Since updating my 2020 iPhone SE to iOS 15, I’ve had four or five instances of the task bar rapidly rotating to the right-hand edge of the display and back to the top. This seems to happen primarily when opening or switching apps. The phone was being held steadily and vertically each time this has happened, and the apps being opened looked and behaved normally.
As this has only happened a few times, I cannot say if it is particular to specific apps.
Hi johnolore,
Thanks for posting in the Apple Support Communities. We understand your iPhone is unexpectedly rotating your screen when it hasn't been turned in any direction.
Do you notice if this behavior persists when your screen orientation is locked?
For reference: Change or lock the screen orientation on iPhone
Since you mentioned that this will usually occur when opening or switching apps, we'd recommend closing all of your apps first here: Close an app on your iPhone or iPod touch
Once you've closed your apps, let's try force restarting your iPhone: Force restart iPhone
Then you'll want to continue using your iPhone to see if the issue reoccurs.
Cheers.
Hi johnolore,
Thanks for posting in the Apple Support Communities. We understand your iPhone is unexpectedly rotating your screen when it hasn't been turned in any direction.
Do you notice if this behavior persists when your screen orientation is locked?
For reference: Change or lock the screen orientation on iPhone
Since you mentioned that this will usually occur when opening or switching apps, we'd recommend closing all of your apps first here: Close an app on your iPhone or iPod touch
Once you've closed your apps, let's try force restarting your iPhone: Force restart iPhone
Then you'll want to continue using your iPhone to see if the issue reoccurs.
Cheers.
I just got off the phone with apple support, guy said to do an iTunes restore from pc or Mac, setup as new device, do not restore from any backups, and sign in with my Apple ID. Im gonna do it tomorrow. I’m not worried about my apps or settings, mainly my photos, contacts, notes and my drive files. He said everything should populate back once I sign in.
He said it’s most likely a software issue that’s been saved into the iCloud. Setting up as a new device should resolve it. I’ll post an update sometime tomorrow or the next day.
I just finished the restore. It’s like a new phone now, I still have all my info I just just need to download all my apps and changes some settings. I’ll update in a week unless it happens again before week is over
So issue came back. I have been in contact with Apple through this and they said it might be hardware. Not sure how. They said to proceed with a full restore as if I don’t have an iCloud account until I get to the home screen. I’ll be trying that method tomorrow. Hopefully, it clears up.
On a side note, before you do a restore from iTunes without restoring from your backup, make sure you don’t have any apps with two factor authentication through an Authenticator app. I nearly lost access to almost all my 3rd party apps.
It happens on my iPhone SE every now and then, very likely since iOS 15 (current version is 15.3.1). It’s harmless but was a little irritating because I thought it was a new feature, some sort of optical feedback, and couldn‘t figure out what it meant. Now that I know it’s just bug I‘ll simply ignore it and wait how long it will take Apple to fix it.
Hi johnolore,
We appreciate the update regarding your issue. We're glad to hear that the issue hasn't reoccured for some time now. However, if the issue does return, we'd recommend reaching out to Apple Support next to look into this matter more closely with you. You may reach them directly from Get Support.
In addition, as new software updates are being released to resolve various issues, be sure to keep your iPhone up-to-date here: Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
Take care.
Thank you for your prompt reply.
Since my original post, I encountered two more instances of the status bar (I absent-mindedly referred to it as the “task bar” previously) rotating to the side and back — one before implementing your suggestions and one shortly after. In both of these, the bar rotated to the LEFT (all previous instances had been to the right), and both occurred while opening or otherwise using (in this case, launching the browser from an email link) Mail. This second instance was the one that occurred AFTER locking the display orientation.
I have since kept the orientation locked and have not had another instance of the status bar rotating in nearly 48 hours.
I thought this was a feature of the new version but I can find no information regarding it, and am finding these others complaining about it. No apparent reason for it, just happens randomly when switching/opening apps. Seems to happen more when the memory is full (using an app a lot or after long usage and the app needs to read-in from cache when switching). Please fix Apple…
I have the same problem since ios 15. Now i have 15.02 and the bug still exist, i notice that it happend time to time when you open some aplication, like safari, mail....i have iphone 11! And i have another bug, when i m typeing, the clicking sound start from low sound and goes to loud! I have this bug since i got this iphone.... and its not that nice! I got the phone to service and they said to me that the iphone doesnt have nothing....;))) u have to do something, becouse u got some prices:)
I am having the same issue an it only happens on my new iPhone 13 pro and it happens when I launch the mail app. The status bar first is missing at the top of the phone (the status that shows time and signal strength) then i see it fly in from the side of the phone to the top!. Weird Bar rotation..hopefully this gets fixed!
I have had the same issue since updating to IOS 15.1 as well and wondering if my Iphone 11 has been hacked!
Is anyone in Apple able to check this out, is it a IOS glitch affecting Iphone 11's? Is there a way to revert back to the previous IOS where this issue did not occur? Please advise because I am considering resetting my Iphone and i would rather not have to if possible.
My iPhone 13 Mini has been doing this everyday since I got it in the Fall. Apple, have you figured out how to fix this yet? I’ve done the forced restart.
Right before I upgraded to the 13 Mini, I downloaded iOS 15 on my old 2016 SE and the same flipping motion happened on it.
It is annoying me. My brother got the same 13 Mini at the same time and has no idea what I’m talking about. Apparently his is not doing this.
On many occasions, if I open the browser, the top time bar thing flips quickly to the left and back to the top.
Help.?
Hope it works for you. As far as me going on a pc, I don’t have one. I do have the iTunes app of course. It seems odd that something like an iTunes restore would stop a strangely annoying time bar flipping when I open up safari browser. Who knows though.
It’s just unbelievable. I’m now very interested in the outcome. I do have 2 iTunes accounts and 2 iCloud emails. I can’t imagine a problem with the directional and orientation of the phone, the flipping bar, could be related to this but.
I have the same problem on my iphone 11 since ios 15! So apple your should do something it looks bad!
only the status bar rotate, for no reason!
iPhone status bar rotation
