Devices Change Mouse Scrolling Direction in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to change the scrolling direction of the mouse scroll wheel for your account or all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Windows uses reverse scrolling by default, but you can use natural scrolling if wanted.

Reverse scrolling = When you roll the mouse scroll wheel back, the scroll bar moves down as the page scrolls in an upward direction. When you roll the mouse scroll wheel forward, the scroll bar moves up as the page scrolls in a downward direction.

Natural scrolling = When you roll the mouse scroll wheel back, the scroll bar moves down as the page scrolls in a downward direction. When you roll the mouse scroll wheel forward, the scroll bar moves up as the page scrolls in an upward direction.

This option is only available starting with Windows 11 build 26527.5000 (Canary), build 26120.1340 (Dev), build 22635.4145 (Beta), build 26100.1876 (RP), and build 26100.1882 (24H2).

1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Bluetooth & devices on the left side, and click/tap on Mouse on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Under Scrolling settings. select Down motion scrolls down (default) or Down motion scrolls up for what you want in the Scrolling direction drop menu.


4 You can now close settings if you like.

This option is starting to roll out in Windows 11 build 26527.5000 (Canary) and build 26120.1340 (Dev).

1 Do step 2 (Down motion scrolls down) or step 3 (Down motion scrolls up) below for what you would like to do.

This is the default setting.

(Contents of REG file for reference)





(Contents of REG file for reference)

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 Either sign out and sign in or restart the computer to apply.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.

1 Open Device Manager (devmgmt.msc).

2 Expand Mice and other pointing devices, and double click/tap on your mouse device (ex: "HID-compliant mouse"). (see screenshot below)


3 Click/tap on the Details tab, and select Device instance path in the "Property" drop menu. (see screenshot below step 4)

4 The Value box will show you the HID key path used in Registry Editor for this mouse device. (see screenshot below)

For example: HID\VID_046D&PID_C52B&MI_01&COL01\7&476E50E&0&0000

VID_046D&PID_C52B&MI_01&COL01 will be the subkey under the HID key.

7&476E50E&0&0000 will be the subkey under the VID_046D&PID_C52B&MI_01&COL01 key.

You will want to keep this window open for now to reference from in Registry Editor at step 6.

5 Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe).

6 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)

You would substitute <HID path> in the key path above with the actual HID path from step 4.

For example:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\HID\VID_046D&PID_C52B&MI_01&Col01\7&476e50e&0&0000

7 Expand the 7&476e50e&0&0000 key with your HID path name instead, and click/tap on the Device Parameters subkey. (see screenshot below step 8)

8 In the right pane of the Device Parameters key, double click/tap on the FlipFlopWheel DWORD value to modify it. (see screenshot below)


9 Enter 0 (default - reverse scrolling) or 1 (natural scrolling) in the value data box for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)


10 You can now close Device Manager and Registry Editor.

11 Restart the computer to apply.


That's it,
Shawn Brink