YouTube Screen Rotation Not Working? (Easy Fix + Guide)

The best way to watch YouTube videos on your mobile device is to hold your device horizontally so you can view the videos in landscape.

The video takes up the entire screen, so the image is clearer and larger.

But sometimes, an issue occurs that prevents YouTube videos from rotating into landscape mode.

What should you do?

Why YouTube Doesn’t Rotate when Turning Phone:

Check that “Automatic Rotation” on your device is active. Youtube itself may be causing the issue, so try quitting the app and restarting it. Also, consider your viewing angle—devices have trouble rotating into landscape if held at an odd angle. For Android devices, check the G-Sensor, or accelerometer, on your device.

Help, My YouTube Screen Will Not Rotate on My iPhone

There are a few things to consider if your phone is not rotating when you turn your iPhone.

First, consider how you are holding your phone.

Mobile devices’ screen rotation sensors can sometimes get confused when they’re held at odd angles, so be sure you’re holding your phone at a normal angle when trying to view a video in landscape. 

For example, if you’re lying down and holding the screen above you, screen rotation will sometimes struggle to calibrate.

The next thing you should check is if the rotation lock is active or not.

If rotation lock is on, it will keep your iPhone in portrait orientation. You won’t be able to watch a YouTube video in landscape mode if rotation lock is set.

Check your rotation lock:

• Swipe up on your iPhone to bring up the Control Center
• You will see a small icon with a padlock and an arrow pointing clockwise. That is the rotation lock.
• When active, the icon will be white and orange. If inactive, it should be gray and white.
• Switch it to inactive.

If the orientation lock is not active and YouTube still won’t rotate, you can turn on the orientation lock, then turn it off again. Then try watching the video again.

If this does not fix the rotation issue, try closing the YouTube app and restarting it. 

If this fails to correct the issue, try restarting your iPhone. 

If it still does not work, you may consider resetting all your settings and giving your device a fresh start. Be aware that resetting your phone settings will delete any saved preferences, Wi-fi networks, and passwords.

Here’s how to reset your settings:

• Go to Settings
• Navigate to General
• Press Reset
• Press Reset All Settings
• Enter your passcode

Should this fail, it may be time to bring your device in for servicing.

Check here for more problems around YouTube’s Music App.

Help, My YouTube Screen Will Not Rotate on My iPad

First, make sure you are holding the iPad at a normal angle. iPads may have trouble calibrating the screen if you are holding it at an odd angle.

If this is not the issue, check the rotation settings on your iPad. Here’s how:

• On iPads using iOS 12 or above, swipe down from the top-right corner. (On iPads using iOS 11, double-click the Home button.) The Control Center will appear.
• You will see a small icon with a padlock and an arrow pointing clockwise. That is the rotation lock.
  • On older iPad models, you may find a toggle switch instead of the arrow icon. 
• When rotation lock is active, the icon will be white and orange. If inactive, it should be gray and white.
• Make sure rotation lock is set to inactive.

If your rotation lock is not the issue, try closing the YouTube app and restarting it. 

If the methods above do not work, try restarting your iPad.

As a last resort, you can reset all settings. Be aware that this can be a bit of a headache, though, as your device will forget any saved preferences, Wi-fi networks, and passwords.

Here’s how to reset your settings:

• Go to Settings
• Navigate to General
• Press Reset
• Press Reset All Settings
• Enter your passcode

If none of these fixes resolve the issue, you may need to take your iPad in for service.

Also, check our article on problems with YouTube controls not showing on lock screen.

Help, My YouTube Screen Will Not Rotate on My Android

Android phones and tablets have an automatic rotate option that is set to “On” by default.

If your phone image isn’t rotating, the first thing you need to check is that the automatic rotate option is active:

• Go to Settings
• Navigate to Display
• Click Screen Rotation and make sure automatic rotation is On

If it is set to On, try toggling it Off and back to On again.

Should this method not work, try this:

• Go to Settings
• Head to Application Settings
• Look for YouTube, and click on Storage
• Click on Clear Data to refresh the memory of the YouTube app

If it still does not work, consider calibrating the accelerometer or G-sensor.

What is an accelerometer?

The accelerometer, or G-sensor, is a motion detector used to detect your Android device’s orientation so that it can adapt your screen accordingly.

It helps your Android phone or tablet adjust its position when you rotate from portrait to landscape, and vice versa.

How do you calibrate the G-sensor?

Some Android phones and tablets have a built-in G-sensor calibration feature.

To access the G-sensor in your Android device:

• Go to Settings and look for “Display and Gestures” or “Motion and Gestures” (this option differs on each phone).
• Look for an option that says G-sensor or G-sensor calibration.
• Put your phone down on a flat surface and click calibrate.
• At this point, a circle will start moving around the screen to conduct the calibration.
• The calibration is over when the circle stops moving.

If your phone does not have a calibration tool, you can download one as an app.

Apps include Rotation Control, Accelerometer Sensor, or Bubble Level.

Sources:

‘Why won’t my iPad screen rotate?’: How to turn off the Orientation Lock on an iPad or troubleshoot its screen

How to change Android auto-rotate settings

How to Calibrate a G-Sensor on an Android Smartphone

My iPhone or iPad Screen Won’t Rotate