Everybody and their grandmother, who may need simply obtained an iPhone and remains to be getting used to it, most likely hate one iOS quirk that Apple has but to completely repair: The orientation lock. There’s no setting choice to have the orientation lock disabled for sure apps and enabled for many of your common iPhone utilization.
I hate having to show off the orientation lock to look at movies in panorama, solely to reenable it afterward. I’ve to reenable it as a result of I additionally hate it when the iPhone modifications orientation by itself. However fortunately, there’s a technique to repair all the things, and Apple gave it to us. The iPhone’s built-in Shortcuts app permits you to automate the display screen orientation lock.
I first noticed this unimaginable iPhone trick on MacRumors, and I’ll make certain it’s enabled on all my iOS and iPadOS units. The automation has one flaw, nonetheless, which I’ll focus on on the finish, full with a simple repair.
Setting it up is extremely straightforward, too. You simply set it up, and also you’ll by no means have to consider it once more. Nicely, not till Apple turns this DIY iPhone repair into an choice within the Settings app.
You’ll want iOS 15 (iPadOS 15) or later for this iPhone trick to work. And sure, it’ll work in the brand new iOS 17 beta when you’ve simply put in it.
The automation you need to attempt on iPhone and iPad
The method is similar on iPhone and iPad, because the Shortcuts app is offered on each. Right here’s what you need to do:
- Open the Shortcuts app
- Faucet the Automation menu
- Faucet the Plus image
- Faucet Create Private Automation

- Scroll down for the App choice
- Allow each Is Opened and Is Closed

- Faucet the Select menu
- Choose all of the apps you wish to use in panorama orientation (assume YouTube, Netflix, Disney Plus, and anything you assume it’s higher in panorama mode)
- As soon as completed faucet Subsequent
- Faucet Add Motion
- Search for Set Orientation Lock or begin typing it to seek out it shortly

- Faucet Subsequent once more
- Toggle off the Ask Earlier than Working
- Faucet Don’t Ask within the immediate that seems
- Faucet Achieved
Now, simply launch one of many apps you chose to check it. As soon as the app is in view, invoke Management Middle, and the orientation lock must be disabled. Shut the app, and the orientation lock must be enabled.
You may edit the automation so as to add or take away apps.
The plain drawback and the way to repair it
The issue is that if the orientation lock is off whenever you open a kind of apps, the automation will flip it on. This isn’t what you need. And this may occur.
Fortunately, a repair for this requires you to allow two distinct automations. They’ll be similar, however as a substitute of selecting the Toggle orientation lock, you’ll inform the iPhone to flip off the orientation lock whenever you open an app. Due to this fact, you’ll additionally choose the Is Open choice when selecting the apps.

The second automation will inform the iPhone to activate the orientation lock whenever you’re completed with the app and shut it. In fact, you’ll tick solely the Is Closed choice for this one.
No matter shortcuts variant you go for, it’ll change the best way you employ your iPhone for the higher.