Get Device Orientation and Set Preferred Orientation in React Native

Hello guys, This is an Example to Get Device Orientation and Set Preferred Orientation in React Native. In this example we will see how can you control screen orientation and how can you get the rotation of the screen. Sometimes it becomes very much important to manage the orientation of the screen and if it is done properly then it will provide a user-friendly experience to your app users which is very much important for a developer.

If I have to mention the most general example of screen rotation or the orientation of the screen then a video playing application like Youtube is the best example, it uses the screen very well using the orientation as users are very comfortable with portrait mode while searching and after playing a video it provides the landscape option to use your full screen.

In this example, we are going to see how to control screen rotation/orientation using react-native-orientation library.

You can also see How to Disable Screen Rotation in React Native.

Get Device Orientation

To get the orientation of the device react-native-orientation library provides two different categories:

1. Orientation

In the normal orientation we will get the following orientation as a response:

LANDSCAPE
PORTRAIT
PORTRAITUPSIDEDOWN
UNKNOWN

To get the Orientation any time use

Orientation.getOrientation((err, orientation) => {});

1	Orientation.getOrientation((err, orientation) => {});

To add the Orientation Listener for the change in the orientation which will be triggered automatically when the orientation of the device changes

Orientation.addOrientationListener((orientation) => {});

1	Orientation.addOrientationListener((orientation) => {});

To remove the Orientation Listener use

Orientation.removeOrientationListener();

1	Orientation.removeOrientationListener();

2. Specific Orientation

In the specific orientation we will get the following orientation as a response:

LANDSCAPE-LEFT
LANDSCAPE-RIGHT
PORTRAIT
PORTRAITUPSIDEDOWN
UNKNOWN

To get the Specific Orientation any time use

Orientation.getSpecificOrientation((err, specificOrientation) => {});

1	Orientation.getSpecificOrientation((err, specificOrientation) => {});

To add the Specific Orientation Listener for the change in the orientation which will be triggered automatically when the orientation of the device changes

Orientation.addSpecificOrientationListener((specificOrientation) => {});

1	Orientation.addSpecificOrientationListener((specificOrientation) => {});

To remove the Specific Orientation Listener use

Orientation.removeSpecificOrientationListener();

1	Orientation.removeSpecificOrientationListener();

Set Preferred Orientation

Here are the all possible orientation which you can set using this library:

1. To Lock the View to Portrait Mode

Orientation.lockToPortrait()

1	Orientation.lockToPortrait()

2. To Locks the View to Landscape Mode

Orientation.lockToLandscape()

1	Orientation.lockToLandscape()

3. To Locks the View to Right Landscape Mode

Orientation.lockToLandscapeLeft()

1	Orientation.lockToLandscapeLeft()

4. To Locks the View to Left Landscape Mode

Orientation.lockToLandscapeRight()

1	Orientation.lockToLandscapeRight()

5. Unlocks any Previous Locked Orientations

Orientation.unlockAllOrientations()

1	Orientation.unlockAllOrientations()

I think this is enough to know about the library, now let’s move towards the example. In this example, we are going to see 7 buttons on the screen in which 2 buttons will be used to get the orientation and specific orientation of the device at any time and 5 buttons to set the preferred orientation.
We have also added orientation listeners for the screen so that the current orientation of the device will be visible on the screen.
Now let’s get started with the example.

To Make a React Native App

Getting started with React Native will help you to know more about the way you can make a React Native project. We are going to use react-native init to make our React Native App. Assuming that you have node installed, you can use npm to install the react-native-cli command line utility. Open the terminal and go to the workspace and run

npm install -g react-native-cli

Run the following commands to create a new React Native project

react-native init ProjectName

If you want to start a new project with a specific React Native version, you can use the --version argument:

react-native init ProjectName --version X.XX.X

react-native init ProjectName --version react-native@next

This will make a project structure with an index file named App.js in your project directory.

Installation of Dependency

To use Orientation we have to install react-native-orientation dependency.

To install the dependencies open the terminal and jump into your project

cd ProjectName

1	cd ProjectName

Now install the dependency

npm install react-native-orientation --save

1	npm install react-native-orientation --save

CocoaPods Installation

After the updation of React Native 0.60, they have introduced autolinking so we do not require to link the libraries but need to install pods.

In this example we need to install the pods for react-native-orientation.

Please use the following command to install CocoaPods

cd ios && pod install && cd ..

1	cd ios && pod install && cd ..

Code to Get Device Orientation and Set Preferred Orientation in React Native

Now Open App.js in any code editor and replace the code with the following code.

