Fix the situation where the computer mouse wheel has a scrolling error

The scroll wheel has been a mouse feature since the mid-1990s. It's an important feature for interacting with operating systems, apps, and games. But when the mouse wheel malfunctions and starts to scroll incorrectly, what can you do to fix the situation?

1. Clean the mouse

Surprisingly, the majority of scrolling problems are caused by dust.

Dust collects in the area around the roller, interfering with the sensor and preventing accurate rolling. But the good news is that you can easily clean the dust in the mouse. Simply pick up the mouse and blow hard inwards to get the dust out. In most cases, this will be enough to push the dust out, resulting in smooth mouse scrolling again.

Note : You can use a can of compressed air which will do the job.

2. Replace the battery for the mouse

If the above doesn't work, then the problem may be the power supply, not the dust. This can especially happen if you use a wireless mouse instead of a wired USB mouse.

To ensure that the battery has enough power to work properly, open the mouse, remove the battery and try on another device. Also check it with a charger if available. Batteries with a charge above 30% will still work fine, although you should consider replacing them as soon as possible.

Once you have a fully charged or new battery, try the mouse again. Hopefully any scrolling errors you're experiencing now will be gone.

3. Change scroll settings

Your mouse has specific settings for clicking, double-clicking, speed, and scrolling.

Can fix scrolling, irregular scrolling in mouse settings screen. In Windows 10:

Step 1: Press WIN + I to open Settings.

Step 2: Type mouse.

Step 3: Select Change how far you scroll with the mouse wheel .

Step 4: Adjust the slider on Choose how many lines to scroll each time (default is 3 ).

Go back to your browser, word processor or wherever the scrolling is jerky and give it a try. You may need to further adjust the slider. See also: How to change mouse settings in Windows if needed.

4. Swap USB ports

Whether you're using a wireless USB mouse or a wired device, swapping out the USB ports on your PC or laptop can make all the difference to scrolling issues.

Most computers have USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports. Swapping from one port type to another can be of great help here. Also, if you're using a USB hub, remove it from the equation if possible and connect a mouse or its receiver directly to the computer.

Try your mousewheel again - hopefully it will work again.

5. Update mouse driver

The device driver may be damaged or conflict with other drivers. These problems are usually resolved by updating the driver. If you are using Windows 10, this is easy to do as follows:

1. Right-click Start.
2. Select Device Manager.
3. Find and expand Mice and other pointing devices .
4. Right-click the correct mouse.
5. Select Update Driver.
6. Wait for the driver to update.

If this was the cause of the error, your mousewheel should now work properly.

6. Does mouse scrolling occur in certain software? Please update that app!

You may find that the mouse wheel misbehaves only in specific applications, such as a browser or word processor, or even in a video game.

Regardless of the application, if you have updated your mouse driver and the problem does not improve, consider updating the application in question.

Application updates will vary by software. Normally, you'll find a link to the update page in the About menu , which will help you update the software if a download link isn't available. For video games, use a digital distribution service (e.g. Steam) to update the software.

7. Turn off Tablet Mode on Windows

Windows 10 users may find that tablet mode interferes with mouse operation, which can affect scrolling speed.

In many cases, you may not even realize Tablet Mode is running (this is not a feature on desktop or laptop computers). To turn off Tablet Mode on a Windows 10 tablet or combination in desktop mode:

1. In the taskbar, click the Action Center button .
2. Find Tablet Mode.
3. Click to disable.
4. If Tablet Mode has been turned off, click it to turn it on and then click again to turn it off.

Smooth scrolling of the mouse wheel should now work again.

Good luck fixing the error!

David Pac

Update 19 May 2021