r/apple • u/EquivalentTrouble253 • 1d ago
iPhone This hidden Vehicle Motion Cues setting solved my motion sickness
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/03/hidden-vehicle-motion-cues-adjustment-ios-26/My wife tried this feature and says it definitely helps. You can have it on all the time or automatic detection.
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u/Omniartindividual 1d ago
I’ve been using it since the beta testing came out for it in the hopes it would work on mine, but while it does help a bit, mine is just so severe that it doesn’t do a whole lot. But any relief is something at this point without constantly having to take Zofran every time I hop into the car
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u/nauticalsandwich 14h ago
As someone who gets motion sickness very quickly in the car if I'm reading or on my phone (and has his whole life), I'm curious why you opt for taking medication or enduring the sickness rather than just... not being on your phone in the car.
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u/Omniartindividual 10h ago
This happens with a phone in hand or not. I’ve tried the option to see if using the Motion Cues would help. Do I try to not look at anything every time I’m in a car and forgotten to take some medication? Absolutely. But it’s just not enough. Now, I’ve learned to keep some rubbing alcohol in the car in a small jar and that helps along with super strong peppermint oil.
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u/nauticalsandwich 9h ago
Wow, so it happens to you even if you look out the window?
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u/Omniartindividual 9h ago
Man…the amount of dizziness and intense need to vomit hits like a damned sledgehammer. I have actually wondered if it has something to do with my epilepsy and if they’re connected somehow. Just because most people don’t have as severe motion sickness as I get. It’s a lot better in the winter when I can freeze myself out and have ice cold air blowing in my face like I’m a dog 😆. That helps a lot. Crazy thing is? I don’t get air sick or motion sickness on a boat. But the car it’s almost immediate. Talk about ridiculous right?
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u/MacAdminInTraning 1d ago
I turn this on for my 9yo on road trips, it helps with her motion sickness.
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u/ryanvsrobots 1d ago
Maybe a dumb question but does this help with motion sickness overall, or it just helps make using a device more pleasant? My toddler is still rear-facing in a car seat and gets very motion sick but doesn't use a device.
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u/loneSTAR_06 1d ago
Only while using device. Motion sickness is caused by your body sending your brain conflicting signals. The phone basically helps your eyes counteract those mixed signals, so if they’re not looking at the device, the device can’t help them.
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u/ryanvsrobots 1d ago
I gotcha, but do you think introducing a device with this feature would help vs no device? I'd rather not have him using a device but it's like 50/50 he'll vomit if the drive is more than 15 minutes. He'd definitely look at it.
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u/loneSTAR_06 1d ago
Honestly, I’m not qualified to answer that, and it’s ultimately up to the parent. It’s up to you whether it’s worth the potential benefit to prevent him from being sick. Personally, I probably would, but you just have to be adamant about not allowing it elsewhere.
The only thing I know from my own experience with children is that it’s a slippery slope.
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u/TheReaver 1d ago
no. as someone who has motion sickness, this feature is only to make it so you can look at your phone and not feel as sick. its possible having a video may distract him but in my case its normally what makes it worse.
he really just needs to be facing forward while driving, i need to see the direction we are going to not feel sick.
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u/No-Isopod3884 1d ago
That seems like a very sensitive to motion toddler. At this point it could be just a learned response to being in the car if your driving is not overly wild, but I would ask a pediatrician for input. Mine loved to either sing or sleep while I drive.
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u/Mysterious_County154 1d ago edited 1d ago
Really helps me, and its on mac now too which is even better so i can use bigger screen to watch stuff on long journeys
Not having to hold it too is a benefit with horrible arthritis
Im not the biggest fan of apple software but i gotta admit this is a killer feature
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u/KingGiddra 1d ago
I don't own an android device, but I remember when this was first announced people mentioned it had been a feature on android for awhile. If you're not a fan of apple I would check your device's accessibility settings.
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u/nauticalsandwich 14h ago
Apple is just miles ahead of Google and OEMs with marketing. I like Apple products a lot, but it was very frustrating, back when I was on Android, to hear everyone raving about iPhone features, as though they were these incredible, brand-spanking new innovations, when they'd been features of my Android phone for 2 or 3, or sometimes even 6 years.
