You can rotate the iPad screen to see your favorite apps in your preferred orientation. For instance, when you’re watching a video on your iPad, you might want to watch it in landscape mode. Meanwhile, if you’re using iMessage or searching for something on Safari, you might prefer the portrait mode. The good thing is that changing your screen orientation on the iPad is effortless.
To change the iPad’s orientation, ensure the screen lock is off and rotate the screen in your preferred orientation. If that doesn’t work, dismiss all the apps from the app drawer and try again. Restart your iPad and try again if you cannot rotate the screen.
Read on to know more about changing the orientation on the iPad and what to do if you’re unable to change it.
Screen Rotation on the iPad
Some iPad programs and applications are best when viewed in the broader landscape view, while others look better in the portrait mode. On your iPad, it’s easy to change the screen orientation and lock it to prevent frustration during use.
However, one thing to remember is that screen orientation on the iPad differs from on the iPhone. You can view your iPhone in the broader landscape view, which is ideal for recording videos or watching shows, or in the narrower portrait mode, which is better for browsing social media or reading.
However, the difference is that it’s impossible to lock the iPhone in landscape mode; you can only lock it in the portrait view. This isn’t the case with the iPad; you can lock the screen in both portrait and landscape mode, and it will lock in the mode you’re holding when you tap the orientation lock.
How To Change Orientation on iPad
If your iPad works fine, it’s effortless to get the screen to rotate in portrait or landscape mode. All you have to do is pick up the device and turn it in your preferred orientation. Doing so will flip the screen to match the position you’re holding it to.
Make sure you hold the iPad perpendicular to the ground while orienting it. This is because the built-in gyro sensor won’t be able to tell the orientation you’re going for if you keep the device flat on your lap or a table.
Once you have it in your desired orientation, you can lock the screen to prevent it from rotating and prevent frustration. To do so, here’s what you need to do.
- Open the iPad’s Control Center. On older models, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up the Control Center. On newer models, swipe down from the upper-right corner.
- In the Control Center, you’ll find the rotation lock icon. This will be a curved arrow towards the right with a padlock in the middle. Your screen rotation is unlocked if the icon is white with a gray background. Meanwhile, the screen is locked if it is orange on a white background. If it’s gray, tap it to activate the lock.
Troubleshooting a Screen That Doesn’t Rotate
Switching off the rotation lock often doesn’t let the screen rotate. This is nothing to worry about; even a new iPad is not immune to software errors.
Before trying these fixes, make sure the app supports rotation. Some apps don’t, so your screen won’t rotate while using the app, even if you have the rotation lock turned off.
If switching the rotation lock off and turning it back on doesn’t allow the iPad screen to go from portrait to landscape mode or vice versa, close all the apps you’re using and try again. This might solve the issue.
If that doesn’t work, you know what comes next: restarting the iPad and trying again.
If you’re still unable to change the screen orientation, the last thing you can try is resetting the iPad settings. This is a little tedious since you need to enter some information like your passwords once again, but it can fix the problem. Here’s how you can reset the settings.
- Go to Settings > “General”.
- At the bottom of the screen, tap “Reset”.
- On the next screen, tap “Reset All Settings” and enter your passcode.
If this also doesn’t work, you should take your iPad to the Apple Store and get it looked at.
Summary
Both landscape and portrait modes have different use cases; the former is good for watching content like videos, while the latter is excellent for reading and browsing social media. You now know how to change orientation on the iPad. If you cannot do it on the first try, don’t worry; try out the fixes listed above, and you’ll be able to get your desired orientation.
