[Guide] Use stock Launcher with rotation

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ejohnson0547

Member
Mar 20, 2008
17
113
I have tried some of the custom launchers from the store but was not that impressed with them. I still like the performance of the stock launcher but I just wanted it to rotate the home screen and allow portrait or landscape mode.

Well I found out you can do just that.

You need to be rooted to do this. I am using a fully stock Nexus 7 just adding Root to it. Follow the other guides on how to do this.

Note: NEW info...

Just add the following line to the file "local.prop" located at "/data/local.prop"
If this file is missing, just create a new one. You DO need to be rooted to create or edit this file.
Use ES File Explorer, turn on Root Explorer and Mount File System in the settings.

Navigate to the folder "/data/"
Press Menu, New, File, then name it "local.prop" (without the double quotes).

Add the following line to it in the editor...
Code:
launcher.force_enable_rotation=true

Also change to Tablet UI
If you want the full tablet UI just add the following line also to this file:
Code:
qemu.sf.lcd_density=160

The qemu.sf.lcd_density overrides the setting ro.sf.lcd_density in the "build.prop" file.

Then reboot your device.




Old method
Note, this method makes it more difficult on re-installs and OTA upgrades, because typically the build.prop file is upgraded or overwritten each time also. The new method above is retained as long as you do not wipe data.

All you have to do is edit your "build.prop" file located at "/system/build.prop"
I used ES File Explorer to edit this file, just turn on Root Explorer and Mount File System in the settings.

Just add the following line at the end:

Code:
launcher.force_enable_rotation=true

Then reboot your device.

That's it! Hope this helps others.
 
Last edited:

adamhlj

Senior Member
Apr 24, 2010
632
61
Salt Lake City, UT
I have tried some of the custom launchers from the store but was not that impressed with them. I still like the performance of the stock launcher but I just wanted it to rotate the home screen and allow portrait or landscape mode.

Well I found out you can do just that.

You need to be rooted to do this. I am using a fully stock Nexus 7 just adding Root to it. Follow the other guides on how to do this.

All you have to do is edit your "build.prop" file located at "/system/build.prop"
I used ES File Explorer to edit this file, just turn on Root Explorer and Mount File System in the settings.

Just add the following line at the end:

Code:
launcher.force_enable_rotation=true


That's it! Hope this helps others.

AWESOME!!! When I first did it, the rotation seemed a little hiccupy. Apps in the bottom disappeared and took a few seconds to reappear, but now its working fine. How do you figure this stuff out??

Edit: The play store doesn't really seem to like it now. Keeps acting weird. It wouldn't let me go anywhere else in the store while an app was downloading. Now that the download has stopped, its not glitching out anymore. I am trying to download another app, and while its downloading, it goes back to the earlier app that I was downloading and stays there. The screen is almost pulsating. Its hard to describe.

Second Edit: I force-stopped the play store and google play services, then rebooted. The glitch with the play store is now gone. But when I rotate from portrait to landscape then back to portrait, the apps disappear for a few seconds again and then reappear. Just an FYI.

Third Edit: Lock screen doesn't rotate.
 
Last edited:

phishn

Senior Member
Jan 15, 2012
87
13
Works fine on liquidsmooth alpha 6

Sent from my Google Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
 

marclile

Senior Member
Jun 17, 2010
182
8
STL
awesome. thank you.

---------- Post added at 11:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:58 PM ----------

AWESOME!!! When I first did it, the rotation seemed a little hiccupy. Apps in the bottom disappeared and took a few seconds to reappear, but now its working fine. How do you figure this stuff out??

Edit: The play store doesn't really seem to like it now. Keeps acting weird. It wouldn't let me go anywhere else in the store while an app was downloading. Now that the download has stopped, its not glitching out anymore. I am trying to download another app, and while its downloading, it goes back to the earlier app that I was downloading and stays there. The screen is almost pulsating. Its hard to describe.

Second Edit: I force-stopped the play store and google play services, then rebooted. The glitch with the play store is now gone. But when I rotate from portrait to landscape then back to portrait, the apps disappear for a few seconds again and then reappear. Just an FYI.

Third Edit: Lock screen doesn't rotate.

the lock screen appears to rotate for me...
 

marclile

Senior Member
Jun 17, 2010
182
8
STL
Screenshot?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app

Screenshot_2012-07-27-23-23-27.png


although... i'm not running the stock rom, i'm running an AOSP rom. so that might be why.
 

