Mouse Zooms Instead Of Scroll In Windows 10

The mouse is still one of the most preferred methods of pointer input among users. After many iterations and modifications, the modern-day mouse now comes with a wheel for scrolling. Some users have reported that when they try to scroll using the provided wheel, the mouse zooms instead of scroll in Windows 10.

Why Is My Scroll Wheel Zooming Instead Of Scrolling?

As reported by users across multiple forums, there are many different reasons why your mouse zooms instead of scrolling on your computer. Here are some of the common reasons why users faced this error. Take a look at these and try locating your error cause.

• One of the most common reasons why scroll wheel zooms instead of scrolling is a physically stuck Ctrl key. The Ctrl key can be used in combination with the scroll wheel to zoom in and out in many applications, and you may be seeing this error because of this stuck key.
• If you face this error on a laptop device, there is a chance that you are seeing this error because of a Windows 10 feature called Pinch to Zoom. Instead of the scroll, the operating system recognized it as a pinch out and zooms into your app.
• If you are using any third party key binding software, there is a possibility that some incorrect setting is causing the scroll wheel to interpret the scrolls as a command for zooming. Solving this will require you to check the software for any incorrect key bindings.
• If you see this behavior only in Microsoft Excel, this might be caused by an advanced feature called ‘Zoom on Roll with IntelliMouse’.

How To Fix If Mouse Zooms Instead Of Scroll In Windows 10?

Now that you know what is causing the error on your computer, here are some potential fixes that can help you stop mouse from zooming in Windows 10. Make sure to follow these solutions closely, as these are arranged in the order of rarity of the cause.

Solution 1: Check For Keyboard Damage And Stuck Ctrl Key

The most likely cause of why your scroll wheel zooms instead of a scroll is a physically stuck Ctrl key. The two most used shortcuts while scrolling is:

• Ctrl + Scroll: Zoom in and out of content
• Shift + Scroll: Horizontal scroll of content

If for any reason, the Ctrl key is stuck on your keyboard, the first keyboard shortcut will be automatically triggered, leading to your mouse to zoom instead of scroll in Windows 10.

There are many reasons why your key may be stuck, which includes dirt and dust, pressure imbalance, key-cap damaged or the underneath key switch broken. If any of these caused the Ctrl key to be stuck or damaged, you need to remedy the keyboard.

To check if the Ctrl key is stuck, here is a simple trick that you can use.

1. Open a Run dialog by pressing Win + R.
2. Type osk and press Enter to launch the on-screen keyboard.
3. Here, check if the Ctrl key is highlighted.
   Note: In Windows 10, the key will be highlighted in the color matching your theme.
4. If you see the Ctrl keys highlighted, this indicates that the keys are pressed or stuck on your keyboard.

Try to get the key released from the stuck position. For this, you can try pressing on the key a few times until the key is released. If this does not solve the issue, remove the keycap to check if there is any damage to the underlying key switch mechanism.

If both of the above solutions did not release the key, you need to get your keyboard replaced. You will most likely get a free replacement if the keyboard is under warranty.

Solution 2: Disable Key Binding Software

If you use third party key binding software like AutoHotkey or WizMouse, there is a chance that the settings for the key bindings may be changed, leading to your mouse zooms instead of scroll in Windows 10. This is also a common cause as reported by many users, who changed the binding unknowingly, or some third party app interference caused this change.

In accordance with the drivers that you use for your mouse, you can set Ctrl + Scroll as a shortcut to do nothing. This means that when you use this shortcut, the operating system will recognize the combination, and then throw it away. Some specific drivers also let you fine-tune these controls, letting you disable this shortcut for certain applications only.

Alternatively, you can also use AutoHotkey to disable this shortcut. Follow these steps for the same:

1. Download and install AutoHotkey from the official website.
2. In the AutoHotkey.ahk file, add these to do nothing for the Ctrl + MouseWheelScrolling
   • ^WheelDown::return
   • ^WheelUp::return
3. Save this file and restart your device.

If you are using WizMouse, uncheck the option that says, “Enable mouse wheel for applications without mouse wheel support’.

Solution 3: Disable Pinch To Zoom

If you use the synaptic drivers on your mouse, there are chances that your scroll wheel zooms instead of scrolling because of a Windows 10 feature called Pinch to Zoom. The Synaptic driver can recognize your scrolls as a different input and thus ends up zooming into your content rather than scrolling.

Many users have reported that they faced this error due to the Pinch to Zoom feature, which was eventually resolved when they disabled this feature. To disable this feature, you need to follow the steps according to your mouse driver. Here is an outline of where you may find the settings:

1. Open Windows Search by using the keyboard shortcut Win + S.
2. Type Mouse Settings and select the first search result to launch the Mouse Properties window.
   Note: In recent Windows 10 builds, searching Mouse opens the Mouse Settings in the Settings app. Here, you need to locate and click on Additional Mouse settings.
3. In the Mouse Properties window, go to the tab titled Device Settings.
4. Click on the Options button to open the specific Synaptic settings.

5. Inside the Synaptic Touchpad Properties dialog, select the Pinch zoom option.
6. Uncheck the option associated with Enable Pinch Zoom.

7. Restart your computer.

If the synaptic drivers ended up causing your mouse wheel to zoom instead of scrolling, this should solve this error on your computer. However, if you only see this error in Microsoft Excel, you can turn off Zoom on Roll in the app.

Solution 4: Disable Zoom On Roll With IntelliMouse

Microsoft Excel is one of the most popular spreadsheet management software. There is an advanced feature in Microsoft Excel that allows you to zoom into the spreadsheet instead of scrolling the columns and rows. This is a very useful feature if you work on relatively large spreadsheets.

However, this feature can become annoying for small spreadsheets, where you need to scroll the cells instead of zooming in and out. You can turn off the Zoom on roll with Intellimouse feature to solve this error. Simply follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Excel on your computer.
2. Click on the File button located at the top left corner of the window.
   Note: On older versions, click on the Office button located in the same place.
3. Click on Excel Options.
4. Go to the Advanced tab to view the advanced settings.
5. On the right-hand pane, uncheck the box associated with the option Zoom on roll with Intellimouse.
6. Click on OK to save the changes and restart your computer.

Now check if still the mouse zooms instead on scroll in Windows 10. Your error should be resolved.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. Now you know how to solve if mouse zooms instead of scroll in Windows 10, using the solutions provided above. Did you find this useful? Comment below if you did, and to discuss further the same.