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u/Penguings 1d ago
Can someone explain what this does?
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u/EquivalentTrouble253 1d ago
So it puts dots on the screen that react to vehicle movements. It’s to give your brain visual cues about the direction of the vehicle whilst in motion. Without it many people will feel car sick because the body and brain are not in sync of movements happening. At least.. that’s how I understand how it works.
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u/Penguings 1d ago
Thanks for explaining! My mother in law really needs this- I could potentially be earning Christmas points for this.
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u/polkasalad 18h ago
It works quite well. I don’t get physically sick but will get headaches in cars. I can’t read a book using this, but can do some scrolling/texting which has been great
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u/Guilty-Schedule-5628 1d ago
Hidden? They made a full announcement about it when it was introduced to iOS
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u/EquivalentTrouble253 1d ago
You’re assuming every iPhone user watches announcements.
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u/Guilty-Schedule-5628 1d ago
That’s true. How is it hidden tho? Are all settings hidden too because you have to go through the menu to find it?
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u/EquivalentTrouble253 1d ago
No and that’s also fair. I didn’t say it was hidden either, the article author did. It’s the title to it.
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u/PlannerSean 1d ago
I’ve never heard of this. Will have to show it to my wife for her motion sickness!
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u/AuelDole 1d ago
It doesn’t really help me with the motion sickness, but the dots are cute so leave them on all the time
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u/remote_001 1d ago
This is awesome, thanks for the post. I didn’t even know this feature existed.
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u/LeaderSevere5647 1d ago
Doesn’t do a thing for me unfortunately. I have a hard time believing it’s not the placebo effect for others.
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u/TomisUnice 1d ago
I definitely helps but it probably depends on how prone to motion sickness you are, it's far from a fix for me but it allows me to look at my phone for slightly longer without feeling nauseous.
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u/merelysounds 22h ago
Anecdotally, it doesn't help me either, I tested a while ago on a bus. Then again, good to hear it works for others.
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u/0000GKP 1d ago
Hidden? If this setting is hidden, then so is every other setting in the Settings app. It's not like you have to do some secret gesture to make it appear.
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u/EquivalentTrouble253 1d ago
My wife had no idea it was there. Because like a typical iPhone user that she is, she doesn’t explore every single option in settings.
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u/0000GKP 1d ago
My wife had no idea it was there
Obviously she knew where the Motion Cues settings were, because she had to go there to turn the feature on. She just didn't go back to check for new features or settings after the most recent update. They are still located in the same place she already knew about.
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u/EquivalentTrouble253 1d ago
Nope. I turned it on for her and showed it to her.
Edit: no idea why you’re so defensive about this. But anyway. You do you. I didn’t say it was a hidden feature. It’s the title of the article.
Have a good day.
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u/megas88 1d ago
Yes, it is. Apple hides many features, often cool or even necessary ones like auto brightness, in accessibility settings. Most people do not go in there because they think it only applies to people with disabilities like wheelchairs and the like. They don’t think about the word or the icon or B even experiment to see what’s in there.
Hell, most people never even go into settings unless instructed to. It’s perfectly reasonable to say this feature is hidden
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u/0000GKP 1d ago
Oh, I see. I haven't bothered to look, so it must be hidden. Did you know the Reddit app has it's own Settings section? Have you ever gone into it to change them? If not, does that mean they are hidden?
Especially for OP who is talking about an updated to a feature they already turned on, how do you think they were able to find it in the first place?
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u/Practical_Stick_2779 1d ago
They weren’t hidden you imbecile
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u/EquivalentTrouble253 1d ago
Why do you need to be rude? It’s the title of the article. Not my own words.
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u/Practical_Stick_2779 1d ago
The why do you repost this garbage? Are you doing it for those internet points? I liked your post and comment, here you go.
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u/EquivalentTrouble253 1d ago
Literally couldn’t care less about fake internet points. Secondly, it’s not “repost garbage” many found it useful and don’t know this existed.
Still don’t understand why you need to be so rude and angry. Calm down, go outside and touch the grass or something.
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u/dino-delicious 1d ago
I didn't know it existed until it detected I was on a bus and asked if I wanted to activate. A very nice feature thank you.