Widely available Niche but useful for specialized environments where display update capability affects perceived quality.

Update frequency media query

The update CSS media feature can be used to test how frequently (if at all) the output device is able to modify the appearance of content once rendered.

Display behaviorPerformanceMedia query

Browser support

Feature Desktop Mobile
Chrome
Edge
Firefox
Safari
Chrome Android
Safari iOS
css.at-rules.media.update
113
113
102
17
113
17
1+Supported (version) Not supported ※Has note Sub-feature descriptions sourced from MDN Web Docs (CC BY-SA 2.5)

Syntax

CSS 
@media (update: slow) {
  * { animation: none !important; }
}
@media (update: none) {
  .animated { display: none; }
}

Live demo

update: fast

CSS Update: fast demo.

PreviewFullscreen

update: slow

CSS Update: slow demo.

PreviewFullscreen

update: none

CSS Update: none demo.

PreviewFullscreen

Use cases

  • Display-aware motion tuning

    Reduce animation complexity when the output cannot update fluidly.

  • Static output adaptation

    Adjust presentation for print-like or slow-refresh environments where animation would not make sense.

Cautions

  • This is an environment hint, not a replacement for broader reduced-motion support.
  • Only specialized interfaces usually need to branch on update frequency directly.

Accessibility

  • Reducing unnecessary motion can support users sensitive to animation and visual instability.
  • If motion is important to understanding, provide a non-animated equivalent as well.

Related links