Disable all animations of OS X.

disable_all_animation.sh

# opening and closing windows and popovers
defaults write -g NSAutomaticWindowAnimationsEnabled -bool false

# smooth scrolling
defaults write -g NSScrollAnimationEnabled -bool false

# showing and hiding sheets, resizing preference windows, zooming windows
# float 0 doesn't work
defaults write -g NSWindowResizeTime -float 0.001

# opening and closing Quick Look windows
defaults write -g QLPanelAnimationDuration -float 0

# rubberband scrolling (doesn't affect web views)
defaults write -g NSScrollViewRubberbanding -bool false

# resizing windows before and after showing the version browser
# also disabled by NSWindowResizeTime -float 0.001
defaults write -g NSDocumentRevisionsWindowTransformAnimation -bool false

# showing a toolbar or menu bar in full screen
defaults write -g NSToolbarFullScreenAnimationDuration -float 0

# scrolling column views
defaults write -g NSBrowserColumnAnimationSpeedMultiplier -float 0

# showing the Dock
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-time-modifier -float 0
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-delay -float 0

# showing and hiding Mission Control, command+numbers
defaults write com.apple.dock expose-animation-duration -float 0

# showing and hiding Launchpad
defaults write com.apple.dock springboard-show-duration -float 0
defaults write com.apple.dock springboard-hide-duration -float 0

# changing pages in Launchpad
defaults write com.apple.dock springboard-page-duration -float 0

# at least AnimateInfoPanes
defaults write com.apple.finder DisableAllAnimations -bool true

# sending messages and opening windows for replies
defaults write com.apple.Mail DisableSendAnimations -bool true
defaults write com.apple.Mail DisableReplyAnimations -bool true

I use El Capitan and the "Reduce Animations" thing came later. Some more settings that (in my experience) help are:

1. System Preferences > Show Scroll Bars = "Always" (the implementation for the "Auto" setting seems very expensive!)
2. System Preferences > Use LCD font smoothing when available => unchecked
3. Preview Preferences > smooth text & line art => unchecked (expensive)

I am using a MacBook Pro, 16 Gb, i7 with an NVIDIA 650M in docked mode on a 2K thunderbolt display (so anti aliasing is superfluous). Using lexrus' script and these settings the GUI runs as fast an ASUS RoG G703 with an NVIDIA 1080 also hooked into a 2K display.

On the native MacBook Pro screen, this stuff is less or un-necessary.

Thanks a lot lexrus ...

I get awful migraines from this type of animation. I don't think a different screen would change that. And the defaults write -g NSWindowResizeTime -float 0.001 doesn't work in 10.14.6.

Any update in 2024? the window switching animation is killing me