My iPad screen keeps rotating and sometimes unlocking on its own. I’m not sure how to lock either the orientation or prevent accidental touches. I’d really appreciate any step-by-step instructions or tips to keep my iPad screen locked, as this is becoming really frustrating. Thanks for any help!
Screen rotation driving you up the wall, huh? Here’s a super simple fix before your iPad launches itself off the table. Swipe down from the top-right corner to bring up Control Center. Look for the lock icon with a circular arrow (sometimes it hides among the wifi and brightness buttons). Tap that baby! Screen won’t rotate anymore.
If you want to avoid random unlocking or “ghost touches,” crank up “Guided Access” (Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access). Toggle that on, set a passcode, and triple-click the home/power button in the app you want to stick on. No more midnight Netflix app swaps, no panicking when you fling it into the couch and it lands upside down.
Bonus iPad defense: enable “Require Attention for Face ID” if you use that (Settings > Face ID & Passcode) so it won’t unlock unless you’re staring at it with those tired, Netflix-zombified eyes.
Now your iPad is basically a vault—unmoving, unchanging, and hopefully a lot less frustrating. If it STILL unlocks on its own, you might have a haunted iPad. Or you need a screen repair. Maybe both.
Haha, props to @suenodelbosque for the “haunted iPad” bit—def been there (well, minus the ghosts… I think). FWIW, I’m gonna take the skeptical route cause, honestly, Apple’s solutions aren’t always as foolproof as the manuals make ‘em out to be.
Screen rotation: Sure, Control Center’s the default, but sometimes—even with Rotation Lock on—stuff still randomly rotates on certain apps (especially old games or weird video apps) cause devs can override that setting. It’s almost as if they want us to experience whiplash, tbh. So don’t lose your mind if it’s still buggy now and then; you’re not imagining things.
About that “unlocking on its own” issue—I’m less optimistic it’s purely user error or a software trick. If your iPad keeps unlocking in your bag or under a pile of snacks, press and HOLD the top button until you get the slider to fully power it down when not in use. No battery vampire ninja taps. Also, double-check in Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Tap to Wake, and TURN THAT OFF if your iPad supports it. Ghost touches usually live here, and it does NOT get enough hate.
If you’re super cautious (or have kids/roommates/gremlins), consider investing a few bucks in a decent case with a cover that auto-sleeps when closed. Those magnetic folio covers trigger the iPad’s sleep sensor instantly and basically hard-lock the front, which beats any software lock in my experience. Face ID can be a pain too—try switching to a long passcode for a week and see if “random unlocks” drop.
Not trying to knock the other suggestions, just being real: iPad security is an arms race between Apple’s settings and the random ways we all drop, toss, or blindly poke at them during late-night YouTube spirals. Sometimes the best lock is just a good old-fashioned cover and some forced self-control. Or, you know… a little duct tape. But that’s a last resort.