diff --git a/magicgui/backends/_qtpy/widgets.py b/magicgui/backends/_qtpy/widgets.py
index 96b78c3a2..4dc552bf2 100644
--- a/magicgui/backends/_qtpy/widgets.py
+++ b/magicgui/backends/_qtpy/widgets.py
@@ -634,7 +634,10 @@ def _mgui_set_step(self, value: float):
         self._readout_widget.setSingleStep(value)
 
     def _mgui_get_adaptive_step(self) -> bool:
-        return self._readout_widget.stepType() == QtW.QAbstractSpinBox.AdaptiveStep
+        return (
+            self._readout_widget.stepType()
+            == QtW.QAbstractSpinBox.AdaptiveDecimalStepType
+        )
 
     def _mgui_set_adaptive_step(self, value: bool):
         self._readout_widget.setStepType(
diff --git a/magicgui/widgets/_bases/ranged_widget.py b/magicgui/widgets/_bases/ranged_widget.py
index ef0505ba0..ae571e949 100644
--- a/magicgui/widgets/_bases/ranged_widget.py
+++ b/magicgui/widgets/_bases/ranged_widget.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class RangedWidget(ValueWidget):
         The maximum allowable value, by default 999 (or `value` if `value` is greater
         than 999)
     step : float, optional
-        The step size for incrementing the value, by default 1
+        The step size for incrementing the value, by default adaptive step is used
     """
 
     _widget: _protocols.RangedWidgetProtocol
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@ def __init__(
         self,
         min: Union[float, _Unset] = UNSET,
         max: Union[float, _Unset] = UNSET,
-        step: float = 1,
-        adaptive_step: bool = True,
+        step: Union[float, _Unset, None] = UNSET,
         **kwargs,
     ):  # sourcery skip: avoid-builtin-shadow
         for key in ("maximum", "minimum"):
@@ -50,8 +49,12 @@ def __init__(
 
         tmp_val = float(val if val not in (UNSET, None) else 1)
 
-        self.step = step
-        self.adaptive_step = adaptive_step
+        if step is UNSET or step is None:
+            self.step = None
+            self._widget._mgui_set_step(1)
+        else:
+            self.step = cast(float, step)
+
         self.min: float = (
             cast(float, min) if min is not UNSET else builtins.min(0, tmp_val)
         )
@@ -99,22 +102,31 @@ def max(self, value: float):
         self._widget._mgui_set_max(value)
 
     @property
-    def step(self) -> float:
-        """Step size for widget values."""
+    def step(self) -> Union[float, None]:
+        """Step size for widget values (None if adaptive step is turned on)."""
+        if self._widget._mgui_get_adaptive_step():
+            return None
         return self._widget._mgui_get_step()
 
     @step.setter
-    def step(self, value: float):
-        self._widget._mgui_set_step(value)
+    def step(self, value: Union[float, None]):
+        if value is None:
+            self._widget._mgui_set_adaptive_step(True)
+        else:
+            self._widget._mgui_set_adaptive_step(False)
+            self._widget._mgui_set_step(value)
 
     @property
     def adaptive_step(self):
         """Whether the step size is adaptive."""
-        return self._widget._mgui_get_adaptive_step()
+        return self.step is None
 
     @adaptive_step.setter
     def adaptive_step(self, value: bool):
-        self._widget._mgui_set_adaptive_step(value)
+        if value:
+            self.step = None
+        else:
+            self.step = self._widget._mgui_get_step()
 
     @property
     def range(self) -> Tuple[float, float]:
diff --git a/tests/test_widgets.py b/tests/test_widgets.py
index c93d2e2b5..4249f20a2 100644
--- a/tests/test_widgets.py
+++ b/tests/test_widgets.py
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ def test_basic_widget_attributes():
     assert widget.options == {
         "max": 999,
         "min": 0,
-        "step": 1,
+        "step": None,
         "enabled": False,
         "visible": False,
     }
@@ -581,15 +581,30 @@ def test_range_negative_value():
 
 
 def test_adaptive():
+    """Turn on and off adaptive step."""
+
     rw = widgets.SpinBox()
     assert rw.adaptive_step
+    assert rw.step is None
     rw.adaptive_step = False
     assert not rw.adaptive_step
+    assert rw.step == 1
+    rw.step = None
+    assert rw.adaptive_step
+    assert rw.step is None
+    rw.step = 3
+    assert not rw.adaptive_step
+    assert rw.step == 3
 
-
-def test_adaptive2():
-    rw = widgets.SpinBox(adaptive_step=False)
+    rw = widgets.SpinBox(step=2)
+    assert not rw.adaptive_step
+    assert rw.step == 2
+    rw.adaptive_step = True
+    assert rw.adaptive_step
+    assert rw.step is None
+    rw.adaptive_step = False
     assert not rw.adaptive_step
+    assert rw.step == 2
 
 
 def test_exception_range_out_of_range():