How to: Lock your iPhone, iPod touch in landscape mode

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How to: Lock your iPhone, iPod touch in landscape mode

9 July 2009 38,291 views 14 Comments

You’re laying in bed on your side, checking mail on your Apple iPod touch. The problem is that the device, cradled in your hand thinks it should be in portrait mode and not landscape.

Here’s what to do: lock the device into landscape display mode.

1.) Starting from portrait mode, turn your touch 90 degrees until it enters landscape

2.) Now roll into that comfy position on your side and turn the touch another 90 degrees in the same direction

3.) Your touch should now be locked into landscape mode

Tip—If you lay on your left side, you will need to turn your touch 90 degrees twice in the counter-clockwise direction. Lay on your right side? Two 90 degree clockwise turns will do the trick, though you need to remember move deliberately.

This quick tip comes in raw form via Mac OS X Hints, Read iPhone/iPod touch screen while lying down.

14 Comments »

lorenzo said:

my iphone 3gs screen seems to be inadvertently locked in portrait. how do i unlock it?

# 1 September 2010 at 6:37 pm

Matt said:

Quickly double tap the home key to bring up the multi tasking row across the bottom of the screen then swipe from left to right and touch the left most icon that looks like a rewind 30 type icon.

What I don’t get is why portrait is the only option. Why not have a preferences settIng for lock in portrait or lock in landscape or better look current orientation. Even if that.requires holding the button longer or until a menu pops up etc.

# 24 October 2010 at 10:11 pm

Gerard said:

Thanks Matt, that did it!!!

# 1 November 2010 at 6:18 pm

harold said:

that really worked

# 5 March 2011 at 9:45 pm

Norm said:

Thanks Matt. Fixed the problem.

# 28 March 2011 at 8:55 pm

Jacob said:

Thanks matt…

# 13 April 2011 at 11:47 am

Keirsten said:

How do I do it on ipod touch???

# 1 June 2011 at 5:58 pm

the rocr (author) said:

Exactly the same way as iPhone.

# 1 June 2011 at 6:59 pm

David said:

Thanks Matt, I have upgraded from a 3G to a 4 and locked the screen. I appreciated your help greatly.
David

# 10 July 2011 at 1:09 am

Temsamani lustapha said:

Merci problème résolu tes explications son parfaite merci encors

# 12 July 2011 at 6:58 am

Rowley said:

Thankyou so much. Just go a new ipod touch and i thought i broke it. Thanks again!

# 16 July 2011 at 1:01 am

Jeremy said:

THANK YOU MATT!!!!!! saved my life!

# 28 July 2011 at 7:06 pm

ipad2dad said:

Matt,
My son’s IPOD TOUCH is locked in portrait mode. When he turns it, he says it never went to landscape automatically. Only some apps start up in landscape. I tried your suggestion of double tapping the home key, but the “rewind” symbol doesn’t appear. Nothing does. His IPOD TOUCH 3G.

# 30 July 2011 at 11:45 pm