Galaxy S20 Auto-Rotate Not Working [How to Fix it]

Time Needed : 10 minutes

Before you begin troubleshooting, try to open different apps and see if auto-rotation works on any of these apps. If the screen does not rotate only on specific apps, then it’s likely because those apps only work on a single screen orientation. In that case, you don’t need to troubleshoot because it isn’t an issue with your phone. However, if auto-rotation doesn’t work on all apps, you can try the following methods to eliminate possible causes.

1. Turn Auto-rotate off and on.

   For the phone’s display to automatically rotate, the auto-rotate feature must be enabled. That said, verify and ensure that it’s turned on. Many people would neglect doing this and thus, they ended up wasting time and effort carrying out unnecessary troubleshooting procedures.
   
   To check the auto-rotate settings, swipe down from the top of the Home screen to open the notification panel. In this panel you will see shortcut icons and controls. Find the Auto-rotate icon and make sure it's enabled. If it isn't, just tap the icon to enable the feature. If Auto-rotate is already enabled, tap the icon to turn the feature off for a few seconds and then tap to enable it again. 
   
   Performing this tweak will refresh the phone's auto-rotation system and likewise clears out random glitches.
   
   

2. Force restart.

   It’s also possible that your phone got stuck on portrait or landscape mode and therefore it does not rotate regardless of how you hold it. To deal with stuck display issues, performing a force-restart is recommended.
   
   As the name implies, performing a force restart forcibly ends any stuck apps and system services that caused the device to stop working. In this case, a force restart may be the only thing that’s needed to fix the phone’s auto-rotation system that has stopped working.
   
   To force restart the Galaxy S20, press and hold the Bixby/Power button and Volume Down key simultaneously for about 45 seconds. Then release both keys when the Samsung logo appears.
   
   When the phone is finished booting up, open different apps to find out if auto-rotate is already working properly.
   
   
   

3. Update your phone software.

   Installing the latest software update available for your phone is also deemed among the potential solutions should the problem be caused by some system bugs.
   
   Aside from delivering new features, software updates also contain fix patches that are programmed to eliminate stubborn system bugs that caused certain features to malfunction. 
   
   If your phone has sufficient battery life and connected to Wi-Fi internet, then try to check for OTA updates.
   
   To do this, navigate to Settings-> Software update menu then tap Download and install. 
   
   If an update is available, let the phone finish downloading and installing the update file. 
   Once the update is finished, restart the phone to refresh the operating system and apply the recent system changes.
   
   

4. Calibrate your phone's accelerometer.

   As mentioned earlier, a damaged or dysfunctional accelerometer is among the possible reasons as to why your phone doesn't rotate automatically. That said, testing your Galaxy S20's accelerometer is also recommended.
   
   To do this, open the Phone app then dial *#0*# on the virtual keypad. Tap Sensor from the given options then move your phone around. 
   
   The details on the Accelerometer Sensor should adjust to the direction of movement. If you don't see any changes as you move your phone, there's a higher chance that the internal accelerometer is damaged or not functioning. In this case, taking a trip to a Samsung-authorized service center would be necessary.