Reduced Motion
Respects macOS Reduce Motion. Instant transitions, zero unnecessary animation.
Questions this answers
- Terminal disable animations macOS reduced motion
- Terminal emulator respects accessibility motion settings
- Reduce motion in terminal app macOS vestibular
How it works
Chau7 checks the macOS Reduce Motion accessibility preference and disables all non-essential animations when it is enabled. Tab transitions, dropdown slide animations, window resize effects, and UI state changes all switch to instant transitions. This includes the Quake-style dropdown, which snaps into position rather than sliding, and tab switching, which cuts rather than crossfading.
The reduced motion setting is detected at launch and monitored for changes at runtime. If you toggle the macOS setting while Chau7 is running, the behavior updates immediately without requiring a restart. Essential functional feedback like cursor blinking is preserved unless separately disabled, since it serves an orientation purpose rather than a decorative one.
Why it matters
Motion sensitivity affects a meaningful number of developers. Animations that feel polished to one person can trigger discomfort in another. Chau7 respects the macOS Reduce Motion preference and replaces all animations with instant transitions. Every feature works the same, just without the motion.
Frequently asked questions
Does Chau7 automatically detect reduced motion?
Yes. Chau7 reads the macOS Reduce Motion preference at launch and monitors it for changes at runtime. No manual configuration is needed.
Which animations are affected?
All decorative and transitional animations including dropdown slide, tab transitions, window effects, and UI state changes. Cursor blinking is preserved unless separately disabled.
Can I disable animations without the system setting?
The recommended approach is to enable Reduce Motion in macOS System Settings > Accessibility > Display, which affects Chau7 and all other applications consistently.