--- key: mechanic/trackpad--family-05 type: mechanic id: trackpad--family-05 lang: en title: Scrolling and timelines summary: >- Two-finger scrolling moves through a document without changing its scale. Preview uses this to navigate PDF pages and thumbnails. updatedAt: '2026-10-22' status: active url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/trackpad--family-05/' jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-05.json markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-05.md' aliases: [] tags: - Trackpad interactions - Mechanics catalog sourceIds: - source-0d7ed8efcd920b62 - source-7641af4e83c63a96 - source-80fb36760a664f26 - source-27c6b989daeb79c9 - source-8303b0f3aad42806 - source-3b576ce1cd2451ef - source-2aa43929eb995c4c sources: - id: source-0d7ed8efcd920b62 title: macOS Gestures url: 'https://support.apple.com/en-us/102482' verifiedAt: null - id: source-7641af4e83c63a96 title: Windows Gestures url: >- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/input-devices/touch-gestures-for-windows verifiedAt: null - id: source-80fb36760a664f26 title: 'AppKit: contacts and system gestures' url: >- https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/EventOverview/HandlingTouchEvents/HandlingTouchEvents.html verifiedAt: null - id: source-27c6b989daeb79c9 title: 'libinput: swipe, pinch, hold' url: 'https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/gestures.html' verifiedAt: null - id: source-8303b0f3aad42806 title: 'W3C: Pointer Events' url: 'https://www.w3.org/TR/pointerevents/' verifiedAt: null - id: source-3b576ce1cd2451ef title: 'Steam Input: Surface Modes' url: >- https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/steam_controller/input_source_modes?language=english verifiedAt: null - id: source-2aa43929eb995c4c title: Preview (macOS) url: >- https://support.apple.com/guide/preview/view-pdfs-and-images-prvw11470/11.0/mac/26 verifiedAt: null relations: [] placements: - catalogId: trackpad id: family-05 title: Trackpad interactions url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/trackpad/#family-05' categoryIds: - section-1 supersededBy: [] attributes: preview: updatedAt: '2026-10-22' title: Scrolling and timelines description: >- Two-finger scrolling moves through a document without changing its scale. Preview uses this to navigate PDF pages and thumbnails. image: src: images/mechanics/control-macos-preview.webp width: 788 height: 750 game: Preview (macOS) sourceUrl: >- https://support.apple.com/guide/preview/view-pdfs-and-images-prvw11470/11.0/mac/26 originalUrl: >- https://help.apple.com/assets/67DB77BFAE89A3DDC700A869/67DB77C0E2208881620C3D38/en_US/918f957676bf215f21f57328147e8435.png credit: Apple rights: >- © Apple. Official support screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0. caption: 'Preview: a document page and a scrollable thumbnail sidebar' alt: 'Preview: a document page and a scrollable thumbnail sidebar' markers: - x: 13 'y': 67 label: Thumbnails relate scrolling to the position in the document tips: - >- Distinguish scrolling from pinching and respect OS direction and inertia. examples: - title: Preview (macOS) url: >- https://support.apple.com/guide/preview/view-pdfs-and-images-prvw11470/11.0/mac/26 endsAt: null provenance: >- Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review. license: CC-BY-4.0 codeLicense: MIT attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors catalogKey: catalog/trackpad --- # Scrolling and timelines id: trackpad--family-05 type: mechanic key: mechanic/trackpad--family-05 lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/trackpad--family-05/ Two-finger scrolling moves through a document without changing its scale. Preview uses this to navigate PDF pages and thumbnails. ## At a glance ![Preview: a document page and a scrollable thumbnail sidebar](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/control-macos-preview.webp) [Preview (macOS)](https://support.apple.com/guide/preview/view-pdfs-and-images-prvw11470/11.0/mac/26) · © Apple. Official support screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0. 1. Thumbnails relate scrolling to the position in the document - Distinguish scrolling from pinching and respect OS direction and inertia. - [Preview (macOS)](https://support.apple.com/guide/preview/view-pdfs-and-images-prvw11470/11.0/mac/26) ## How it works Scrolling is converted into movement across space, a scale of values ​​or time with an explicitly specified sensitivity. ## Variants ### Variants and applications - Vertical scrolling. Gesture: Move two fingers up or down. In the interface: Documents, lists, change a parameter. In the game: Selecting an item, sight height, camera zoom. Access level: Ready gesture; You need a gesture transmitted by the OS or framework: scroll, zoom, rotate, swipe or hold. The set varies. Conditions: The OS can issue wheel deltas. The direction depends on the natural scrolling setting. - Horizontal scrolling. Gesture: Move two fingers left or right. In the interface: Wide