# NSClipView An object that clips a document view to a scroll view’s frame. ``` class NSClipView ``` ## Overview An [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView) holds the document view of an [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView), clipping the document view to its frame, handling the details of scrolling in an efficient manner, and updating the [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView) when the document view’s size or position changes. You don’t typically use the [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView) class directly; it’s provided primarily as the scrolling machinery for the [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView) class. However, you might use the [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView) class to implement a class similar to [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView). ### Interaction with NSScrollView When using an [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView) within an [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView) (the usual configuration), you should access the [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView) properties that control background drawing state, rather than accessing these properties of the [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView). This recommendation applies to the following properties: - [`backgroundColor`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/backgroundColor) - [`drawsBackground`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/drawsBackground) The [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView) methods are intended for when the [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView) is used independently of a containing [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView). In the usual case, [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView) should be allowed to manage the background-drawing properties of its associated [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView). There is only one background-drawing state per [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView)/[`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView) pair. The two objects do not maintain independent and distinct [`drawsBackground`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/drawsBackground) and [`backgroundColor`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/backgroundColor) properties; rather, the accessors for these properties on [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView) largely defer to the associated [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView) and allow the [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView) to maintain the state. Note that this state is not cached by the [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView) object. It is also important to note that setting [`drawsBackground`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/drawsBackground) to in an [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView) has the added effect of setting the [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView) property [`copiesOnScroll`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/copiesOnScroll) to . The side effect of setting the [`drawsBackground`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/drawsBackground) property directly to the [`NSClipView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView) is the appearance of “trails” (vestiges of previous drawing) in the document view as it is scrolled. ## Topics ### Setting the Document View [`documentView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/documentView) The clip view’s document view. ### Scrolling [`- scrollToPoint:`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/scroll(to:)) Changes the origin of the clip view’s bounds rectangle to `newOrigin`. [`- autoscroll:`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/autoscroll(with:)) Scrolls the clip view proportionally to `theEvent`’s distance outside of it. [`- constrainScrollPoint:`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/constrainScroll(_:)) Returns a scroll point adjusted from the proposed new origin, if necessary, to guarantee the view will lie within its document view. [`- constrainBoundsRect:`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/constrainBoundsRect(_:)) Constrains the bounds of the clip view while the user is magnifying and scrolling. ### Determining Scrolling Efficiency [`copiesOnScroll`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/copiesOnScroll) A Boolean value that indicates if the clip view copies rendered images while scrolling. ### Accessing the Content Insets [`contentInsets`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/contentInsets) The distance that the content view is inset from the enclosing scroll view. [`automaticallyAdjustsContentInsets`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/automaticallyAdjustsContentInsets) A Boolean value that indicates if the clip view automatically accounts for other scroll view subviews. ### Accessing the Visible Portion [`documentRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/documentRect) The rectangle defining the document view’s frame, adjusted to the size of the clip view if the document view is smaller. [`documentVisibleRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/documentVisibleRect) The exposed rectangle of the clip view’s document view, in the document view’s own coordinate system. ### Setting the Document Cursor [`documentCursor`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/documentCursor) The cursor object used when the pointer lies over the view. ### Working with Background Color [`drawsBackground`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/drawsBackground) A Boolean value that indicates if the clip view draws its background color. [`backgroundColor`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/backgroundColor) The color of the clip view’s background. ### Overriding NSView Methods [`- viewBoundsChanged:`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/viewBoundsChanged(_:)) Handles an [`boundsDidChangeNotification`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/boundsDidChangeNotification), passed in the `aNotification` argument, by updating a containing [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView) based on the new bounds. [`- viewFrameChanged:`](/documentation/AppKit/NSClipView/viewFrameChanged(_:)) Handles an [`frameDidChangeNotification`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/frameDidChangeNotification), passed in the `aNotification` argument, by updating a containing [`NSScrollView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSScrollView) based on the new frame. ## Relationships ### Conforms To [`CVarArg`](/documentation/Swift/CVarArg) [`CustomStringConvertible`](/documentation/Swift/CustomStringConvertible) [`Hashable`](/documentation/Swift/Hashable) [`NSAnimatablePropertyContainer`](/documentation/AppKit/NSAnimatablePropertyContainer) [`Sendable`](/documentation/Swift/Sendable) [`NSUserActivityRestoring`](/documentation/AppKit/NSUserActivityRestoring) [`SendableMetatype`](/documentation/Swift/SendableMetatype) [`NSStandardKeyBindingResponding`](/documentation/AppKit/NSStandardKeyBindingResponding) [`NSAppearanceCustomization`](/documentation/AppKit/NSAppearanceCustomization) [`Equatable`](/documentation/Swift/Equatable) [`CustomDebugStringConvertible`](/documentation/Swift/CustomDebugStringConvertible) [`NSUserInterfaceItemIdentification`](/documentation/AppKit/NSUserInterfaceItemIdentification) [`NSTouchBarProvider`](/documentation/AppKit/NSTouchBarProvider) [`NSAccessibilityProtocol`](/documentation/AppKit/NSAccessibilityProtocol) [`NSAccessibilityElementProtocol`](/documentation/AppKit/NSAccessibilityElementProtocol) [`NSDraggingDestination`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDraggingDestination) [`NSCoding`](/documentation/Foundation/NSCoding) [`NSObjectProtocol`](/documentation/ObjectiveC/NSObjectProtocol) ### Inherits From [`NSView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView) --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)