How to Use Reduce Motion on Your iPhone: A Guide for Seniors

Have you ever felt like your iPhone screen is having a party with all those zooms, spins, and twirls?

While these animations can be fun, they can also be a bit much, especially if you prefer a calmer, more predictable screen experience.

Enter Reduce Motion—a feature designed to simplify your screen’s visual effects. Let’s dive into what Reduce Motion is, why it’s beneficial, and how to enable it.

What is Reduce Motion?

Reduce Motion is a setting on the iPhone that minimizes the dynamic effects and animations throughout the operating systemAn operating system (OS) is software that manages computer hardware and provides a platform for runn... More.

This includes transitions like zooming in and out when opening apps or moving between screens, and the parallax effect, which makes your wallpaper move when you tilt your phone.

By reducing these motions, you get a more static and simple visual experience.

Why Use Reduce Motion?

Reduce Motion can be particularly beneficial for seniors for several reasons:

• Improved Battery Life: By reducing graphical animations, your iPhone conserves battery life, giving you more time between charges.
• Enhanced User Experience: If you’re sensitive to motion or have vestibular disorders, reducing these effects can make using your iPhone more comfortable and less disorienting.
• Simplified Visual Elements: A less animated interface can make it easier to navigate your device.
• Improved Device Performance: Reducing motion effects can ease the load on your iPhone’s processor and memory, potentially speeding up performance.
• Reduced Screen Movement: For those who prefer a more stable and predictable user experience, disabling certain animations can make the iPhone easier to use.

How to Enable Reduce Motion

(Note: Tech companies love rearranging things. If the instructions below aren’t exact, the tech fairies have probably moved things around. Try searching for the setting on your device. If that doesn’t work, ask a trusted friend or family member for help, or do a quick web search for instructions using your device model and software version.)

Ready to calm down your iPhone screen? Here’s how to enable Reduce Motion:

1. Open Settings: Tap the Settings iconAn icon is a small graphical symbol used to represent an object, action, or concept in a digital int... More on your home screen.
2. Tap Accessibility: In the Settings menu, find and tap “Accessibility.”
3. Tap Motion: Find and tap on “Motion.”
4. Select Reduce Motion: Under the Vision heading, tap “Reduce Motion.”
5. Toggle Reduce Motion On: Tap the toggle switch to turn it on (it will turn green).

Once you do this, you’ll see another option, “Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions.”

If you toggle that on, it will smooth out your experience by adding gentle fade animations within native apps like Settings and Contacts.

This feature not only helps minimize sudden, jarring movements that can sometimes cause unease but also, when paired with Reduce Motion, provides your iPhone with elegant transition effects that are enjoyable for everyone.

Additional Tips for Reducing Motion on Your iPhone

Turn on Low-Power Mode: This mode not only saves battery life but also reduces some motion effects.

1. Open Settings: Tap the Settings icon.
2. Tap Battery: ScrollScrolling is a fundamental action used to navigate through content on digital devices, such as compu... More down and tap “Battery.”
3. Toggle Low Power Mode On: Tap the toggle switch to turn it on (it will turn green).

Make Wallpapers Still: If you enjoy the transitional motion effects but want to turn off the parallax wallpapers, you can do this by choosing a still wallpaper.

1. Open Settings: Tap the Settings icon.
2. Tap Wallpaper: Select “Wallpaper.”
3. Choose a New Wallpaper: Browse through the options or select a picture from your Camera Roll.
4. Select Still: Tap “Still” at the bottom of the screen.
5. Set Wallpaper: Tap “Set” and choose whether you want this picture as your Lock Screen, Home Screen, or both.

A Less Animated Experience

By enabling Reduce Motion, you can enjoy a more static, less animated experience on your iPhone. This feature is especially useful for seniors who may find the standard animations overwhelming or disorienting.

With these simple steps, you can customize your iPhone to better suit your needs, making it easier and more comfortable to use. So