Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPad Volume buttons work differently for horizontal and vertical orientation

It's so that the volume up / volume down button orientation is the same as the direction the on-screen volume slider moves when you change the volume. If they didn't change, in landscape you'd be clicking the button on the left to increase the volume which makes the volume bar move further to the right: some people would get confused by that. If you don't like it:

Settings > Sounds and Haptics > Fixed Volume Controls > On

result: people who like it either way can be happy. I'd call that thoughtful design.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mw360, Rade0, zachz and 9 others
Jesus Christ, I hope you're not an engineer... Steve would hate it if the controls were set up differently across products. I turn my iPhone to landscape mode and the buttons work as they should. I do the same on my iPad and it's different. That's a terrible philosophy. I don't want to have to choose, it should be set up logically.

If there's a person standing opposite me and I want them to turn left, I tell them to turn right of course. That is logical thinking of a human being.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: BugeyeSTI, Jackbequickly and hjkuldbrot
You are given a choice but don’t want to choose? 🤷

Btw, I like the way it is set up, I find it intuitive. I also like that it works differently on iPhone, it makes sense the way iPhones are held in one hand, at least to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IJustWannaTalk
alFR said:
If you don't like it:

Settings > Sounds and Haptics > Fixed Volume Controls > On

result: people who like it either way can be happy. I'd call that thoughtful design.
Click to expand...
wilberforce said:
You are given a choice but don’t want to choose? 🤷
Click to expand...

OP didn't state which iPad he got, but if it's one of the newer models, there is no choice. It is always-on dynamic for those. Only the older models have the toggle.

These iPad models feature always-on, dynamic volume buttons:
  • iPad Pro (M4 and M5) models
  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation)
  • iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation)
  • iPad mini (A17 Pro)
  • iPad mini (6th generation)
  • iPad Air (M2 and M3) models
  • iPad Air (5th generation)
  • iPad (A16)
  • iPad (10th generation)
On other iPad models with iPadOS 15.4 and later, you can turn dynamic volume buttons on or off:
  1. Make sure that your iPad has iPadOS 15.4 or later.
  2. Go to Settings > Sounds.
  3. Turn on Fixed Position Volume Controls if you want the volume buttons to always have the same behavior. Turn it off if you want the volume buttons to change dynamically depending on the orientation of your iPad.
Click to expand...

Use the Home, side, and other buttons on your iPad - Apple Support

Learn about the buttons and switches on your iPad.
support.apple.com support.apple.com
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: RevTEG, Ethan.Albano, hjkuldbrot and 1 other person
  • Like
Reactions: Ethan.Albano
franzkfk said:
Steve would hate it if the controls were set up differently across products.
Click to expand...
That's mind reading. Nobody knows what Steve's opinion would be. Steve once said that nobody wants to watch video on an iPod screen.

www.engadget.com

Steve Jobs says it again: no video iPod

We really don't want to believe him, but in yesterday's press conference for the first anniversary of the iTunes Music Store Steve Jobs insisted that there isn't a video iPod in the works: Mr. Jobs addressed the issue of video on iPods when asked by Mike Wendland of the Detroit Free Press...
www.engadget.com www.engadget.com

Then they introduced an iPod that played video.

www.apple.com

Apple Unveils the New iPod

www.apple.com
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BugeyeSTI, Ethan.Albano and IJustWannaTalk
yesterday I saw an apple driver, wanting to turn left but had right turn signal on.
IMG20251021143122.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: ctg7w6 and FeliApple
franzkfk said:
Jesus Christ, I hope you're not an engineer... Steve would hate it if the controls were set up differently across products. I turn my iPhone to landscape mode and the buttons work as they should. I do the same on my iPad and it's different. That's a terrible philosophy. I don't want to have to choose, it should be set up logically.

If there's a person standing opposite me and I want them to turn left, I tell them to turn right of course. That is logical thinking of a human being.
Click to expand...
First of all, I hate all the posts "Steve Jobs would hate..." - unless you knew him, HTF do you know what he would like or not?

The iPhone is a device almost always used portrait, while the iPad is often used in both orientations. But one thing that the iPhone never does, that the iPad can do, is work "upside down" - switch the display so that if you are holding it with the bottom up, it swings the display so that it is oriented properly that way.

So a few years ago, I think after the first iPad was sold without a home button (so, an obvious indication of what is "up" and "down" as you look at the screen), Apple made this change so that the up volume button was always to the top or to the right, no matter which way you held it. Having used older iPads that did not do this, I find this so much more logical than the old way on the iPad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mw360, FlyingDutch, chrfr and 3 others
Never knew this was even an option since it was off by default on my 2018 iPP. Makes total sense and I like it!
 
franzkfk said:
Jesus Christ, I hope you're not an engineer... Steve would hate it if the controls were set up differently across products. I turn my iPhone to landscape mode and the buttons work as they should. I do the same on my iPad and it's different. That's a terrible philosophy. I don't want to have to choose, it should be set up logically.

If there's a person standing opposite me and I want them to turn left, I tell them to turn right of course. That is logical thinking of a human being.
Click to expand...
And how can you say Steve would have opted for a better solution? He made a few odd design choices too…
 
  • Like
Reactions: doogm and IJustWannaTalk
FlyingDutch said:
And how can you say Steve would have opted for a better solution? He made a few odd design choices too…
Click to expand...
What do you mean better solution?

There is no better solution.

You brain fixes orientation on your products as they are. You don't have to think about it.

Yes, I will approach iPad orientation differently in time than my iPhone, but IT IS A BAD DESIGN.

Someone just change something for sake of changing. It's very silly.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: BugeyeSTI
franzkfk said:
What do you mean better solution?

There is no better solution.

You brain fixes orientation on your products as they are. You don't have to think about it.

Yes, I will approach iPad orientation differently in time than my iPhone, but IT IS A BAD DESIGN.

Someone just change something for sake of changing. It's very silly.
Click to expand...
Actually I’m on a totally different opinion, and I like the design choice as it is. You are confusing options with facts
 
  • Like
Reactions: BugeyeSTI and doogm
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back