How to check if your phone's orientation is locked

Your phone stays upright when you turn it sideways, or it keeps switching between portrait and landscape when you do not want it to. A rotation setting may be responsible, but the app you are using might not support rotation either.

Use the Sensors Test to see whether the phone's motion readings respond as you move it. Then check the rotation setting on your iPhone or Android phone.

Check the phone's orientation

1. Open the Sensors Test in a browser on the phone you want to check.
2. If the browser asks to access motion or orientation data, allow it. Sensor access depends on your browser and its permissions.
3. Hold the phone upright, then slowly tilt it forward, backward, and from side to side. Watch the motion or gyroscope readings in the test for changes.
4. Open an app that normally rotates, such as a video player or a web page, and turn the phone sideways. Note whether the screen turns.
5. Check the rotation control in Control Center on iPhone or Quick Settings on Android. If rotation is locked, turn the lock off or enable Auto-rotate, then try the app again.

Keep the phone in your hand while testing. A phone lying flat on a table may show less obvious changes, and some readings shift depending on how the device is held.

What the result means

The sensor readings change, but the screen stays in one direction

The phone is detecting movement. The rotation lock may be on, or the app may not rotate in the direction you expect. Check the rotation control, then test a different app that supports both portrait and landscape views.

The screen rotates after you change the setting

Rotation lock was the cause. On an iPhone, the control is called Portrait Orientation Lock. On Android, look for Auto-rotate. The exact label can vary by phone maker.

The sensor readings do not change

This does not prove the motion sensor is broken. The browser may not have permission, the browser may not expose sensor data, or the test may not be receiving it. Check for a permission prompt, try another browser, and compare the phone's behavior in a built-in app that uses motion, such as its compass if available.

Only one app refuses to rotate

The app may be designed for portrait mode, or it may have its own screen orientation setting. Rotation lock usually affects apps that support rotation, not every screen on the phone.

How to turn rotation back on

1. Check the rotation control. On iPhone, swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center. If the button with a lock and circular arrow is highlighted, tap it to turn off Portrait Orientation Lock. On Android, swipe down twice to open Quick Settings and tap Auto-rotate. If the tile says Portrait or Landscape, tap it to enable rotation.
2. Check the Android display setting. Open Settings › Display › Auto-rotate screen and turn it on if your phone has this option. Menu names can differ by manufacturer, so search Settings for “auto-rotate” if you cannot find it.
3. Try another app. Rotate the phone while viewing a video or a page that supports landscape mode. If that screen rotates, the first app may have its own restriction or may not support landscape.
4. Restart the app. Close it completely, open it again, and rotate the phone. A temporary app issue can stop it from responding to the phone's orientation.
5. Restart the phone. If sensor readings change but no supported app rotates with the lock off, restart the device and test again.
6. Check for a system update. Install an available operating system update if the problem continues across several apps. An update may fix a system problem affecting rotation or sensor access.

When it may be a sensor problem

If the test shows no movement after you have allowed sensor access, try another browser and a built-in app that relies on motion. Also remove a case or accessory that may interfere with the phone, then restart it. If several apps still cannot detect movement and auto-rotate remains enabled, contact the phone maker or a repair shop. A browser test can show whether readings change, but it cannot confirm that a sensor is electrically damaged.

Rotation lock and motion sensors are different

Rotation lock controls whether the screen changes between portrait and landscape. It does not necessarily switch off the phone's motion sensors. That is why the Sensors Test can respond when you tilt the phone even while the screen stays upright. Conversely, sensor access can be restricted by a browser or operating system setting, so a lack of readings alone does not tell you whether rotation lock is on.