How-To

Windows 10 Tip: Scroll Inactive Windows by Hovering Over Them

By Brian Burgess

Updated March 4, 2022

Windows 10 includes a new feature that allows you to scroll through documents or web pages without the focus being on the window. It’s not enabled by default, but can be easily turned on in Settings. Here’s a look at how to enable it, and why it is useful.

Windows 10 Mouse Settings

To enable scrolling inactive windows, open Settings > Devices > Mouse & Touchpad. From there toggle on Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them.

This comes in handy for research and writing documents. For example, if you snap two or more screens side-by-side you can scroll through each one without having to click it to put focus on it. You just simply hover your mouse over the window you want to scroll and start.

This saves you a few clicks, and makes it easier than opening separate tabs in a browser, and constantly switching back and forth. And this will work with your mouse, keyboard, or touchpad.

This isn’t anything new as Linux and OS X have had this feature for quite some time, and it’s long overdue for Windows. There are third-party utilities that allows this, like KatMouse which we’ve covered before.

But the cool thing here is the feature is built into Windows 10, and you don’t need to rely on third-party mouse software to get a similar behavior.

While this is a small improvement, it’s a welcomed one, and we often say here: It’s the little things that make a big difference.