How do I scroll sideways on a MacBook trackpad?

Slide two fingers left or right on the trackpad. On a Magic Mouse, slide one finger sideways.

Why doesn't Shift scroll work in some apps?

The app may have nothing to scroll sideways, give Shift and scroll its own meaning, or read the wheel itself. Mouse software can also change the wheel's behaviour.

How do I stop my Mac from scrolling sideways by accident?

Check Swipe between pages in Mouse or Trackpad settings, which turns a sideways slide into back or forward. On a tilt wheel, check the mouse maker's software.

Does a Magic Mouse scroll sideways?

Yes. Slide one finger left or right on its surface. If that goes back a page instead, change Swipe between pages in System Settings > Mouse.

Can I reverse horizontal scrolling on a Mac?

Not separately in macOS; the Natural scrolling switch covers both. Scrollwise can apply its direction to sideways scrolling, and Pro gives sideways scrolling its own direction per device.

All guides

Mac guide

How to scroll sideways with a normal mouse on a Mac

By Aqib Javed · Updated Nov 2, 2026

Hold Shift and turn the scroll wheel: macOS turns it into a sideways scroll in most apps, with no setting to switch on. A tilt wheel or a thumb wheel, like the MX Master's, scrolls sideways by itself, and on a Magic Mouse or trackpad you slide sideways. If Shift and the wheel do nothing in an app, the page may not be wider than the window or the app handles Shift itself. Scrollwise Pro can turn Shift and the wheel into a sideways scroll before the app sees it.

How to scroll sideways on a Mac

Shift and the wheel. Hold Shift and turn an ordinary wheel. The page moves left and right instead of up and down.
A tilt wheel. Push the wheel left or right, if your mouse has one.
A thumb wheel. Mice like the MX Master have a second wheel on the side for sideways scrolling.
A Magic Mouse or trackpad. Slide one finger sideways on a Magic Mouse, or two fingers on a trackpad.
The scroll bar. Drag the horizontal scroll bar at the bottom of the window. If it's hidden, set Show scroll bars to Always in System Settings > Appearance.

Why Shift and the wheel sometimes don't work

There's nothing to scroll. If the page or sheet fits the window's width, a sideways scroll has nowhere to go.
The app gives Shift and scroll its own meaning or reads the wheel itself. Games, remote desktop apps and some design and cross-platform apps do this, so Shift scrolling works in Finder and Safari but not in them.
Mouse software. Logi Options+ and similar apps can take a wheel over, and a setting there may change what Shift does.

A quick test: hold Shift and scroll a wide page in Safari or a Finder window in column view. If it moves sideways there, the mouse and macOS are fine, and the app where it fails is the cause.

Sideways scrolling when you don't want it

Magic Mouse: a sideways slide can go back or forward a page if Swipe between pages is set to a one-finger swipe. Change it in System Settings > Mouse, under More Gestures.
Trackpad: a two-finger sideways swipe does the same when Swipe between pages is on in Trackpad settings.
Tilt wheels are easy to nudge while scrolling. Mouse software for your model may let you change what the tilt does.

Sideways scrolling per device with Scrollwise

Open Scrollwise from the menu bar and find Hold a key while scrolling. Turn on Keys change how you scroll.
Leave Shift on Scroll sideways. It works with any mouse or trackpad, and Scrollwise hands the app a sideways scroll, so it can help in apps where the built-in Shift and wheel do nothing. Option slows scrolling for precise work and Command zooms.
On a mouse with a tilt or thumb wheel, its card gets a Side / tilt wheel or Side wheel section: set its own speed and direction, smooth it like the main wheel, or make it switch desktops, tabs, zoom or the volume.
Devices that scroll sideways, the Magic Mouse and trackpad included, get Sideways speed and Sideways direction under Speed and feel.

Scrollwise's free direction fixing can apply to sideways scrolling too: turn on Apply to sideways scrolling too on a device's card. The rest is Scrollwise Pro, $2.99 once, with a 7-day free trial you start from the app.

Questions

How do you scroll horizontally on a Mac with a mouse?: Hold Shift and turn the scroll wheel. macOS turns it into a sideways scroll in most apps.
How do I scroll sideways on a MacBook trackpad?: Slide two fingers left or right on the trackpad. On a Magic Mouse, slide one finger sideways.
Why doesn't Shift scroll work in some apps?: The app may have nothing to scroll sideways, give Shift and scroll its own meaning, or read the wheel itself. Mouse software can also change the wheel's behaviour.
How do I stop my Mac from scrolling sideways by accident?: Check Swipe between pages in Mouse or Trackpad settings, which turns a sideways slide into back or forward. On a tilt wheel, check the mouse maker's software.
Does a Magic Mouse scroll sideways?: Yes. Slide one finger left or right on its surface. If that goes back a page instead, change Swipe between pages in System Settings > Mouse.
Can I reverse horizontal scrolling on a Mac?: Not separately in macOS; the Natural scrolling switch covers both. Scrollwise can apply its direction to sideways scrolling, and Pro gives sideways scrolling its own direction per device.