Tie curvature direction
The direction of tie curvatures is determined by the stem direction of the notes/chords at each end of the tie, the number of notes in chords at each end, and the number of voices on the staff.
Tied single notes in single-voice contexts
If a single voice is active and a tie joins two single notes, tie curvature direction is determined by the stem directions of the notes at either end of the tie.
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If the stem directions match, the tie curves away from the notes and is positioned on the notehead side.
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If the stem directions differ, the tie curves upwards by default.
Tied chords in single-voice contexts
If a tie joins two chords, the direction of the ties is determined by the number of tied notes in the chords.
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For an even number, the ties are equally split between curving towards the notehead end and curving towards the stem end.
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For an uneven number, the majority of ties curve towards the notehead end.
Tied notes in multiple-voice contexts
Ties are positioned on the stem side and are curved as follows:
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For up-stem voices, ties curve upwards.
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For down-stem voices, ties curve downwards.
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For overlapping/interlocking pitches in multiple voices, the rules for tied chords in single-voice contexts apply. All notes in all voices are treated as if they belong to a single voice.
You can change the default tie curvature direction of ties between notes with different stem directions on the Ties page in Engraving Options.
You can also change the curvature direction of ties individually.