spinner (computing)

{{about|spinboxes used for entering numerical information|spinning indicators of activity|Throbber}}

Image:Tabstop-spinner-gedit.png

A spinner or numeric updown is a graphical control element with which a user may adjust a value in an adjoining text box by either clicking on an up or down arrow, by pressing an arrow key down or moving mouse wheel,{{Cite web |title=Spinner |url=https://techdic.ir/en/definition/spinner/ |access-date=2022-12-23 |website=Techdic |language=en-US}} causing the value in the text box to increase (if the up arrow is held down) or decrease (if the down arrow is held down). A spinner is typically oriented vertically. In most cases holding a button down causes the speed at which the associated value changes to increase. Usually, the value of the spinner is displayed in a text box next to the spinner, allowing the user to use the spinner to adjust the value, or to type the value into the text box.{{cite web |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/desktop/bb246411(v=vs.85) | title=Spin Boxes }} The combination of spinner and text box was coined as a Value Box.

A spinner is different from a scrollbar or slider in that a spinner is typically used to adjust a value without changing the format of the display or the other information on the screen. Thus, the appearance of the spinner at a given time does not represent the quantity of the associated value.