How do I rotate HBO Max screen orientation on iPhone?

bereanracer wrote:

Sometimes you want it with the speaker and lighting cable on the left, and sometimes on the right. Currently the Max app is locked to only have the video upright when the speakers are on the right. There is no setting to change this in the app or via iOS. Screen rotation lock has no effect as stated. A recent update likely dorked this up since this only started behaving like this a few days ago. Previously you could change the orientation by rotating the screen just like any other video app.

Then you need to let the app developer of Max know. Apple doesn't own the app, nor can Apple do anything with how Max coded the app in terms of rotation. That is completely up to Max.

I contacted the MAX Customer Support and got this message:

Upon checking with my resources, I see that this has been changed from the recent update.

This feature has been removed in the recent update. If you wish to get this feature back, please write down your feedback with this link:

https://help.max.com/us/Feedback/index

I was also advised that the development team would definitely return the feature if they got enough feedback from users.

There could be two reasons:

1. Either HBO Max doesn't permit screen rotation in their app and if they don't, you'd have to ask them why as Apple doesn't the app, nor have any control over how it is coded.
2. Or, you have Orientation lock turned on. Open Control Center, by swiping down from the top right hand corner of your screen. Look for an icon with a lock in it and if it is red, tap it turn on rotation again.

Sometimes you want it with the speaker and lighting cable on the left, and sometimes on the right. Currently the Max app is locked to only have the video upright when the speakers are on the right. There is no setting to change this in the app or via iOS. Screen rotation lock has no effect as stated. A recent update likely dorked this up since this only started behaving like this a few days ago. Previously you could change the orientation by rotating the screen just like any other video app.

Updating the Max app to version 5.9 resolved the problem for me.

It looks like this was addresses in version 5.9.0 - I just updated earlier today on my iPhone 14 and it seems to have resolved the issue.

JBizz7738 wrote:

I’ve downloaded the movies and they still will not rotate. This is beyond frustrating b/c my partner has no problem rotating from an Android. If it’s the app, wouldn’t it limit rotation regardless of mobile device??

No, Android is a completely different platform from iOS. If it won't rotate on your iPhone it's an app specific issue.

A good example of this I just went through. I'm a CPAP user and Philips decided to retire the app they use and bring out a new app. It seemed to open on Android devices, but wouldn't open on iPhone. It took a lot of people complaining to Philips, but they finally got it to open on iPhone. Apple had nothing to do with this. Only Philips could fix their app to work.

So, you'll need to take the issue to the app developer of the Max app. Apple can't do a thing with the app. They would get sued if they even tried. Only Max can fix whatever is broken in their app as it relates to rotation.

I understand it’s not the ideal solution, but if you download the movie etc. it rotates clockwise and counterclockwise.

I just downloaded another movie and it rotates both ways. But it affects my wife’s iPhone 15 and my son’s iPhone 13. All are on the latest HBO versions and all have a rotation issue.

The thing is, if you download a movie, it rotates. It’s possible you have a separate issue from the HBO app issue.

Have you talked to HBO support about this? If so, what did they say?

Same here. Will only rotate one direction for horizontal viewing. If I flip phone over, it will keep image upside down. Must be a bug because it worked before. It is not a phone setting because it works for all other apps.

I submitted a ticket via your link. I had some back and forth conversation with their reps and pointed them to this discussion group. The more people pile on the support requests the faster this will get resolved.

What do you mean by opposite direction? My Max app automatically rotates to horizontal to take maximum advantage of the iPhone screen size. Turn on screen rotation lock has no affect on the orientation for the Max app.

This just started happening for me too. When I press play the video will go into landscape mode but it will not flip if I turn my phone the other way. I have made sure rotation lock is off and even tried to turn my phone on and off.

I watch HBO Max this morning (2/25/2025) and screen rotate worked perfectly. I need the speaker to point to the left for where I put my phone when I get ready for work.

But tonight it refused to rotate. It will only allow landscape with my phone in the orientation with my speaker facing right.

things so annoying, especially coupled with the previous “feature” where you can’t stream with the screen off. I like to listen to a show while falling asleep so I don’t want the bright screen on but you can’t do that anymore.

This app is getting worse and worse.

KoriRoberts wrote:

I’ve watched Friends on hbo max more than once and I’ve never had this problem until here recently. It’s very annoying

So what did HBO/MAX say when you contacted them to let them know their app, which Apple has no control over is annoying you?