diff --git a/src/components/video-editor/KeyboardShortcutsHelp.tsx b/src/components/video-editor/KeyboardShortcutsHelp.tsx
index 4c99ff57..4071d3ad 100644
--- a/src/components/video-editor/KeyboardShortcutsHelp.tsx
+++ b/src/components/video-editor/KeyboardShortcutsHelp.tsx
@@ -10,13 +10,13 @@ export function KeyboardShortcutsHelp() {
 	const t = useScopedT("editor");
 
 	const [scrollLabels, setScrollLabels] = useState({
-		pan: "Shift + Ctrl + Scroll",
+		pan: "Shift + Scroll",
 		zoom: "Ctrl + Scroll",
 	});
 
 	useEffect(() => {
 		Promise.all([
-			formatShortcut(["shift", "mod", "Scroll"]),
+			formatShortcut(["shift", "Scroll"]),
 			formatShortcut(["mod", "Scroll"]),
 		]).then(([pan, zoom]) => setScrollLabels({ pan, zoom }));
 	}, []);
diff --git a/src/components/video-editor/TutorialHelp.tsx b/src/components/video-editor/TutorialHelp.tsx
index b773683f..a09e5c88 100644
--- a/src/components/video-editor/TutorialHelp.tsx
+++ b/src/components/video-editor/TutorialHelp.tsx
@@ -149,13 +149,13 @@ export function KeyboardShortcutsDialog({
 	const { shortcuts, isMac, openConfig } = useShortcuts();
 	const t = useScopedT("editor");
 	const [scrollLabels, setScrollLabels] = useState({
-		pan: "Shift + Ctrl + Scroll",
+		pan: "Shift + Scroll",
 		zoom: "Ctrl + Scroll",
 	});
 
 	useEffect(() => {
 		Promise.all([
-			formatShortcut(["shift", "mod", "Scroll"]),
+			formatShortcut(["shift", "Scroll"]),
 			formatShortcut(["mod", "Scroll"]),
 		]).then(([pan, zoom]) => setScrollLabels({ pan, zoom }));
 	}, []);
diff --git a/src/components/video-editor/timeline/hooks/useTimelineRange.test.ts b/src/components/video-editor/timeline/hooks/useTimelineRange.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bff6a651
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/video-editor/timeline/hooks/useTimelineRange.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { resolveTimelineWheelPanDeltaPx } from "./useTimelineRange";
+
+describe("resolveTimelineWheelPanDeltaPx", () => {
+	it("uses trackpad horizontal wheel movement for timeline panning", () => {
+		expect(
+			resolveTimelineWheelPanDeltaPx({
+				deltaX: 24,
+				deltaY: 0,
+				deltaMode: 0,
+			}),
+		).toBe(24);
+	});
+
+	it("uses shifted vertical wheel movement for timeline panning", () => {
+		expect(
+			resolveTimelineWheelPanDeltaPx({
+				deltaX: 0,
+				deltaY: 3,
+				deltaMode: 1,
+				shiftKey: true,
+			}),
+		).toBe(48);
+	});
+
+	it("keeps ctrl wheel available for timeline zoom unless shift is also held", () => {
+		expect(
+			resolveTimelineWheelPanDeltaPx({
+				deltaX: 0,
+				deltaY: 3,
+				deltaMode: 1,
+				ctrlKey: true,
+			}),
+		).toBe(0);
+		expect(
+			resolveTimelineWheelPanDeltaPx({
+				deltaX: 0,
+				deltaY: 3,
+				deltaMode: 1,
+				ctrlKey: true,
+				shiftKey: true,
+			}),
+		).toBe(48);
+	});
+
+	it("uses regular wheel movement when the timeline has no vertical overflow", () => {
+		expect(
+			resolveTimelineWheelPanDeltaPx({
+				deltaX: 0,
+				deltaY: 20,
+				deltaMode: 0,
+				canScrollVertically: false,
+			}),
+		).toBe(20);
+	});
+});
diff --git a/src/components/video-editor/timeline/hooks/useTimelineRange.ts b/src/components/video-editor/timeline/hooks/useTimelineRange.ts
index e3d5ff59..c72b2fd9 100644
--- a/src/components/video-editor/timeline/hooks/useTimelineRange.ts
+++ b/src/components/video-editor/timeline/hooks/useTimelineRange.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,40 @@ interface UseTimelineRangeParams {
 	timelineContainerRef: RefObject<HTMLDivElement>;
 }
 
