Looking at your phone during a car journey can sometimes make motion sickness worse. That is especially frustrating when a phone is being used for communication, entertainment or familiar routines during family travel.
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Android now has a feature called Motion Assist on compatible devices. It adds moving bubbles around the edges of the screen to reflect vehicle movement. Other Android accessibility settings can also reduce distracting animations. This guide explains what is available, how to find it and what to try if your phone does not support Motion Assist.
Quick Wins for Android Motion Sickness Settings
- On an Android 17 or later device, search Motion assist in Settings.
- Alternatively, go to Settings > Google > All services > Motion assist (the precise route may vary).
- Enable Start in a moving vehicle to activate motion cues automatically.
- Add the Motion Assist tile to Quick Settings for easy manual control.
- On other Android phones, try Settings > Accessibility > Colour and motion > Remove animations, where available.
- Test settings on a short journey; stop using the screen if nausea increases.
What Is Android Motion Assist?
Google’s Motion Assist displays subtle moving bubbles at the edges of an Android screen. The bubbles respond to the phone’s motion sensors, indicating when a road vehicle turns, accelerates or brakes.
Motion sickness can occur when the movement detected by your inner ear conflicts with what you see. Motion Assist aims to provide visual movement cues while you look at your phone. It may reduce discomfort, but it is not a guaranteed solution or a medical treatment.
According to Google’s official guidance, Motion Assist requires Android 17 or later and updated Google Play services. Not every Android phone has the feature, even if it offers other accessibility settings.
How to Turn On Motion Assist on Android
- Open your phone’s Settings app.
- Search for Motion assist using the search field. Alternatively, open Google > All services and find Motion assist under Personal & device safety.
- Open Motion assist.
- Switch on Start in a moving vehicle if you want the bubbles to appear automatically when the phone detects vehicle movement.
- Where prompted, add Motion assist to your Quick Settings panel so you can switch it on or off manually.
Google notes that automatic vehicle detection is not always successful, so a manual Quick Settings control is useful. The feature is for passengers. Never use or adjust your phone while driving.
How to Customise Android Motion Assist Bubbles
Open Motion Assist in Settings and look for its customisation options. Depending on the version installed, you may be able to change the bubbles’ colour, shape and opacity. Some versions also offer changing colours and shapes over time.
For someone who prefers predictable visual information, start with a consistent colour and shape rather than changing effects. Try a less prominent appearance if the bubbles distract from an important communication app. If they cause discomfort or distress, switch them off.
What if My Android Phone Does Not Have Motion Assist?
If searching Settings produces no result, first check your Android version and available system and Google Play services updates. Motion Assist requires Android 17 or later, so it will not appear on many older phones. Manufacturers may also organise menus differently.
You can still try Android’s built-in Remove animations setting. It does not replicate the moving vehicle cues, but it reduces some animated transitions that may be uncomfortable.
How to Remove Animations on Android
On many Google Pixel and other Android phones:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Choose Colour and motion.
- Turn on Remove animations.
If you cannot see the option, search Settings for Remove animations. On some Samsung Galaxy devices, it appears under Settings > Accessibility > Visibility enhancements > Remove animations.
Google recommends removing animations as an accessibility option for people who experience motion sickness, photosensitivity or difficulty with visual effects. However, it does not create movement cues for car journeys and cannot be relied upon to prevent travel sickness.
Other Android Display Settings Worth Trying
Dark Theme
Open Settings > Display and look for Dark theme, or search for it in Settings. This changes supported interfaces to darker colours. It may make a bright screen feel more comfortable for some passengers, but it is not a proven motion sickness treatment.
Extra Dim
Some Android phones include Extra dim in Accessibility or Quick Settings. This can reduce screen brightness beyond the normal minimum. Avoid making the screen so dim that it becomes difficult to read. Availability and menu location vary by model.
Motion Smoothness on Samsung Galaxy
Some Samsung Galaxy phones offer Settings > Display > Motion smoothness. Options may include Standard, High or Adaptive, depending on the device. These change the display’s refresh rate and the appearance of scrolling or animations. Motion smoothness is not the same as Motion Assist, and there is no established setting that reliably prevents car sickness. Choose whichever display behaviour feels most comfortable.
