Adobe’s suite of creative software has long been celebrated for empowering creators, designers, and businesses worldwide. Applications such as Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro are considered industry standards. However, for users with vestibular disorders, epilepsy, ADHD, misokinesia, and sensory processing disorders, these tools can be challenging to use due to inaccessible features and settings. In particular, many Adobe products lack options for reducing or eliminating animations, blinking cursors, and other visual effects that can be overstimulating or even harmful.
Persistent Animations and Lack of Customization Options
Despite the fact that operating systems like macOS and Windows now offer settings like “prefers reduced motion” and “prefers non-blinking cursors,” Adobe’s software often ignores or overrides these system settings. This leads to a series of accessibility challenges:
- Blinking Text Caret (Cursor)
For those using Adobe Acrobat or other text-based Adobe applications, the blinking text caret can be a significant issue. A blinking cursor can exacerbate symptoms for individuals with misophonia, ADHD, and misokinesia, or sensitivity to repetitive, involuntary movements. Additionally, for those with vestibular disorders and epilepsy, these repetitive flashes can lead to dizziness, nausea, and, in some cases, migraines. Unfortunately, Adobe software does not offer an option to disable or reduce the caret blink rate, which can make reading or editing text a frustrating experience. - “Marching Ants” Selection Indicators
Adobe Photoshop and InDesign use blinking “marching ants” to outline selected areas. For users with ADHD, this persistent flickering can be highly distracting, while those with vestibular disorders may find it disorienting. The absence of an option to turn off or modify this visual effect means these users have little choice but to endure the discomfort or find alternative tools. - Loading Spinners and Progress Animations
Loading animations are common across Adobe products and typically consist of spinning or pulsating indicators. These animations can be problematic for users with sensory processing disorders and ADHD, as they draw attention and can overwhelm the senses, interrupting workflow. Adobe currently lacks an option to replace these animated indicators with static alternatives. - Zoom and Pan Animations
For individuals with vestibular disorders, animations for zooming, panning, and transitioning between views in Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects can be disorienting. Though some Adobe software allows users to customize navigation and transitions, they are often inconsistent, leaving certain effects unmodifiable. This lack of uniformity can be disorienting for individuals sensitive to motion and may contribute to motion sickness or other vestibular symptoms.
Broader Accessibility Needs Across Adobe’s Suite
Adobe has recently made strides toward more accessible design features, such as improved screen reader compatibility and captioning options in video software. However, the needs of users with sensory processing sensitivities, ADHD, and neurological disorders remain largely unaddressed.
While there are a few workarounds, they often require advanced technical knowledge and may only partially mitigate symptoms. For example, users can attempt to install third-party plugins to reduce or eliminate certain animations in Photoshop and Illustrator, but these solutions are neither seamless nor foolproof. Additionally, such workarounds may not be accessible to all users, particularly those without a strong technical background.
Moving Toward More Inclusive Software Design
Adobe has the opportunity to improve accessibility by developing customizable options for users who require minimal visual stimulation. Potential solutions could include:
- Respecting System Settings: Adobe could modify their software to adhere to system-wide preferences for reduced motion and non-blinking cursors. Following these preferences would allow users to rely on their operating system settings for a consistent experience across applications.
- Offering Static Display Options: Providing an option to display static indicators instead of animations (such as non-blinking selection outlines or progress indicators) would make these tools far more user-friendly for individuals with sensory sensitivities.
- Customizable Caret and Selection Styles: Adobe could allow users to choose caret styles, blinking speeds, or disable blinking altogether. In addition, they could offer alternatives to the “marching ants” selection that do not require flickering lines.
Ultimately, improving accessibility for users with vestibular disorders, epilepsy, ADHD, misokinesia, and sensory processing disorders is not only a matter of inclusion but also of ethics and innovation. Designing with accessibility in mind ensures that Adobe’s powerful tools can be used safely and effectively by a broader audience, reducing barriers for creative professionals who require a more static, visually manageable workspace.
