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How to Change the Touchpad Scrolling Direction on a Windows 11 Laptop

Mar 31, 2025

If you have recently switched from a Mac to a Windows laptop, you might find the default touchpad behavior unfamiliar. By default, Windows 11 uses "down to scroll down" (also known as "natural scrolling") similar to smartphones. However, if you prefer the traditional "up to scroll down" behavior, Windows allows you to simply change the touchpad scrolling direction on your Windows 11 laptop in Settings.

Steps to change touchpad scrolling direction

Step 1. Open Windows Settings

Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open the Windows Settings tool.

Step 2. Navigate to Bluetooth & devices

In the Settings window, select the Bluetooth & devices option from the left sidebar.

Step 3. Open Touchpad settings

Scroll down in the right pane and select Touchpad.

Step 4. Select Scroll & zoom

Under Gestures & interaction, click on the Scroll & zoom section to open its drop-down menu.

Step 5. Adjust scrolling direction

Select the option you prefer in the Scrolling direction drop-down menu to your need:

Down motion scrolls up

This option mimics traditional scrolling, where dragging two fingers down scrolls the content upward.

Down motion scrolls down

This option mimics natural scrolling, similar to smartphones and tablets, where dragging two fingers down scrolls the content downward.

Conclusion

Changing the scrolling direction of your touchpad on Windows 11 is a quick and straightforward process through the Settings app. Adjusting the scroll direction can enhance your user experience, making navigation more intuitive based on your personal preference.

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