App.js

/*Example of react native orientation*/
import React, { Component } from 'react';
import {
  Platform,
  StyleSheet,
  Text,
  View,
  TouchableOpacity,
  ScrollView,
} from 'react-native';
import Orientation from 'react-native-orientation';

export default class App extends Component {
  constructor(props) {
    super(props);
    this.state = {
      currentOrientation: '',
      currentSpecificOrientation: '',
    };
  }

  componentDidMount() {
    // The getOrientation method is async. It happens sometimes that
    // you need the orientation at the moment the JS runtime starts running on device.
    // `getInitialOrientation` returns directly because its a constant set at the
    // beginning of the JS runtime.
    const initial = Orientation.getInitialOrientation();
    this.setState({
      currentOrientation: 'Current Device Orientation: ' + initial,
    });

    //Listner for general orientation LANDSCAPE / PORTRAIT
    Orientation.addOrientationListener(this._orientationChange);

    //Listner for more Specific Orientation
    //LANDSCAPE-LEFT / LANDSCAPE-RIGHT / PORTRAIT / PORTRAITUPSIDEDOWN / UNKNOWN
    Orientation.addSpecificOrientationListener(this._specificOrientationChange);
  }

  _orientationChange = orientation => {
    this.setState({
      currentOrientation: 'Current Device Orientation: ' + orientation,
    });
  };

  _specificOrientationChange = specificOrientation => {
    this.setState({
      currentSpecificOrientation:
        'Current Device Specific Orientation: ' + specificOrientation,
    });
  };

  componentWillUnmount() {
    // Remember to remove listener
    Orientation.removeOrientationListener(this._orientationChange);
    Orientation.removeSpecificOrientationListener(
      this._specificOrientationChange
    );
  }

  _getCurrentOrientation() {
    Orientation.getOrientation((err, orientation) => {
      alert('Orientation: ' + orientation);
    });
  }
  _getCurrentSpecificOrientation() {
    Orientation.getSpecificOrientation((err, specificOrientation) => {
      alert('Specific Orientation: ' + specificOrientation);
    });
  }

  render() {
    return (
      <View style={{ flex: 1, marginTop: 30, padding: 20 }}>
        <ScrollView>
          <View style={styles.container}>
            <Text style={styles.textLarge}>
              Example of React Native Orientation
            </Text>
            <Text style={styles.textSmall}>
              {this.state.currentOrientation}
            </Text>
            <Text style={styles.textSmall}>
              {this.state.currentSpecificOrientation}
            </Text>
            <TouchableOpacity
              style={styles.button}
              onPress={() => this._getCurrentOrientation()}>
              <Text>get Current Orientation</Text>
            </TouchableOpacity>
            <TouchableOpacity
              style={styles.button}
              onPress={() => this._getCurrentSpecificOrientation()}>
              <Text>get Current Specific Orientation</Text>
            </TouchableOpacity>
            <TouchableOpacity
              style={styles.button}
              onPress={() => Orientation.lockToPortrait()}>
              <Text>Locks the View to Portrait Mode</Text>
            </TouchableOpacity>
            <TouchableOpacity
              style={styles.button}
              onPress={() => Orientation.lockToLandscape()}>
              <Text>Locks the View to Landscape Mode</Text>
            </TouchableOpacity>
            <TouchableOpacity
              style={styles.button}
              onPress={() => Orientation.lockToLandscapeLeft()}>
              <Text>Locks the View to Right Landscape Mode</Text>
            </TouchableOpacity>
            <TouchableOpacity
              style={styles.button}
              onPress={() => Orientation.lockToLandscapeRight()}>
              <Text>Locks the View to Left Landscape Mode</Text>
            </TouchableOpacity>
            <TouchableOpacity
              style={styles.button}
              onPress={() => Orientation.unlockAllOrientations()}>
              <Text>Unlocks any Previous Locked Orientations</Text>
            </TouchableOpacity>
          </View>
        </ScrollView>
      </View>
    );
  }
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
  },
  textLarge: {
    fontSize: 20,
    textAlign: 'center',
    margin: 10,
  },
  textSmall: {
    fontSize: 16,
    textAlign: 'center',
    margin: 10,
  },
  button: {
    alignItems: 'center',
    backgroundColor: '#DDDDDD',
    padding: 10,
    width: 300,
    marginTop: 16,
  },
});

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

/*Example of react native orientation*/

import React, { Component } from 'react';

import {

Platform,

StyleSheet,

Text,

View,

TouchableOpacity,

ScrollView,

} from 'react-native';

import Orientation from 'react-native-orientation';

export default class App extends Component {

constructor(props) {

super(props);

this.state = {

currentOrientation: '',

currentSpecificOrientation: '',

};

}

componentDidMount() {

// The getOrientation method is async. It happens sometimes that

// you need the orientation at the moment the JS runtime starts running on device.

// `getInitialOrientation` returns directly because its a constant set at the

// beginning of the JS runtime.

const initial = Orientation.getInitialOrientation();

this.setState({

currentOrientation: 'Current Device Orientation: ' + initial,

});

//Listner for general orientation LANDSCAPE / PORTRAIT

Orientation.addOrientationListener(this._orientationChange);

//Listner for more Specific Orientation

//LANDSCAPE-LEFT / LANDSCAPE-RIGHT / PORTRAIT / PORTRAITUPSIDEDOWN / UNKNOWN

Orientation.addSpecificOrientationListener(this._specificOrientationChange);

}

_orientationChange = orientation => {

this.setState({

currentOrientation: 'Current Device Orientation: ' + orientation,

});

};

_specificOrientationChange = specificOrientation => {

this.setState({

currentSpecificOrientation:

