Auto rotate · Settings guide
How to turn auto rotate on or off on Samsung and Pixel phones
Sources checked · how we check
Auto rotate turns the screen when you turn the phone. Its Quick settings icon also shows the lock state: Portrait or Landscape when rotation is off.
01 · Before you start
Check these first
- The Auto rotate icon looks like a small phone with two arrows and glows blue or white when it's on. Portrait and Landscape icons look like a lock and are grey.
Source: Samsung: turn your Galaxy phone or tablet's screen rotation on or off
02 · Change the setting
Step by step, by device
Turn auto rotate on or off
Swipe down from the top right → tap Auto rotate, Portrait or Landscape
- Swipe down from the top right of the screen to open Quick settings.
- Tap Portrait or Landscape to turn Auto rotate on.
- Tap Auto rotate to turn it off and lock the screen in its current orientation.
Source: Samsung: turn your Galaxy phone or tablet's screen rotation on or off
If the icon is missing
Quick settings → Edit (pencil) → add Auto rotate
- Open Quick settings and tap the Edit icon (the pencil) at the top.
- Tap Edit, then tap the Auto rotate icon. Tap Done when you're finished.
Source: Samsung: turn your Galaxy phone or tablet's screen rotation on or off
Google Pixel
Settings → Display & touch → Auto-rotate screen
- Open Settings and tap Display & touch.
- Turn Auto-rotate screen on or off.
Google notes you can still rotate the screen while Auto-rotate is turned off.
Source: Google: manage screen and display settings on a Pixel phone
If the setting doesn't change
If the screen won't rotate, check the Quick settings icon: if it shows Portrait or Landscape, rotation is locked, so tap it to turn Auto rotate back on.
Source: Samsung: turn your Galaxy phone or tablet's screen rotation on or off
Frequently asked questions
Why won't my Samsung screen rotate?
Auto rotate is probably off. In Quick settings, tap the Portrait or Landscape icon to turn Auto rotate on.
How do I lock my Samsung screen in portrait?
Tap Auto rotate in Quick settings to lock the screen in its current orientation; the icon then shows Portrait or Landscape.