How can I adjust the mouse scroll speed?

Question

This question has been asked many times with no answer. I've used my basic Google skills and haven't come across a fix. This is system wide. My mouse simply scrolls too fast.

I'm new to ubuntu and linux in general. Would switching styles or whatever it is called (Ubuntu, KDE, Xubuntu) help at all? Is there a terminal code I can enter?

Answer 1

I removed the USB dongle that comes with my wireless mouse and plugged it back and fixed my scrolling speed instantly.

Answer 2

To change the mouse parameters:

• list the peripherals, note the good number!

  xinput list
  

• list parameters from peripheral number 9

  xinput list-props 9
  

• set the acceleration of peripheral 9 to value 3. The higher the value is, the more you divide the acceleration. Acceleration is maximum for a value equal to 1. The "basis" value seems to be 1.7, for me...

  xinput set-prop 9 'Device Accel Constant Deceleration' 3
  

To permanently set the change :
A hidden file in your directory is ".profile" (Ctrl+H to see hidden files) Double click on it and open it. Copy paste the previous command at the end. That's it!

P.S. to apply the same command for all users you can edit the file /etc/profile (not an hidden file).

Have fun.

Answer 3

I have a Logitech PerformanceMouse MX and none of the solutions here worked. The only thing that worked for me was using some parts of this project.

1. Add this PPA and then install xserver-xorg-input-evdev.
2. Check out the Solaar project and run rules.d/install.sh. It will copy the udev rules to the appropriate location and ask permissions if necessary.
3. Remove the receiver and plug it back in.
4. Add yourself to the plugdev group: $ sudo gpasswd -a <your-username plugdev
5. Log out and log back in.

Now you can set your scroll-speed with the following xinput commands (source):

$ xinput set-prop <devnum> "Evdev Scrolling Distance" 8 1 1 # for smooth scroll
$ xinput set-prop <devnum> "Evdev Scrolling Distance" -8 1 1 # for smooth 'natural' scroll

Changing the 8 to a lower value increases the sensitivity. Flipping it to negative changes the direction of scroll. Increasing the value decreases sensitivity.

Answer 4

First check which device is the mouse:

xinput list

Now pick the ID of your mouse there, and list its current settings:

xinput list-props <device-id>

then change the settings like so where Evdev scrolling distance [vertical] [horizontal] [dial]

xinput set-prop <device-id> 'Evdev Scrolling Distance' 1 3 5

where the combination of the last three numbers is mouse-dependent:

• first number, the direction of scrolling (minus reverse)
• second number, speed of scrolling somehow
• third number, speed of scrolling somehow
• Changing these values to bigger numbers means you scroll slower (AgentME).

Answer 5

I have written a simple script which allows you to find which device has this property ( The script basically iterates over all xinput devices and lists only those which have any property containing scroll).

 xinput list | cut -f2 | cut -f2 -d'=' | xargs -d $'\n' -I'{}' sh -c "xinput list-props '{}' | grep -iq scroll && (echo Listing dev id '{}'; xinput list-props '{}')"
 xinput --set-prop 11 295

Note, that for example in Firefox you can set in about:config

mousewheel.system_scroll_override_on_root_content.vertical.factor

Remember to set

mousewheel.system_scroll_override_on_root_content.enabled

to true.

Answer 6

This solution works for me:

sudo apt-get install imwheel zenity

Create a bash script and insert this:

#!/bin/bash
# Version 0.1 Tuesday, 07 May 2013
# Comments and complaints http://www.nicknorton.net
# GUI for mouse wheel speed using imwheel in Gnome
# imwheel needs to be installed for this script to work
# sudo apt-get install imwheel
# Pretty much hard wired to only use a mouse with
# left, right and wheel in the middle.
# If you have a mouse with complications or special needs,
# use the command xev to find what your wheel does.
#
### see if imwheel config exists, if not create it ###
if [ ! -f ~/.imwheelrc ]
then

cat >~/.imwheelrc<<EOF
".*"
None, Up, Button4, 1
None, Down, Button5, 1
Control_L, Up, Control_L|Button4
Control_L, Down, Control_L|Button5
Shift_L, Up, Shift_L|Button4
Shift_L, Down, Shift_L|Button5
EOF

fi
##########################################################

CURRENT_VALUE=$(awk -F 'Button4,' '{print $2}' ~/.imwheelrc)

NEW_VALUE=$(zenity --scale --window-icon=info --ok-label=Apply --title="Wheelies" --text "Mouse wheel speed:" --min-value=1 --max-value=100 --value="$CURRENT_VALUE" --step 1)

if [ "$NEW_VALUE" == "" ];
then exit 0
fi

sed -i "s/\($TARGET_KEY *Button4, *\).*/\1$NEW_VALUE/" ~/.imwheelrc # find the string Button4, and write new value.
sed -i "s/\($TARGET_KEY *Button5, *\).*/\1$NEW_VALUE/" ~/.imwheelrc # find the string Button5, and write new value.

cat ~/.imwheelrc
imwheel -kill

# END OF SCRIPT FILE

Now run the script and set your desired mouse wheel speed.

Thanks to: http://www.nicknorton.net/?q=node/10