[swift] How to lock orientation of one view controller to portrait mode only in Swift

Since my app got support for all orientation. I would like to lock only portrait mode to specific UIViewController.

e.g. assume it was Tabbed Application and when SignIn View appear modally, I only want that SignIn View to the portrait mode only no matter how the user rotate the device or how the current device orientation will be

As of iOS 10 and 11, iPad supports Slide Over and Split View. To enable an app in Slide Over and Split View, Requires full screen must be unchecked. That means the accepted answer cannot be used if the app wants to support Slide Over and Split View. See more from Apple's Adopting Multitasking Enhancements on iPad here.

I have a solution that allows (1) unchecking Requires full screen, (2) just one function to be implemented in appDelegate (especially if you don't want to / can't modify the target view controllers), and (3) avoid recursive calls. No need of helper class nor extensions.

appDelegate.swift (Swift 4)

func application(_ application: UIApplication,
                 supportedInterfaceOrientationsFor window: UIWindow?) -> UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
    // Search for the visible view controller
    var vc = window?.rootViewController
    // Dig through tab bar and navigation, regardless their order 
    while (vc is UITabBarController) || (vc is UINavigationController) {
        if let c = vc as? UINavigationController {
            vc = c.topViewController
        } else if let c = vc as? UITabBarController {
            vc = c.selectedViewController
        }
    }
    // Look for model view controller
    while (vc?.presentedViewController) != nil {
        vc = vc!.presentedViewController
    }
    print("vc = " + (vc != nil ? String(describing: type(of: vc!)) : "nil"))
    // Final check if it's our target class.  Also make sure it isn't exiting.
    // Otherwise, system will mistakenly rotate the presentingViewController.
    if (vc is TargetViewController) && !(vc!.isBeingDismissed) {
        return [.portrait]
    }
    return [.all]
}

Edit

@bmjohns pointed out that this function is not called on iPad. I verified and yes it was not called. So, I did a bit more testing and found out some facts:

1. I unchecked Requires full screen because I want to enable Slide Over and Slide View on iPad. That requires the app to support all 4 orientation for iPad, in Info.plist: Supported interface orientations (iPad).

My app works same way as Facebook: on iPhone, most of the time it is locked to portrait. When viewing image in full screen, allows users to rotate landscape for better view. On iPad, users can rotate to any orientation in any view controllers. So, the app looks nice when iPad is stand on Smart Cover (landscape left).

2. For iPad to call application(_:supportedInterfaceOrientationsFor), in Info.plist, only keep portrait for iPad. The app will lose Slide Over + Split View ability. But you can lock or unlock the orientation for any view controller, in just one place and no need to modify ViewController class.

3. Finally, this function get called on view controller's life cycle, when view is displayed/removed. If your app need to lock/unlock/change orientation in other time, it might not work

Swift 3 & 4

Set the supportedInterfaceOrientations property of specific UIViewControllers like this:

class MyViewController: UIViewController {

    var orientations = UIInterfaceOrientationMask.portrait //or what orientation you want
    override var supportedInterfaceOrientations : UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
    get { return self.orientations }
    set { self.orientations = newValue }
    }

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
    }

    //...
}

UPDATE

This solution only works when your viewController is not embedded in UINavigationController, because the orientation inherits from parent viewController.
For this case, you can create a subclass of UINavigationViewController and set these properties on it.

Actual tested Solution for this.In my example I need my whole app should be in portrait mode, but only one screen's orientation should be in landscape mode.

Code in AppDelegate as above answers described.

var orientationLock = UIInterfaceOrientationMask.all

func application(_ application: UIApplication, supportedInterfaceOrientationsFor window: UIWindow?) -> UIInterfaceOrientationMask 
{
  return self.orientationLock
}
struct AppUtility {  

static func lockOrientation(_ orientation: UIInterfaceOrientationMask) {
    if let delegate = UIApplication.shared.delegate as? AppDelegate {
        delegate.orientationLock = orientation
    }
}
static func lockOrientation(_ orientation: UIInterfaceOrientationMask, andRotateTo rotateOrientation:UIInterfaceOrientation) {
self.lockOrientation(orientation)     
UIDevice.current.setValue(rotateOrientation.rawValue, forKey: "orientation")
}  
}

Then write down this code before your landscape orientation viewcontroller will be presented/push.

override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {  
super.viewWillAppear(animated)
AppDelegate.AppUtility.lockOrientation(UIInterfaceOrientationMask.portrait, andRotateTo: UIInterfaceOrientation.portrait)
}  