canvas, paths, table. In the game: Horizontal camera, change lane or position. Access level: Ready gesture; You need a gesture transmitted by the OS or framework: scroll, zoom, rotate, swipe or hold. The set varies. Conditions: The browser or OS can use this move to navigate back and forth. - Free panning. Gesture: Use both scrolling components at the same time. In the interface: Map, large diagram, 2D canvas. In game: Review of the strategy or tactical map field. Access level: Ready gesture; You need a gesture transmitted by the OS or framework: scroll, zoom, rotate, swipe or hold. The set varies. Conditions: Not every stack transmits equally accurate continuous deltas. - Inertial scrolling. Gesture: After a push, continue moving with deceleration. In the interface: Long tapes, catalogs, panoramas. In the game: Scrolling the wheel of objects, inertial view. Access level: Ready gesture; You need a gesture transmitted by the OS or framework: scroll, zoom, rotate, swipe or hold. The set varies. Conditions: Inertia can be created by the OS or application; You can't use it twice. - Touch to stop momentum. Gesture: Place your fingers on the panel to stop movement. In the interface: Quickly stop kinetic scrolling. In game: Slow down the spinning wheel or view. Access level: Ready gesture; You need a gesture transmitted by the OS or framework: scroll, zoom, rotate, swipe or hold. The set varies. Conditions: An explicit hold/touch signal is required. libinput describes hold; The regular wheel API does not guarantee this. - Edge scrolling. Gesture: Move one finger along the edge of the surface. In the interface: Continuous navigation, one-finger scrolling. In the game: Inventory ribbon or vertical camera movement. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: Driver mode or access to the panel area is required; This is not a universal app gesture. - Circular scrolling. Gesture: Rotate your finger in a circle, accumulating an angle. In the interface: Long list, virtual wheel, change the number. In the game: Setting up a safe, reel, flywheel. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: Possible through a special surface display; alternative in the application: circular drag cursor. - Scroll by steps. Gesture: Convert accumulated deltas into discrete switches. In the interface: Select a line, frame, division or tool. In the game: Enumerate weapons, change the bet step. Access level: Ready gesture; You need a gesture transmitted by the OS or framework: scroll, zoom, rotate, swipe or hold. The set varies. Conditions: Do not consider each wheel event as a separate stage: their frequency depends on the device. - Scrubbing. Gesture: Scroll to continuously change position on the time axis. In the interface: Video, sound, animation, history of changes. In the game: View replay, control time rewind. Access level: Ready gesture; You need a gesture transmitted by the OS or framework: scroll, zoom, rotate, swipe or hold. The set varies. Conditions: The position value and playback speed are different displays of the same input. - Rough and fine scrubbing. Gesture: Change the scale of time adjustment using a modifier. In the interface: Search for a scene with a transition to frame-by-frame precision. In the game: Exact stop of a repeat or time puzzle. Access level: Ready gesture; You need a gesture transmitted by the OS or framework: scroll, zoom, rotate, swipe or hold. Set varies. Conditions: A second physical axis outside of normal scrolling may require T; the modifier key is simpler. ## Context and limits Author's working classification for designing games and interactions. Options can overlap and combine; the list is not a generally accepted standard or proven exhaustive list. Application examples are conditional unless a specific verifiable observation is indicated nearby. Sources support individual techniques and technical limitations. ## Connected materials ## Sources and provenance Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review. - [macOS Gestures](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102482) (id: source-0d7ed8efcd920b62) - [Windows Gestures](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/input-devices/touch-gestures-for-windows) (id: source-7641af4e83c63a96) - [AppKit: contacts and system gestures](https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/EventOverview/HandlingTouchEvents/HandlingTouchEvents.html) (id: source-80fb36760a664f26) - [libinput: swipe, pinch, hold](https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/gestures.html) (id: source-27c6b989daeb79c9) - [W3C: Pointer Events](https://www.w3.org/TR/pointerevents/) (id: source-8303b0f3aad42806) - [Steam Input: Surface Modes](https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/steam_controller/input_source_modes?language=english) (id: source-3b576ce1cd2451ef) - [Preview (macOS)](https://support.apple.com/guide/preview/view-pdfs-and-images-prvw11470/11.0/mac/26) (id: source-2aa43929eb995c4c) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors