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Welcome to the 'Using portrait and landscape modes on an Android phone video course. In this video, you'll learn what portrait and landscape modes are and how to set your screen so it stays in one position, or switches between modes automatically as you rotate the device. The steps in this video will be similar on an Android tablet.
Your phone's screen can be viewed in two ways. In portrait mode, the screen is upright and taller than it is wide, which is useful when you're browsing the internet or reading. In landscape mode, the screen is turned sideways and is wider than it is tall, which is useful for watching videos, playing some games, or typing in wider layouts.
Most Android phones automatically change between portrait and landscape modes when you turn the phone, but you can also lock your screen so it stays in one position. You can do this from Quick settings at any time, even from the Lock screen. Depending on your Android model, you open Quick settings by swiping down from the top centre or the top right of the screen. Start this swipe with your finger in the bezel, which is the area surrounding the screen.
To see all the Quick settings, you may need to tap the short bar at the bottom of the panel. The Auto rotate icon appears at the top left and looks like a small phone with curved arrows around it. When the icon shows Auto rotate, your phone will automatically switch between portrait and landscape when you turn it. Tap the icon to change the orientation to portrait.
Now, when you rotate the device, your phone's screen will be locked in that position. To unlock the screen's orientation, just tap the Auto rotate icon again. Your phone's Home screen and some apps, such as certain banking apps, only work in portrait mode even if Auto rotate is turned on.