by Martin Brinkmann on January 08, 2016 in Google Chrome - Last Update: January 08, 2016 - 15 comments
Google software engineer Steve Kobes announced yesterday that the company is about to enable smooth scrolling in Google Chrome on Windows and Linux.
This resolves one of the longest standing feature requests for the Chrome web browser dating back to September 3, 2008.
The best I have been able to make Windows scroll is an entire line at a time. If you’re accustomed to the “smooth like butter” scrolling of OS X with one of these mice, switching to any Windows release brings a constant and unpleasant reminder of shitty 90’s tech.
Google Chrome users on non-Mac devices had little recourse previously but to rely on extensions such as Chromium Wheel Smooth Scroller or Smooth Key Scroll to improve the scrolling behavior of the web browser.
While those improved the scrolling usually, they all had drawbacks like disabling threaded scrolling because of their reliance on wheel event handlers.
Some websites and services even implemented smooth scrolling on the server side for Chrome web browsers by scanning user agents but that led to bugs as well.
Chrome Smooth Scrolling
Google plans to enable smooth scrolling in Chrome 49 on all supported platforms with the exception of Mac Os X.
The reason why Mac OS X versions of the browser are not covered is simple: smooth scrolling for Mac devices has already launched and been available for some time.
Chrome users not yet on version 49 of the browser may enable the feature in the following way before it launches officially:
- Type chrome:/flags in the browser's address bar and hit enter.
- Search for the flag enable-smooth-scrolling, for instance by hitting F3 to use on-page find.
- Click on the 'enable' link'.
- Click on the relaunch now button.
Smooth scrolling is enabled in Chrome afterwards. You may flip the preference again at any time to disable the feature which can be useful if you notice issues after enabling it. It can also be of assistance when Google enables the feature by default, as it allows you to disable it again using the flag.
Please note that Google may remove the preference in the future.
Smooth scrolling affects scrolling behavior with the mouse or keyboard. It is not applied to input gestures, and won't resolve 'browser jank' caused by performance issues.
Google plans to enable smooth scrolling in Chrome 49 unless last minute bugs delay the release.
In other news, Mozilla improved scrolling in the Firefox web browser recently as well by enabling APZ.
Now You: Do you notice a difference after enabling the feature?
Smooth Scrolling finally coming to Chrome for Windows and Linux
Description
Google plans to enable smooth scrolling in Chrome on Windows, Linux and Android when version 49 of the browser is released.
Author
Ghacks Technology News
Logo
Advertisement
It just irritates me a little bit that when I scroll in Windows, I have to scroll normally, but on Mac OS X, I have to change back to the other scrolling (Inverted), I prefer the Mac OS X way, is there a way to have this setting on Windows using Bootcamp settings or such?
bmike♦
russjr08russjr08
7 Answers
I've written a small c# app to change the registry settings for all devices. It enumerates every device and changes the 'FlipFlopWheel' setting to 1 or 0 depending on which button you press.
The full source is available on Github, the source code that actually does the flipping the registry setting (<100 lines) is here: https://github.com/jamie-pate/flipflop-windows-wheel/blob/master/Form1.cs
For those just wanting to 'get it done' here is the executable (asks for UAC elevation) https://github.com/jamie-pate/flipflop-windows-wheel/blob/master/bin/Debug/FlipWheel.exe
MaryPuMaryPu
WIndows BootCamp reverse scrollinghttp://tsentas.net/windows-bootcamp-reverse-scrolling/
user3669959user3669959
And to invert horizontal scrolling, use a very similar Powershell script (remember to run Powershell as administrator):
(note
FlipFlopHScroll
instead of FlipFlopWheel
)(Per this link)
yurkennisyurkennis
I've recently switched from Parallels to Bootcamp for doing 3ds Max work. This issue drove me bananas! I finally found this fantastic utility, called Trackpad++. It not only solved the 'natural scrolling' issue, but also brought back things like three-finger drag, and other gestures. It really is the perfect solution (and no, I don't know the developer):http://trackpad.forbootcamp.org/
Sean AitkenSean Aitken
From user3669959's linked answer:
- Open the Mouse settings in the Control Panel
- Click on the Hardware tab, 'HID-compliant device', Properties
- Click on the Details tab
- Choose Device Instance Path in the Property drop down menu
- Note the VID value
- Run regedit
- Edit HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetEnumHIDVID_???VID_???Device Parameters, where the ??? is the VID value we just found
- Edit FlipFlopWheel
- Change the value from 0 to 1
- Close all programs
- Reboot
This worked for me on a Windows 7 64 bit PC, using the Boot Camp 5.1.5769 AppleWirelessTrackpad64.exe driver.
References:
SamuelSamuel
I use this free program to set the scroll wheel to reverse scroll in windows 10. I also use it in windows 7 at work and set the work mouse wheel button to back. Super useful.
Michael SammlerMichael Sammler
It worked for me this way:
- Open Control Panel.
- In the search field at top right type, 'mouse' and hit enter.
- Click on 'mouse' in green - the top one!.
- the very last tab of the window that popped up will be your device's software settings - click it and open up the settings program.
- Click on Two Finger Scrolling under Multi-Finger Gestures and select GEAR symbol.
- Select (or deselect) 'Enable reverse scrolling direction'.
Kiran KumarKiran Kumar
You must log in to answer this question.
protected by bmike♦May 22 '18 at 2:34
Thank you for your interest in this question. Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).
Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?
Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?