“Orientation is blocked” in the gallery Xiaomi Redmi: 7 ways to return autoturn photo

You open a gallery on your Xiaomi Redmi to show your friends photos, but instead of automatically turning the screen, you see the words "Orientation locked"? MIUI — Unlike standard Android, where autopivot is managed globally, Redmi Gallery has separate rules, most often blocking occurs due to a failure in the settings of the application, conflict with gestures or cache errors.

In this article, we will analyze all possible causes of the message about the blocked orientation – from banal (turn sensor turned off) to hidden (errors in the configuration file). media_provider). You will learn how to return the car to the 30 Seconds (if settings are to blame) or what to do when the problem is deeper, whether it’s firmware or hardware limitations, and we’ve also created a rotary compatibility table for different Redmi models so you know exactly if your smartphone supports a particular option.

Warning: Some methods require access to hidden settings MIUI If you're not ready to experiment, start with the simplest ways (sections 2-3). ADB and editing system files (section 6).

📊 How often do you encounter problems in the Xiaomi gallery?
Often, once a week.
Sometimes, once a month.
Nearby, but I decide.
Never, everything works perfectly.

The message "Orientation blocked" appears for a reason - it is the system's response to a specific problem. MIUI Three components are responsible for turning the gallery around: the accelerometer sensor, the Gallery app settings, and the WindowManager system service. If any of these works wrong, the screen turns off:

  • 🔄 Autorotation is disabled in the Android settings. Yes, even if the gallery has a separate switch, it can conflict with the global system settings.
  • 📱 The Mi Gallery app actively uses cache to speed up work, but sometimes this data is corrupted.
  • 🔧 Error in the configuration file. MIUI Turn parameters are stored in a file /data/data/com.miui.gallery/shared_prefs/com.miui.gallery_preferences.xml. If it is damaged, the function breaks down.
  • 🤖 Conflict with navigational gestures, starting with MIUI 12, full-screen gestures can block rotation in some apps.
  • 🛠️ Hardware limitations of the model. Some budget Redmi (e.g. Redmi) 9A Redmi 8 has simplified sensors that do not support a smooth rotation in the gallery.

Interesting fact: in MIUI 14 developers added a hidden option to force the rotation in the gallery, even if the sensor is turned off. ADB (about that in section 6).

⚠️ Note: If the problem has occurred after the update MIUI, Don’t rush to reset your settings. In 80% of cases, a simple smartphone reboot or cleaning the gallery cache helps (see section 3).

2. Quick solutions: check the basic settings

Start with the obvious -- check if the autorotor is off at the system or application level. MIUI There are two independent switches:

  1. Global Autoturn (for all applications): Open Settings → Screen. → Turn it around and make sure it's active. If it's gray, turn it on. Note that some Redmi models (like the Redmi Note 10 Pro) have a Gallery Turn option that you need to activate separately.
  2. Local Autoturn Gallery: Launch the Gallery app, open any photo and tap the Lock icon in the upper right corner. If it's illuminated, orientation is locked. Click on it to unlock.

If both switches are on, but the turn still doesn’t work, try to force the gallery to restart:

  1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
  2. Find the Gallery and select “Stop” (not to be confused with “Delete”).
  3. Start the gallery again and check the turn.

Is the global autoturn enabled in the screen settings?

Is the “Castle” icon unlocked in the gallery?

Is the gallery restarted through the app settings?

Turn sensor checked (tilt phone in different directions)-->

On some firmware (e.g, MIUI Global 13.0.4) has a bug: after the update, the gallery's access rights to the sensors are reset:

  1. Go to Settings. → Confidentiality → Permits → Sensors.
  2. Find the Gallery and allow access to the accelerometer and gyroscope.

If the basic settings didn't work, the problem is likely to be a damaged cache or incorrect data from the Mi Gallery app. MIUI The gallery is integrated with Xiaomi Cloud services, and its cache can inflate to several gigabytes.

How to clear the cache:

  1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management → Gallery.
  2. Press "Storage» → «Clear the cache».
  3. Restart the phone and check the turn.