Android Motion Assist Versus iPhone Vehicle Motion Cues
Both systems aim to reduce the visual mismatch experienced by passengers looking at a phone while travelling in a moving road vehicle. Apple’s feature is called Vehicle Motion Cues; Google’s feature is called Motion Assist.
Both display movement indicators near the screen edges. The key difference for travellers is compatibility: Android Motion Assist requires Android 17 or later and updated Google Play services, while Apple’s feature was introduced with iOS 18. The available appearance controls and menu routes also differ. Neither feature guarantees relief from motion sickness.
You can learn more about iPhones Vehicle Motion Cues in our guide.
Using Android Motion Settings With Autistic Children
For some autistic children and adults, a phone is an important communication aid or a familiar way to spend time during journeys. Unexpected visual effects may be distracting or uncomfortable, while others may find the moving cues useful.
Introduce Motion Assist before a long journey. Explain that small shapes may move at the edge of the screen when the car moves. Let the passenger try the feature briefly, and show them how it can be switched off. Check that it does not interfere with an AAC app, visual timetable or another essential accessibility tool.
Motion sickness and sensory preferences are individual. Being autistic does not automatically mean someone is more likely to benefit from these settings. For wider preparation advice, see our travelling with autism guides.
Practical Ways to Make Car Journeys More Comfortable
- Set up the phone before travelling, rather than changing unfamiliar settings during the journey.
- Choose a safe, appropriate forward-facing passenger seat and follow child-restraint requirements.
- Encourage breaks from the screen and looking outside towards a distant point.
- Consider music, audio stories or other screen-free activities when looking down makes nausea worse.
- Plan stops on longer road journeys and keep water accessible.
- If travel sickness is frequent, severe or difficult to manage, ask a healthcare professional or pharmacist for advice before using medicines, particularly for children.
Motion Assist is designed around movement in road vehicles. Do not assume it will provide the same experience on trains, aircraft or ships. For those planning a cruise, our guide to the different sensory environments of cruise ships discusses other considerations that can affect comfort at sea.
FAQ About Android Motion Sickness Settings
Does Android Have an iPhone-style Motion Sickness Setting?
Yes, compatible Android 17 or later devices can use Google’s Motion Assist, which adds moving bubbles around the screen edges. Availability depends on software compatibility and updated Google Play services.
Where Can I Find Motion Assist on Android?
Search for Motion assist in Settings. Google’s documented route is through Google > All services > Motion assist, under Personal & device safety. Menus can vary between phones.
Can Motion Assist Start Automatically in the Car?
Yes. Enable Start in a moving vehicle. Google also recommends adding its Quick Settings tile because automatic detection may not always work.
Can I Get Motion Assist on an Older Android Phone?
Google lists Android 17 or later as a requirement. Older phones may still have the option to remove animations and other display accessibility settings, but these are not the same as Motion Assist.
Does Removing Animations Prevent Car Sickness?
Not necessarily. It reduces some screen transitions, which may feel more comfortable, but it does not respond to vehicle movement or guarantee relief from nausea.
Is Motion Assist Suitable for Autistic Children?
It may be worth trying with a child who wants to use a phone as a passenger. Introduce the bubbles gradually, respect sensory preferences and make sure the feature does not interfere with communication needs.
Official Android and Samsung Guidance
For current instructions, consult Google’s Motion Assist guide, Google’s display and animation accessibility guidance and Samsung’s Motion smoothness guidance. Feature names and availability may change as Android and manufacturer software are updated.
Trusted Sources for Further Advice
For general prevention advice and when to seek help, consult the NHS guide to motion sickness. The CDC Yellow Book motion sickness guidance provides a more detailed overview of prevention and treatments. These sources are particularly useful for checking whether a proposed remedy is supported by evidence.
Continue Planning Your Trip as Someone With Motion Sickness
- Start with our guide to travelling with motion sickness
- Travelling with an iPhone? Learn how to turn one iPhones motion sickness settings
- Read about the different sensory environments of cruise ships, including how movement, cabin location and onboard surroundings can affect your experience
- Our guide to finding accessible cruise ship cabins includes cabin considersations to avoid nausea
- Our guide to over-the-counter medication in Thailand has a section on travel sickness and nausea
- Travelling to Taiwan? Read our guide to over-the-counter medication in Taiwan for nausea advice
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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