Urgent Accessibility Concerns Regarding Spinning Cursors and Motion-Based UI Elements in Apple Operating Systems
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to formally raise concerns regarding the accessibility of Apple’s macOS, iOS, iCloud, and associated applications for individuals with sensory processing disorders, including autism, misophonia, misokinesia, ADHD, and sensory processing disorder (SPD). As the Director of The International Misophonia Foundation and a Licensed Counselling Therapist-Candidate in New Brunswick, I advocate for individuals affected by these conditions, and it has come to my attention that various motion-heavy UI elements in Apple’s ecosystem create significant sensory distress for neurodivergent users.
One of the most overwhelming and disabling elements in Apple’s interface is the spinning cursor (beachball/pinwheel) and loading indicators, which appear frequently throughout the operating system, including:
•On startup when the Mac is loading.
•In applications when processing or unresponsive.
•On iCloud Pages and other web-based services.
• During system updates and restarts.
These spinning elements may appear harmless to the general population, but for neurodivergent individuals, they can cause severe sensory overload, migraines, anxiety, and fight-or-flight responses (Robertson & Simmons, 2013; Kumar et al., 2017). Specific concerns include:
• The unpredictability of the spinning cursor creates extreme distress for individuals with ADHD, SPD, and autism, who struggle with uncertainty, repetitive motion, and lack of control (Ben-Sasson et al., 2009).
• Pinwheels, spinning cursors, and animated loading indicators contribute to sensory overstimulation and visual fatigue, which can trigger migraines and neurological discomfort (Marcus et al., 2016).
• Misophonia and misokinesia sufferers experience extreme emotional responses, including rage, discomfort, and distress when confronted with spinning visual stimuli (Schröder et al., 2019; Williams et al., 2021).
These UI elements violate Apple’s own commitment to accessibility and fail to adhere to WCAG 2.1 Guidelines, which require that users be provided with options to disable motion-based elements that cause sensory distress (Success Criterion 2.3.3 – Animation from Interactions).
Recommendations for Improvement:
1. Provide an option to replace or disable the spinning beachball and loading indicators with a static progress bar or discreet text-based status updates.
2. Reduce excessive reliance on pinwheels and animated spinners by using subtle, non-distracting UI elements to indicate system activity.
3.Improve system responsiveness to reduce the need for extended loading indicators.
4. Allow users to customize their experience by introducing a “Low Sensory Load” mode in macOS and iOS Accessibility settings.
5.Consult with sensory disorder advocacy groups to refine accessibility features for neurodivergent users.
Apple has been a leader in accessibility, but this issue remains a significant barrier to inclusion for neurodivergent individuals. I urge Apple to take immediate action to provide a less intrusive, sensory-friendly alternative to spinning cursors and pinwheels.
Sincerely,
Shaylynn Hayes-Raymond, LCT-C (New Brunswick)
Director, The International Misophonia Foundation