How to Adjust Motion Settings Per App on iOS 15

Apple introduced a dedicated Per-App Settings feature in iOS 15 that allows users to customize accessibility controls, including motion effects, for specific applications without altering system-wide preferences. This article details the specific motion options available on an app-by-app basis and provides a step-by-step guide on how to configure them to reduce motion sickness, improve readability, or maintain preferred visual aesthetics.

The New Per-App Motion Options

Prior to iOS 15, accessibility options were strictly universal; enabling an option like Reduce Motion applied it across the entire operating system. iOS 15 introduced granular control through the Per-App Settings menu, which includes three distinct motion-related settings:

  • Reduce Motion: Minimizes the movement of the user interface, replacing screen zooms and parallax effects with simple fades on an app-specific level.
  • Auto-Play Message Effects: Controls whether full-screen effects (such as balloons, confetti, or lasers) play automatically within supported messaging apps.
  • Auto-Play Video Previews: Determines whether video previews within specific apps begin playing automatically without user interaction.

How to Configure Per-App Motion Effects

To customize motion settings for individual applications on iOS 15, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Scroll down and tap Accessibility.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the menu and select Per-App Settings.
  4. Tap Add App.
  5. Choose an application from the list, or select Home Screen to adjust settings exclusively for the home interface.
  6. Tap the newly added app from the Per-App Settings list.
  7. Scroll to the motion options:
    • Tap Reduce Motion and select On to disable animations for that app, or Off to keep them active even if system-wide Reduce Motion is enabled.
    • Tap Auto-Play Video Previews to toggle automatic video playback On or Off.
  8. Exit Settings. The chosen configurations take effect immediately within the selected app.

Resetting App Customizations

If you want to revert an application back to your default system preferences, navigate back to Settings > Accessibility > Per-App Settings, swipe left on the app's name, and tap Delete.