iPad screen
won’t rotate?

Check the lock, then close the controls

On an unlocked iPad running iPadOS, swipe down from the upper-right screen corner. In Control Center, find the padlock with a circular arrow. Turn Rotation Lock off, then close Control Center before turning the iPad sideways. Hold it upright for the comparison rather than flat on a table.

Older iPad with a physical side switch? In Settings → General, look for Use Side Switch To. If assigned to Lock Rotation, use that switch to unlock rotation; if assigned to Mute, it controls sound instead. The option is not present on models without that switch. See Apple’s rotation instructions.

Retest in Safari. If rotation returns, the setting explains this test result; no repair is indicated by this symptom alone.

One app is not the whole iPad

Try Safari, then Messages, turning between portrait and landscape. Apple names both as rotation-capable apps. Use a normal app view, not just a video, photo, or a small multitasking window.

Both rotate; your original app does not

This points toward that app’s supported orientations or current state. Check its help or ask its developer whether that particular screen supports landscape. Do not buy a screen repair from this result.

Neither rotates, but taps still work

Recheck the lock, then try a normal restart below. This result alone cannot distinguish software from an internal sensor fault.

Taps and scrolling also stop responding

Treat it as a frozen device. Use the force-restart branch below instead of repeatedly toggling settings.

If the original app is unresponsive, save work if possible, then close only that app: swipe up from the bottom and pause midway, or double-click the Home button. Find its preview, swipe it upward, then reopen the app. Unsaved work may be lost.

Check the App Store profile area for available app updates. If only that app still fails, contact its developer. Deleting an app can remove locally stored documents or progress; confirm a usable copy before considering reinstallation. Apple explains this data risk.

Match the buttons on your iPad

Save open work first and make sure you know the device passcode. A restart does not intentionally erase saved photos or files; it can interrupt unsaved work. Use Apple’s normal restart when touch still responds.

Drag the slider, allow 30 seconds to shut down, then hold the top button until the Apple logo appears. Unlock and repeat the same Safari and Messages comparison.

Back up before going further

If both apps still fail after restart, make a backup and confirm it completed. Then check Settings → General → Software Update. For a safe, undamaged iPad, connect to power and Wi-Fi and install an available compatible update using Apple’s instructions. Retest afterward. An older model may have no newer compatible release.

Bring observations, not a guessed part

If rotation still fails in both apps after these checks, arrange Apple support or an iPad assessment. Seek assessment sooner if it began after a drop, liquid exposure, or repair. Rotation failure alone does not prove the display needs replacement.

I’d want the model and software version from Settings → General → About, the two app results, lock setting, restart result, and when the fault began. Mention damage and backup status. A short video filmed with another device can show the physical turn alongside the unchanged display.