A method and system for performing distance-based accelerated scrolling are described. The system accelerates scrolling based on the distance that a user has already scrolled, and continues to scroll in a quick manner. Using a conventional wheelmouse, consecutive quick flicks of the wheel may be used as an approximation of the distance that the user has scrolled, based on the effort the user expends flicking the wheel. The system inhibits acceleration when the user slows down or reverses direction in order to return fine scrolling capabilities to the user to locate an exact position in a data file.