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iPad screen won't rotate any more

I have an original iPad running iOS 4.3.1. Over the past weekend, the screen simply stopped rotating when the device orientation is changed. The screen lock is set to be controlled by the mute/rotate hardware switch, and is in the unlocked position. I tried rebooting the iPad, resetting it and then even restoring it with a fresh image - all to no avail. The screen simply won't rotate.

I don't believe it is a hardware issue since apps that use the gyroscope still function normally and sense input when I rotate the device. But it seems like no software fixes so far have worked to get the screen orientation to change. Any ideas?

iPad 1, iOS 4

Posted on Apr 4, 2011 9:39 AM

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Posted on Apr 4, 2011 9:42 AM

I would change the setting for the switch so it is back to mute. If mute stays on and you cannot get it to turn off, but rotation works now using the double tap the home butotn controls, then you have a bad switch on your device.

Jason
30 replies

Apr 4, 2011 10:10 AM in response to jaxjason

Very clever idea! Unfortunately, no luck. I tried this and while the switch is working fine (enabled mute when set to do this), the screen orientation is still locked in portrait mode, even when "lock" is switched on/off in software.

I just don't understand why individual apps seem to be able to sense the rotation just fine but the OS as a whole does not.

Apr 5, 2011 11:54 AM in response to igmackenzie

The screen orientation will not rotate regardless of whether it's on the home screen or in an application. It is permalocked, seemingly, in portrait mode.

I know however that the gyroscope is working since I can play games like Labyrinth 2 just fine... the screen won't rotate of course but I'm able to control the game just fine by tilting the iPad. That's what leads me to believe it's a software rather than hardware issue.

I've done resets, reboots and restores... the only thing I haven't done is downgrade the OS to 4.3 to see if that fixes it.

Apr 11, 2011 9:25 PM in response to JimHdk

Like I mentioned before - the screen will not rotate, regardless of whether the hardware OR software "lock" is on or off. I have rebooted, reset, and restored. NOTHING WORKS.

The frustrating thing is that for the reasons I mentioned above this is clearly a software and not a hardware issue. Otherwise I would have taken it in for a repair long ago...

Apr 12, 2011 4:26 AM in response to jeffreycarl

jeffreycarl wrote:
The frustrating thing is that for the reasons I mentioned above this is clearly a software and not a hardware issue. Otherwise I would have taken it in for a repair long ago...


I believe that the iPad's orientation sensor is implemented in hardware, therefore it could very well be a hardware issue.

What if that orientation sensor is stuck?
Would slapping the iPad get the sensor unstuck?

_*You do this of course at your own risk!*_

Otherwise take your iPad to an Apple Service Center and let them have a look at the problem.

iPad screen won't rotate any more

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