Feeling sick when looking at your phone in a moving car can make long journeys difficult. If you or your child use an iPhone for maps, communication, games or familiar videos while travelling, there is a built-in accessibility feature worth trying.
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Apple’s Vehicle Motion Cues adds moving dots around the edges of the screen to reflect the movement of a road vehicle. It is designed to help reduce motion sickness for passengers, although it will not work for everyone. You can also change other iPhone motion settings to make the display less visually busy.
Quick Wins: iPhone Settings for Motion Sickness
- Open Settings > Accessibility > Motion > Vehicle Motion Cues.
- Choose Automatic to show the dots when the phone detects road-vehicle movement.
- Try the feature on a short journey before relying on it for a long trip.
- Adjust the dots’ pattern, colour, size or number if the default display feels distracting.
- Switch on Reduce Motion if screen transitions and animations are uncomfortable.
- If nausea starts, stop looking at the screen and look outside or take a break where safe.
What Are Vehicle Motion Cues on iPhone?
Vehicle Motion Cues are animated dots that appear along the edges of an iPhone screen. They move to represent the motion of a car or another road vehicle while leaving the main screen content visible.
Motion sickness can occur when information from your eyes and balance system does not match. Looking at a relatively stationary phone screen while your body feels a moving vehicle can contribute to that mismatch. Vehicle Motion Cues provide additional visual information about the vehicle’s movement. Apple says the feature may reduce motion sickness; it is not a guaranteed treatment.
Apple introduced Vehicle Motion Cues with iOS 18. If you cannot find the setting, check your iPhone’s software version under Settings > General > About and whether your device supports a compatible update.
How to Turn On Vehicle Motion Cues
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Select Accessibility.
- Tap Motion.
- Select Vehicle Motion Cues.
- Choose On or Automatic, depending on when you want the dots displayed.
With Automatic selected, the iPhone attempts to detect when you are travelling in a road vehicle and displays the dots during movement. They disappear when the movement stops. You can also access Vehicle Motion Cues through Control Centre to change the setting more quickly.
Apple advises that Vehicle Motion Cues work best when you are seated facing forwards. The feature is intended for passengers, not for anyone driving or operating a moving vehicle.
How to Change the Appearance of the Moving Dots
Some people find additional moving objects on a screen helpful; others may find them distracting or visually overwhelming. If the default appearance does not suit you or your child, open Settings > Accessibility > Motion > Vehicle Motion Cues > Customise Appearance.
Depending on your software version, you can adjust the pattern (Regular or Dynamic), colour, and visibility, including larger or more dots. For someone who prefers predictable visuals, try the Regular pattern first. If the dots increase discomfort, turn the feature off.
Other iPhone Motion Settings Worth Trying
Reduce Motion
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Motion and switch on Reduce Motion. This reduces some interface animations, transitions and parallax effects. It is different from Vehicle Motion Cues: Reduce Motion makes the phone interface calmer, while Vehicle Motion Cues represent movement outside the phone.
Turn Off Automatic Animations
In the same Motion menu, you can turn off Auto-Play Animated Images, Auto-Play Video Previews and Auto-Play Message Effects where available. These controls can reduce unexpected movement on screen. They are not specifically proven to prevent travel sickness, but may help people who dislike sudden visual effects.
Reduce Flashing Effects
Under Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size, look for Dim Flashing Lights. On supported devices and media, this can reduce some flashing effects. It is a visual accessibility option rather than a motion sickness treatment.
Could These iPhone Settings Help Autistic Children?
For some autistic children and adults, phones provide familiar entertainment, communication tools or a way to manage an unpredictable journey. But visual motion, bright displays and unexpected animations can also be uncomfortable. Responses vary from person to person; being autistic does not mean someone will necessarily experience motion sickness or benefit from these settings.
Try the options together before a journey, if possible. Show your child what the dots look like while the car is stationary, explain that they may move when the journey starts, and offer a clear way to turn them off. If the child uses an AAC app or another essential communication tool, check that the dots do not interfere with its use.
For more ideas on preparing for unfamiliar journeys, see our travelling with autism resources. If you are planning a cruise, our guide to the different sensory environments of cruise ships also explores how travel environments can affect sensory comfort.
Practical Tips for Using an iPhone on Car Journeys
- Set up accessibility options before leaving rather than adjusting them during a difficult journey.
- Let the passenger choose whether they want Vehicle Motion Cues enabled.
- Where practical, sit facing forwards and take regular breaks from looking down at the screen.
- Consider audio stories, music or downloaded listening activities if watching a screen makes nausea worse.
- Keep water and any usual travel essentials accessible, and plan safe stops on longer journeys.
- For persistent or severe motion sickness, seek advice from a pharmacist or healthcare professional, particularly before giving a child medication.
Vehicle Motion Cues are designed primarily for passengers in cars and other road vehicles. Do not assume they will work in the same way on aeroplanes, trains or cruise ships.
Frequently Asked Questions About iPhone Motion Sickness Settings
What iPhone setting helps with car sickness?
Vehicle Motion Cues is the iPhone feature specifically designed to help passengers who experience motion sickness while looking at their screens. Find it under Settings > Accessibility > Motion.
Does Vehicle Motion Cues Stop Motion Sickness Completely?
No. Apple says it may help reduce motion sickness. Its effectiveness varies, and it does not replace taking a break from the screen or seeking medical advice when needed.
Can I Turn Vehicle Motion Cues on Automatically?
Yes. Select Automatic in the Vehicle Motion Cues settings to let your iPhone show the dots when it detects movement in a road vehicle.
Why Can’t I Find Vehicle Motion Cues on my iPhone?
Check that your iPhone is running a compatible version of iOS. The feature was introduced in iOS 18. Menu names and appearance may vary with later updates.
Is Reduce Motion the Same as Vehicle Motion Cues?
No. Reduce Motion limits some on-screen animations. Vehicle Motion Cues adds dots to represent vehicle movement. You can experiment with both settings separately.
Should Children use Vehicle Motion Cues?
A child who uses an iPhone as a passenger may wish to try the feature with adult help. Check that it feels comfortable and does not interfere with communication or other accessibility needs. Do not force its use if the dots are distressing.
Continue Planning Your Trip With Autistic Children
- Find out about the help available if you are travelling through an airport
- Discover whether a cruise with an autistic child would work for your family
- Find out how to make travelling with ADHD manageable
- Check out guides to all of the different destinations we have travelled to with autistic children
- Learn step-by-step how to set up the accessibility feature on Google maps
- Learn more about our favourite sensory toys for travelling
- Discover an app that helps you locate a playground anywhere in the world
- Always alerted last minute that the little one needs a toilet? Find a toilet anywhere with this app
- Turn travels into adventures with these map-based games for families
Continue Planning Your Accessible Trip With Our Guides
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