Then write down this code in actual viewcontroller(For landscape view)

override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {  
super.viewWillAppear(animated)
AppDelegate.AppUtility.lockOrientation(UIInterfaceOrientationMask.landscape, andRotateTo: UIInterfaceOrientation.landscape)
}  

Add this code to force portrait and lock it:

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()

    // Force the device in portrait mode when the view controller gets loaded
    UIDevice.currentDevice().setValue(UIInterfaceOrientation.Portrait.rawValue, forKey: "orientation") 
}

override func shouldAutorotate() -> Bool {
    // Lock autorotate
    return false
}

override func supportedInterfaceOrientations() -> Int {

    // Only allow Portrait
    return Int(UIInterfaceOrientationMask.Portrait.rawValue)
}

override func preferredInterfaceOrientationForPresentation() -> UIInterfaceOrientation {

    // Only allow Portrait
    return UIInterfaceOrientation.Portrait
}

In your AppDelegate - set supportedInterfaceOrientationsForWindow to whatever orientations you want the entire application to support:

func application(application: UIApplication, supportedInterfaceOrientationsForWindow window: UIWindow?) -> UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
    return UIInterfaceOrientationMask.All
} 

For a new version of Swift try this

override var shouldAutorotate: Bool {
    return false
}

override var supportedInterfaceOrientations: UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
    return UIInterfaceOrientationMask.portrait
}

override var preferredInterfaceOrientationForPresentation: UIInterfaceOrientation {
    return UIInterfaceOrientation.portrait
}

Best Solution for lock and change orientation on portrait and landscape:

Watch this video on YouTube:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4vRrHdBowyo

This tutorial is best and simple.

or use below code:

See this picture

// 1- in second viewcontroller we set landscapeleft and in first viewcontroller we set portrat:

// 2- if you use NavigationController, you should add extension

import UIKit

class SecondViewController: UIViewController {


    override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
        super.viewWillAppear(animated)
        UIDevice.current.setValue(UIInterfaceOrientation.landscapeLeft.rawValue, forKey: "orientation")
    }

    override open var shouldAutorotate: Bool {
        return false
    }

    override open var supportedInterfaceOrientations: UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
        return .landscapeLeft
    }

    override var preferredInterfaceOrientationForPresentation: UIInterfaceOrientation {
        return .landscapeLeft
    }
    
    

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
    }

//write The rest of your code in here


}

//if you use NavigationController, you should add this extension

extension UINavigationController {
    override open var supportedInterfaceOrientations: UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
        return topViewController?.supportedInterfaceOrientations ?? .allButUpsideDown
    
    }
}

bmjohns -> You are my life saviour. That is the only working solution (With the AppUtility struct)

I've created this class:

class Helper{
    struct AppUtility {

        static func lockOrientation(_ orientation: UIInterfaceOrientationMask) {

            if let delegate = UIApplication.shared.delegate as? AppDelegate {
                delegate.orientationLock = orientation
            }
        }

        /// OPTIONAL Added method to adjust lock and rotate to the desired orientation
        static func lockOrientation(_ orientation: UIInterfaceOrientationMask, andRotateTo rotateOrientation:UIInterfaceOrientation) {

            self.lockOrientation(orientation)

            UIDevice.current.setValue(rotateOrientation.rawValue, forKey: "orientation")
        }

    }
}

and followed your instructions, and everything works perfectly for Swift 3 -> xcode version 8.2.1

A bunch of great answers in this thread, but none quite matched my needs. I have a tabbed app with navigation controllers in each tab, and one view needed to rotate, while the others needed to be locked in portrait. The navigation controller wasn't resizing it's subviews properly, for some reason. Found a solution (in Swift 3) by combining with this answer, and the layout issues disappeared. Create the struct as suggest by @bmjohns:

import UIKit

struct OrientationLock {

    static func lock(to orientation: UIInterfaceOrientationMask) {
        if let delegate = UIApplication.shared.delegate as? AppDelegate {
            delegate.orientationLock = orientation
        }
    }

    static func lock(to orientation: UIInterfaceOrientationMask, andRotateTo rotateOrientation: UIInterfaceOrientation) {
        self.lock(to: orientation)
        UIDevice.current.setValue(rotateOrientation.rawValue, forKey: "orientation")
    }
} 

