How to turn on iPhone's anti-motion sickness feature

These unassuming dots could stop you from becoming nauseous on your next car ride.
 By 
Amanda Yeo
 on 
A graphic showing Vehicle Motion Cues on an iPhone.
Credit: Apple

Looking at your phone while in a moving vehicle is often a recipe for nausea. Yet as unpleasant as motion sickness is, passenger princesses the world over remain determined to test the limits of their upchuck reflexes daily. Fortunately, Apple's iPhone has a feature to help combat motion sickness and save car interiors: Vehicle Motion Cues. Here's how to activate it.

Motion sickness occurs when your senses receive conflicting information regarding your positioning. For example, while your eyes are telling your body that you're remaining still, the balance system in your inner ears is detecting movement. This can cause a plethora of unpleasant symptoms, such as nausea, headaches, and dizziness.

Added in iOS 18, iPhone's Vehicle Motion Cues attempt to combat such sensory confusion. Once activated, this feature displays animated dots on the sides of your screen to indicate how the vehicle is moving, offering your eyes a reference point to cling to. The Vehicle Motion Cues don't turn up in screenshots or screen recordings either, so you don't have to worry about switching them off before capturing your screen.


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Here's how to turn on iPhone's Vehicle Motion Cues.

Total Time
  • 1 min
What You Need
  • iPhone

Step 1: Open "Settings."

A screenshot of apps on an iPhone screen, with a red arrow pointing at the "Settings" app.
Credit: Mashable edit: Apple

Step 2: Tap on "Accessibility."

A screenshot of an iPhone's Settings menu with a red arrow pointing at the Accessibility option.
Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

Step 3: Under "Vision," tap on "Motion."

A screenshot of an iPhone's Accessibility menu with a red arrow pointing at the Motion option.
Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

Step 4: Tap on "Show Vehicle Motion Cues."

A screenshot of iPhone's Motion settings showing the "Show Vehicle Motion Cues" option.
Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

Step 5: Choose "On" or "Automatic."

Choosing "On" will make the Vehicle Motion Cues appear immediately. Alternatively, choosing "Automatic" will cause the animated dots to appear whenever your iPhone detects that you are in a moving vehicle.

A screenshot of iPhone's "Show Vehicle Motion Cues" options with "Automatic" selected.
Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

Topics iOS iPhone

Amanda Yeo
Amanda Yeo
Assistant Editor

Amanda Yeo is an Assistant Editor at Mashable, covering entertainment, culture, tech, science, and social good. Based in Australia, she writes about everything from video games and K-pop to movies and gadgets.

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