Symptoms
- Photo looks correct in the camera preview but saves sideways or upside down
- Issue appears in one app or gallery but not another
- Happens more when shooting at unusual angles, like flat on a table
- Videos may also show incorrect rotation on playback
Likely causes
- CommonOrientation sensor misreading the phone's position at captureShooting flat, upside down, or at unusual angles can confuse the sensor that tags the photo's rotation.
- CommonApp or gallery not correctly reading the photo's rotation metadataSome apps display images without respecting the embedded orientation tag, showing them rotated.
- PossibleSoftware bug after an updateAn update can occasionally introduce a bug in how orientation is recorded or displayed.
What to do
- View the photo in the default gallery app first, since third-party apps sometimes ignore rotation data.
- Avoid shooting completely flat or at extreme angles when orientation matters.
- Restart the phone to reset the orientation sensor reading.
- Manually rotate and re-save the photo using the gallery's edit tool if needed.
- Update the camera app, gallery app, and operating system.
- Check if rotation lock was on during capture, which can sometimes affect how orientation is recorded.
When to call a pro
A repair shop isn't relevant here; this is a software or sensor calibration issue rather than hardware damage.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.