How to Stop Microsoft Word from Scrolling Horizontally with a Touchpad
Question details
The user needs to stop Microsoft Word from scrolling left or right unexpectedly while navigating documents with a laptop touchpad.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Navigating and editing documents in Microsoft Word using a laptop touchpad.
- Observed behavior
- Microsoft Word scrolls horizontally without explicit command from the user, often caused by touchpad drivers, BIOS settings, or hardware software glitches.
Identify your exact laptop manufacturer and model number, and save any open documents before initiating driver or BIOS updates.
Update Touchpad and Chipset Drivers
Installing the latest touchpad and chipset drivers from your laptop manufacturer can resolve gesture misinterpretations that cause unwanted horizontal scrolling.
Outdated or corrupted touchpad drivers often send incorrect scrolling commands to Microsoft Word. Updating them directly from the manufacturer ensures you have the most compatible and bug-free software for your specific hardware.
Open your web browser and navigate to the official support website of your laptop manufacturer (e.g., Dell, HP, Lenovo).
Enter your laptop's serial number or exact model name to access the specific driver downloads for your device.
Navigate to the 'Drivers & Downloads' section, find the latest touchpad (or pointing device) and chipset drivers, and download the installation files.
Run the downloaded installer files, follow the on-screen prompts, and restart your laptop to apply the system changes.
Update the Laptop BIOS
Updating the BIOS can resolve deeper hardware communication issues between the laptop touchpad and the operating system.
Disable Horizontal Scrolling in Windows Settings
Turning off the horizontal scrolling feature at the system level can stop the erratic scrolling behavior in Word.
Switch to WPS Office for a Smoother Editing Experience
If persistent hardware glitches or software conflicts in Microsoft Word continue to interrupt your workflow, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, fast, and highly compatible alternative that handles document editing without the heavy system load or scrolling issues.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button for your operating system.
- 2. Install the Software: Run the installer file and follow the quick on-screen instructions to set up the application.
- 3. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing Word documents to continue editing seamlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my laptop touchpad scroll horizontally in Word on its own?
This is typically caused by outdated or corrupted touchpad drivers misinterpreting your hand placement as a multi-touch scrolling gesture, or underlying hardware conflicts that require a BIOS update.
Will an external mouse stop the horizontal scrolling issue?
Yes, using a standard external mouse usually bypasses laptop touchpad driver issues. If you disable the touchpad while using a mouse, the unexpected horizontal scrolling in Word should stop.
How do I know if my BIOS needs to be updated?
You can check your current BIOS version in the System Information app (search 'msinfo32' in Windows) and compare it against the latest release version on your laptop manufacturer's official support page.
Can I fix this by reinstalling Microsoft Word?
Reinstalling Word rarely fixes this specific issue, as unexpected scrolling is generally caused by system-level hardware drivers (touchpad and chipset) rather than the Word application itself.
