Making Scroll Bars Bigger, Wider and Easier to Use
Most of us "55 and up" are dealing with some degree of limitation in eyesight. Even minor vision limitations can make it at least a little difficult to view some windows and files.
Reading text can be made easier by raising the Zoom level (usually under View tab at top of your window screen).
Another common difficulty though is using the scroll bars at the bottom and right hand side of your active window. Sometimes these are hidden, and sometimes they are just too narrow to get the cursor placed right, whether with a mouse or a touch pad.
If you've run into problems recently scrolling left-right or up-down in any of your programs, there are a couple tweeks that can help remedy the problem.
Horizontal or "left-right" scrolling (using the scroll bar near bottom of an open window) typically is necessary if you have your display set at a higher-than-100% zoom level like 125, 150 or higher. Many of us have such a setting because otherwise documents and emails are to small to read.
Up-down scrolling (using the scroll bar along right-hand side of an open window) typically is necessary for any webpage or document that is very lengthy at all.
Unfortunately, program designers have made these scroll bars more difficult to see - or even find sometimes.
There three main adjustments that can remedy this problem:
1 - Change the color configuration
Many computers now use softer pastel type colors instead of higher contrast colors of the past. These color combinations can be changed most easily be choosing a different theme.
This is something you can do by selecting or customizing your "windows theme" through your desktop personalization area.
However, sometimes changing a theme and its associated color combinations can lead to unexpected viewing problems with some files and programs, even while achieving improvements with others.
I suggest using the other two adjustment types instead, as follow:
2 - Change the scrollbar width and height.
This can be done by editing your registry using the regedit system command, going to Current User, Desktop, View etc.
Be cautious using regedit, though. Unintended mistakes can create problems. Most people are hesitant to do this on their own, but it's a good step to do with your computer helper.
I've made this registry edit myself, changing the width and height spec values from -255 to -400 - and the result has made scrolling a page lots easier for me.
3 - Disable "autohide" from scrollbar settings.
This can be done through your Settings under the Ease of Use: Display screen.
Simply find "Automatically hide scroll bars in Windows" and click on the button to disable.
That way you won't have to move your cursor around unnecessarily to find just where the scroll bar is located.
These adjustments can make navigation a lot easier and less strain on the eyes. These adjustments also can prevent unintended mistakes, such as accidentally clicking on something near the edge of a page.
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