To change which way the mouse wheel scrolls in Windows 11, select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mouse, then pick an option in the Scrolling direction list. The choice applies on every monitor. If your real problem is that the pointer leaves the wrong side of the screen to reach the second monitor, that is a display setting instead: drag the monitor boxes in Settings > System > Display and select Apply.
Applies to: Windows 11 with two or more monitors and a mouse or touchpad. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 7, 2026.
First, work out which “direction” is wrong
People describe two different problems with the same words, and each one is fixed on a different Settings page. A quick check saves you from changing the wrong thing.
| What you see | What it is | Where to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| You roll the wheel toward you and the page moves the opposite way to what you expect | Wheel scrolling direction | Bluetooth & devices > Mouse |
| The second monitor is on your right, but you have to push the pointer off the left edge to reach it | Display arrangement | System > Display |
| Two-finger scrolling on a laptop touchpad goes the wrong way | Touchpad scrolling | Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad |
| The wheel does nothing in a window on the other monitor until you click it | Inactive window scrolling | Bluetooth & devices > Mouse |
Scrolling means the content inside a window moves. Arrangement means where Windows thinks each screen sits on your desk, which decides the edge the pointer crosses. The sections below cover each one in turn.
Change the mouse wheel scrolling direction
This is the method to use when the page moves the wrong way as you roll the wheel. It takes effect on all of your monitors at once.
- Select Start, then Settings. The Settings window opens.
- Select Bluetooth & devices in the list on the left.
- Select Mouse. The page shows the mouse options, including a group of scrolling settings.
- Find Scrolling direction and open the drop-down list next to it.
- Choose Down motion scrolls down or Down motion scrolls up. Pick the one that is not selected now if you want to reverse the wheel.
- Point at a long web page or document on each monitor and roll the wheel to check the result.
The two option names describe what the content does when you roll the wheel toward yourself. With Down motion scrolls down, that movement takes you further down the page. With Down motion scrolls up, the same movement takes you back toward the top. Neither is the correct one; use whichever feels natural to you.
Microsoft lists every control on this page in its Change mouse settings article.
Why you can’t set a different scroll direction for each monitor
The Mouse page has one Scrolling direction list. It belongs to the mouse, and Microsoft’s documentation shows no option to choose a monitor for it. So the wheel behaves the same way in a window on monitor 1 as it does in a window on monitor 2.
If scrolling seems to work on one screen and not the other, the direction setting is rarely the cause. It is usually the inactive window setting described next, or one app that handles the wheel in its own way. Test in a second app on the same monitor before you change anything.
Scroll a window on the other monitor without clicking it
With two screens you often read on one and type on the other. Windows can scroll the window under the pointer even when another window is the active one.
- Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mouse.
- Find Scroll inactive windows when hovering over them.
- Make sure it is switched On.
- Click a window on one monitor, move the pointer over a window on the other monitor and roll the wheel. The second window should scroll while the first stays active.
Switch it off if you would rather the wheel only affect the window you are working in.
Adjust how far the wheel scrolls
The same page controls the distance, which matters more when you move between a large monitor and a small laptop screen.
- Roll the mouse wheel to scroll: choose Multiple lines or One screen at a time.
- Lines to scroll at a time: drag the slider to set how many lines each step of the wheel moves.
- Additional mouse settings, under Related settings: opens the older Mouse Properties window, where the Wheel tab also covers horizontal scrolling for mice with a tilting wheel.
Fix the direction the pointer moves between monitors
If you have to move the pointer the “wrong” way to reach the other screen, Windows has the monitors in a different order from the one on your desk. The wheel setting has no effect on this.
- Select Start > Settings > System > Display. Numbered boxes at the top stand for your monitors. Microsoft notes that the arrangement option appears when Windows detects more than one display.
- Select Identify. A number appears on each screen so you can tell which box is which monitor.
- Drag a box to where that monitor really is: left, right, above or below the other one.
- Select Apply.
- Move the pointer across to the other monitor to check that it now leaves from the side you expect.
For a fuller walk-through with examples for stacked and uneven screens, see our guide to changing the mouse direction on dual monitors in Windows 11. Microsoft covers the same steps in How to use multiple monitors in Windows.
Change touchpad scrolling on a laptop
A laptop touchpad has its own settings, separate from the mouse. Changing the mouse wheel direction does not have to change two-finger scrolling, and the other way round. Microsoft describes the touchpad scroll gesture as placing two fingers on the touchpad and sliding horizontally or vertically. The same Touchpad page also holds the tap options explained in how to right-click on a laptop in Windows 11.
Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad and look through the scrolling options there for a direction setting. What you see depends on the touchpad: Microsoft notes that some gestures only work with precision touchpads. If the page offers very little, the laptop maker’s own touchpad software is the place to look.
How to confirm the change and undo it
Scrolling direction changes as soon as you pick an option, so there is nothing to save. Open a long page, roll the wheel toward you once and watch which way the content goes. Repeat on the second monitor.
To undo it, go back to Bluetooth & devices > Mouse and choose the other option in the Scrolling direction list. To undo a display arrangement, return to System > Display, drag the boxes back and select Apply again.
Troubleshooting
Scrolling direction is missing from the Mouse page
Microsoft added the mouse scrolling direction option to Windows 11 through an update; it was first announced for a preview build in July 2024. A PC that has not been updated for a long time may not show it. Select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates, install what is offered, restart and look again.
If the option still is not there, check the software that came with your mouse. Many mouse makers include a scroll direction setting in their own app.
The setting changed but the wheel still scrolls the old way
Try another app first, because some programs have their own scrolling preferences. Then check whether the mouse maker’s software is installed, since it may apply its own direction. If the wheel behaves oddly in every app, updating the mouse driver in Windows 11 is a sensible next step.
The monitor boxes do not appear in Display settings
Windows only shows the arrangement area when it detects more than one display. Make sure the cables are properly connected to the PC or dock. Then select Start > Settings > System > Display > Multiple displays > Detect.
Both screens show the same picture
When the displays are duplicated there is no edge for the pointer to cross. Press Windows logo key + P and choose Extend, which spreads the desktop across the screens so you can move items between them. The other choices are PC screen only, Duplicate and Second screen only. Our guide to setting up multiple monitors in Windows 11 covers the full setup.
The pointer or page looks wrong on a rotated monitor
For a monitor turned on its side, check Display orientation under Settings > System > Display. Microsoft’s screen resolution and layout article also explains Scale and Display resolution, which are best left on the recommended values.
The settings are greyed out on a work or school PC
Your organization may manage some settings on a work or school computer. If a control cannot be changed, ask your IT support team rather than looking for a workaround.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reverse scrolling on only one of my two monitors?
No. Windows 11 has a single Scrolling direction setting on the Mouse page and it applies wherever the pointer is.
Does rearranging my monitors change the scroll direction?
No. Dragging the boxes on the Display page only changes where the pointer and windows cross from one screen to the other. Wheel scrolling stays as it was.
Which option should I pick, Down motion scrolls down or Down motion scrolls up?
Pick the one that matches what your hand expects. If you switch between a touchpad and a mouse all day, setting both to behave the same way usually feels best.
Do I need to restart after changing the scrolling direction?
Microsoft’s instructions do not include a restart for this setting. Choose the option and test it straight away.
Is this the same on Windows 10?
The display arrangement steps are similar, but the Settings layout differs. For the older version, see how to reverse scrolling on Windows 10.
Once the wheel scrolls the way you like, check the display arrangement too, so both the pointer and the page move the way you expect on every screen.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.