{"id":43958,"date":"2023-05-03T12:29:28","date_gmt":"2023-05-03T12:29:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ubuntuhandbook.org\/?p=43958"},"modified":"2025-11-14T07:31:37","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T07:31:37","slug":"adjust-touchpad-scrolling-ubuntu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ubuntuhandbook.org\/index.php\/2023\/05\/adjust-touchpad-scrolling-ubuntu\/","title":{"rendered":"Adjust Touchpad Scrolling Speed in Ubuntu 24.04 | 22.04 GNOME Wayland"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This simple tutorial shows how to increase or decrease the touchpad 2-finger scrolling speed<\/b> in Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 24.04 with default GNOME on Wayland session.<\/p>\n

GNOME, the default desktop for Ubuntu, Fedora, and optional in many other Linux, so far lacks option to configure the mouse\/touchpad scroll speed.<\/p>\n

For Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 18.04, and other Linux with GNOME on classic Xorg, there’s a command line tool imwheel available to do the job. And, here’s a step by step guide<\/a> show you how.<\/p>\n

For Ubuntu 22.04 and higher and other Linux with GNOME Wayland, this tutorial may help by settings virtual touchpad size.<\/p>\n

IMPORTANT: This tutorial is tested and works in Ubuntu 24.04 & 22.04 on my old HP & ASUS laptop. However, some users report it does NOT work. Don’t do it on production machine!<\/b><\/p>\n

Step 1: Measure & Set virtual touchpad size<\/h3>\n

1. First, open terminal either by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard, or by searching from ‘Activities’ overview screen.<\/p>\n

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2. When terminal opens, run command to install ‘libinput-tools’ package in case you don’t have it:<\/p>\n

sudo apt install libinput-tools<\/pre>\n
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3. Next, run command to tell your touchpad size (width and height in mm):<\/p>\n
sudo libinput measure touchpad-size 100x100<\/pre>\n
As the screenshot shows, may laptop has touchpad with 114.6 mm<\/strong> width and 48.4 mm<\/strong> height. Once you got the value, press Ctrl+C<\/strong> to exit.<\/p>\n
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4. Finally, re-run the command in step 3, but with different args. For example, use 172×73 for 1.5x scroll speed<\/b> (Here 172 \u2248 114.6 x 1.5, and 73 \u2248 48.4 x 1.5), run command:<\/p>\n
sudo libinput measure touchpad-size 172x73<\/pre>\n
Or use 92×39 for 0.8x scroll-speed<\/strong> (92 \u2248 114.6 x 0.8, 39 \u2248 48.4 x 0.8):<\/p>\n
sudo libinput measure touchpad-size 92x39<\/pre>\n
NOTE: You have to change the “width x height” number in command. Depends on your need to either increase or decrease scroll-speed, calculate them according the original size of your touchpad!!<\/b><\/p>\n
Once you hit run the command, follow the terminal output to “Move one finger along all edges of the touchpad until the detected axis range stops changing.<\/i>“<\/u>\u00a0 You’ll see the little ‘0’ in the terminal output moves correspondingly when you moving finger on touchpad.<\/p>\n
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5. When done, press Ctrl+C<\/b> to stop it. And, you should get similar output as the screenshot shows, if you’ve done correctly.<\/p>\n
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And, you need to copy the lines between the 2 “-8<————–” lines (in my case, the section with white background).<\/b><\/p>\n
Step 2: Apply Changes<\/h3>\n
1. Now, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to edit the config file:<\/p>\n
sudo gedit \/etc\/udev\/hwdb.d\/61-evdev-local.hwdb<\/pre>\n
Replace gedit<\/code> in command with gnome-text-editor<\/code> for Ubuntu 24.04 and Fedora, or use nano<\/code> instead that works in all desktops.<\/i><\/p>\n
When file opens, paste the lines you just copied in ‘Step 1’ and save it.<\/p>\n
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2. Finally, update hardware database by running command:<\/p>\n
sudo systemd-hwdb update<\/pre>\n
And, reload udev rules by running command:<\/p>\n
sudo udevadm trigger \/dev\/input\/event*<\/pre>\n
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When everything’s done. Restart your computer<\/b> to see the effect!<\/p>\n
As the steps above also increase or decrease the cursor movement speed, you may also need to open “Settings -> Mouse & Touchpad<\/b>” and adjust ‘Touchpad Speed’ slider-bar.<\/p>\n
UPDATE for Firefox<\/h3>\n
Thanks for @Ellem, if you found the tutorial works for your Ubuntu desktop but NOT for Firefox, then open about:config<\/b> page in your Firefox web browser, and try to<\/p>\n