Technology

Are There Easier Ways to Scroll on My Computer?

By Senior Planet Tuesday, April 30, 2013 16 Comments Share This:

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Whenever you’re reading a long webpage, you have to scroll on your mouse or keyboard to keep reading. At first, it can be annoying – but while it’s never going to be as simple as turning a page in a book, the more you practice scrolling down, the easier it gets – especially if you try some alternate methods and pick the one that’s the easiest for you.

Here are a few different ways to scroll.

1. Arrows on Your Keyboard

If you look to the right side of your keyboard, you’ll see four arrows: up, down, left, and right.

You can use the down arrow to scroll down on a web page and the up arrow to scroll back up. Here’s how:

First, use your mouse to click anywhere on the page you’d like to read; this lets the computer know where you are reading.
Then, tap the down arrow just once to scroll down a little bit at a time. If you hold the arrow down, you’ll scroll all the way down to the bottom and may miss all the information in the middle.
If you need to return to the top of the page, use the top arrow to scroll up in the same fashion.

2. Arrows on your browser

No matter what browser you use to access the Internet – Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, or any other – look at the bottom right corner. You’ll see a triangle pointing up and a triangle pointing down.

You can use these triangles to scroll up and down on the page you’re viewing. Here’s how:

Click the triangle once to move a few inches up or down.
If you click and hold on the arrows, you’ll zoom to the top or bottom.

3. Your Mouse’s Scroll Wheel

Most desktop-computer mice today have a wheel between the left and right buttons.

If you place your mouse anywhere on the page you are reading, you can scroll up or down with the wheel. If you only want to scroll down a few lines, you’ll just ever-so-lightly scroll the wheel down. If you scroll too quickly, you might reach the end of the page and lose your place.

4. The Scroll bar

This is the way most beginners learn to scroll, but it’s not necessarily the easiest way.

On the right side of your screen in your browser – or any application – you’ll see a scroll bar. It’s usually a different color or tone and signifies where on the screen you are located. So for example, if you are at the very top of the webpage, the scroll bar will be located near the top right. If you are at the bottom, the scroll bar will be on the bottom right. If you are somewhere in the middle, look for the scroll bar somewhere in the middle right of the page.

You can move up or down on a page by dragging this scroll bar in the direction you would like to go. Here’s how:

Using your mouse or laptop track pad, move your cursor to the scroll bar
Then click and hold your mouse; you can now move the scroll bar up and down.
Release the mouse button once you reach the place on your screen you would like to go.

Got a question? Ask it in the comments box below, or email it to editor@seniorplanet.com

COMMENTS

16 responses to “Are There Easier Ways to Scroll on My Computer?”

Michael:

Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 7:11pm

It’s pricey, $129, but a 3dconnexion Spacemouse is the best scrolling device I have seen. Normally I use it with CAD for 3D manipulation but it will scroll up/down in most programs. Great for webpage scrolling, but i would like to see a driver written to allow it to pan left/right and zoom in/out like it does in CAD (also rotates). With that 3dconnexion would sell a metric crap ton of these.

Reply to Michael
Brian Bosley:

Sunday, October 25, 2020 at 1:04am

Hey, this is the first time i’ve come across this site. I have to say I like the article’s rather than blog posting. Very informative you beginners, I do have one suggestion, nay add a section for different type of computers like Mac Books since their set up and keyboard is a bit different than a Windows computer.

Here’s an example of my Mac Book Pro keyboard. If it’s a beginner purchasing one that’s always used Windows, they may get a little confused.

Reply to Brian Bosley
Bobby Zopfan:

Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at 8:56am

There is another option also (which at least works for me).
Just click your middle mouse button on any webpage. And it gets shows as a 4 direction pointing arrow on screen in the locked position.
Now in whichever direction you’ll move your mouse pointer to, scrolling would continue in that direction.

And what’s more, the distance between your pointer and that locked cross-hair, will decide the speed of the scrolling.

Reply to Bobby Zopfan
Gin Tomlins:

Sunday, February 24, 2019 at 1:10pm

Woo Hoo Finally I can scroll without having it jump up and down.

Reply to Gin Tomlins
Epson error code 0x9a:

Monday, February 11, 2019 at 12:22pm

I am thinking it is the encoder belt – long clear plastic belt about 1/4 inch wide. It sits behind the print head and runs left to right.

Reply to Epson error code 0x9a
Kathy:

Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 2:42pm

Thank you. That was so easy to understand.

Reply to Kathy
Gennie:

Monday, December 10, 2018 at 12:47pm

what if the mouse scroll button is not working?

Reply to Gennie
Acer Support:

Tuesday, July 31, 2018 at 6:48am

it can be annoying – but while it’s never going to be as simple as turning a page in a book, the more you practice scrolling down, the easier. Acer Support Number

Reply to Acer Support
Warren:

Sunday, November 19, 2017 at 1:08pm

Thanks a million. I find the scroll bar to be of very limited value, and I despair (refuse, sometimes) of having to use it for more than a very short distance. You article changed all that. It reminded me that I have those little arrows on my keyboard and that my mouse has a scroll wheel. It also TAUGHT me about browser wheels. (I hadn’t noticed them) Now I will be able to resubscribe to some subscriptions I had cancelled simply because of the scrolling problem. Since such websites exist, I guess that many, many people have already found the easy ways of scrolling. Thanks again Weeeeee!!!! What a great way to start the day. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks.

Reply to Warren
Anne Hodge:

Thursday, November 9, 2017 at 11:37am

I have a new Acer laptop. I have to sign in with password each time I leave computer even for a few minutes can I change settings as I can’t seem to find a way,
Thank you
Anne Hodge

Reply to Anne Hodge
Cathy Crichton:

Friday, December 16, 2016 at 8:29pm

Hello…I can’t find an answer anywhere re: my scrollbar issue. When on the page I want to look at and scroll down the scroll bar maintains an elongated look and will not shrink in size as I scroll. It then only scrolls part way down the page therefore I can’t see everything that I want to see. Do I make sense? Thank you

Reply to Cathy Crichton
jock:

Friday, December 18, 2015 at 7:21pm

How can one scroll and cut and paste at the same time?

Reply to jock
G. B. Krishna:

Sunday, May 11, 2014 at 9:48pm

To scroll on my computer do I always have to first click the mouse on the screen before I use the up or down arrows. How can I use the up and down arrows without having to first click the mouse when I am already on the page. How can I do it without having to click the mouse?

Thanks

Reply to G. B. Krishna
1. Barbara, Senior Planet editor:
  
  Monday, May 12, 2014 at 2:17am
  
  You can use the up and down arrows on your keyboard without using the mouse at all. To see how, look at 1. “Arrows on Your Keyboard” in the article above.
  
  Reply to Barbara, Senior Planet editor
Sheila:

Monday, May 6, 2013 at 3:00pm

How does one cut and paste on the computer?

Reply to Sheila
1. Barbara, Senior Planet editor:
  
  Monday, May 6, 2013 at 4:56pm
  
  Hi Sheila, our Tekspert explained how to cut/copy and paste in an earlier article. You can read it by clicking here. Let us know if you have any other questions.
  
  Reply to Barbara, Senior Planet editor