How to Enable and Use the Motion Sickness Feature on Your Galaxy Phone

If you frequently experience motion sickness while reading or browsing on your device during a commute, Google has a helpful solution. Supported Galaxy phones now feature Motion Assist to help reduce discomfort by displaying subtle visual cues that match your vehicle's movement.

Motion Assist is an innovative Android feature designed to reduce motion sickness when you use your phone in a moving car, bus, train, or other vehicle.

On supported Galaxy phones, the feature places moving shapes around the edges of the screen. Those shapes respond to the movement of the device, providing visual cues that may help reduce the mismatch between what your eyes see and what your body feels while travelling.

Here's how Motion Assist works, how to enable it, and what you can customize on a Galaxy phone.

How do you turn on Motion Assist on a Samsung Galaxy phone?

Open the Settings app and search for Motion Assist to find the feature.

There is no regular on/off toggle inside the Motion Assist settings menu. Instead, you can choose to have the feature turn on automatically when travelling or add a Quick Panel tile for manual control.

• To have Motion Assist start automatically, enable Start in a moving vehicle from the Motion Assist menu. The phone will then detect when you're travelling in a car, bus, or train and automatically display the moving shapes.
• For manual control, tap Add tile to Quick Settings. This adds a Motion Assist button to the Quick Panel, which you can use to start or stop the feature whenever you want.

You can use either option on its own or enable automatic activation while keeping the Quick Settings tile available for times when you want to control Motion Assist manually.

What Android and One UI version does Motion Assist need?

Motion Assist requires Android 17 or newer and an up-to-date version of Google Play services. On Galaxy devices, that means you need One UI 9 or a newer version of One UI.

Google Play services normally updates automatically. However, if Motion Assist should be available on your phone but you can't find it, you can check for an update manually by going to Settings > Apps > Google Play services > App details in store > Update. The Update button will appear if a newer version is available.

After updating Google Play services, restart the phone and search for Motion Assist in the Settings app.

Can Motion Assist turn on automatically in a moving vehicle?

Yes. As mentioned earlier, Motion Assist has a Start in a moving vehicle option that can automatically enable the moving shapes when the phone detects that you're travelling in a car, bus, or train.

This is useful if you regularly experience motion sickness, as you don't have to remember to turn the feature on manually every time you start travelling.

You can leave automatic activation disabled and use the Quick Panel control if you only want Motion Assist active at certain times.

Can you change the color and appearance of Motion Assist shapes?

Yes. Tap Customize in the Motion Assist settings to change how the moving shapes look. Your phone will provide a live preview so you can see how the shapes look while adjusting these settings.

You can change their color, shape, and opacity. There are four shape options: circle, square, pentagon, and diamond.

The opacity slider lets you make the shapes more or less visible on the screen. Making the shapes more opaque helps them be more easily visible in apps and menus with a dark interface or background.

For the color, one of the options is Based on system. On Galaxy phones, this uses the main color from the phone's current One UI color palette.

You can change that palette from the Settings > Wallpaper and style menu on your Galaxy phone. This is useful if you're not happy with Motion Assist's limited number of default color choices.

There is also a Randomization option. When enabled, Motion Assist changes the color and shape every few seconds instead of using the same combination all the time.

Does Motion Assist completely stop motion sickness?

No. Even Google describes Motion Assist as something that may help reduce feelings of motion sickness rather than guaranteeing that it will prevent them.

Motion sickness while looking at a phone can occur because what your eyes see on the stationary display doesn't match the movement your body is experiencing. The visual cues in Motion Assist try to reduce that mismatch.

How effective it is will differ from person to person, but if reading, browsing, scrolling through social media or using your phone in a moving vehicle makes you uncomfortable, you should try it out.

Is Motion Assist a Samsung or Google feature?

Motion Assist is a Google feature rather than a Samsung-exclusive One UI feature. On Galaxy phones, it is provided through Google Play services and integrates with Samsung's interface, including the Quick Panel.

What operating system version is required to use Motion Assist on Galaxy phones?

You need Android 17 with One UI 9.0 or newer, along with an updated version of Google Play services.

Can Motion Assist activate by itself during travel?

Yes, by enabling the "Start in a moving vehicle" option, your phone automatically detects movement in cars, buses, or trains and launches the visual cues.

Are there multiple visual styles available for the motion shapes?

Yes, you can select from four different geometric shapes—circle, square, pentagon, and diamond—and adjust their opacity and colors.

Does the feature completely eliminate travel sickness?

No, it is designed to help reduce symptoms by minimizing visual sensory conflict, but effectiveness varies per individual.

🔎 Conclusion: Incorporating Motion Assist on your modern Galaxy smartphone offers a practical, highly customizable way to make using your device during commutes significantly more comfortable. By bridging the gap between your physical movement and visual focus, this smart tool helps keep motion sickness at bay, ensuring a smoother digital experience on the go.