How to Bind Mouse Scroll in mpv for Volume and Seeking?
Using the mpv media player, you can customize your mouse scroll wheel
to control both volume adjustments and timeline seeking by modifying the
input.conf configuration file. This article provides a
step-by-step guide on how to locate or create this file, the exact
command lines needed to bind WHEEL_UP and
WHEEL_DOWN with modifiers like Ctrl or
Shift, and how to save these changes to achieve a seamless
playback experience.
Locating or Creating your input.conf File
Before adding custom keybindings, you need to navigate to the mpv configuration directory. The location varies depending on your operating system:
- Windows:
%%APPDATA%%\mpv\(e.g.,C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\mpv\) - Linux/macOS:
~/.config/mpv/
If you do not see an input.conf file in that folder,
simply create a new plain text file and name it
input.conf.
Configuration Lines for Volume and Seeking
Open your input.conf file in a text editor and paste the
configuration that best fits your workflow.
By default, mpv uses the scroll wheel for seeking. If you want to use
the standard scroll for volume and a modifier key (like
Ctrl or Shift) for seeking, use one of the
setups below.
Option 1: Scroll for Volume, Ctrl+Scroll for Seeking
# Scroll up and down to change volume
WHEEL_UP add volume 2
WHEEL_DOWN add volume -2
# Hold Ctrl and scroll to seek forward and backward
Ctrl+WHEEL_UP seek 5
Ctrl+WHEEL_DOWN seek -5
Option 2: Scroll for Seeking, Shift+Scroll for Volume
# Scroll up and down to seek
WHEEL_UP seek 5
WHEEL_DOWN seek -5
# Hold Shift and scroll to change volume
Shift+WHEEL_UP add volume 2
Shift+WHEEL_DOWN add volume -2
Customizing the Values
You can change the behavior of these shortcuts by editing the numbers at the end of each line:
- Volume: Changing
2or-2alters the percentage of volume increased or decreased per scroll click. - Seeking: Changing
5or-5alters the number of seconds skipped forward or backward.
Save the input.conf file and restart mpv to apply your
new mouse scroll bindings.