Does your new iPad mini have this weird 'jelly scrolling' display issue?

Ipad Mini 6 2021 Lifestyle Touch Id (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

Some users are reporting that one side of their iPad mini's screen refreshes more quickly than the other.
The 'jelly scrolling' issue appears to be an issue that some people find more obvious than others.

Apple's brand new and redesigned iPad mini appears to be suffering from a strange display issue known as 'jelly scrolling.' While not everyone appears to notice it, the symptom should be fairly easy to reproduce — users report that one half of the tablet's display scrolls more quickly than the other.

The issue hasn't been mentioned in any iPad mini reviews that I've seen, but it was first reported by The Verge's Dieter Bohn on Twitter. Since then, Reddit has become home to a growing collection of users who report the same issue.

Haven't seen if anybody else reported this but I see when scrolling in portrait mode with a lot of text on the screen there is a small amount of jelly scroll, where one side moves faster than the other. It’s subtle enough that it’s hard for me to film it, but it’s there.Haven't seen if anybody else reported this but I see when scrolling in portrait mode with a lot of text on the screen there is a small amount of jelly scroll, where one side moves faster than the other. It’s subtle enough that it’s hard for me to film it, but it’s there.— Dieter Bohn (@backlon) September 22, 2021 September 22, 2021

While most noticeable when scrolling text, the problem is still visible in apps with images and other assets, perhaps making this a bigger issue than it might otherwise seem. This video from one Redditor shows the issue affecting the iTunes app.

An unfortunate (and potentially nauseating) jelly effect only present on the new iPad Mini 6. It's caused by a noticeable lag on the left side of the screen that delays and distorts content in that area no matter what you're using the device for, apps, web, videos, etc. are all affected. Uncertain if it can be fixed through a software update or if it's a permanent hardware fault.

And that's the issue here — it isn't clear whether the problem can be fixed by software, or not. That's a matter up for debate right now, but a hardware design issue is something that cannot be ruled out. That would of course mean all iPad minis suffer from this issue and that a software fix is unlikely.

Maybe. It’s classic jelly scroll from what I can tell, which sometimes just comes down to hardware limitations. It’s in all apps.

Many screens have done this, but they put the controller on the bottom so you don’t notice it.Maybe. It’s classic jelly scroll from what I can tell, which sometimes just comes down to hardware limitations. It’s in all apps.

Many screens have done this, but they put the controller on the bottom so you don’t notice it.— Dieter Bohn (@backlon) September 25, 2021 September 25, 2021

Regardless, the new iPad mini is likely still the best iPad for a ton of people — those who want to take notes using Apple Pencil on the go, especially.

Do you have a new iPad mini and if so, do you notice this issue? Please shout up and let me know below or on Twitter.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.