How to Enable or Disable Auto Rotate on a Google Pixel 4a

To turn auto-rotate on or off on a Google Pixel 4a, swipe down twice from the top of the screen and tap the Auto-rotate tile. You can also open Settings, tap Display, and tap Auto-rotate screen. On newer Pixel software, that menu is named Display & touch.

Auto-rotate is the setting that turns what is on the screen when you turn the phone. Portrait is the tall, upright view, and landscape is the wide, sideways view. This guide covers both ways to change the setting, how to rotate the screen once while auto-rotate is off, and what to check when the screen will not turn. The steps follow Google’s Pixel Phone Help page on screen and display settings and its Android Accessibility Help page on auto-rotate.

Before You Start

• Nothing to install. Auto-rotate is built into the Pixel 4a. You do not need an app or a Google Account to change it.
• Menu names depend on your software. Google’s current help pages call the menu Display & touch. Google also lists the Pixel 4a among the phones that no longer receive Android version updates, so your phone may still show the older Display label. Both lead to the same setting.
• The change is not permanent. You can switch auto-rotate on and off as often as you like. It does not delete anything or reset other settings.

Not sure which software your phone runs? You can check the Android version on a Google Pixel 4a.

How to Toggle Auto-Rotate From Quick Settings

Quick Settings is the panel of shortcut tiles at the top of the screen. It is the fastest route because it works from any app, so you do not have to leave what you are doing.

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen. This shows your first few tiles.
2. Swipe down again to see all of your Quick Settings tiles.
3. Find the Auto-rotate tile. You may need to swipe left to reach a second page of tiles.
4. Tap the tile to turn auto-rotate on or off.

The tile changes appearance right away. Google’s Quick Settings guide says dimmed tiles are off, so a dimmed Auto-rotate tile means the screen will stay put when you turn the phone.

The same panel holds the tile to turn on Battery Saver on a Pixel 4a when your charge runs low.

If the Auto-rotate tile is missing

The tile can be removed from the panel, which makes it look like the feature is gone. Google’s steps to add a tile back are:

1. Swipe down twice from the top of the screen.
2. Tap Edit (the pencil icon).
3. Scroll down to see every tile you can add.
4. Find Auto-rotate and add it, or touch and hold it and drag it up into your active tiles.

Google notes that some of these Quick Settings steps work only on Android 11 and up.

How to Turn Auto-Rotate On or Off in Settings

Use the Settings app if you cannot find the tile, or if you want to see the setting’s full name and current state.

1. Open the Settings app. Swipe up from the bottom of the Home screen to find it in your apps list.
2. Tap Display. If your phone shows Display & touch instead, tap that.
3. Scroll to Auto-rotate screen. On some software versions you may need to tap Advanced first to see it.
4. Tap Auto-rotate screen to turn it on or off.

With auto-rotate on, the screen turns to landscape when you hold the phone sideways, in apps that support it. With it off, the screen keeps its current orientation.

On some software versions, tapping Auto-rotate screen opens a short page with a Use Auto-rotate switch. Turn that switch on or off. If you cannot find the setting, tap the search bar at the top of Settings and type rotate.

How to Rotate the Screen Once With Auto-Rotate Off

Turning auto-rotate off does not lock you into portrait forever. You can still rotate your screen while auto-rotate is off:

1. Open the app you want to use, such as a video or a photo.
2. Turn your phone to the orientation you want.
3. Look for the Rotate button in the corner of the screen.
4. Tap Rotate.

The screen turns to match how you are holding the phone and stays that way. To go back, hold the phone upright and tap Rotate again. This is useful for reading in bed or watching one video in landscape without the screen flipping each time you shift your grip.

How to Confirm the Change and Undo It

To check that the setting took effect, open an app that supports both orientations, such as Chrome or Photos, and turn the phone sideways.

• Auto-rotate on: the screen follows the phone within a moment.
• Auto-rotate off: the screen stays as it was, and the Rotate button appears in the corner.

To undo the change, repeat either method. Tap the Auto-rotate tile again, or go back to Settings > Display and tap Auto-rotate screen.

If You Use TalkBack

TalkBack is Android’s screen reader, which speaks what is on the screen. If you use TalkBack, turn auto-rotate off, because rotating the screen can interrupt spoken feedback. Turn it off using either method above before you start a TalkBack session.

If Your Screen Won’t Rotate

Most rotation problems are a setting or an app, not a broken phone.

• Check the setting. Open Quick Settings and make sure the Auto-rotate tile is not dimmed, or confirm Auto-rotate screen is on in Settings.
• Try a different app. Some apps and screens are built for one orientation only, so they will not turn even with auto-rotate on. Test in Chrome or Photos before you assume something is wrong.
• Check the Home screen separately. The Home screen often stays in portrait even when apps rotate. Touch and hold an empty spot on the Home screen, tap Home settings, and turn on Allow Home screen rotation if your phone lists it.
• Hold the phone more upright. Rotation depends on the phone sensing which way it is tilted. A phone lying flat on a table or a bed may not register a turn.
• Restart the phone. Press and hold the Power button, then tap Restart. This clears temporary glitches.
• Rule out a problem app. If rotation stopped working after you installed an app, Google’s safe mode guide explains how to restart with downloaded apps turned off. Safe mode removes some Home screen widgets, so take a screenshot of your Home screen first.
• Use the Rotate button. If auto-rotate is off on purpose, turn the phone and tap Rotate in the corner.

If the screen still will not rotate in any app after a restart and in safe mode, the cause may be hardware. At that point, contact Google support or a repair shop instead of changing more settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Next Step

Add the Auto-rotate tile to the first row of Quick Settings so you can switch it with one swipe and one tap. Another Pixel 4a display setting worth knowing is Screen attention on the Google Pixel 4a, which keeps the screen on while you are looking at it.