You can disable auto-rotate on your iPhone by using the Orientation Lock feature in the Control Center. This setting allows you to keep your screen in either portrait or landscape orientation, preventing it from automatically changing as you rotate your device. As mentioned in the reference, you may find that you would like your iPhone to stay in the portrait orientation, and disabling auto-rotate achieves this.
How to Turn Off Auto Rotate
Disabling auto-rotate locks your screen orientation, most commonly to portrait mode. Here’s how to do it:
-
Open Control Center:
- On iPhones with Face ID (iPhone X and later): Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen.
- On iPhones with a Home button (iPhone 8 and earlier): Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.
-
Find the Orientation Lock Icon: Look for an icon that looks like a lock surrounded by a circular arrow.
-
Tap the Icon to Lock Orientation: Tap this icon. When it turns red and the icon appears white against the red background, the Portrait Orientation Lock is enabled.
-
Confirm Lock is Active: When the Portrait Orientation Lock is active, you will typically see a small lock icon in the status bar at the top of your screen (on the left side on newer iPhones, or in the center on older iPhones when notifications are not showing).
| Icon Status | Meaning | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| 🔒↩️ (Gray) | Orientation Lock is OFF | Screen rotates automatically based on device orientation. |
| 🔒↩️ (Red) | Portrait Orientation Lock is ON | Screen stays in portrait mode (vertical). |
Once enabled, your iPhone screen will remain in the portrait orientation even if you turn the device sideways, which is particularly useful for activities like reading or browsing social media where portrait view is preferred.
Re-Enabling Auto Rotate
To allow your screen to rotate automatically again, simply follow the same steps:
- Open Control Center.
- Tap the red Portrait Orientation Lock icon.
- The icon will turn gray, indicating that auto-rotate is now enabled.
This Control Center shortcut provides a quick and easy way to toggle screen rotation on and off whenever you need it.