If the cache cleanup didn’t work, try resetting the app data (this will delete all local gallery settings, but won’t affect the photos themselves):

  1. In the same menu ("Storage"), click "Clear Data".
  2. Confirm the action. The app will go back to factory settings.
  3. After the reboot, open the gallery and set up the autoturn again (see Section 2).

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi Note 9 Pro) may miss a thumbnail folder after resetting the gallery data. DCIM To get it back, open the gallery, go to the Albums. → Folders and keep your finger on the folder. DCIM, Then select “Add to the main screen».

If the data reset didn’t help, the problem could be a corrupted configuration file, in which case only reinstalling the gallery or resetting the phone’s settings (see Section 5).

💡

Before you clean up the gallery data, back up the albums. → Albums. → ⋮ → Backup and save data to Xiaomi Cloud or Google Drive.

4. Conflicts with gestures and full screen mode

Starting with MIUI 12, Xiaomi has implemented full-screen navigation gestures that sometimes conflict with auto-rotation in apps. This is especially noticeable in the gallery, where a swipe down gesture (to exit) can block the turn sensor. If you use gestures, try the following solutions:

  • 👆 Turn off full-screen gestures temporarily: Go to Settings → Screen. → Full screen mode and select Navigation Buttons instead of Gestures. check if the gallery turn now works.
  • 🔄 Configure Gallery Exceptions: In the same full-screen settings, find the Exceptions option and add Gallery to the list.This will force the system to use classic buttons only in this application.
  • 📱 Check the sensitivity of gestures: In Settings → Additionally. → Gestures reduce swipe sensitivity. Sometimes, too aggressive gestures interfere with the correct operation of the sensors.

Another possible reason is the One Hand Mode, which automatically blocks the screen from turning, to turn it off:

  1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities → One-hand mode.
  2. Make sure the slider is off.
  3. If the mode is on, restart the phone.
Model RedmiSupport for full-screen gesturesThe auto-turn conflictDecision
Redmi Note 11 Pro+Yes (MIUI 13+)Rarely.Update the firmware
Redmi 10Yes (MIUI 12.5)OftenTurn off the gallery gestures
Redmi 9TPartially.Sometimes.Reduce sensitivity
Redmi Note 8 ProYes (MIUI 11+)Very often.Switch to the buttons.

💡

If you turn off your gestures, the problem is exactly the navigation conflict, in which case either use the buttons or wait for the firmware update where the bug will be fixed.

If none of the previous methods worked, it’s time for radical measures, starting with the safest one: resetting your settings for the gallery app only (this won’t affect your photos or system settings):

  1. Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management → gallery → Warehouse.
  2. Click on Clear All Data (this will remove settings, cache, and temporary files).
  3. Reboot the phone.

If the reset didn't work, try reinstalling the gallery. MIUI It's a system application, so you can't just delete it, but you can roll back to the factory version:

  1. Download the original APK Gallery for your model from the site MIUI APK Archive.
  2. Install. APK through any file manager (authorization to install from unknown sources is required).
  3. After installation, open the gallery and set up the autoturn again.

The last measure is to reset all phone settings (without deleting data), which will return all system settings to factory settings, but will not affect your files:

  1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
  2. Select “Resetting” (not “Reset to factory”!).
  3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

⚠️ Note: On Redmi models with MIUI 14 after resetting, the Xiaomi account may disappear. remember the password in advance or untie the device in Settings → Xiaomi account.

What if the reset didn't help?
Even if the gallery orientation remains blocked after a complete reset, the problem may be a damaged firmware or sensor hardware defect. In this case: 1. Check the autorotation in other applications (e.g. Google Photos or YouTube). If it works there, it's the gallery's fault. 2. Install an alternative gallery (like Simple Gallery) and check the turn in it. 3. If the autoturn doesn't work anywhere, take the phone to the service center to diagnose the sensor. Important: On some Redmis (like Redmi) 7A) The turn sensor is physically absent – in this case, autoturn in the gallery is impossible by default.