'Current Device Specific Orientation: ' + specificOrientation,

});

};

componentWillUnmount() {

// Remember to remove listener

Orientation.removeOrientationListener(this._orientationChange);

Orientation.removeSpecificOrientationListener(

this._specificOrientationChange

);

}

_getCurrentOrientation() {

Orientation.getOrientation((err, orientation) => {

alert('Orientation: ' + orientation);

});

}

_getCurrentSpecificOrientation() {

Orientation.getSpecificOrientation((err, specificOrientation) => {

alert('Specific Orientation: ' + specificOrientation);

});

}

render() {

return (

Example of React Native Orientation

</Text>

{this.state.currentOrientation}

</Text>

{this.state.currentSpecificOrientation}

</Text>

<TouchableOpacity

style={styles.button}

onPress={() => this._getCurrentOrientation()}>

<Text>get Current Orientation</Text>

</TouchableOpacity>

<TouchableOpacity

style={styles.button}

onPress={() => this._getCurrentSpecificOrientation()}>

<Text>get Current Specific Orientation</Text>

</TouchableOpacity>

<TouchableOpacity

style={styles.button}

onPress={() => Orientation.lockToPortrait()}>

<Text>Locks the View to Portrait Mode</Text>

</TouchableOpacity>

<TouchableOpacity

style={styles.button}

onPress={() => Orientation.lockToLandscape()}>

<Text>Locks the View to Landscape Mode</Text>

</TouchableOpacity>

<TouchableOpacity

style={styles.button}

onPress={() => Orientation.lockToLandscapeLeft()}>

<Text>Locks the View to Right Landscape Mode</Text>

</TouchableOpacity>

<TouchableOpacity

style={styles.button}

onPress={() => Orientation.lockToLandscapeRight()}>

<Text>Locks the View to Left Landscape Mode</Text>

</TouchableOpacity>

<TouchableOpacity

style={styles.button}

onPress={() => Orientation.unlockAllOrientations()}>

<Text>Unlocks any Previous Locked Orientations</Text>

</TouchableOpacity>

</View>

</ScrollView>

</View>

);

}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({

container: {

flex: 1,

justifyContent: 'center',

alignItems: 'center',

textLarge: {

fontSize: 20,

textAlign: 'center',

margin: 10,

textSmall: {

fontSize: 16,

textAlign: 'center',

margin: 10,

button: {

alignItems: 'center',

backgroundColor: '#DDDDDD',

padding: 10,

width: 300,

marginTop: 16,

});

To Run the React Native App

Open the terminal again and jump into your project using.

cd ProjectName

To run the project on an Android Virtual Device or on real debugging device

react-native run-android

or on the iOS Simulator by running

react-native run-ios (macOS only).

This is how you can Get Device Orientation and Set Preferred Orientation in React Native. If you have any doubt or you want to share something about the topic you can comment below or contact us here. There will be more posts coming soon. Stay tuned!

Hope you liked it. 🙂

4 thoughts on “Get Device Orientation and Set Preferred Orientation in React Native”

Charlotte
October 8, 2019 at 2:50 pm | Reply
Hello !
Great article, I tried and follow it but I must have been wrong, I’ve got this error. Maybe you have an idea of where it comes from ?
TypeError: null is not an object (evaluating ‘Orientation.initialOrientation’)
– node_modules\react-native-orientation\index.js:98:23 in getInitialOrientation
* App.js:27:20 in componentDidMount
– node_modules\react-native\Libraries\Renderer\oss\ReactNativeRenderer-dev.js:15
036:10 in commitLifeCycles
– node_modules\react-native\Libraries\Renderer\oss\ReactNativeRenderer-dev.js:16
636:8 in commitAllLifeCycles
– … 21 more stack frames from framework internals
- Snehal Agrawal
  October 10, 2019 at 12:07 am | Reply
  Can you please install the pods?
Chintan Rajpara
November 25, 2019 at 4:40 pm | Reply
Hello Snehal, great article from you.
I am building a camera application and there i want to shoot both landscape and portrait videos,
the problem I am facing is that I don’t want my whole screen to be rotated while the device gets rotated, instead I want my camera screen to be locked on portrait mode and rotate the icons by using “Animated”, but while locking to portrait I am not able to get the “onOrientationChange” eventListener
so is there any way to get onOrientationChange listeners while locking to portrait?
- Snehal Agrawal
  November 25, 2019 at 8:45 pm | Reply
  Sorry Chintan but I haven’t worked on something like this. I’ll try it whenever I will get some time. 🙂

Get Device Orientation and Set Preferred Orientation in React Native

Get Device Orientation

1. Orientation

2. Specific Orientation

Set Preferred Orientation

To Make a React Native App

Installation of Dependency

CocoaPods Installation

Code to Get Device Orientation and Set Preferred Orientation in React Native

App.js

To Run the React Native App

4 thoughts on “Get Device Orientation and Set Preferred Orientation in React Native”

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

All Post Updated for React Native V0.61+

API

React Navigation

Material Design

Local Data Access

Social Integration

Date Time

Chart

Libraries