diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1602d2c8..830a2272 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 15.1.0
+
+- feat: Add a new option `hoverOffset` to activate hover effect on the offset area around the scrollbar, closes [#616](https://github.com/MurhafSousli/ngx-scrollbar/issues/616).
+- fix: Scrollbar thumb color is not changing on hover, closes [#625](https://github.com/MurhafSousli/ngx-scrollbar/issues/625).
+
 ## 15.0.4
 
 - fix: global Angular app styles gets broken in Firefox, closes [#615](https://github.com/MurhafSousli/ngx-scrollbar/issues/615).
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/example2/example2.component.scss b/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/example2/example2.component.scss
index 73c443bc..10cc13e3 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/example2/example2.component.scss
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/example2/example2.component.scss
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ng-scrollbar {
   --scrollbar-thickness: 7;
+  --scrollbar-hover-thickness: 7;
   --scrollbar-offset: 16;
   --scrollbar-track-color: rgb(0 0 0 / 10%);
   --scrollbar-thumb-color: rgb(0 0 0 / 20%);
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/lab/lab.component.html b/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/lab/lab.component.html
index de0f4379..7de502a9 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/lab/lab.component.html
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/lab/lab.component.html
@@ -61,6 +61,15 @@
               </mat-button-toggle-group>
             </div>
 
+            <div class="lab-control">
+              <div class="lab-control-label">Hover offset</div>
+              <mat-button-toggle-group aria-label="Hover offset"
+                                       [(value)]="hoverOffset">
+                <mat-button-toggle [value]="true">True</mat-button-toggle>
+                <mat-button-toggle [value]="false">False</mat-button-toggle>
+              </mat-button-toggle-group>
+            </div>
+
             <div class="lab-control">
               <div class="lab-control-label">Buttons</div>
               <mat-button-toggle-group aria-label="Buttons"
@@ -117,7 +126,9 @@
             </div>
           </mat-expansion-panel>
 
-          <mat-expansion-panel>
+          <mat-expansion-panel [style.overflow]="stylingPanelExpanded ? 'initial' : 'hidden'"
+                               (afterExpand)="stylingPanelExpanded = true"
+                               (expandedChange)="onExpandedChange($event)">
             <mat-expansion-panel-header>
               <mat-panel-title>
                 Styling
@@ -153,6 +164,7 @@
                           [position]="position"
                           [style]="cssVariables"
                           [buttons]="buttons"
+                          [hoverOffset]="hoverOffset"
                           [disableInteraction]="interactionDisabled"
                           [disableSensor]="disableSensor"
                           [sensorThrottleTime]="sensorThrottleTime"
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/lab/lab.component.ts b/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/lab/lab.component.ts
index 450c0d91..bbc2e745 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/lab/lab.component.ts
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar-demo/src/app/lab/lab.component.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { ChangeDetectionStrategy, Component, signal, ViewChild, WritableSignal } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, inject, signal, ViewChild, WritableSignal, ChangeDetectionStrategy } from '@angular/core';
 import { CommonModule } from '@angular/common';
 import { FormsModule, ReactiveFormsModule } from '@angular/forms';
 import { DomSanitizer, SafeStyle } from '@angular/platform-browser';
@@ -51,10 +51,15 @@ import { SmoothScrollFormComponent, SmoothScrollOptionsForm } from './smooth-scr
 })
 export class LabComponent {
 
+  private sanitizer: DomSanitizer = inject(DomSanitizer);
+
   @ViewChild(NgScrollbar, { static: true }) component: NgScrollbar;
 
+  stylingPanelExpanded: boolean;
+
   direction: 'ltr' | 'rtl' = 'ltr';
   buttons: boolean = true;
+  hoverOffset: boolean = false;
   interactionDisabled: boolean = false;
   disableSensor: boolean = false;
   disableReached: boolean = false;
@@ -97,9 +102,6 @@ export class LabComponent {
     return '<b>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet</b>' + content.repeat(this.slider.contentSize);
   }
 
