When watching YouTube videos, most people enjoy watching the clips on a full widescreen. So if YouTube is not rotating properly on your iPhone, it can be quite frustrating! Luckily, we have everything you need to know right here about how to fix the issue when YouTube won’t rotate on an iPhone. 

If YouTube won’t rotate properly on your iPhone, it is most likely because your device is not set to “automatic rotation.” You can easily solve these issues by changing your device settings, restarting the app, and holding the phone correctly. 

In this article, we are going to go through the three reasons why YouTube won’t rotate properly on your iPhone and, more importantly, how to fix the problem so that you can get back to enjoying your YouTube videos on the device. 

Why Is YouTube Not Rotating Properly on an iPhone?

Before we dig into the solutions you can try to solve the problem when YouTube is not rotating properly on an iPhone, it’s first important to understand why this is happening to you! 

Your Automatic Rotation Is Off

One of the most common reasons why YouTube is not rotating on your iPhone is just because the automatic rotation setting is turned off. 

That means that when you turn the phone on its side, it does not know that you want to watch the YouTube video on a full widescreen, and the picture will remain the same. 

The YouTube App Is Malfunctioning

Although many people assume the problem is the iPhone, often, if the YouTube video will not rotate, it is because the app itself isn’t working properly. 

Usually, there is simply a glitch occurring, and the problem won’t last long.

You Are Holding the iPhone Incorrectly

Finally, it may not be the phone or app’s fault at all; the YouTube video might not be rotating due to a simple user error. 

Your iPhone has sensors that alert the device when it is being turned on its side and, therefore, should rotate the screen. 

So if you are holding the phone at an angle that does not alert the sensor, it will not rotate as you want it to. 

4 Ways to Fix YouTube Not Rotating Properly on an iPhone

Now, as with most technology, it’s almost impossible to tell which problem you are encountering if YouTube won’t rotate properly on your iPhone until you start attempting the tactics to solve the issue. 

But luckily, we have four simple solutions to try right now to get your YouTube rotating correctly in just a few moments. 

Restart Your iPhone

The first step in fixing the problem if YouTube is not rotating properly is to simply restart your iPhone. 

As the oldest trick in the book, sometimes, turning the phone off and on again may solve all your issues in seconds! 

However, if that doesn’t worry, don’t worry. There are three more options to try. 

Turn Automatic Rotation On

Once your iPhone has restarted, if YouTube still won’t rotate, it’s probably because the automatic rotation is turned off. 

Here’s what you need to do to turn it on and solve the problem:

  • Swipe down from the top right corner of your screen.
  • This will open the Control Center.
  • Here, you will see the Portrait Orientation Lock icon.
  • Click to turn it from off to on.

That’s all there is to it! You can now open the YouTube app once again and enjoy a fully functioning rotating video. 

Restart or Redownload the YouTube App

If your iPhone’s automatic rotation was already set to on and the problem persists, it’s most likely an issue within the YouTube app itself. 

To check if this is what is happening to you, you should first try to force quit the YouTube app and reopen it. 

If that didn’t work, you will need to uninstall and then re-download the YouTube app. 

Change the iPhone’s Angle

Finally, if all else fails, it’s probably you who is causing the problem, not the iPhone or the YouTube app! 

It’s important to understand that in order to rotate properly, your device has sensors to detect when it is being held vertically or horizontally. 

To make sure the YouTube videos rotate as you want them to, you should test the angle you’re holding the iPhone and ensure it’s either completely sideways or vertical. 

Final Thoughts 

As promised, you now have all the information you need to not only understand why YouTube is not rotating properly on an iPhone but also how to solve the problem yourself! 

Just remember, you should check that the automatic rotation is turned on, restart the YouTube app and iPhone, and ensure you’re holding the phone properly if you want your YouTube videos to rotate correctly