Advanced methods: ADB and hidden settings MIUI

If you are ready for experiments, you can try to turn on autorotation through hidden settings or debug the work of sensors using the help of the ADB. These methods are suitable for users who are not afraid of the command line.

Method 1: Incorporating forced turning through ADB

This method works for MIUI 12-14 and allows you to bypass the orientation lock even if the sensor is turned off:

  1. Install ADB Tools on your computer.
  2. Put the debugging on. USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times click on the build number, then go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
  3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell settings put system accelerometer_rotation 1
  4. Reboot the phone.

Method 2: Editing the Gallery Configuration File

If the problem is in the corrupted settings file, you can try resetting it:

  1. Connect to the phone through ADB and perform: adb shell su rm /data/data/com.miui.gallery/shared_prefs/com.miui.gallery_preferences.xml
  2. Reboot the phone. The file will be recreated with the default settings.

Method 3: Testing the operation of sensors

To make sure that the turn sensor is working correctly, do:

  1. Install the Sensor Test app from Google Play.
  2. Check the accelerometer and gyroscope readings when tilting the phone.
  3. If the values do not change, the sensor is defective.

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB They require root rights or unlocked bootloaders, misuse can lead to loss of warranty or buildup of the phone. If you're not sure, contact the service center.

7. Alternative galleries and workarounds

If nothing has worked, and the auto-turn in the gallery is critical, consider using third-party apps. Many of them have no problem blocking orientation and offer additional features (e.g. editing). EXIF-data or cloud synchronization).

Top.-3 Gallery for Xiaomi Redmi with auto-turn support:

  • 📂 Google Photos – automatically rotates photos by tags EXIF, Supports gestures and cloud storage.
  • 🖼️ Simple Gallery Pro is an open source, lightweight gallery with no ads and flexible turn settings.
  • 🌄 A+ Gallery - optimized for MIUI, Supports themes and hidden folders.

How to transfer photos to a new gallery:

  1. Install the selected application from Google Play.
  2. Open the Settings. → Annexes → Permits → Storage and give the new gallery access to files.
  3. In the new gallery, find the option “Scan the device” or “Update the media library”.
  4. Set up autorotation in the application settings (usually in the Screen or Display section).

If you want to leave the standard gallery, but bypass the orientation lock, you can use a crutch with a forced turn of the screen:

  1. Install Rotation Control from Google Play.
  2. Run it and select "Forced Album Mode."
  3. Open the gallery and the screen will turn regardless of the lock.

Important: Forced rotation can disrupt some gestures (such as swiping to backtrack) and use this method only if other methods have failed.

❓ Why does the gallery write “Orientation is blocked” and other apps use the twist?
It's a feature. MIUI: The gallery uses a separate orientation lock mechanism that is independent of Android’s global settings. Most often, the problem is solved by cleaning the gallery cache or resetting its data (see section 3).
❓ After updating MIUI I lost a car in the gallery?
Updates MIUI Sometimes they reset permissions or app settings. Try: Go to Settings → Confidentiality → Permits → Sensors and make sure the gallery has access to the accelerometer. Clear the gallery cache (section 3). APK (section).
❓ On my Redmi. 9A There's no auto-turn in the gallery even after all the settings?
The case is hardware limitations: Redmi 9A (Like some other budget models, it's equipped with a simplified accelerometer sensor that doesn't support a smooth turn in the gallery. In this case: Use alternative galleries (section 7). Rotate photos manually in the editor (double touch on the photo). → «Turn around»).
❓ Can you turn on the autoturn in the gallery without root rights?
Yes, in most cases root is not needed.Try: Clearing cache and gallery data (section 3). ADB For forced rotation (Section 6, does not require root) Install an alternative gallery (Section 7). Root will only be required to edit system files (e.g. build.prop), but this is an extreme measure.
❓ The gallery turns, but the photos are displayed in the wrong orientation?
This is not a problem with locking the screen, but with EXIF-You can correct it by: Open the photo in the gallery, click "Edit» → «Turn around and save. Use the app. EXIF Editor for manually editing orientation tags. In camera settings (Settings) → Camera. → Save) Enable the option “Save orientation».