You just plugged a brand-new Logitech or Razer mouse into your MacBook, and suddenly, everything feels backwards. You scroll down on the wheel, but the page moves up. It feels like you’re fighting the computer. This happens because Apple treats your mouse exactly like a trackpad. On a trackpad, "Natural" scrolling makes sense—you're physically moving the content under your fingers. But on a physical wheel? It’s a total mess for most people.
MacOS mouse scroll reverse isn't a bug. It's a design choice Apple made years ago to unify the experience across iPhones, iPads, and Macs. They call it "Natural" scrolling. If you've spent your whole life on Windows, it’s anything but natural.
The Quick Fix in System Settings
Fixing this is actually pretty easy if you know where the toggle is buried. Apple changed the layout of System Settings recently, so it looks more like an iPhone menu now.
First, click the Apple logo in the top-left corner and hit System Settings. Don't go to the Trackpad menu; that’s a common mistake. You need to find the Mouse section. Once you’re there, look for a toggle labeled Natural scrolling. Flip that switch to off. Instantly, your scroll wheel will behave like a traditional mouse again.
Wait. There is a catch.
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The "Global Toggle" Problem
Here is where macOS gets really frustrating. Apple links the scroll direction for your mouse and your trackpad together. If you disable natural scrolling for your mouse so the wheel feels "right," your trackpad will now feel "wrong." You’ll try to swipe up on the glass to go down, and nothing will happen the way you expect.
It’s an all-or-nothing system. Honestly, it’s one of the most baffling parts of macOS. Most users want "Natural" scrolling on their trackpad but "Standard" scrolling on their mouse. Apple doesn’t provide a native way to split these two settings. You're stuck choosing which device you want to be annoyed by.
Why Third-Party Apps Are Actually Necessary
Since Apple hasn't fixed this "linked" scrolling issue in years, the developer community stepped in. If you want your mouse to scroll one way and your trackpad to scroll the other, you basically have to download a utility.
Mos is probably the best free, open-source option out there. It’s lightweight and lives in your menu bar. The best part about Mos is that it specifically targets the mouse wheel. It lets you flip the scroll direction for the mouse without touching the trackpad settings. It also adds "Smooth Scrolling," which makes a cheap mouse wheel feel a lot more like the fluid motion of a MacBook trackpad.
Another heavy hitter is SteerMouse. It’s paid, but it’s the nuclear option for people who hate how macOS handles mice. It doesn’t just fix the reverse scroll; it lets you map every single button on a multi-button gaming mouse, which macOS is notoriously bad at recognizing natively.
The Logic Behind "Natural" Scrolling
Apple introduced this back in 2011 with Mac OS X Lion. They called it "Back to the Mac." The idea was that since everyone was getting used to flicking their fingers on iPhones, the Mac should work the same way.
Think of a piece of paper on a table. To see the bottom of the paper, you push the paper up. That’s "Natural" scrolling.
But a mouse wheel isn't a piece of paper. It’s a mechanical interface that has functioned as a "scrollbar mover" since the 90s. When you scroll the wheel down, you expect the scrollbar to move down. When Apple forces the "content" to move instead of the "viewport," it creates a massive cognitive itch for long-time desktop users.
Better Mouse and Other Pro Tools
If Mos feels too simple, BetterMouse is a fantastic middle-ground. It’s a one-man project that aims to replace heavy driver software like Logitech Options, which is famously bloated and eats up RAM. BetterMouse has a simple checkbox: "Swap scroll direction." It works independently of the trackpad.
I’ve found that using these tools also helps with "scroll acceleration." Have you ever noticed how your mouse wheel sometimes feels inconsistent? Like, you turn it one click and it moves a line, but you turn it fast and it jumps a whole page? macOS applies a curve to your scrolling that you can’t turn off in the default settings. Apps like LinearMouse (another great free tool) let you disable this acceleration entirely, making your mouse feel 1:1, just like it does on Windows or Linux.
Troubleshooting Common Glitches
Sometimes, even after you flip the toggle, the macOS mouse scroll reverse persists. This usually happens if you have proprietary software installed. If you’re using a Logitech mouse, Logi Options+ might be overriding your macOS system settings.
- Check your specific mouse software first.
- Ensure "Scroll Direction" in the Logitech/Razer/SteelSeries app matches what you want.
- If you’re using a third-party tool like Mos, make sure you haven't enabled "Reverse" in both the system settings AND the app, which will just cancel each other out and leave you back where you started.
What to Do Next
If you are tired of your mouse and trackpad fighting each other, stop trying to fix it in the Apple System Settings. It won't work.
Download Mos or LinearMouse. Both are free, safe, and specifically designed to solve the macOS mouse scroll reverse dilemma. Install the app, grant it the necessary "Accessibility" permissions in your Privacy settings (it needs this to "see" your scroll wheel movements), and check the box to reverse the vertical scroll. This allows you to keep your trackpad feeling like a modern touch interface while your mouse stays a reliable, old-school pointer. Once it's set, add the app to your "Login Items" so it starts automatically when you turn on your Mac. You'll never have to think about it again.