diff --git a/docs/widgets.md b/docs/widgets.md
index fd810e79..d7d11347 100644
--- a/docs/widgets.md
+++ b/docs/widgets.md
@@ -614,7 +614,8 @@ success was. `sinceLabel(ts)` gives that "3m ago" label on its own.
 **Visuals** (self-contained inline SVG/DOM, no extra CSS)
 
 - `sparkline(values, opts?)` returns an `<svg>` area+line chart element.
-- `barFill(percent, opts?)` returns a track+fill bar element.
+- `barFill(percent, opts?)` returns a track+fill bar element. It skips its width
+  transition when the browser asks for reduced motion.
 - `smoothPath(points)` returns a smoothed SVG path string through `[[x,y], ...]`.
 
 Check the toolbox before building a new visual by hand.
diff --git a/ui/js/widget-toolbox.js b/ui/js/widget-toolbox.js
index de878d25..ae62b56e 100644
--- a/ui/js/widget-toolbox.js
+++ b/ui/js/widget-toolbox.js
@@ -152,6 +152,16 @@ export function sparkline(values, opts = {}) {
   return svg;
 }
 
+/* A widget page loads no shared stylesheet, so a reduced-motion rule cannot
+   reach a style set here. Ask for the preference instead. */
+function reducedMotion() {
+  try {
+    return !!window.matchMedia?.('(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)').matches;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 /* opts: { color='#0a84ff', track='rgba(255,255,255,0.10)', height=6, radius=3 } */
 export function barFill(percent, opts = {}) {
   const pct = Math.max(0, Math.min(100, Number(percent) || 0));
@@ -164,7 +174,8 @@ export function barFill(percent, opts = {}) {
   const fill = document.createElement('div');
   fill.style.cssText =
     `position:absolute;left:0;top:0;bottom:0;width:${pct}%;border-radius:${radius}px;` +
-    `background:${opts.color || '#0a84ff'};transition:width .4s ease`;
+    `background:${opts.color || '#0a84ff'}` +
+    (reducedMotion() ? '' : ';transition:width .4s ease');
   track.appendChild(fill);
   return track;
 }
diff --git a/ui/test/widget-toolbox-motion.test.mjs b/ui/test/widget-toolbox-motion.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a0ba9c99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/test/widget-toolbox-motion.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+/* A widget is an iframe that loads no shared stylesheet, so the reduced-motion
+   rule in tokens.css cannot reach it and a rule in the widget's own <style>
+   cannot reach a transition set as an inline style. barFill sets one, so it has
+   to ask for the preference itself.
+
+   Every shipped widget draws its own bars today. This is the toolkit helper the
+   next one is meant to reuse. */
+
+import { test } from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { register } from 'node:module';
+
+register('./js-root-hooks.mjs', import.meta.url);
+globalThis.location = { search: '?id=test' };
+
+/* Enough of a DOM for an element that carries a style string and a child. */
+function stubDom() {
+  globalThis.document = {
+    createElement: () => ({
+      style: { cssText: '' },
+      children: [],
+      appendChild(child) {
+        this.children.push(child);
+        return child;
+      },
+    }),
+  };
+}
+
+/** @param {boolean|null} reduce null means the browser answers no matchMedia */
+function setMotionPreference(reduce) {
+  globalThis.window = reduce === null ? {} : { matchMedia: query => ({ matches: reduce && query.includes('reduce') }) };
+}
+
+stubDom();
+const { barFill } = await import('../js/widget-toolbox.js');
+
+const fillOf = track => track.children[0];
+
+test('the bar animates when no reduced-motion preference is set', () => {
+  setMotionPreference(false);
+  assert.match(fillOf(barFill(40)).style.cssText, /transition:width \.4s ease/);
+});
+
+test('the bar does not animate when reduced motion is asked for', () => {
+  setMotionPreference(true);
+  const css = fillOf(barFill(40)).style.cssText;
+  assert.doesNotMatch(css, /transition/);
+  assert.match(css, /width:40%/, 'the bar still reaches its value, it just does not travel there');
+});
+
+/* The preference is read per call, so a widget that redraws after the setting
+   changes picks up the new answer. */
+test('the preference is read on each call, not once at load', () => {
+  setMotionPreference(true);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(fillOf(barFill(10)).style.cssText, /transition/);
+  setMotionPreference(false);
+  assert.match(fillOf(barFill(10)).style.cssText, /transition/);
+});
+
+/* A browser without matchMedia must still draw a bar. */
+test('a missing matchMedia is treated as no preference', () => {
+  setMotionPreference(null);
+  assert.match(fillOf(barFill(55)).style.cssText, /transition:width \.4s ease/);
+});
+
+test('a throwing matchMedia does not break the bar', () => {
+  globalThis.window = {
+    matchMedia: () => {
+      throw new Error('unsupported');
+    },
+  };
+  const css = fillOf(barFill(55)).style.cssText;
+  assert.match(css, /width:55%/);
+});