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Mbarland

Member
Oct 10, 2010
21
4
Running stock rom, it works. Lock screen does not rotate. Does the stock launcher seem choppy or laggy when in landscape mode? Everything normal on portrait.
 

transportguy

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2007
76
4
brilliant! worked perfect for me on rooted stock 4.1.1
should add in OP that a reboot after the launcher edit helps.
 

p-slim

Senior Member
May 25, 2008
3,622
317
San Jose
I changed my dpi because I like the tablet view but my lock screen doesn't rotate, anyone figure out how to get it to rotate on stock rom?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
 

lilphil240

Senior Member
Oct 16, 2011
195
23
Thanks, prevented me from having to spend $1.99 on the Ultimate Rotation app (Free trial ended). I'm cheap :p
 

mwalt2

Senior Member
Feb 22, 2009
2,248
1,531
Great tip. Its much nicer than running an app to do it.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
 

Geo411m

Inactive Recognized Developer
Jan 3, 2009
1,064
658
Bartow Florida
This is a great tip. I've been modding my launcher to do this exact trick. It's SO much easier just editing the build.prop.
 

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  • 110
    I have tried some of the custom launchers from the store but was not that impressed with them. I still like the performance of the stock launcher but I just wanted it to rotate the home screen and allow portrait or landscape mode.

    Well I found out you can do just that.

    You need to be rooted to do this. I am using a fully stock Nexus 7 just adding Root to it. Follow the other guides on how to do this.

    Note: NEW info...

    Just add the following line to the file "local.prop" located at "/data/local.prop"
    If this file is missing, just create a new one. You DO need to be rooted to create or edit this file.
    Use ES File Explorer, turn on Root Explorer and Mount File System in the settings.

    Navigate to the folder "/data/"
    Press Menu, New, File, then name it "local.prop" (without the double quotes).

    Add the following line to it in the editor...
    Code:
    launcher.force_enable_rotation=true

    Also change to Tablet UI
    If you want the full tablet UI just add the following line also to this file:
    Code:
    qemu.sf.lcd_density=160

    The qemu.sf.lcd_density overrides the setting ro.sf.lcd_density in the "build.prop" file.

    Then reboot your device.




    Old method
    Note, this method makes it more difficult on re-installs and OTA upgrades, because typically the build.prop file is upgraded or overwritten each time also. The new method above is retained as long as you do not wipe data.

    All you have to do is edit your "build.prop" file located at "/system/build.prop"
    I used ES File Explorer to edit this file, just turn on Root Explorer and Mount File System in the settings.

    Just add the following line at the end:

    Code:
    launcher.force_enable_rotation=true

    Then reboot your device.

    That's it! Hope this helps others.
    2
    I have tried some of the custom launchers from the store but was not that impressed with them. I still like the performance of the stock launcher but I just wanted it to rotate the home screen and allow portrait or landscape mode.

    Well I found out you can do just that.

    You need to be rooted to do this. I am using a fully stock Nexus 7 just adding Root to it. Follow the other guides on how to do this.

    All you have to do is edit your "build.prop" file located at "/system/build.prop"
    I used ES File Explorer to edit this file, just turn on Root Explorer and Mount File System in the settings.

    Just add the following line at the end:

    Code:
    launcher.force_enable_rotation=true


    That's it! Hope this helps others.

    AWESOME!!! When I first did it, the rotation seemed a little hiccupy. Apps in the bottom disappeared and took a few seconds to reappear, but now its working fine. How do you figure this stuff out??

    Edit: The play store doesn't really seem to like it now. Keeps acting weird. It wouldn't let me go anywhere else in the store while an app was downloading. Now that the download has stopped, its not glitching out anymore. I am trying to download another app, and while its downloading, it goes back to the earlier app that I was downloading and stays there. The screen is almost pulsating. Its hard to describe.

    Second Edit: I force-stopped the play store and google play services, then rebooted. The glitch with the play store is now gone. But when I rotate from portrait to landscape then back to portrait, the apps disappear for a few seconds again and then reappear. Just an FYI.

    Third Edit: Lock screen doesn't rotate.
    2
    xposed framework + app settings makes the launcher rotate.
    just open app settings, choose google search and "force auto rotation". Same can be done for the dialer.
    1
    Thanks, prevented me from having to spend $1.99 on the Ultimate Rotation app (Free trial ended). I'm cheap :p

    That app actually slows the tab down
    try playing a game and it will pause every few seconds
    1
    Added the line & not working for me, did I do something wrong? Added the extra in text editor in the correct place, saved it and nothing happen.

    Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

    Stupid question but did you reboot? And also what ROM are you on to cancel out any potential conflicts there. I'm on stock and it worked fine.

    Sent from my Galaxy Nexus