Fix Apple iPhone 7 Screen Rotation Not Working

Screen rotation issue has manifested among the first few display problems affecting the new iPhone 7 device. For some reasons, some of the iPhone 7 variants even those that are just recently purchased are depicting troubles when it comes to switching between portrait and landscape modes. Your iPhone display is similar to that of a paper that has two orientations namely portrait and landscape.

Screen Rotation Not Working

Your iPhone is in portrait mode when you hold it upright. It is in landscape mode when it is on its side. If the display orientation does not change when holding your iPhone in either ways, then it can be an indication that screen orientation is not working on your device. Otherwise, the app you are currently using only supports a single screen orientation, or works only in portrait or landscape view.

Among the first few reported symptoms include screen rotation that is not working or the iPhone screen will not switch to landscape from portrait view. Other iPhone 7 users have claimed that when they attempted to have the screen back to portrait, it remains in landscape or vice versa. Many have speculated that this is a factory glitch and most likely software-related but this remains a notion thus far. If you too are wondering what could have prevented the iPhone 7 screen rotation functions to not work as it should, then this content might be able to help you out. Read on to determine the possible causes of screen rotation issues on the new iPhone 7 device and the potential solutions.

Possible causes of screen rotation problems on your iPhone 7

Considering that the main flaw is on the software, there is a higher chance for end-users to fix the problem on their end. You can consider yourself lucky if this is what you are currently dealing with.

However, if the main issue lies within the hardware components, then you have no other option but to take your iPhone to an Apple Genius bar for hardware check and repair. Or you can just contact your device carrier or Apple Support for the best possible recommendation. You might as well opt to avail for service warranty or unit replacement, if you are still eligible. 

Screen rotation problems on iPhones that are software-related are most likely triggered by any of the following factors: 

  • Incorrect settings – in some cases, the problem is isolate to an application like a mobile game app that is designed to not allow screen rotation or remains in a either portrait or landscape mode. Other apps might have some options for you to configure so as to enable screen rotation while using the app. But for apps that don’t, you have no option but to take it as is. As for the iPhone settings, the problem can be tied to a pertinent screen feature like the orientation lock or screen rotation option that is disabled or needs to be turned on or activated.
  • Software bug – this is likely the trigger especially if the problem started right after you install a software update for certain apps or an iOS update. Although software updates are primarily aimed at optimizing a device system, they can also contain some bugs or inconsistencies upon implementation. As a result, some apps in mobile devices become rogue and malfunction. Bugs are among the most common reasons for software malfunctions. It’s possible that certain bugs have messed app with the iOS program designed to carry out input commands for screen rotation.
  • Faulty gyroscope or accelerometer– some said that the gyroscope or accelerometer on the iPhone 7 is to blame. This is likely the case if the screen won’t rotate even if screen rotation is enabled on your device. Should this be the underlying cause, then your best option is to contact Apple Support or your iPhone carrier for problem escalation and verification. You can probably avail for replacement warranty in this case.
  • Hardware damage – apparently, this is considered the worst among other possible causes as it already requires repair. The chances of hardware-related issues in mobile devices to get fixed by end-users are extremely low. It is recommended to seek professional help when dealing with hardware defects to prevent causing further damage to your device.

Recommended workarounds to deal with the iPhone 7 screen rotation problems

Highlighted below are some recommended workarounds in dealing with screen rotation problems on the new iPhone 7 device. These however, are by far deemed temporary solutions as the root cause of the problem is not yet identified. You too can take your chances and give any of these methods a try before opting for service or contacting Apple Support.

Step 1. Reboot (soft reset) your iPhone 7.

A reboot or soft reset often fixes minor issues triggered by random software inconsistencies. Considering the possibility that the iPhone screen rotation is affected by these minor software glitches, you can give this method a shot and see what happens afterwards.

The proper way to perform a soft reset or reboot on the iPhone 7 is done as follow:

  • Press and hold the Sleep/Wake (Power) button for at a few seconds until the red slider appears.
  • Drag the slider to power off the iPhone completely.
  • Wait for at least 30 seconds.
  • After the elapsed time, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button again until the Apple logo appears. Your iPhone will then reboot.

After the reboot, try to hold your iPhone sideways or upright see if screen rotation for both landscape and portrait mode is already functional or working fine.

Force Restart/Hard Reset

In case the screen will not rotate and freezes while using a certain app, there is a higher chance that the problem is isolated to the app. More often, problems like this can be rectified by a force restart on the iPhone.

A force restart works similar to a soft reset but the procedure slightly differs. Here’s how to perform a force restart or hard reset on your iPhone 7:

  • Press and hold the Sleep/Wake (Power) button and the Volume Down button simultaneously for at least 10 seconds and then release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.

Wait for your iPhone to completely reboot then test the display afterwards to see if screen rotation is already working fine.

Step 2. Verify and ensure that Lock Screen option is not turned on or disabled.

Your iPhone screen will not rotate if the Lock screen option is turned on or enabled. To rule out this among the possible causes, check and verify that this option is turned off on your iPhone. Here’s how:

  • Turn on your iPhone 7.
  • Swipe up from the bottom of the Home screen. Doing so will open the Control Center.
  • Navigate to the right corner of the screen, and then tap the Lock screen icon.

The icon that looks like a tiny lock inside a circular arrow located beside the battery icon is the Lock Screen or Portrait Orientation Lock icon. Simply tap this icon to turn Lock screen on or off.

After turning off the Lock screen option, test your iPhone 7 screen by switching between portrait and landscape views or vice versa to see if the screen orientation is now working.

Step 3. Factory reset your iPhone 7.

If none of the previously suggested methods is able to fix the screen rotation problem on your new iPhone, then you may now consider resetting the phone to its factory defaults. Doing so will erase or wipe your iPhone completely, thereby eliminates any possible software bugs or glitches that might have prevented the screen rotation function to work. Before you start, you can back up your iPhone to iCloud or iTunes to save a copy of all your important contents.

Once you’re all set, follow these steps to proceed with a factory reset on your iPhone 7:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Tap General.
  • Scroll to and tap Reset.
  • If prompted, enter your Apple ID and password to continue.
  • Select Reset device.
  • Tap Delete All.

Wait for the factory reset to finish. Your iPhone will reboot after the reset.

You can also use iTunes to restore your iPhone as new. You will need a computer that runs the latest iTunes version to proceed with the method.

More Helpful Tips

Some apps do not support portrait mode while others without landscape mode or both. For example, the Settings app on your iPhone only works in portrait mode while Safari works in both landscape and portrait modes. Many games only work in landscape mode. This is likely the case if an app is not rotating even if portrait orientation lock or lock screen option is turned off unless the app has crashed or gets corrupted. You can try to close out your apps first, re-open them then try to switch between landscape and portrait modes.

To determine whether the problem is isolated to a certain app, you can try opening various apps and see if screen rotation works in those apps.

  • You can also try setting the Display Zoom settings to standard. To do so, go to Settings-> Display & Brightness->Display Zoom-> select Standard.

Reboot your iPhone after making changes to the display settings then try to switch between portrait and landscape views to see if they’re already working.

Contact Apple Support for more help

If none of these methods is able to fix the screen rotation problem or your iPhone 7’s screen still won’t switch between portrait and landscape modes, then you should now consider giving Apple Support or your iPhone carrier a call for more options and further assistance.

At this point, you may as well consider the possibility of hardware damage, inflicting issues on the iPhone’s screen rotation functions. You’ll probably get a replacement if the problem is on the iPhone 7 gyroscope or accelerometer.

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