Android users are noticing a peculiar change: The Google Phone app is coming to life on some devices with auto-rotate switching it into landscape mode during calls. The in-call screen has been locked to portrait for years, even while the dialer and your contacts list could rotate. This new behavior isn’t consistent across the board, which begs the question—did Google flip a switch, or did something get broken?
What exactly changed in the Google Phone call screen
Historically, you could tap contacts to browse them or punch in a number while the phone was on its side, but as soon as a call went through—whoosh!—it flipped back up into portrait mode.
- What exactly changed in the Google Phone call screen
- Rollout test, regression or big-screen pivot?
- What users and testing show across devices and builds
- Why landscape calls aren’t much stranger than they seem
- How can I get back to normal right now on my phone?
- What to watch next as Google refines call rotation
In recent days, users in Pixel forums and Android communities are reporting that the call UI doesn’t return to portrait when they rotate the phone with system auto-rotation. Others still see the former behavior. Some even claim a hybrid: the app rotates when dialing but stays in portrait when the call is connected.
This inconsistency could indicate that the change isn’t in any given app version or specific Android release. It also suggests that more than one code path could be responsible for orientation—one for the dialer activity, and another just for the in-call UI.
Rollout test, regression or big-screen pivot?
There are three credible explanations. First, a gradual, server-side rollout: Google often makes devices aware of new features with remote config flags that are toggled via Play services—this method gives the company a form of A/B testing without updating the full app. Even if that were happening here, only some accounts or devices would initially see landscape calls.
Second, a regression: it’s possible that a change somewhere in Android (maybe the way activities respect sensor orientation?) removed the enforced portrait lock for the in-call screen. It would yield the very “works here, not there” reports we are all so familiar with based on device models, builds, and UI overlays.
Third, an intentional UX change for foldables, tablets, car mounts, and accessibility. Google has been working hard to better support larger screens, and landscape-friendly apps are a critical part of that effort. Allowing landscape in calls would enable the dialer to be used on dash mounts and increase reachability on wide-screen phones.
What users and testing show across devices and builds
Posts in the Pixel subreddit and threads in the Google Support Community indicate a pattern—landscape calls seem to be triggered by system auto-rotate being on, though behavior varies from phone to phone and build to build. On certain Pixels, the rotation persists during a call. On others, rotation only works before the call goes through. A smaller number say they are not rotating at all, which mirrors the old portrait-only model.
Crucially, no official mention of the move has been made in the app’s public release notes. That’s not uncommon—orientation and layout tweaks rarely make headlines. Developer documentation about orientation in Android activities notes there are at least two ways to force or allow rotation, so it could be that the dialer app and the call screen use different settings, causing one to rotate while the other does not.
Why landscape calls aren’t much stranger than they seem
For most phone use, portrait-first is fine, but there’s definitely utility in having landscape too. Consider:
- Car mounts: A horizontal phone mount in the car (with larger buttons) is safer because you’re less likely to tap something accidentally when the screen is bouncing.
- Foldables and tablets: Two-pane layouts in landscape can show caller info alongside controls, making them easier to see and use.
- Accessibility: Larger horizontal touch targets can help people with motor disabilities, and face-based auto-rotate (currently for portraits) already reduces unexpected flips.
- Video and VoIP: Multimedia calls often move between audio and video; sustained orientation can make those UI switches more seamless.
How can I get back to normal right now on my phone?
If you are annoyed by landscape call prompts, the quickest fix is to turn off auto-rotate from Quick Settings; the in-call screen will stay in portrait mode.
There are also users who use rotation control apps or adjust accessibility settings to pin down orientation on a per-app basis, but from what I’ve heard, results are mixed, as the in-call UI runs in a specially privileged system mode when pulled up.
If you want landscape unconditionally, make sure system auto-rotate is enabled. Turning face detection on for auto-rotate will help minimize these kinds of unwanted flips, particularly when you’re lying down, but it won’t force the dialer to rotate if your device is in the “portrait-only during calls” boat.
What to watch next as Google refines call rotation
Watch out for future app updates and Android betas where such orientation rules may appear. If this is a server-side update, you’ll see more devices adhering to landscape during calls without an app update. If it is a bug, look for an uneventful patch that restores the portrait lock.
In any case, the move toward large-screen optimization can make landscape support for key apps seem inevitable. Intentional or not, the new behavior in the Google Phone app could be a sign of things to come: a dialer that is actually intended for a wider range of screens and contexts—one that treats a horizontal call as more than just an edge case but instead as simply another way to talk.