Tired of your iPhone screen rotating when you’re using certain apps? While Orientation Lock can prevent unwanted screen rotation, manually turning it on and off every time you switch apps can be inconvenient.
Fortunately, Apple’s Shortcuts app lets you automate the process! In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create automations that turn Orientation Lock on when you open specific apps and off when you close or switch away from them.
I’ll also show you a quick way to duplicate an automation so you don’t have to build the second one from scratch.
I’ve included a video to guide you through each step of this process, as well as written step-by-step instructions below.
Video Tutorial
Device & Software: This tutorial was demonstrated using an iPhone 16 Pro running iOS 27.0.1. Steps and menu options may vary depending on your device and iOS version.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This automation actually uses two shortcuts: one to turn orientation lock on when specific apps are opened, and one to turn it off when the apps are closed, but I have a trick to make that easy.
Automation 1: Turn Orientation Lock ON when app is opened
This automation will turn orientation lock on when one or more apps that you specify are opened, so the screen won’t rotate if the phone is turned while the app is in use.
- Open the Shortcuts app
- Tap on the All Shortcuts folder, if you’re not already there
- Tap the + sign to create a new shortcut
- Set up the app automation:
- Tap Automation
- Scroll to the Apps section and tap on App
- Tap on App in the “When App is opened” section and tap on the app to apply this automation to
- To add additional apps, tap the + sign next to the selected app to select more
- Ensure the automation is set for when the app is opened
- Set up the orientation lock:
- Tap in the search box and start typing “orientation”
- Tap on Set Orientation Lock
- Tap on Toggle in the “Toggle orientation” section and tap on Turn
- Ensure the action now reads “Turn orientation lock On“
Automation 2: Turn Orientation Lock OFF when app closes
This automation will turn orientation lock off when the specified apps are closed, so the phone will resume to rotating if turned.
Since this automation is simply undoing the first automation, the first can be duplicated and edited
- Open the Shortcuts app and go to All Shortcuts
- Locate the automation just created (mine was named Set Orientation Lock)
- Press and hold on the shortcut to open the actions menu and tap Duplicate
- Press and hold on the duplicated shortcut (mine was named Set Orientation Lock 2) to open the actions menu and tap edit
- Update the app action:
- Tap on Opened in the “When App is Opened” section then tap on Closed
- Update the orientation lock:
- Tap on On in the “Turn orientation lock On” section to change it to Off
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