Windows 7 Explorer - Activate mouse focus to be able to scroll in tree and file view?

windows-7 windows-explorer focus scrolling mouse-wheel

9,613

Solution 1

I have installed WizMouse which allows scrolling in background/non-focus windows (as per standard Mac behaviour) which should solve the issue - and in my opinion should be default mouse behaviour anyway :)

To be clear, it doesn't need to grab the focus and bring the window to the front, just allows you to scroll in the background.

Hope that helps.

Solution 2

In Windows 7 Control panel > "Ease of Access Centre" > "Make the mouse easier to use" there is an option to grab focus on hover, however, this will affect all windows, not just explorer.

Solution 3

KatMouse works perfectly, rather than " Control panel > Ease of Access Centre > Make the mouse easier to use" which only focus the window you point, and don't make any scroll possibility at all in Explorer

9,613

none

Updated on September 17, 2022

Comments

none over 1 year

I'd like to be able to scroll in the tree view without having to click in it. Is there a way to do this? I have once used a tool that generally gives focus to the window underneath the mouse cursor, but this caused some other glitches so I would like to achieve this without an extra tool. I also think that there are programs that embed the Windows Explorer and offer more features, including the behaviour I would like to have. But maybe a registry value change is all that is needed?
- none over 13 years
  
  Here are three tools in the like that I mentioned: ehiti.de/katmouse vb.mvps.org/tools/Wheeler antibody-software.com/web/software/software/…
- deepc over 13 years
  
  KatMouse works for me very well on Win7 x64, for the same purpose.
none over 13 years

Thanks, TAB works unless you're dragging a file over to the tree..
DMA57361 over 13 years

@none In case yu're not aware; when you're dragging a file you can hold to at the top or bottom of the folder list to make the list scroll. It's no where near as fast as using the wheel though...
fredley over 13 years

Works perfectly
ChrisF over 11 years

Can you provide more information on KatMouse. Where do you get it from? how much does it cost (if anything)? Also please make it clear if you are affiliated with the product.
Thalys over 11 years

ehiti.de/katmouse seems to be the link and its mentioned on lifehacker. Also, not updated since 07.
Devid almost 10 years

+1 because I did not know about this. But will it work as good as WizMouse ?
Devid almost 10 years

Just tried it out. Well the problem is it brings the whole Windows to the front which is not very useful.