-  constructor(private sanitizer: DomSanitizer) {
-  }
-
   width: number = 448;
   height: number = 300;
   id: number = -1;
@@ -154,6 +156,11 @@ export class LabComponent {
     }
   }
 
+  onExpandedChange(expanded: boolean): void {
+    if (!expanded) {
+      this.stylingPanelExpanded = false;
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 const content: string = `
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/package.json b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/package.json
index aab5c0ed..80f584d1 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/package.json
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ngx-scrollbar",
-  "version": "15.0.4",
+  "version": "15.1.0",
   "license": "MIT",
   "homepage": "https://ngx-scrollbar.netlify.com/",
   "author": {
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@
     "scroll-reached"
   ],
   "peerDependencies": {
-    "@angular/common": ">=17.0.0",
-    "@angular/core": ">=17.0.0",
-    "@angular/cdk": ">=17.0.0",
+    "@angular/common": ">=17.1.0",
+    "@angular/core": ">=17.1.0",
+    "@angular/cdk": ">=17.1.0",
     "rxjs": ">=7.0.0"
   },
   "dependencies": {
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/ng-scrollbar-core.ts b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/ng-scrollbar-core.ts
index bad8a7aa..6de5ad99 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/ng-scrollbar-core.ts
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/ng-scrollbar-core.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ const defaultOptions: NgScrollbarOptions = {
   sensorThrottleTime: 0,
   disableSensor: false,
   disableInteraction: false,
-  buttons: false
+  buttons: false,
+  hoverOffset: false
 };
 
 interface ViewportState {
@@ -154,6 +155,11 @@ export abstract class NgScrollbarCore implements _NgScrollbar, OnInit, AfterView
     transform: numberAttribute
   });
 
+  /** A flag used to activate hover effect on the offset area around the scrollbar */
+  hoverOffset: InputSignalWithTransform<boolean, string | boolean> = input<boolean, string | boolean>(this.options.hoverOffset, {
+    transform: booleanAttribute
+  });
+
   viewportDimension: WritableSignal<ViewportBoundaries> = signal({
     contentHeight: 0,
     contentWidth: 0,
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/ng-scrollbar.model.ts b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/ng-scrollbar.model.ts
index 2f1acee4..448fffe9 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/ng-scrollbar.model.ts
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/ng-scrollbar.model.ts
@@ -66,4 +66,6 @@ export interface NgScrollbarOptions {
   disableSensor?: boolean;
   /** Show scrollbar buttons */
   buttons?: boolean;
+  /** A flag used to activate hover effect on the offset area around the scrollbar */
+  hoverOffset?: boolean;
 }
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/horizontal.scss b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/horizontal.scss
index e2122e49..62dc0c67 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/horizontal.scss
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/horizontal.scss
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@
 .ng-scrollbar-track-wrapper {
   height: var(--_track-x-thickness);
   flex-direction: row;
+}
 
-  &:hover {
-    --_track-x-thickness: var(--_scrollbar-hover-thickness-px);
-    --_thumb-x-color: var(var(--INTERNAL-scrollbar-thumb-min-size));
-  }
+.ng-scrollbar-hover:hover {
+  --_track-x-thickness: var(--_scrollbar-hover-thickness-px);
+  --_thumb-x-color: var(--INTERNAL-scrollbar-thumb-hover-color);
 }
 
