Quick Answer
There are two ways you can enable auto-rotate for the home screen on Android. Using the built-in auto-rotate feature found on Pixel and some other smartphones, and using third-party launcher apps like Microsoft and Nova Launcher.
Ever since the accelerometer was introduced in smartphones we have been tilting the display according to our preferences. While some of us find the auto-rotation a messy affair, the others (like me!) seem to have got the hang of it. Starting this year Google has introduced an important feature to its Google launcher and that is the ability to set the Android home screen in landscape mode.
By default, any Android phone displays the home screen in portrait orientation and while the portrait orientation suffices in most of the scenarios, some prefer the landscape mode to better accommodate shortcuts and widgets. Now with the built-in feature on most Android phones and using the third-party launcher app, you can auto-rate the home screen on an Android smartphone.
Note: The article was first written by Mahit Huilgol in July 2016 and was updated by Ramesh Reddy in June 2024.
How To Enable Auto-Rotate on Android Home Screen
Method | Steps | Devices |
|---|---|---|
Built-In Settings | Samsung: Enable 'Rotate to landscape mode' in Home Screen settings. Pixel: Enable 'Allow Home screen rotation' in Home Screen settings. | Limited to few devices. |
Third-Party Launcher Apps | Microsoft Launcher: Enable 'Allow Home screen rotation' in Home Screen settings. Nova Launcher: Enable 'Allow Home screen rotate' in Look & feel settings. | Suports on all Devices |
Method 1: Using the Built-In Settings (Supports Limited Devices)
Some Android phones, including Samsung and Google Pixel, offer built-in settings to auto-rotate content on the home screen. Most of the time, this setting is disabled by default. To enable it:
On Samsung Phones
- Go to Settings on your Samsung smartphone
- Go to the Home screen scroll down and turn on the features Rotate to landscape mode.
On Google Pixel
- Long press on the home screen and tap on Home screen settings.
- Scroll down and enable Allow Home screen rotation.
Method 2: Enable Auto-Rotate Using Third-Party Launcher Apps (Works on All Devices)
There are plenty of third-party launcher apps available that allow you to set auto-rotate for the home screen. After testing several, I found Microsoft Launcher and Nova Launcher to be the best options you can use. Both of these apps are free and work on any Android smartphone. Here is how to enable the auto-rotate feature on both of these launchers:
Microsoft Launcher
- Download and install Microsoft Launcher from the Google Play Store.
- Open Microsoft Launcher and set it as your default launcher.
- Long press on the home screen and select Launcher Settings.
- Go to Home Screen settings.
- Click on the More and Enable Allow Home screen rotation.
Nova Launcher
- Download and install Nova Launcher from the Google Play Store.
- Open Nova Launcher and set it as your default launcher.
- Long press on the home screen and select Settings.
- Go to the Look & feel.
- Enable Allow Home screen rotate.
Unlock Landscape Mode
Those are the two easy methods to auto-rotate the home screen on an Android smartphone. Before using third-party launchers, check whether your smartphone has a built-in auto-rotate home screen option. You can find this option likely in the display or home screen settings. If you don’t find it, you can use the third-party launcher apps.
I have tested and used plenty of third-party launchers with landscape mode. If you are looking for the best option, I would suggest Microsoft Launcher, it is clean and works perfectly on any Android smartphone. Nova Launcher is also great, but it does have a few glitches while using it.
