Mac Tutorials
How to Rotate Your Mac Screen: A Step-By-Step Guide
Want to change things up by rotating your Mac screen? Whether it’s for a new workflow or just a change of scenery, this guide will teach you how to do that, easily! Work on Intel Macs or Apple Silicone Macs, running either on a Macbook or an external display, the process is the same.😊 No need for initials downloads or complex commands, all you need is your keyboard and a few clicks. 👍
Access the Display Settings Menu
First, locate your cursor on the top left-hand side of the screen. Hover over the system settings, but don’t click anything yet. Hold down the option key. 👌 You’ll know it’s working because the ‘about this Mac’ label changes into ‘system information’. Clicking system settings will now unlock a hidden menu. 🙌
Uncover the Rotation Display Option
Hold down the option key again, and click on the ‘displays’ menu option. 👀 Keeping that option key held takes you to another menu. A quick indicator you’re in the right place is a button labeled ‘rotation’ at the bottom of the menu. Without pressing the option key, this wouldn’t be accessible.😲 So remember to hold down the option key whenever you click on the system menus for the first time.😉
Change the Screen Rotation
Once you’re in the rotation menu, you can now change the orientation of your display. 🔄 From flipping to an 180-degree angle, turning it sideways to a 90-degree flip, or simply returning it to its standard position, it’s all possible from this menu. 😮 A simple confirmation click, and your screen will flip as commanded. 🎉 Perhaps you can try a book-like reading format? Or an upside-down mode? The choice is yours!🙃
More Displays, More Fun
If you connect external monitors, they’ll appear at the top side of this menu. So yes, you can rotate all your displays and surely have a little confusion-heavy-fun. 😄
Conclusion: 🏁
Voilà! Your Mac screen rotation is as easy as that. Just a few clicks, and the world turns quite literally, well at least, on your Mac screen. 🌐 Remember this menu when setting up a portrait monitor. Keep exploring these options for a versatile Mac experience. 👩💻👨💻 If you found this guide useful, share the fun and let others in on these neat Mac tricks. Happy rotating! 💫
FAQ
Can I rotate my Mac screen?
Yes, you can rotate your Mac screen to a few different orientations using the System Preferences.
How can I rotate my screen on a Mac running macOS Mojave?
You can rotate your screen on a Mac running macOS Mojave by going to System Preferences -> Display -> Display -> Rotation. From there, you can select the orientation that you prefer.
Can I rotate my screen if my Mac is running an older operating system?
Yes, you can rotate your screen on a Mac running an older operating system, however, the steps might be slightly different.
How can I revert my screen back to its original orientation?
You can revert your screen back to its original orientation by selecting ‘Standard’ from the Rotation dropdown in Display Settings.
What if the rotated screen doesn’t work properly?
If the rotated screen doesn’t work properly, you can always use the keyboard shortcut Command+Option+Escape to Force Quit System Preferences and reset your display settings.
Will rotating my screen affect performance?
In most cases, rotating your screen won’t affect the performance of your Mac. However, if you’re running resource-intensive applications, you may epxerience a slight decrease in performance.
Can I rotate my screen on a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro?
Yes, you can rotate your screen on both MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
Does rotating the screen cause any damage to my Mac?
No, rotating the screen will not cause any damage to your Mac. It’s simply a change in the visual display settings.
Can I set my Mac to rotate the screen at certain times?
No, there is no default option in the Mac OS to automatically rotate the screen at certain times. You must manually rotate the screen.
Why doesn’t the rotation option appear in my display settings?
The option to rotate your display might be hidden by default. In the Display tab in the System Preferences, hold down the Option key and then click on Scaled to make the rotation options appear.
Can I rotate my screen to portrait mode?
Yes, you can rotate your screen to portrait mode by choosing either 90 or 270 degrees from the rotation dropdown menu in the display settings.
Why won’t my Mac let me rotate my screen?
If the rotation option doesn’t appear, your Mac might not support screen rotation. This is usually the case with older Mac computers.
Can I rotate my screen to any angle?
You can only rotate your screen to standard angles: 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees.
Why is my screen orientation not changing even after rotating?
If your screen orientation is not changing, try restarting your computer. If the problem persists, contact Apple Support.
Can I rotate the screen on a Mac Mini?
Yes, you can rotate the screen on a Mac Mini using the same procedure as any other Mac computer.
How can I rotate the screen if the rotate option is greyed out?
If the rotate option is greyed out, try updating your software or checking for any system updates.
Is there a way to rotate only a specific application’s window?
No, there currently is no way to rotate only a specific application’s window. When you rotate your screen, it applies to all applications.
Does screen rotation work for external displays as well?
Yes, you can rotate the screen for external displays using the same process. The settings for each display can be adjusted individually.
Is it useful to rotate my Mac screen?
Rotating your Mac screen can be useful for certain tasks, such as reading documents, coding, or using vertical applications.
Can I rotate my screen if I am using an older model of Mac?
Yes, but the process may vary slightly depending on the model and the operating system version you are using.
Is there a keyboard shortcut to rotate the screen on a Mac?
No, there isn’t a keyboard shortcut to rotate the screen on a Mac. You need to go through the System Preferences to do so.
Will rotating my screen affect the touchscreen capabilities on a Mac?
As of now, Macs do not support touchscreen technology, so rotating the screen will not affect touchscreen capabilities.
Can I rotate my screen on a iMac?
Yes, you can rotate your screen on an iMac, just like on any other Mac computer.
Does rotating the screen affect video playback?
Most video playback applications like VLC allow to adjust video playback according to screen orientation. So, no, it generally does not affect video playback.
Does Apple support rotating screens?
Yes, the feature to rotate your screen is a built-in function within macOS and is supported by Apple.
Can I rotate a secondary display connected to my Mac?
Yes, each connected display can be rotated independently in the Display settings.
Will rotating the screen impact my battery life?
Rotating your screen should not have a significant impact on battery life as it’s only changing the way the display appears.
Do all applications support screen rotation?
While most applications should work fine when your Mac’s screen is rotated, certain applications might not display correctly.
Can I rotate the screen on an M1 Mac?
Yes, M1 Macs support screen rotation through the same steps as other Mac computers.
Is it normal for the screen rotation to take a few seconds?
Yes, it’s normal for screen rotation to take a few seconds. Your Mac needs to adjust its display settings, which can take a little time.