iPad Won't Rotate? Here's the Complete Guide to Fix!

Jul 12, 2024 • Filed to: Mobile Repair Solutions • Proven solutions

0

Are you wondering why your iPad won't rotate? If yes, then the following guide is for you.

Many people prefer the iPad over iPhone to watch movies, to learn lessons, and for many other reasons. The big screen of the iPad allows users to easily read and watch everything on the screen. Also, the screen rotation is a great function of the iPad that gives users much convenience, especially when watching a movie or playing a game.

But sometimes, the iPad screen won't rotate. You turn it left, right, and upside-down, but the screen is not rotating. Luckily, iPad not the rotating problem can be solved with the following guide.

Take a look!

Part 1: Why won't iPad rotate?

There are many reasons why your iPad won't rotate, and some of them are as follow:

ipad screen not rotating

Accidental Fall

When your iPad falls accidentally but does not break, then it can be the reason for the rotate screen not working. But, if the screen is broken or damaged, then you need to contact the Apple Support Center to get it fixed.

Unsupported Apps

Most apps are designed for iPhone, and few are designed for iPad that supports one orientation. So, it is possible that some apps do not support the auto-rotate feature of the iPad screen. In this case, you can check the issue for all apps installed on your device. If the screen rotates for some, then it means there is no issue with iPad screen rotation, but with the app, you are using.

Software Glitch

It is possible that you are not able to see the rotation lock icon on your iPad's screen. In this case, it is possible that your iPad is experiencing a software glitch. To solve this issue, you can turn the iPad off completely then restart it.

Rotation Lock Turn On

Have you accidentally turned on the rotation lock? You don't know how to turn it off, and you are facing an iPad screen that won't rotate issue. When the rotation lock is enabled on your device, then also your screen won't rotate. So make sure to turn it off.

But how to turn off the rotation lock? Read the following part.

Part 2: How to turn off Rotation Lock in Control Center?

Most of the time, iPad users mistakenly turn on the rotation lock, due to which the iPad fails to rotate the screen. Here are the steps to turn off the rotation lock in the control center:

For iPad with iOS 12 or later:

  • Open the control center by scrolling down from the top-right corner of the screen.
  • Look for the Device Orientation Lock button

screen rotation icon on ipad

  • Click it to turn it off. If the button turns white from red, it means it is off.

For iPad with iOS 11 or earlier:

  • Open the Control Center by scrolling up from the bottom edge of the screen.
  • Click the Device Orientation Lock button to turn it off.

Part 3: How to turn off Rotation Lock with Side Switch?

For the older iPad, such as iPad Air, you can use the side switch on the right side to turn off rotation. Set the side switch to work as a rotation lock or mute switch with the following steps.

  • First, go to Setting and then go to General.
  • Look for "USE SIDE SWITCH TO" and select "Lock Rotation".
  • Now, if the iPad cannot rotate, you can just toggle the side switch
  • Lastly, try to test whether the iPad gets normal.

But if you check “mute” under “USE SIDE SWITCH TO”, the side switch will be used to mute the iPad. In this case, you can see the Lock Rotation in the control center and turn off the Rotation Lock as Part 2 introduced.

turn off the lock rotation

Models of iPad have Side Switch

Apple has discontinued the side switch with the introduction of the iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 4. The iPad Pro models also come without a side switch.

But, if you have iPad Air, iPad Mini / iPad Mini 2 / iPad Mini 3, or iPad (3rd and 4th generation), you can use these steps. It is because all these models of iPad have side switch.

Part 4: What to do if the iPad still won't rotate?

If you have followed the guide above to turn off the Rotation lock, but the iPad still won't rotate. In this case, check the following guide to do further troubleshooting. 

4.1 Force restart iPad

It is possible that due to a software issue, you are not able to rotate iPad screen. So, in this case, force rebooting of the iPad can solve the issue. This will restart your device and can also fix minor bugs.

Force restart the iPad with the home button

  • To force restart your iPad, press and hold down the sleep/wake and home buttons together.

turn off lock rotation with side switch

  • Now, the Apple logo will appear on your iPad screen.

restart the ipad

  • Once it is done, try to rotate the screen of your iPad; hopefully, the problem gets fixed.

Force restart the latest iPad models with no home button

If you have the latest iPad then follow these steps to force restart the iPad:

force restart the ipad

  • First, press and quickly release the volume up button.
  • Again, press and quickly release the volume down button.
  • Now, press and hold the power button present at the top until a restart started.

