Turn your Galaxy phone's or tablet's screen rotation on or off
If your Galaxy phone or tablet won't stop rotating its screen, or, on the other hand, if it does not rotate at all, don't panic. Your device comes with screen rotation settings built right in. It's just a matter of making sure you have the correct settings in place. You can make your device's screen rotate freely with Auto rotate, or lock it in one position using either Portrait or Landscape mode.
Locate the Rotate icon
There are three different icons used for changing your screen orientation: Auto rotate, Portrait, and Landscape. Swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers to open Quick settings. You may need to swipe left or right through the pages if you don’t see the icon on the first page.
Auto rotate: Allows your device’s screen orientation to automatically adjust and rotate depending on how you are holding your device. For example, if you turn your device sideways, the screen will automatically switch to Landscape mode. The Auto rotate icon looks like a small phone surrounded by two arrows. The icon will glow blue when enabled.
Portrait or Landscape mode: Portrait locks the screen in the upwards position, while Landscape locks the screen in the sideways position. Both icons look like a lock and are gray when enabled. When enabled, your device's screen will not rotate based on how you are holding it, however apps that are designed for a specific mode will rotate the screen as necessary.
If you still cannot find the screen orientation icon, it's possible that you accidentally removed it from the Quick settings panel. But don't worry, it's easy to add back.
Swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers to open the Quick settings panel. Tap the Edit icon, it looks like a pencil.
Tap Edit under Top if you’d like to add it to the single finger swipe, or tap Edit under Full to add it to the two finger swipe menu.
Touch and hold the Auto rotate icon, and then drag it to your desired position. When you're finished, tap Done. Now the Rotate icon will be easy to reach and you can adjust your screen’s rotation settings accordingly.
Turn Auto rotate, Portrait, or Landscape mode on or off
Auto rotate is turned on by default when you first get your phone or tablet, but it can be turned off at any time. Locking your screen in either Portrait or Landscape mode is actually the same thing as turning off Auto rotate. Once Auto rotate is disabled, your device will lock in whatever position you were holding it in.
To adjust the screen rotation settings:
Swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers to open the Quick settings panel.
Look for the screen orientation icon. Depending on your settings, you may need to look for the Portrait, Landscape, or Auto Rotate icon. Remember, the Portrait and Landscape icons are gray when they're active, while the Auto Rotate icon is blue when enabled.
If the screen is locked in Portrait or Landscape mode and you need to change it, tap the icon (either Portrait or Landscape) so it activates Auto rotate. If Auto rotate is already activated, you don't need to select anything.
After Auto rotate is enabled, close the Quick settings panel. Next, hold your device in your desired position – either upright or sideways.
Open Quick settings again. Whether you are holding your device upwards or sideways, swipe down from the top of the screen. Tap the Auto rotate icon to lock your device in your desired position. Remember, Portrait is when the device is upwards, and Landscape is when the device is sideways.
Once your screen is locked in Portrait or Landscape mode, your screen will no longer rotate when you turn your device.
To unlock your screen or change the screen orientation, repeat these same steps until you’ve set your desired screen position.
Note: Some apps may not be capable of rotation and will still open in Portrait or Landscape mode by default. Many screens may not support rotating the device upside-down.
Have the Home screen appear in Landscape mode
By default, your device's screen will not rotate when you are on the Home screen, but you can change this. Simply go to your Home screen settings to make your Home screen rotate sideways.
To check other rotation settings, open the Quick settings panel by swiping down from the top of the screen. Touch and hold the Auto rotate icon to open its settings, and then review the options for the Home screen, Lock screen, and Voice call screen. You can turn on your preferred settings by tapping the switches next to them, and then tapping Done.
Note: This option is not available on tablets.
Temporarily lock rotation when Auto rotate is enabled
Even if Auto rotate is enabled, you can temporarily lock the screen so it doesn't rotate. This can be helpful if you are looking at a PDF or document and want to rotate your hand or device without changing your screen orientation.
To do this, keep a finger on the screen while turning the phone or tablet. The screen will stay in its original orientation as long as you hold your finger in place. Release your finger to allow the screen to rotate.
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