DisableAnimationsRule

build.gradle

task grantAnimationPermission(type: Exec, dependsOn: 'installDebug') {
    commandLine "adb shell pm grant com.my.app.id android.permission.SET_ANIMATION_SCALE".split(' ')
}
  
tasks.whenTaskAdded { task ->
    if (task.name.startsWith('connected')) {
        task.dependsOn grantAnimationPermission
    }
}

DisableAnimationsRule.java

// Source: http://product.reverb.com/2015/06/06/disabling-animations-in-espresso-for-android-testing/
public class DisableAnimationsRule implements TestRule {
    private Method mSetAnimationScalesMethod;
    private Method mGetAnimationScalesMethod;
    private Object mWindowManagerObject;
 
    public DisableAnimationsRule() {
        try {
            Class<?> windowManagerStubClazz = Class.forName("android.view.IWindowManager$Stub");
            Method asInterface = windowManagerStubClazz.getDeclaredMethod("asInterface", IBinder.class);
 
            Class<?> serviceManagerClazz = Class.forName("android.os.ServiceManager");
            Method getService = serviceManagerClazz.getDeclaredMethod("getService", String.class);
 
            Class<?> windowManagerClazz = Class.forName("android.view.IWindowManager");
 
            mSetAnimationScalesMethod = windowManagerClazz.getDeclaredMethod("setAnimationScales", float[].class);
            mGetAnimationScalesMethod = windowManagerClazz.getDeclaredMethod("getAnimationScales");
 
            IBinder windowManagerBinder = (IBinder) getService.invoke(null, "window");
            mWindowManagerObject = asInterface.invoke(null, windowManagerBinder);
        }
        catch (Exception e) {
            throw new RuntimeException("Failed to access animation methods", e);
        }
    }
 
    @Override
    public Statement apply(final Statement statement, Description description) {
        return new Statement() {
            @Override
            public void evaluate() throws Throwable {
                setAnimationScaleFactors(0.0f);
                try { statement.evaluate(); }
                finally { setAnimationScaleFactors(1.0f); }
            }
        };
    }
 
    private void setAnimationScaleFactors(float scaleFactor) throws Exception {
        float[] scaleFactors = (float[]) mGetAnimationScalesMethod.invoke(mWindowManagerObject);
        Arrays.fill(scaleFactors, scaleFactor);
        mSetAnimationScalesMethod.invoke(mWindowManagerObject, scaleFactors);
    }
}

Usage.java

@ClassRule
public static DisableAnimationsRule disableAnimationsRule = new DisableAnimationsRule();