Feb 21, 2025 • Filed to: Mobile Repair Solutions • Proven solutions
"I just updated to IOS 18 about a week ago and since then I haven’t been able to rotate my screen, Portrait Orientation is off and I’ve restarted my iPhone. What else can I do? It’s like this for every app as well, including my Home Screen and Safari."
Apple is known all over the world for its flagship iPhone series. One of the most sought-after and premium smartphone series out there, it is appreciated by millions of users. Though, there are times when iPhone users also face a few setbacks regarding their devices. For instance, the iPhone screen won't rotate a common problem that is faced by plenty of users. Whenever my iPhone screen won't rotate, I fix it by following some easy solutions. If your iPhone won't turn sideways, then follow these expert suggestions.
Remember to backup your iPhone to iTunes before you fix any iPhone issues.
One of the most common mistakes that iPhone users make is not checking the screen rotation status of their device. If the screen rotation of the iPhone is locked, then it won't turn sideways. There are lots of users who keep the screen rotation locked as per their convenience. Though, after a while, they simply forget to check the screen lock status of their device.
Therefore, if your iPhone screen won't rotate, then start by checking its screen rotation status. To do this, check the steps below:
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After disabling the Portrait Orientation Mode, the chances are that you would be able to fix the iPhone screen won't rotate the problem. Nevertheless, there are times when my iPhone screen won't rotate even after disabling the screen rotation lock. This is because not every app supports landscape mode. There are a few iOS applications that run only on Portrait mode.
At the same time, you would find plenty of applications that work on Landscape mode only. These applications can be used to check whether the screen rotation feature on your device is working properly or not. One can also find different kinds of dedicated apps regarding the screen rotation feature of your phone. For instance, the Rotate on Shake app can be used to rotate your phone's screen by simply shaking it.
Furthermore, you can check the functioning of your phone's screen rotation feature by playing various games. There are different iOS games (like Super Mario, Need for Speed, and more) that only work in the Landscape mode. Simply launch an app like this and check if it can rotate your phone's screen or not. Whenever my iPhone screen won't rotate, I launch an app like this to check whether it is functioning properly or not.
If the Display Zoom feature is turned on, then it might interfere with the natural rotation of your screen. There are times when users turn on the Display Zoom feature to enhance the overall visibility of apps on their device's home screen. After turning on the Display Zoom feature, you will realize that the icon size would be increased, and the padding between icons would be reduced.
Though, this would automatically overwrite the screen rotation feature on your device. Most of the time, even when the Display Zoom feature is turned on, users are not able to notice it beforehand. If your iPhone won't turn sideways even after turning off the Portrait Orientation Lock, then you can follow this solution. Just follow these steps to fix the screen rotation problem on your device by disabling its Display Zoom.
After saving your selection, your phone would be restarted in the Standard mode. Once it is done, check if you can resolve the iPhone won't turn sideways issue or not.
If, after following all the above-mentioned solutions, you are still not able to resolve the iPhone screen won't rotate problem, then the chances are that there could be a hardware-related issue with your device. The screen rotation feature on an iPhone is controlled by its accelerometer. It is a sensor that tracks the overall movement of the device. Therefore, if your iPhone's accelerometer is malfunctioning or broken, then it won't be able to detect the rotation of your phone.
Additionally, if you are using an iPad, then ensure the functioning of the Side Switch. In some devices, it can be used to control the screen rotation feature. If there is a hardware-related issue on your phone, then you should try not to experiment with it yourself. To resolve this problem, we recommend that you should visit a nearby Apple Store or an authentic iPhone service center. This will help you overcome this setback without much trouble.
We hope that after following these suggestions, you would be able to fix the iPhone screen won't rotate the problem on your phone. Whenever my iPhone screen won't rotate, I follow the above-mentioned steps to fix it. If you also have an easy fix to the iPhone won't turn sideways issue, then feel free to share it with the rest of us in the comments below.
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