+export interface TimelineWheelPanDeltaInput {
+	deltaX: number;
+	deltaY: number;
+	deltaMode: number;
+	shiftKey?: boolean;
+	ctrlKey?: boolean;
+	metaKey?: boolean;
+	canScrollVertically?: boolean;
+}
+
+export function resolveTimelineWheelPanDeltaPx({
+	deltaX,
+	deltaY,
+	deltaMode,
+	shiftKey = false,
+	ctrlKey = false,
+	metaKey = false,
+	canScrollVertically = true,
+}: TimelineWheelPanDeltaInput) {
+	if ((ctrlKey || metaKey) && !shiftKey) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if (Math.abs(deltaX) > 0) {
+		return normalizeWheelDeltaToPixels(deltaX, deltaMode);
+	}
+
+	if ((shiftKey || !canScrollVertically) && Math.abs(deltaY) > 0) {
+		return normalizeWheelDeltaToPixels(deltaY, deltaMode);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 export function useTimelineRange({ totalMs, timelineContainerRef }: UseTimelineRangeParams) {
 	const [range, setRange] = useState<Range>(() => createInitialRange(totalMs));
 
@@ -42,29 +76,34 @@ export function useTimelineRange({ totalMs, timelineContainerRef }: UseTimelineR
 
 	const handleTimelineWheel = useCallback(
 		(event: WheelEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
-			if (event.ctrlKey || event.metaKey || totalMs <= 0) {
+			if (((event.ctrlKey || event.metaKey) && !event.shiftKey) || totalMs <= 0) {
 				return;
 			}
 
-			const rawHorizontalDelta =
-				Math.abs(event.deltaX) > 0
-					? event.deltaX
-					: event.shiftKey && Math.abs(event.deltaY) > 0
-						? event.deltaY
-						: 0;
+			const container = timelineContainerRef.current;
+			const horizontalDeltaPx = resolveTimelineWheelPanDeltaPx({
+				deltaX: event.deltaX,
+				deltaY: event.deltaY,
+				deltaMode: event.deltaMode,
+				shiftKey: event.shiftKey,
+				ctrlKey: event.ctrlKey,
+				metaKey: event.metaKey,
+				canScrollVertically: container
+					? container.scrollHeight > container.clientHeight + 1
+					: true,
+			});
 
-			if (rawHorizontalDelta === 0) {
+			if (horizontalDeltaPx === 0) {
 				return;
 			}
 
-			const containerWidth = timelineContainerRef.current?.clientWidth ?? 0;
+			const containerWidth = container?.clientWidth ?? 0;
 			const visibleRangeMs = clampedRange.end - clampedRange.start;
 			if (containerWidth <= 0 || visibleRangeMs <= 0) {
 				return;
 			}
 
 			event.preventDefault();
-			const horizontalDeltaPx = normalizeWheelDeltaToPixels(rawHorizontalDelta, event.deltaMode);
 			const deltaMs = (horizontalDeltaPx / containerWidth) * visibleRangeMs;
 			panTimelineRange(deltaMs);
 		},
diff --git a/src/lib/shortcuts.ts b/src/lib/shortcuts.ts
index d2d9828c..d4384693 100644
--- a/src/lib/shortcuts.ts
+++ b/src/lib/shortcuts.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export const FIXED_SHORTCUTS: FixedShortcut[] = [
 		display: "Del / ⌫",
 		bindings: [{ key: "delete" }, { key: "backspace" }],
 	},
-	{ label: "Pan Timeline", display: "Shift + Ctrl + Scroll", bindings: [] },
+	{ label: "Pan Timeline", display: "Shift + Scroll", bindings: [] },
 	{ label: "Zoom Timeline", display: "Ctrl + Scroll", bindings: [] },
 ];