If I happen to scroll down to the bottom of a window, it will flip the page to a completely different website!
It began happening on my older iMac, but it's also happening on my brand new M4 MacBook Pro, so I assume this is a new "feature", one that seems pretty insane to me, as there's no way for me to select where this movement may take me. What's going on, and how can I stop this from happening?
MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 15.6
I believe I have a possible answer. The behavior you describe happens with websites that you've added to your Reading List – when you scroll to the end of one, Safari takes you to the next webpage in the list.
"Read the next webpage in your list: Keep scrolling when you reach the end of a Reading List webpage—no need to click the next webpage summary in the sidebar."
From: Keep a Reading List in Safari on Mac - Apple Support
If you remove the pages from your reading list, the behavior will stop. Personally, I don't use the reading list, at least not intentionally...but there were several webpages in mine when I just checked so clearly they can be added inadvertently. That can be compounded by using iCloud since pages added to the reading list on any device (Mac, iPad, iPhone) will be synced across all devices.
I note the following from the article linked above: "You can also Shift-click a link on a webpage to quickly add the linked webpage." Yep, that'll do it. I often use Command-Shift-click on a link to open the page in a new window behind my active one, and if I miss the Command key then I've added the page to the Reading List.
I believe I have a possible answer. The behavior you describe happens with websites that you've added to your Reading List – when you scroll to the end of one, Safari takes you to the next webpage in the list.
"Read the next webpage in your list: Keep scrolling when you reach the end of a Reading List webpage—no need to click the next webpage summary in the sidebar."
From: Keep a Reading List in Safari on Mac - Apple Support
If you remove the pages from your reading list, the behavior will stop. Personally, I don't use the reading list, at least not intentionally...but there were several webpages in mine when I just checked so clearly they can be added inadvertently. That can be compounded by using iCloud since pages added to the reading list on any device (Mac, iPad, iPhone) will be synced across all devices.
I note the following from the article linked above: "You can also Shift-click a link on a webpage to quickly add the linked webpage." Yep, that'll do it. I often use Command-Shift-click on a link to open the page in a new window behind my active one, and if I miss the Command key then I've added the page to the Reading List.
As Luis Sequeira1 states, there has been no change to macOS/Safari that would result in that behavior. However, one thing I have noticed is that when scrolling, I sometimes inadvertently move my two fingers on the trackpad at enough of an angle that macOS interprets it as swiping left/right instead of up/down. If you have the 'swipe between pages' setting enabled in System Settings, then that is the equivalent of pressing the forward/back browser buttons.
Saxman wrote:
But what does "being in my Reading List" even mean? I'm not in the list, I'm on a website page, period.
Here is how the reading list works: Keep a Reading List in Safari on Mac - Apple Support
If you enter a web page using the address bar, or using a bookmark, you are not in the reading list.
If you are in the reading list, then scrolling to the top or bottom will move to the next entry in the reading list in that same direction; later or earlier in the list.
You’re in your reading list, as was mentioned. It does this.
Saxman wrote:
If I happen to scroll down to the bottom of a window, it will flip the page to a completely different website!
It began happening on my older iMac, but it's also happening on my brand new M4 MacBook Pro, so I assume this is a new "feature", one that seems pretty insane to me, as there's no way for me to select where this movement may take me. What's going on, and how can I stop this from happening?
Never heard this issue before.
try a different browser and compare your results..
I'm using Safari, which seems to be the only browser that has this issue.
It happens on multiple sites, and is very disorienting, to suddenly find myself on a completely different site, and not one I had even recently been on! I was really stunned to find this happening on not only my older iMac (2017 model/Ventura OS),because it's presenting all kinds of buggy behavior, but on my brand new Macbook Pro as well, which made me think this must be intentional. Sometimes as I scroll downwards, I'll see a small strip along the bottom with another website's name, that if I continue down, will then open up.
I don't have the swipe between pages selected, nor do I have really any extra motion options selected, yet if I move my finger from side to side, it will still move the window, which is also aggravating, as I have to constantly re-adjust its position, but not as drastic as completely moving me to another site altogether.
Thanks for this information! It's tiring to hear "this isn't really happening" from people, when it definitely is happening.
though, as I use my Reading List all the time, as it's easier than going into my Bookmarks.
Now, if there were a way to designate white sites are Favorites, shown on the Start Page, and NOT popping up on the bottom of my windows, like the Reading List apparently, and ridiculously does, then I'd be a happy camper.
However, there should be a way to disable this "feature", where simply scrolling to the bottom of the page automatically replaces the current one, with what, "the next on my list"? How does that make any sense whatsoever? Who simply goes from one site to another, according to how they're listed on the Start Page?
I can't believe Apple programmers thought up this absurdity, and to think it adds to our "user experience"....
[Edited by Moderator]
Saxman wrote:
However, there should be a way to disable this "feature", where simply scrolling to the bottom of the page automatically replaces the current one, with what, "the next on my list"?
Tell Apple directly, they don’t read these user forums.
I can assure you that there was no change on the system side that would cause this.
Which browser are you using? And in which sites does this happen?
But what does "being in my Reading List" even mean? I'm not in the list, I'm on a website page, period.
Why does scrolling up or down take me to a different website
