How to turn on Reduce Motion on an iPhone
2 min read · 4 steps · Updated 2 October 2026
Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Motion and switch on Reduce Motion. Screens then fade into each other, and the wallpaper no longer shifts when you tilt the phone.
The zooming and sliding effects of iOS make some people feel dizzy or sick. Reduce Motion replaces them with a calm fade. Some people also find that the phone feels quicker that way.
These screens are from iOS 26 on an iPhone 17. On older versions the rows are in the same place, with a slightly different look.
Step by step
Open Settings and tap Accessibility
It is in the same group as General.
Tap Motion
It is in the Vision group.
Switch on Reduce Motion
The change applies at once. Go back to the Home Screen and open an app to see the difference.
Decide about the auto-play switches
Auto-Play Message Effects controls the full-screen effects in Messages, such as balloons. Auto-Play Animated Images and Auto-Play Video Previews control whether moving pictures and previews start by themselves.
Good to know
With Reduce Motion on, screen changes use a dissolve effect instead of zoom and slide. The parallax effect, where wallpaper and icons shift as you tilt the phone, is switched off. Some apps stop their animations, for example the animated weather.
With Auto-Play Message Effects off, you can still play an effect by hand: tap Replay under the message.
More switches appear on the Motion page once Reduce Motion is on, and on some models. Our picture shows the page with Reduce Motion off.
If the phone itself is slow, see iPhone running slow: 8 fixes that speed it up.
In short: Settings, Accessibility, Motion, Reduce Motion on.
- Apple Support: Reduce screen motion on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.