Locking/ Unlocking Auto Rotation

[kristalsoldier]

Hi...

I just noticed that if I have the Type Cover on, I can't seem to lock the auto-rotation of the screen from the Charms menu. But if I take it off, then that works. This means that if the auto-rotate lock is off and the Type cover is attached, and you turn the orientation of the Surface, the screen rotates. The only way to stop this is to take off the Type cover, which somehow mysteriously allows me to lock/ unlock the screen rotation from the Charms Menu (in the usual manner) and then re-attach the Type Cover. Surely this is not the way this is meant to be working, is it?

 

[oion]

Hi...

I just noticed that if I have the Type Cover on, I can't seem to lock the auto-rotation of the screen from the Charms menu. But if I take it off, then that works. This means that if the auto-rotate lock is off and the Type cover is attached, and you turn the orientation of the Surface, the screen rotates. The only way to stop this is to take off the Type cover, which somehow mysteriously allows me to lock/ unlock the screen rotation from the Charms Menu (in the usual manner) and then re-attach the Type Cover. Surely this is not the way this is meant to be working, is it?

Well. Remember that MS designed the keyboards to be folded back for fast tablet mode use, so it makes sense to allow auto-rotate in that scenario (fold back, use portrait). I don't remember all the nuances of the screen lock in Surface 8.0, but I do remember that the auto-lock option was always grayed out as long as the keyboard is attached. So in terms of a fluid usage scenario, I always had my RT auto-rotate-locked and only manually unlocked it when I removed the keyboard to do a little gaming, because I couldn't stand the screen rotating by accident if I moved it around in "laptop" mode and didn't like having the keyboard folded back anyway.

 

[kristalsoldier]

Well. Remember that MS designed the keyboards to be folded back for fast tablet mode use, so it makes sense to allow auto-rotate in that scenario (fold back, use portrait). I don't remember all the nuances of the screen lock in Surface 8.0, but I do remember that the auto-lock option was always grayed out as long as the keyboard is attached. So in terms of a fluid usage scenario, I always had my RT auto-rotate-locked and only manually unlocked it when I removed the keyboard to do a little gaming, because I couldn't stand the screen rotating by accident if I moved it around in "laptop" mode and didn't like having the keyboard folded back anyway.

As far as I remember in 8.0, I could lock and unlock the auto-rotation even with the Type Cover attached. Perhaps someone who has not yet updated to 8.1 can remind us?

 

[oion]

As far as I remember in 8.0, I could lock and unlock the auto-rotation even with the Type Cover attached. Perhaps someone who has not yet updated to 8.1 can remind us?

A mod answer from the MS support boards for 8.0 Surface RT:

if the touch/type Cover is attached it will automatically allow the screen to auto rotate, however if you remove the cover or fold it behind the screen then it will allow you to lock the screen orientation.

Hmm. I didn't experiment that much with it, really.

 

[kristalsoldier]

Thanks for that.