How to Change Your Screen from Vertical to Horizontal

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If you are trying to view a compatible app on your phone or tablet horizontally but your screen just will not turn, do not worry! There are relatively quick fixes available on each platform. This wikiHow article will teach you how to change from the vertical to the horizontal view on iPhone and iPad, Android phones and tablets, and external displays.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

On iPhone and iPad

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    If your iPhone or iPad does not have a home button, swipe down and left from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center. [1]
    • If your iPhone or iPad has a home button, Control Center can be opened by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
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    Look for the square icon with a lock and a circular arrow inside of it. If the lock is unlocked and the icon is grey and white, it is disabled. If the lock is locked and the icon is red and white, it is enabled. [2]
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    Open an app that can be viewed horizontally like Safari or Messages and turn your iPhone or iPad. Your screen should automatically rotate!
    • Currently, you can only rotate the home screen on iPhone Plus and Max models. This can be done by going to the home screen and holding your phone horizontally.
    • You can rotate the home screen on an iPad simply by holding it horizontally.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

On Android Phones and Tablets

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    Quick settings can be opened by swiping down twice from the top of your screen. [3]
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    This will open the Settings app on your phone or tablet. [4]
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    This category allows you to manipulate a variety of settings related to the screen of your phone or tablet.
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    Scroll until you find the Auto-rotate screen category, then tap it to bring up screen rotation options. [5]
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    In Android 12, Google augmented auto-rotate with a face detection feature. Enabling auto-rotate is necessary to easily rotate your phone or tablet, but you can choose if you want to enable face detection for more accurate rotations.
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    Your apps can now easily be rotated on your phone or tablet! Be sure that the app you are trying to rotate has a horizontal interface, otherwise, it will not rotate.
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    If you want to rotate your home screen on your phone, follow these extra steps to make that possible.
    • If you are using a tablet, you can rotate your home screen by simply rotating the tablet horizontally.
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    This will open a menu of settings specific to your home screen.
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    Depending on your phone and its version of Android, you will need to enable something like “Allow Home screen rotation” or disable something like “Portrait mode only” by tapping the toggle to the right of the option. [6]
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    Your home screen should now be able to rotate!
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

On an External Display

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    Follow the appropriate method above to ensure your phone or tablet screen can rotate while disconnected from external displays.
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    Try opening different apps or swiping between pages of your home screen to ensure your external display is updating properly. [7]
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    After rotating your phone or tablet, the screen on your external display should automatically update with the new orientation! [8]
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      Tips

      • If you have followed the method for your phone or tablet in this article, but the screen still will not rotate, consider submitting a support request with the manufacturer of your product online or taking it into a store.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204547
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204547
      3. ↑ https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6006961?hl=en
      4. ↑ https://hitechglitz.com/how-to-use-android-12s-clever-new-auto-rotate-system-2/
      5. ↑ https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6006961?hl=en
      6. ↑ https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00088202/
      7. ↑ https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-mirror-android-to-tv/
      8. ↑ https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-mirror-android-to-tv/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. For iPhone, disable rotation lock in Control Center and turn your phone sideways on a compatible app.
      2. For Android, enable auto-rotation in the Display category of Settings.
      3. To rotate your home screen on Android, enable home screen rotation in the Home Settings menu.
      4. For Windows Phone, disable rotation lock in Settings and turn your phone sideways.
      5. If you are using an external display, rotate your phone horizontally and the display should automatically update.

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