Why is my mouse scrolling not smooth on Mac?

A wheel mouse scrolls a few lines per notch, and macOS doesn't smooth it the way a trackpad glides. An app such as Mos, Logi Options+ or Scrollwise Pro turns each notch into a glide.

Does macOS have smooth scrolling for a mouse?

Not for wheel mice. System Settings only has a Scroll speed slider, under Accessibility > Pointer Control > Mouse Options.

Yes. Mos is a free, open source menu bar app for macOS 10.13 or later that smooths the mouse wheel and can set scrolling per app.

How do I get smooth scrolling with a Logitech mouse on Mac?

If Logi Options+ supports your mouse, turn on Smooth scrolling under Point & Scroll. Otherwise use Mos or Scrollwise Pro, and quit Options+ so the two don't fight over the wheel.

Why does my mouse scroll jump back up?

A worn or dirty wheel can send a single notch in the wrong direction. Cleaning it may help, and Scrollwise Pro's Ignore wheel jitter drops those stray notches.

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Mac guide

Mac mouse scrolling choppy? How to make a wheel mouse scroll smoothly

By Aqib Javed · Updated Nov 2, 2026

A wheel mouse on a Mac scrolls in steps: each notch jumps the page a few lines, while a trackpad sends a steady stream of movement that glides. macOS has no smooth scrolling setting for wheel mice. To make the wheel glide, use an app that smooths it: Mos is free, Logi Options+ has a Smooth scrolling option for the Logitech mice it supports, and Scrollwise Pro smooths each wheel mouse on its own. If scrolling stutters or lags, check the connection first.

Why a mouse wheel scrolls in jumps on a Mac

A notched wheel reports clicks, not distance. macOS turns each click into a few lines and moves the page that far at once, so text jumps instead of sliding. A trackpad or a Magic Mouse reports your finger's movement many times a second, so pages glide and keep going briefly after you lift your finger.

That's why the same page feels smooth on the MacBook's trackpad and choppy with a desk mouse: macOS doesn't smooth wheel scrolling.

First, rule out lag and stutter

Bluetooth interference. Apple says USB 3 devices, hubs and cables can interfere with Bluetooth. Keep USB 3 drives and hubs away from the Mac and the mouse, use shielded cables, and turn off USB 3 devices you aren't using.
A metal surface between a Bluetooth mouse and the Mac can make the mouse perform poorly, according to Apple.
USB receivers. Move the receiver closer to the mouse and away from USB 3 drives and hubs.
Low battery. Charge the mouse or put in fresh batteries.
A worn wheel. If the page sometimes jumps back a line while you scroll one way, the wheel is sending a stray notch in the wrong direction. Cleaning it can help; otherwise filter it in software or replace the mouse.

Jumps that are even and match each notch are normal. Scrolling that pauses, skips or lags behind the wheel is a connection or hardware problem, and smoothing won't fix it.

What you can change in macOS

System Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control > Mouse Options has a Scroll speed slider. A lower speed makes each jump smaller, which can feel less jerky, but the wheel still moves in steps. There is no smooth scrolling switch for wheel mice anywhere in System Settings.

Apps that make a wheel mouse scroll smoothly

Mos: free and open source, for macOS 10.13 or later. It smooths the wheel with an adjustable step, speed and duration, can reverse vertical and sideways scrolling separately, and lets each app override the settings.
Logi Options+: Logitech's app has a Smooth scrolling option for the mice it supports, under Point & Scroll.
Paid apps such as SmoothScroll and BetterMouse do the same with more tuning.
Scrollwise Pro: smooth scrolling for each wheel mouse on its own, with a glide length you choose, alongside free per-device scroll direction.

Use one of them for the wheel, not two. Two apps smoothing or reversing the same wheel get in each other's way, and Logi Options+ can take a Logitech wheel over so that other apps' settings don't apply.

How to turn on smooth scrolling in Scrollwise

Download Scrollwise, drag it into Applications, open it and allow Accessibility access. Smooth scrolling is part of Scrollwise Pro, $2.99 once, with a 7-day free trial you start from the app.
Click the Scrollwise icon in the menu bar and pick your wheel mouse's card.
Under Speed and feel, turn on Smooth scrolling. Drag Glide toward a short, quick glide or a long one.
If the wheel sometimes jumps back a line, turn on Ignore wheel jitter. It drops a lone notch the wrong way, which worn wheels send.
To keep the classic jumps in one app, such as a spreadsheet, add it in the Apps tab and set Smooth scrolling to Off there.

Smooth scrolling only applies to wheel mice. The trackpad and the Magic Mouse already glide, so Scrollwise leaves them as they are.

Free toolMouse scroll test: check smoothness and polling rate

Questions

Why is my mouse scrolling not smooth on Mac?: A wheel mouse scrolls a few lines per notch, and macOS doesn't smooth it the way a trackpad glides. An app such as Mos, Logi Options+ or Scrollwise Pro turns each notch into a glide.
Does macOS have smooth scrolling for a mouse?: Not for wheel mice. System Settings only has a Scroll speed slider, under Accessibility > Pointer Control > Mouse Options.
Is Mos free?: Yes. Mos is a free, open source menu bar app for macOS 10.13 or later that smooths the mouse wheel and can set scrolling per app.
How do I get smooth scrolling with a Logitech mouse on Mac?: If Logi Options+ supports your mouse, turn on Smooth scrolling under Point & Scroll. Otherwise use Mos or Scrollwise Pro, and quit Options+ so the two don't fight over the wheel.
Why does my mouse scroll jump back up?: A worn or dirty wheel can send a single notch in the wrong direction. Cleaning it may help, and Scrollwise Pro's Ignore wheel jitter drops those stray notches.