How to Set Per-App Reduce Motion on iOS 15

Apple introduced a dedicated accessibility feature in iOS 15 called Per-App Settings, which allows users to customize visual and motion settings individually for specific applications rather than applying them system-wide. This article provides a straightforward guide to understanding how this feature works, why it is beneficial, and how to configure Reduce Motion for individual apps on your iPhone or iPad.

The Feature: Per-App Settings

Prior to iOS 15, accessibility settings such as Reduce Motion were strictly universal. Enabling the toggle altered interface transitions across the entire operating system, including the Home Screen and all installed applications.

With iOS 15, Apple added the Per-App Settings menu to the Accessibility suite. This allows you to apply display and motion rules—such as Reduce Motion, Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions, and Bold Text—selectively to chosen applications while keeping standard dynamic animations active throughout the rest of iOS.

How to Configure Reduce Motion for Specific Apps

To set motion reduction for an individual app on iOS 15, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
  2. Scroll down and tap Accessibility.
  3. Scroll to the very bottom of the menu and select Per-App Settings.
  4. Tap Add App.
  5. Select the specific app you want to configure from the list of installed applications. (You can also select Home Screen if you only want to affect the main interface.)
  6. Tap the newly added app under the "App Customization" section.
  7. Scroll down to the motion section and select Reduce Motion.
  8. Change the setting from Default to On.

Once enabled, the selected application will immediately replace motion-heavy animations (such as zooming and screen sliding) with simple dissolve or fade transitions.

Additional Motion Customizations

Within the same Per-App Settings page, you can also adjust related motion-sensitive options:

  • Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions: Reduces the movement of user interface controls that slide in and out of view when navigating within the app.
  • Auto-Play Video Previews: Disables automatically playing video content inside that specific app, helping reduce sudden visual triggers.

Why Per-App Motion Reduction Matters

This granular control is particularly useful for individuals who experience motion sensitivity, vestibular disorders, or visual fatigue in apps with aggressive parallax or slide animations, but who still prefer standard interface fluidness across the rest of the operating system.