 .ng-scrollbar-thumb {
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/scrollbar.ts b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/scrollbar.ts
index 971f073b..b8ca462b 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/scrollbar.ts
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/scrollbar.ts
@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@ import { ScrollbarManager } from '../utils/scrollbar-manager';
   standalone: true,
   selector: 'scrollbar-y',
   template: `
-    <div #sticky class="ng-scrollbar-sticky">
-      <div class="ng-scrollbar-track-wrapper">
+    <div class="ng-scrollbar-sticky"
+         [class.ng-scrollbar-hover]="cmp.hoverOffset()">
+      <div class="ng-scrollbar-track-wrapper"
+           [class.ng-scrollbar-hover]="!cmp.hoverOffset()">
         <div scrollbarTrackY class="ng-scrollbar-track {{ cmp.trackClass }}">
           <div scrollbarThumbY class="ng-scrollbar-thumb {{ cmp.thumbClass }}"></div>
         </div>
@@ -68,8 +70,10 @@ export class ScrollbarY extends ScrollbarAdapter {
   selector: 'scrollbar-x',
   host: { '[attr.dir]': 'cmp.direction()' },
   template: `
-    <div #sticky class="ng-scrollbar-sticky">
-      <div class="ng-scrollbar-track-wrapper">
+    <div class="ng-scrollbar-sticky"
+         [class.ng-scrollbar-hover]="cmp.hoverOffset()">
+      <div class="ng-scrollbar-track-wrapper"
+           [class.ng-scrollbar-hover]="!cmp.hoverOffset()">
         <div scrollbarTrackX class="ng-scrollbar-track {{ cmp.trackClass }}">
           <div scrollbarThumbX class="ng-scrollbar-thumb {{ cmp.thumbClass }}"></div>
         </div>
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/shared.scss b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/shared.scss
index 7aa5002b..f4224c64 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/shared.scss
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/shared.scss
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
   z-index: 100;
   opacity: var(--_scrollbar-hover-opacity);
   transition: var(--_scrollbar-opacity-transition);
+  pointer-events: var(--_scrollbar-pointer-events);
 }
 
 .ng-scrollbar-track-wrapper {
@@ -32,7 +33,6 @@
   bottom: var(--_scrollbar-track-bottom);
   right: var(--_scrollbar-track-right);
   left: var(--_scrollbar-track-left);
-  pointer-events: var(--_scrollbar-pointer-events);
   transition: var(--INTERNAL-scrollbar-track-wrapper-transition);
   position: absolute;
   overflow: hidden;
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/vertical.scss b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/vertical.scss
index e98e951d..3fec1278 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/vertical.scss
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/scrollbar/vertical.scss
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@
 .ng-scrollbar-track-wrapper {
   width: var(--_track-y-thickness);
   flex-direction: column;
+}
 
-  &:hover {
-    --_track-y-thickness: var(--_scrollbar-hover-thickness-px);
-    --_thumb-y-color: var(var(--INTERNAL-scrollbar-thumb-min-size));
-  }
+.ng-scrollbar-hover:hover {
+  --_track-y-thickness: var(--_scrollbar-hover-thickness-px);
+  --_thumb-y-color: var(--INTERNAL-scrollbar-thumb-hover-color);
 }
 
 .ng-scrollbar-thumb {
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/tests/appearance.spec.ts b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/tests/appearance.spec.ts
index a1469ca9..3c172430 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/tests/appearance.spec.ts
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/tests/appearance.spec.ts
@@ -27,9 +27,8 @@ describe('Appearance [native / compact] styles', () => {
 
     fixture = TestBed.createComponent(NgScrollbar);
     component = fixture.componentInstance;
-    // Set scrollbar thickness to 13px
+
     component.nativeElement.style.setProperty('--scrollbar-thickness', '5');
-    component.nativeElement.style.setProperty('--scrollbar-margin', '4');
     component.nativeElement.style.setProperty('--scrollbar-offset', '4');
   });
 
