If zooming app animations, sliding screens or wallpaper that shifts as you tilt the phone leave you dizzy or distracted, turn on Reduce Motion. On current versions of iOS, it is in Settings > Accessibility > Motion > Reduce Motion. The same Motion screen also holds switches for auto-playing message effects, animated images and video previews, so you can calm the screen down as much as you like.
Turn on Reduce Motion
- Open the Settings app.
Older iOS version shown; current screens look different. - Scroll down and tap Accessibility. On current versions of iOS it is in the main Settings list, not inside General.
Older iOS version shown, where Accessibility was inside General. - Tap Motion.
Older iOS version shown, where Reduce Motion was listed directly in Accessibility; current versions group it under Motion. - Turn on Reduce Motion. The switch turns green, and the change applies right away.
Older iOS version shown; the current Motion screen has more options.
To check that it worked, go to the Home Screen and open any app. Instead of zooming out from its icon, the app should fade in. To turn the setting off again, return to the same screen and tap the switch so it turns gray.
If you switch Reduce Motion on and off often, Apple lets you assign features to the Accessibility Shortcut in Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut, then turn them on by triple-clicking the side button (or Home button). Check whether Reduce Motion appears in that list on your iOS version; Apple explains the shortcut on its Accessibility Shortcut page.
What changes when Reduce Motion is on
Reduce Motion swaps movement for simpler effects across the system. According to Apple’s Reduce Motion support article, with the setting on:
- Screen transitions and effects use a dissolve (a quick fade) instead of zooming or sliding.
- The parallax effect, where the wallpaper, apps and alerts move slightly as you tilt your iPhone, is turned off.
- Animation in certain apps is turned off, such as the moving backgrounds in the Weather app.
Apple’s current iPhone guide adds that when the setting is off, you see more motion, such as the fluid morphing effects of the Liquid Glass design. Turning it on tones those down too.
Other switches on the Motion screen
Reduce Motion handles transitions, but several other kinds of movement have their own switches on Settings > Accessibility > Motion. Turn on only the ones that bother you:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Auto-Play Message Effects | When off, full-screen effects such as balloons or confetti in Messages don’t play by themselves. A Replay button below the message lets you watch one on demand. |
| Auto-Play Animated Images | When off, animated images such as GIFs stay still in apps that follow this setting. |
| Auto-Play Video Previews | When off, video previews in supported apps don’t start playing on their own. |
| Prefer Non-Blinking Cursor | Stops the text cursor from blinking. |
| Limit Frame Rate | Caps the display at 60 frames per second. Shown only on iPhone models with ProMotion displays. |
| Vehicle Motion Cues | Shows moving dots at the edges of the screen to reduce motion sickness when you use your iPhone in a moving vehicle. Choose On, Off or Automatic. |
If you want the opposite, and would rather have every message effect play, these steps show how to play message effects automatically.
Flashing and bright effects are in a different menu
Apple keeps settings for flashing lights in Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size, not under Motion. There you will find Dim Flashing Lights, which dims video content that shows repeated flashing or strobing, and Reduce Bright Effects. Supported models also offer Display Pulse Smoothing. Apple cautions that Dim Flashing Lights should not be relied on in high-risk situations or for the treatment of any medical condition, so treat it as a comfort feature only.
Older iOS versions
On much older versions of iOS, Accessibility sat inside the General menu, and Reduce Motion appeared directly in the Accessibility list. If your iPhone shows no Accessibility entry in the main Settings list, go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Reduce Motion instead.
If Reduce Motion doesn’t seem to work
- Some animation remains. Reduce Motion does not remove every animation, and some effects may still appear. Check the other switches on the Motion screen, especially the auto-play options.
- A third-party app still animates. Apps choose whether to follow the system setting. Look for a motion or animation option inside that app’s own settings.
- Limit Frame Rate is missing. Your iPhone does not have a ProMotion display, so the option is not shown.
- Dots appear at the screen edges in a car or bus. That is Vehicle Motion Cues, possibly set to Automatic. Change it on the Motion screen.
Reduce Motion questions
Does Reduce Motion save battery?
Apple describes it as a way to reduce on-screen movement, not as a battery feature, and does not claim a battery benefit. If battery life is your goal, Low Power Mode and Background App Refresh are the settings designed for it. You can start by learning how to turn off Background App Refresh on iPhone or by reading about Low Power Mode on iPhone.
Can I use Reduce Motion for only one app?
Apple lets you customize some visual accessibility settings for specific apps from the Accessibility section of Settings. Look for the per-app option near the bottom of the Accessibility screen and check which settings it offers for the app you choose; the exact list can vary by iOS version.
Once Reduce Motion is on, give it a day of normal use. If the screen still feels busy, return to the Motion screen and turn off the auto-play options one at a time.
Kermit Matthews runs Live2Tech from just outside Philadelphia. He is an IT specialist with over 20 years of experience, from a university help desk to small-business IT, IT management and his own consulting practice, and has written tech guides full time since 2020. Steps are checked against the current software on a real device or the maker’s official documentation. More about Kermit.