Android 17 • Motion Assist • passenger setup
Android Motion Assist can show moving edge bubbles for a vehicle passenger. It requires Android 17 or newer and updated Google Play services; find it under Settings, your Google profile, All services, and Personal and device safety. Google's September 21, 2026 Play services v26.37 notes include the feature. It can help some passengers with motion discomfort; it is not a guarantee against motion sickness and is not a reason for a driver to use a phone.
What changed in September 2026?
Google introduced Motion Assist in its September Android Drop and named it again in the September 21 Play services v26.37 notes. The phone draws subtle shapes that move with its motion sensors as a vehicle turns, accelerates or brakes. Google describes the purpose as making screen use more comfortable for a passenger. The September note concerns Google Play services on phones, not a new case, mount, vehicle feature or Pixel-only hardware accessory.
Release-note inclusion does not prove the control has reached every eligible device at the same moment. Google's system-services notes warn that some features may be experimental or available to selected users. Check the actual settings offered on your own phone before assuming the rollout is complete.
How do I turn on Android 17 Motion Assist?
- Confirm that your phone runs Android 17 or newer and that Google Play services is updated.
- Open Settings, tap your Google profile, then tap All services.
- Under Personal & device safety, open Motion assist. Searching Settings for “Motion assist” is another way to find it.
- Choose Start in a moving vehicle if you want the bubbles to appear automatically when the phone detects movement.
- Add the Motion assist Quick Settings tile for direct manual control. Google's help page lets you choose a small or large tile from the feature settings.
Google recommends keeping both the automatic option and the tile available because the phone may not always recognize that it is in a moving vehicle. When auto-start activates, its silent notification can also turn Motion Assist off for that session. Use these controls as a passenger, with ordinary road-safety judgment.
Which phones can use Motion Assist?
Google's current Android Help requirement is an Android device running Android 17 or higher with updated Google Play services. The help page does not publish a complete model-by-model availability list, and a feature rollout can vary. That is more precise than saying it is available on every Pixel, Galaxy, or other Android phone right now. It also means an older Android version does not meet the documented requirement merely because the Play services app itself updated.
What if Motion Assist is missing from my settings?
First check the Android version and available Google Play services update. Then search Settings for the exact feature name and inspect your Google profile's All services menu. If the option still is not present on a qualifying phone, Google's rollout note does not establish an exact arrival time for that particular model or account. Recheck the official Android Help page and later offered updates rather than installing an unverified app or assuming that changing a case or display accessory will enable it.
Can I change the bubbles or turn them off?
Yes. Google's Motion assist settings include opacity, color theme, shape and an optional randomization control. You can turn off automatic activation, use the Quick Settings tile to stop a manual session, or tap the silent notification to stop an automatic session. These controls let a passenger adjust how noticeable the edge shapes are without changing the phone's physical hardware.
Does Motion Assist cure motion sickness?
No such outcome is established by Google's feature documentation. Google says Motion Assist can help reduce motion sickness for someone using a phone as a vehicle passenger. Individual experience can differ. The visual overlay does not make phone use while driving safe, and it should not be described as medical treatment or guaranteed prevention.
For separate context on the earlier Android 17 release, see Erawish's Android 17 and June Pixel Drop overview. That page covers a different update; this guide owns the Motion Assist passenger setup question.