Then subclass UITabBarController:

    import UIKit

class TabBarController: UITabBarController, UITabBarControllerDelegate {
    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
        super.init(coder: aDecoder)
        self.delegate = self
    }

    func tabBarControllerSupportedInterfaceOrientations(_ tabBarController: UITabBarController) -> UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
        if tabBarController.selectedViewController is MyViewControllerNotInANavigationControllerThatShouldRotate {
            return .allButUpsideDown
        } else if let navController = tabBarController.selectedViewController as? UINavigationController, navController.topViewController is MyViewControllerInANavControllerThatShouldRotate {
            return .allButUpsideDown
        } else {
            //Lock view that should not be able to rotate
            return .portrait
        }
    }

    func tabBarController(_ tabBarController: UITabBarController, shouldSelect viewController: UIViewController) -> Bool {
        if viewController is MyViewControllerNotInANavigationControllerThatShouldRotate {
            OrientationLock.lock(to: .allButUpsideDown)
        } else if let navController = viewController as? UINavigationController, navController.topViewController is MyViewControllerInANavigationControllerThatShouldRotate {
            OrientationLock.lock(to: .allButUpsideDown)
        } else {
            //Lock orientation and rotate to desired orientation
            OrientationLock.lock(to: .portrait, andRotateTo: .portrait)
        }
        return true
    }
}

Don't forget to change the class of the TabBarController in the storyboard to the newly created subclass.

Swift 4

AppDelegate

var orientationLock = UIInterfaceOrientationMask.all

func application(_ application: UIApplication, supportedInterfaceOrientationsFor window: UIWindow?) -> UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
    return self.orientationLock
}
struct AppUtility {
    static func lockOrientation(_ orientation: UIInterfaceOrientationMask) {
        if let delegate = UIApplication.shared.delegate as? AppDelegate {
            delegate.orientationLock = orientation
        }
    }

    static func lockOrientation(_ orientation: UIInterfaceOrientationMask, andRotateTo rotateOrientation:UIInterfaceOrientation) {
        self.lockOrientation(orientation)
        UIDevice.current.setValue(rotateOrientation.rawValue, forKey: "orientation")
    }
}

Your ViewController Add Following line if you need only portrait orientation. you have to apply this to all ViewController need to display portrait mode.

override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
AppDelegate.AppUtility.lockOrientation(UIInterfaceOrientationMask.portrait, andRotateTo: UIInterfaceOrientation.portrait)
    }

and that will make screen orientation for others Viewcontroller according to device physical orientation.

override func viewWillDisappear(_ animated: Bool) {
        AppDelegate.AppUtility.lockOrientation(UIInterfaceOrientationMask.all)

    }

Here is a simple way that works for me with Swift 4.2 (iOS 12.2), put this in a UIViewController for which you want to disable shouldAutorotate:

override var supportedInterfaceOrientations: UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
    return .portrait
}

The .portrait part tells it in which orientation(s) to remain, you can change this as you like. Choices are: .portrait, .all, .allButUpsideDown, .landscape, .landscapeLeft, .landscapeRight, .portraitUpsideDown.

This is a generic solution for your problem and others related.

1. Create auxiliar class UIHelper and put on the following methods:

    /**This method returns top view controller in application  */
    class func topViewController() -> UIViewController?
    {
        let helper = UIHelper()
        return helper.topViewControllerWithRootViewController(rootViewController: UIApplication.shared.keyWindow?.rootViewController)
    }

    /**This is a recursive method to select the top View Controller in a app, either with TabBarController or not */
    private func topViewControllerWithRootViewController(rootViewController:UIViewController?) -> UIViewController?
    {
        if(rootViewController != nil)
        {
            // UITabBarController
            if let tabBarController = rootViewController as? UITabBarController,
                let selectedViewController = tabBarController.selectedViewController {
                return self.topViewControllerWithRootViewController(rootViewController: selectedViewController)
            }

            // UINavigationController
            if let navigationController = rootViewController as? UINavigationController ,let visibleViewController = navigationController.visibleViewController {
                return self.topViewControllerWithRootViewController(rootViewController: visibleViewController)
            }

            if ((rootViewController!.presentedViewController) != nil) {
                let presentedViewController = rootViewController!.presentedViewController;
                return self.topViewControllerWithRootViewController(rootViewController: presentedViewController!);
            }else
            {
                return rootViewController
            }
        }

        return nil
    }

2. Create a Protocol with your desire behavior, for your specific case will be portrait.

protocol orientationIsOnlyPortrait {}

Nota: If you want, add it in the top of UIHelper Class.

3. Extend your View Controller

In your case:

class Any_ViewController: UIViewController,orientationIsOnlyPortrait {

   ....

