - "Application".
Launch AppleScript and type one of the scripts you'll find at the end of the instructions.
Press Command+C to save the scrollback in application format in the catalog and close the document.
Go through Apple to System Preferences, select "Security and Privacy", click on "Privacy" and then on "Accessibility".
Add a back scrolling application to the permissions for selected programs so that you can use them to control your computer.

The next step is to go back to Automator and create a new Quick Action document type to add the action to the "Services" submenu in each application. Then follow the below procedure:

Set up the workflow so that no input data is required. A message will be displayed at the top that the workflow does not receive input data in any application.
Add the Run Application action to the workflow and select "Other" from the list.
Go to the "Applications" directory and select "Reverse Scroll".
Press Command+C to save the name of the Reverse Scroll application.
Go to system settings again, select "Keyboard", then "Shortcuts", and then "Services".
Click on "Backscroll" and add a shortcut.
Set the desired key combination, but use only those keys that are not used for other programs.
Check the scrolling operation and keyboard shortcuts. Scrolling should work without system permission requests and other pop-up windows.

A script for the Ventura operating system:

on run {input, parameters}
 do shell script "open x-apple.systempreferences:com.apple.Trackpad-Settings.extension"
 delay 1.0
 tell application "System Events"
 tell process "System Settings"
 click radio button 2 of tab group 1 of group 1 of group 1 of group 2 of splitter group 1 of group 1 of window 1
 click checkbox "Natural scrolling" of group 1 of scroll area 1 of group 1 of group 1 of group 2 of splitter group 1 of group 1 of window 1
 tell application "System Settings" to quit
 end tell
 end tell
 return input
end run

A script for the Monterey operating system:

 on run {input, parameters}
 tell application "System Preferences"
 reveal anchor "trackpadTab" of pane id "com.apple.preference.trackpad"
 end tell
 tell application "System Events" to tell process "System Preferences"
 click checkbox 1 of tab group 1 of window 0
 end tell
 quit application "System Preferences"
 return input
end run

How to change Mac Mouse scroll direction using Terminal

You can change the scrolling direction using the Terminal:

Press Command+Space, open Spotlight Search, type Terminal and press Enter.
Copy the syntax -g com.apple.swipescrolldirection -boolean NO to switch to usual scrolling or replace NO at the end with YES to activate natural scrolling.
Paste the syntax into Terminal and press enter.
Reboot the device.

Changing trackpad scroll direction on MacBook

If you use the trackpad, you can change the scrolling direction as follows:

From the Apple menu, open System Preferences.
In the sidebar on the left, click on "Trackpad".
Select Scroll and Zoom.
Opposite "Natural Scrolling", toggle the switch on or off to change the scrolling direction.

Also: MacBook trackpad stuck: 10 tips on how to fix it

If you have problems with your trackpad or mouse, you can buy spare parts or accessories for your laptop on the Apple Parts website. Here you will find original parts for different models of MacBooks. All components are tested in the technical department before being put on sale, so they are guaranteed to work according to the characteristics declared by the manufacturer.

If you're not sure you can repair your MacBook or make an upgrade on your own, order a MacBook repair at Apple Parts by mail. Send us your laptop, pay the bill after diagnostics and repair, and get your device back within 1-2 days.

Genuine Trackpad (Touchpad) W/ Screws W/ Flexures, (661-23673) Space Gray A2485

FAQ

1. How do I change the direction of the scroll on my Mac mouse?

To change the scrolling direction, go to System Preferences, select Accessibility, then Mouse & Trackpad and adjust the scrolling to your preference.

2. Can you change the scroll speed on a MacBook?

Go to system settings, click on "Accessibility", select Mouse & Trackpad and adjust the scrolling speed using the Scrolling Speed slider.

3. How do you turn on a horizontal scroll on a Mac?

To enable horizontal scrolling, open System Preferences, select Accessibility, and go to Mouse & Trackpad. Set Scroll direction: natural, and the mouse or trackpad will scroll horizontally.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Volodymyr Chubei
Computer Repair Specialist at TechToro.io

Volodymyr was born in Ukraine and has found his passion for electronics from his childhood. At the age of 13, he was capable of soldering some basic elements of a logic board and today he is one of the co-founders of TechToro.io