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/tests/hover-effect.spec.ts b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/tests/hover-effect.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b9087a9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/tests/hover-effect.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import { ComponentFixture, ComponentFixtureAutoDetect, TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
+import { By } from '@angular/platform-browser';
+import { firstValueFrom } from 'rxjs';
+import { NgScrollbar } from 'ngx-scrollbar';
+import { setDimensions } from './common-test.';
+
+describe('Hover effect', () => {
+  let component: NgScrollbar;
+  let fixture: ComponentFixture<NgScrollbar>;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+      imports: [NgScrollbar],
+      providers: [
+        { provide: ComponentFixtureAutoDetect, useValue: true }
+      ]
+    }).compileComponents();
+
+    fixture = TestBed.createComponent(NgScrollbar);
+    component = fixture.componentInstance;
+    component.nativeElement.style.setProperty('--scrollbar-thickness', '5');
+    component.nativeElement.style.setProperty('--scrollbar-hover-thickness', '10');
+    component.nativeElement.style.setProperty('--scrollbar-offset', '4');
+  });
+
+  it('Should activate hover effect only when mouse is over the scrollbar in case [hoverOffset]="false"', async () => {
+    setDimensions(component, { cmpHeight: 200, cmpWidth: 200, contentHeight: 400, contentWidth: 400 });
+    fixture.componentRef.setInput('hoverOffset', false);
+    component.ngOnInit();
+    component.ngAfterViewInit();
+    await firstValueFrom(component.afterInit);
+
+    const stickyYElement: Element = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('scrollbar-y .ng-scrollbar-sticky')).nativeElement;
+    const stickyXElement: Element = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('scrollbar-x .ng-scrollbar-sticky')).nativeElement;
+
+    const trackYElement: Element = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('scrollbar-y .ng-scrollbar-track-wrapper')).nativeElement;
+    const trackXElement: Element = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('scrollbar-x .ng-scrollbar-track-wrapper')).nativeElement;
+
+    expect(stickyYElement.classList).not.toContain('ng-scrollbar-hover');
+    expect(stickyXElement.classList).not.toContain('ng-scrollbar-hover');
+    expect(trackYElement.classList).toContain('ng-scrollbar-hover');
+    expect(trackXElement.classList).toContain('ng-scrollbar-hover');
+  });
+
+  it('Should activate hover effect when mouse is over the offset area in case [hoverOffset]="true"', async () => {
+    setDimensions(component, { cmpHeight: 200, cmpWidth: 200, contentHeight: 400, contentWidth: 400 });
+    fixture.componentRef.setInput('hoverOffset', true);
+    component.ngOnInit();
+    component.ngAfterViewInit();
+    await firstValueFrom(component.afterInit);
+
+    const stickyYElement: Element = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('scrollbar-y .ng-scrollbar-sticky')).nativeElement;
+    const stickyXElement: Element = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('scrollbar-x .ng-scrollbar-sticky')).nativeElement;
+
+    const trackYElement: Element = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('scrollbar-y .ng-scrollbar-track-wrapper')).nativeElement;
+    const trackXElement: Element = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('scrollbar-x .ng-scrollbar-track-wrapper')).nativeElement;
+
+    expect(stickyYElement.classList).toContain('ng-scrollbar-hover');
+    expect(stickyXElement.classList).toContain('ng-scrollbar-hover');
+    expect(trackYElement.classList).not.toContain('ng-scrollbar-hover');
+    expect(trackXElement.classList).not.toContain('ng-scrollbar-hover');
+  });
+});
+
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/tests/visibility.spec.ts b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/tests/visibility.spec.ts
index 51fba101..486ea6db 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/tests/visibility.spec.ts
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/tests/visibility.spec.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ describe('Visibility styles', () => {
       imports: [NgScrollbar],
       providers: [
         { provide: ComponentFixtureAutoDetect, useValue: true }
-      ],
+      ]
     }).compileComponents();
 
     fixture = TestBed.createComponent(NgScrollbar);
diff --git a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/utils/scrollbar-base.ts b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/utils/scrollbar-base.ts
index 6da3c861..d19a4132 100644
--- a/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/utils/scrollbar-base.ts
+++ b/projects/ngx-scrollbar/src/lib/utils/scrollbar-base.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export interface _NgScrollbar {
   dragging: WritableSignal<ScrollbarDragging>;
   direction: Signal<Direction>;
   trackScrollDuration: number;
+  hoverOffset: Signal<boolean>;
   buttons: Signal<boolean>;
   disableSensor: Signal<boolean>;
   sensorThrottleTime: Signal<number>;