jQuery API

.scroll()

.scroll( handler(eventObject) ) Returns: jQuery

Description: Bind an event handler to the "scroll" JavaScript event, or trigger that event on an element.

  • version added: 1.0.scroll( handler(eventObject) )

    handler(eventObject)A function to execute each time the event is triggered.

  • version added: 1.4.3.scroll( [eventData,] handler(eventObject) )

    eventDataA map of data that will be passed to the event handler.

    handler(eventObject)A function to execute each time the event is triggered.

  • version added: 1.0.scroll()

This method is a shortcut for .bind('scroll', handler) in the first and second variations, and .trigger('scroll') in the third.

The scroll event is sent to an element when the user scrolls to a different place in the element. It applies to window objects, but also to scrollable frames and elements with the overflow CSS property set to scroll (or auto when the element's explicit height or width is less than the height or width of its contents).

For example, consider the HTML:

<div id="target" style="overflow: scroll; width: 200px; height: 100px;">
  Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit,
  sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna
  aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation
  ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
  Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit
  esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur
  sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui
  officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
</div>
<div id="other">
  Trigger the handler
</div>
<div id="log"></div>

The style definition is present to make the target element small enough to be scrollable:

The scroll event handler can be bound to this element:

$('#target').scroll(function() {
  $('#log').append('<div>Handler for .scroll() called.</div>');
});

Now when the user scrolls the text up or down, one or more messages are appended to <div id="log"></div>:

Handler for .scroll() called.

To trigger the event manually, apply .scroll() without an argument:

$('#other').click(function() {
  $('#target').scroll();
});

After this code executes, clicks on Trigger the handler will also append the message.

A scroll event is sent whenever the element's scroll position changes, regardless of the cause. A mouse click or drag on the scroll bar, dragging inside the element, pressing the arrow keys, or using the mouse's scroll wheel could cause this event.

Example:

To do something when your page is scrolled:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>
  div { color:blue; }
  p { color:green; }
  span { color:red; display:none; }
  </style>
  <script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-latest.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
  <div>Try scrolling the iframe.</div>
  <p>Paragraph - <span>Scroll happened!</span></p>
<script>
    $("p").clone().appendTo(document.body);
    $("p").clone().appendTo(document.body);
    $("p").clone().appendTo(document.body);
    $(window).scroll(function () { 
      $("span").css("display", "inline").fadeOut("slow"); 
    });

</script>

</body>
</html>

Demo:

Support and Contributions

Need help with .scroll() or have a question about it? Visit the jQuery Forum or the #jquery channel on irc.freenode.net.

Think you've discovered a jQuery bug related to .scroll()? Report it to the jQuery core team.

Found a problem with this documentation? Report it to the jQuery API team.

* All fields are required
  • Chicna
    i just succeed to fix the bug of the plugin scrollTo.
    Just add this after the line 124 (in the beginning of the swith-case, case 'number' or 'string') :

    sharpPos = targ.indexOf('#', 0);
    if(sharpPos != 0 && sharpPos != -1) {
    targExcess = targ.substring(0, sharpPos);
    targ = targ.substring(targExcess.length, targ.length);
    }

    Don't forget the declar the vars 'sharpPos' and 'targExcess' before the switch-case.

    Source of the bug :
    if you do => $.scrollTo($([...]).attr('href'), { duration: 500, easing: 'easeOutExpo' });
    the href can be transformed to a full url when the html is inserted with a request.
  • Chicna
    The plugin doesn't work in IE7 (at least) when the html is created after an ajax request, and if the $(...).scrollTo(...) is executed after this request.

    i'm trying to fix it. But if you have solutions, i'm interested :P
  • Zach
    Does attaching .live() to the event work?
  • Renato
    How can I intercept the button that triggered the event scroll ?
  • Mathankumar
    scroll event is firing when scroll is moved however its not fired, when the scroll is clicked.
  • as far as I can tell, this event is not firing for horizontal scrolling.
  • Horizontal scrolling works fine. See here for an example: http://jsbin.com/ocife4/2/edit
  • marangelo
    hi can I ask some questions regarding scrolling down my page.. I would like to point my page in a specific element for example ..
    $(document).ready(funtion() {
    $('#divID').slideDown();
    });
  • Ariel Flesler created a plugin for doing this very easily a few years ago. It's still quite useful (even for just looking at how to achieve this through jQuery).

    You can find it here: http://flesler.blogspot.com/20...
  • marangelo
    hi Addy I found the blog and I have a question, Can I specify the Id of the div instead of a class? thanks...
  • jellan
    .scroll() does not work on $('html, body').scroll()

    is there any other way to do this? or this just won't work? pls help..
  • Deno
    $('html, body').animate({scrollTop:0}, 'slow');
  • newb
    $(window).scroll or $(document).scroll but it doesnt work on ie... grrr
  • Mahesh
    $(window).scroll does work in ie
  • Comb
    as i test, $(document) & $(window) both can't work on IE
  • Iñaki
    Not works for IFRAMES.
  • Evan
    An iFrame is a totally new window element. You might be able to listen to the iFrame's contentWindow property.
  • Navneet
    How can UP/DOWN scroll be distinguished??
  • Mr.
    The easiest way for me to tell was...

    var tempScrollTop, currentScrollTop = 0;

    $("#div").scroll(function(){

    currentScrollTop = $("#div").scrollTop();

    if (tempScrollTop < currentScrollTop )
    //scrolling down
    else if (tempScrollTop > currentScrollTop )
    //scrolling up

    tempScrollTop = currentScrollTop;
    }


    This works with mousewheel, up/down arrows, and slidebar
  • You can use the mouse wheel extension to distinguish UP/DOWN scroll easily.

    Here is an easy exemple :
    http://upandcrawling.wordpress...