How To Set Different Scroll Direction For Mouse And Trackpad on macOS?.
By default, macOS allows you to change the scroll direction of a trackpad, but if you’re using an external mouse with it, this will also change the scroll direction for that mouse. There is currently no built-in option to set a different scrolling direction for the mouse and trackpad. But as always, you can use a third party app to get around this limitation. Let’s see how.
The original way
While macOS has the ability to change the scroll direction for the mouse and trackpad separately, you cannot change this setting independently of the other. For example, you can scroll down or up on both the mouse and trackpad. You cannot scroll down the trackpad while you scroll up with your mouse, and vice versa.
So, if you’re okay with losing your sense of direction on any of your pointing devices, here’s how to change that. Go to the Settings app on macOS, click the trackpad icon in the list. On the Scroll & Zoom tab, clear the Scroll Direction: Natural check box. That’s it, your trackpad and mouse will scroll in an unnatural direction.
Set a different scroll direction for the mouse and trackpad
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s move on to the tool itself that will solve our problem. Mos is a simple utility application that allows you to set the scroll direction for an external mouse independently of the trackpad. Install the utility from the site using this link.
Once you’ve downloaded the file, install it on macOS. A window will open as shown below. Just click and drag the Mos icon to the Applications folder next to it.
After installing the app, launch the app and it will appear in the menu bar. He will need access to the access controls. Click the Accessibility Controls Required button.
You will go to privacy settings and find Mos under accessibility. Check the box next to Mos and lock the padlock to save the changes.
Now click on the Mos icon in the menu bar and you will find the Preferences option. Click on “Settings” to open the settings page.
In the General section, select the check box to enable reverse scrolling for the mouse. That’s it, you can now use your mouse scroll wheel just like any other computer without losing the scroll direction on the trackpad.
The app is really good and will suffice for your needs, but if you are using an external tablet or need separate controls for horizontal and vertical controls then the following app will do the job.
An alternative application
Scroll Reverser is another powerful utility that offers more advanced scrolling controls for your computer. For example, with this utility, you can perform backscrolling for a trackpad, mouse, and even a drawing tablet. Moreover, you can also separately control horizontal and vertical scrolling.
Download the utility from the website. After installing the app, you won’t be able to see it in the menu bar yet. We need to provide access to the application. Open the Settings app Settings & Privacy Privacy Accessibility. Check the box next to “Scroll Reverser” and lock the padlock to save your changes.
Open the Scroll Reverser app again, you will now see it in the menu bar. Click the Settings button to open the settings page.
You can change the scrolling direction for the trackpad, mouse, and tablet. You can also change the scroll direction for the horizontal and vertical axes separately.
Last words
There were several ways to change the direction of scrolling in macOS. I would recommend Mos if you just need separate controls for an external mouse, but if you need separate controls for each axis and multiple devices, the Scroll Reverser is a good option. Which one would you choose, let me know in the comments below.
Read: 10 Best Free MacOS Apps for Productivity