Method 1: How to Invert Scroll in macOS

Apple offers a native way to easily change the trackpad’s scroll direction. Here’s how to do that.

Step 1: Click on the Apple logo on the Menu bar and select System Settings. Now, scroll down on the left sidebar and click on Trackpad.

Step 2: Now, switch to the ‘Scroll & Zoom‘ tab, and toggle the switch for Natural scrolling.

And that’s it. Your trackpad and mouse’s scroll direction have been inverted.

Limitation of Apple’s Reverse Scroll Method

This method, while straightforward, also reverses the scroll for both the touchpad and your external mouse. But if you want a different scrolling mechanism for the trackpad and a different one for the external mouse, you’d have to take the help of third-party tools.

Tools like UnnaturalScrollWheels helps to reverse the scroll independently for the trackpad and the external mouse. The tool is open-source, so you don’t have to worry about anything.

Also See: How to Customize Gestures for Apple’s Trackpad or Magic Mouse on a Mac

Method 2: How to Reverse Scroll Independently for TrackPad and Mouse

UnnaturalScrollWheels works by controlling the scroll direction for your external mouse. So, you can still use Apple’s official method to control the scroll direction of your trackpad. Ideally, it’s best to enable Natural scrolling to ensure that your trackpad scrolls in the proper direction.

So, here’s how to independently invert the scroll direction for your mouse.

Step 1: Install UnnaturalScrollWheels using the DMG file you just downloaded. Once done, drag the UnnaturalScrollWheels icon to the Applications folder.

Step 2: Launch the app and click on Open to proceed. Now, inside Preferences for UnnaturalScrollWheels, enable the checkbox next to ‘Invert vertical scrolling‘.

And that’s it. You can now use the scroll wheel on your mouse as intended without having to reverse the scroll direction of the trackpad.

See Also: How to Fix Mouse Cursor Lagging on Mac

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