4.2 Reset All Settings

If the iPad doesn't rotate issue persists, you can try resetting iPadOS settings. With this, you will be able to reset all things like Wi-Fi connections and network settings. This is also a great way to take care of some unidentifiable iPadOS bugs to fix the rotation lock issue.

But before resetting the iPad, it is important to back up all the data.

Dr.Fone da Wondershare

Dr.Fone - Phone Backup (iOS)

Selectively backup your iPad data in 3 minutes!

  • One click to backup the whole iOS device to your computer.
  • Allow previewing and selectively export data from your iPhone/iPad to your computer.
  • No data loss on devices during the restoration.
  • Works for all iOS devices. Compatible with the latest iOS version. New icon
Available on: Windows Mac
3981454 people have downloaded it

Take Back-Up of iPad using iTunes/Finder:

    • First, you need to connect your iPad to the computer using a USB cable. 
    • After this, open iTunes or Finder on Mac. Then follow the onscreen instructions and confirm to trust the computer.
    • Select your iPad > click Summary.

select ipad

    • Finally, hit the "Back Up Now" option.

back up ipad

Once the backup is done, erase all content and settings. Here are the steps:

  • Go to Settings on iPad, then go to General.
  • Now, scroll down until you reach the Reset option.

reset all settings of ipad

  • After this, choose "Erase All Content and Settings" to erase the entire data from your iPad.

erase all content from ipad

  • Now, you will need to enter the passcode to restore the iPad to factory settings.

4.3 The App You are Using is Crashed

It's possible your iPhone, or iPad screen won't rotate because of a software glitch in the operating system or in the app you're using. On devices like iPads, bugs crop up occasionally, but developers' updates fix them.

So, in this case, you need to check for updates if the force restart doesn't work.

  • First, go to Settings and then look for General
  • In general, go to Software Update for iPadOS on your iPad.

software update on ipad

  • Download and install available updates.
  • After this, go to the App Store and tap your profile picture present in the top-right corner. This will help you to check updates for apps.
  • Now, tap on the very available update in front of your apps.

4.4 Fix iPad Won't Rotate with One Click: Dr.Fone - System Repair (iOS)

dr.fone wondershare

Dr.Fone - System Repair

Repair iOS System Errors Without data loss.

  • Only fix your iOS to normal, no data loss at all.
  • Fix various iOS system issues stuck in recovery mode, white Apple logo, black screen, looping on start, etc.
  • Downgrade iOS without iTunes at all.
  • Works for all models of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
  • Fully compatible with the latest iOS 15.New icon
Available on: Windows Mac
3981454 people have downloaded it

With Dr.Fone - System Repair (iOS), you can easily fix system errors or software glitches, such as iPad restarts. It is very easy to use and you do not need any technical knowledge to use Dr.Fone.

The best part is that it works for all models of iPad and supports iOS 15 too. Follow these steps to fix the iPad screen not rotating problem:

  • First, you will need to install and launch the Dr.Fone toolkit on your computer and then choose "System Repair" from the home page.

dr fone system repair ios

  • Connect your iPad to the computer with the help of a lightning cable. Then select the “Standard Mode” option.
  • Now choose the model of your device and click on the “Start” button to download the recent firmware updates.

firmware update with dr fone

  • Wait for some time as the respective firmware update.
  • Once the firmware is downloaded, click on the "Fix Now" button to resolve the issue with your iPad.

Conclusion

Now with the above ways, you know how to fix the iPad won't rotate issue. You can check the reasons why your iPad screen is not rotating and get it fixed with the help of the above solutions. iPad is the best device to use for watching movies and reading books online with rotating screen according to your comfort.

Daisy Raines

staff Editor

(Click to rate this post)

Generally rated4.5(105participated)

iPad Issues​

iPad Beta Install
iPad DFU Mode
iPad Recovery Mode
iPad Update/Downgrade
iPad Common Problems
iPad App Problems
iPad Button Problems
iPad Charging Problems
iPad Keyboard Problems
iPad Screen Problems
drfone
Your Complete Mobile Solution
  • ● Manage/transfer/recover data
  • ● Unlock screen/activate/FRP lock
  • ● Fix most iOS and Android issues
Try Now Try Now Try Now
Home > How-to > Mobile Repair Solutions > iPad Won't Rotate? Here's the Complete Guide to Fix!