}

4. In app delegate class add this method:

 func application(_ application: UIApplication, supportedInterfaceOrientationsFor window: UIWindow?) -> UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
        let presentedViewController = UIHelper.topViewController()
        if presentedViewController is orientationIsOnlyPortrait {
            return .portrait
        }
        return .all
    }

Final Notes:

• If you that more class are in portrait mode, just extend that protocol.
• If you want others behaviors from view controllers, create other protocols and follow the same structure.
• This example solves the problem with orientations changes after push view controllers

Create new extension with

import UIKit

extension UINavigationController {
    override open var supportedInterfaceOrientations: UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
        return .portrait
    }
}

extension UITabBarController {
    override open var supportedInterfaceOrientations: UIInterfaceOrientationMask {
        return .portrait
    }
}

Thanks to @bmjohn's answer above. Here is a working Xamarin / C# version of the that answer's code, to save others the time of transcription:

AppDelegate.cs

 public UIInterfaceOrientationMask OrientationLock = UIInterfaceOrientationMask.All;
 public override UIInterfaceOrientationMask GetSupportedInterfaceOrientations(UIApplication application, UIWindow forWindow)
 {
     return this.OrientationLock;
 }

Static OrientationUtility.cs class:

public static class OrientationUtility
{
    public static void LockOrientation(UIInterfaceOrientationMask orientation)
    {
        var appdelegate = (AppDelegate) UIApplication.SharedApplication.Delegate;
        if(appdelegate != null)
        {
            appdelegate.OrientationLock = orientation;
        }
    }

    public static void LockOrientation(UIInterfaceOrientationMask orientation, UIInterfaceOrientation RotateToOrientation)
    {
        LockOrientation(orientation);

        UIDevice.CurrentDevice.SetValueForKey(new NSNumber((int)RotateToOrientation), new NSString("orientation"));
    }
}

View Controller:

    public override void ViewDidAppear(bool animated)
    {
       base.ViewWillAppear(animated);
       OrientationUtility.LockOrientation(UIInterfaceOrientationMask.Portrait, UIInterfaceOrientation.Portrait);
    }

    public override void ViewWillDisappear(bool animated)
    {
        base.ViewWillDisappear(animated);
        OrientationUtility.LockOrientation(UIInterfaceOrientationMask.All);
    }

I experimented a little bit and I managed to find clean solution for this problem. The approach is based on the view tagging via view->tag

In the target ViewController just assign the tag to the root view like in the following code example:

class MyViewController: BaseViewController {

  // declare unique view tag identifier
  static let ViewTag = 2105981;

  override func viewDidLoad()
  {
    super.viewDidLoad();
    // assign the value to the current root view
    self.view.tag = MyViewController.ViewTag;
  }

And finally in the AppDelegate.swift check if the currently shown view is the one we tagged:

func application(_ application: UIApplication, supportedInterfaceOrientationsFor window: UIWindow?) -> UIInterfaceOrientationMask
{
    if (window?.viewWithTag(DesignerController.ViewTag)) != nil {
        return .portrait;
    }
    return .all;
}

This approach has been tested with my simulator and seems it works fine.

Note: the marked view will be also found if current MVC is overlapped with some child ViewController in navigation stack.

To set Landscape orientation to all view of your app & allow only one view to All orientations (to be able to add camera roll for example):

In AppDelegate.swift:

var adaptOrientation = false

In: didFinishLaunchingWithOptions

NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().addObserver(self, selector: "adaptOrientationAction:", name:"adaptOrientationAction", object: nil)

Elsewhere in AppDelegate.swift:

func application(application: UIApplication, supportedInterfaceOrientationsForWindow window: UIWindow?) -> Int {
    return checkOrientation(self.window?.rootViewController)
}

func checkOrientation(viewController:UIViewController?)-> Int{
    if (adaptOrientation == false){
        return Int(UIInterfaceOrientationMask.Landscape.rawValue)
    }else {
        return Int(UIInterfaceOrientationMask.All.rawValue)
    }
}

func adaptOrientationAction(notification: NSNotification){
    if adaptOrientation == false {
        adaptOrientation = true
    }else {
        adaptOrientation = false
    }
}

Then in the view that segue to the one you want to be able to have All orientations:

override func prepareForSegue(segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: AnyObject!) {
    if (segue.identifier == "YOURSEGUE") {
        NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().postNotificationName("adaptOrientationAction", object: nil)
    }
}

override func viewWillAppear(animated: Bool) {
    if adaptOrientation == true {
        NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().postNotificationName("adaptOrientationAction", object: nil)
    }
}

Last thing is to tick Device orientation: - Portrait - Landscape Left - Landscape Right