You can stop the iPhone 13 from rotating automatically by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen and then tapping the Portrait Orientation Lock button.
Our article below includes further information on the iPhone orientation lock, as well as another way to use it by modifying a device accessibility setting.
You can also watch this video about how to turn off auto rotate on iPhone 13 for more on this topic.
How to Turn Off Screen Rotation on an iPhone 13 (With Pictures)
The actions in this post were carried out using an iPhone 13 running iOS 16.6.
Once you’ve completed the steps in this guide and know how to turn off auto rotate on iPhone 13, keep that setting in mind since you’ll probably need to enable it again at some point in the future.
Step 1: Open the Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen.
Step 2: Tap the lock-shaped button with a circular arrow around it.
The Portrait Orientation Lock button is located here. When the button is white, the lock is on, and you will be unable to flip the screen to landscape.
If you haven’t used the Control Center in a while, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. This menu has several important functions that are easier to use this way, such as adjusting the display, altering the volume, or turning off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other features.
You may also go to Settings > Control Center and remove or add things to the Control Center that you think would be more useful to you.
Related: How to Turn on AirDrop on an iPhone 13
Our tutorial continues below with further information regarding the portrait orientation lock on the iPhone 13.
Turning Off Auto Rotate on an iPhone Video
More Details on How to Landscape the iPhone 13
If you have the AssistiveTouch circle on your screen because you activated that function, you may also add an orientation lock option to that control.
Simply navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch, then select either the Single-Tap, Double-Tap, or Long Press option under Custom Actions, and then select the Lock Rotation option.
You could also access the Customize Top Level Menu screen, select an activity, and then set Lock Rotation to that action.
You may then apply the orientation lock by using that gesture on the AssistiveTouch button.
When you enable the portrait orientation lock, your iPhone will remain in portrait mode regardless of how you hold it.
This lock will not affect apps that only display in landscape mode. There are a few games, for example, that only open in landscape mode and will continue to do so.
If you need to get your phone back into landscape mode, return to the Control Center and hit the same button to turn it off.
When the portrait orientation lock button on your iPhone 13 turns gray, you know it’s switched off. After you tap the button, a message appears at the top of the screen informing you of the state of the orientation lock.
There is no status indication on the Home screen of newer Apple device models, such as the iPhone 13, to inform you that the portrait orientation lock is activated. When the lock is enabled, you will see a lock icon at the top of the screen on older iPhone models with a Home button. This also applies to other Apple devices, such as the iPad and iPod touch, where you may lock the screen orientation.
If you swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen and nothing happens, your iOS device may have an alternative way of opening the Control Center. In that situation, you must instead swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
Summary – How to Disable the iPhone 13’s Auto Rotate Setting
- Swipe down from the screen’s top-right corner.
- Touch the Portrait Orientation Lock button.
Conclusion
While rotating your iPhone between landscape and portrait modes might be handy, it can also be annoying.
This is especially true if it is related to how you are positioned rather than how you hold your gadget.
If you’re having problems reading on your iPhone because the screen keeps switching angles, you’re probably wondering how to turn off auto rotate on iPhone 13.
Our tutorial above on how to disable auto rotate on iPhone 13 has walked you through the process of altering the portrait orientation lock setting so that the device remains in portrait mode.
When you turn your iPhone, the screen normally turns with you. This happens because the iPhone contains an accelerometer, which detects how you are holding the device.
Typically, this is a really useful feature because you are attempting to view anything in a different orientation, and the phone’s adjustment assists you.
However, it can occasionally prohibit you from viewing something on your screen how you wish. Perhaps you aren’t standing or sitting erect, and the phone isn’t correctly determining your desired orientation.
Fortunately, you can disable the auto-rotate feature on the iPhone by accessing the Control Center and then tapping the Portrait Orientation lock button near the top-left of the menu.
When you enable this orientation lock, your phone will remain in the portrait position regardless of how you hold it.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.