Depending on the iPhone model you’re currently using, you may see up to two lock icons on the screen at the same time. Both may be visible on the lock screen, but only one may be visible on the home screen. But even the lock icon that remains visible while the phone is in use can only be seen when you call the Control Center. Control Center itself may have a lock icon that matches the one that remains visible.
Long-time iPhone users are probably familiar with the meaning of the two lock icons, but things can be confusing for new or less tech-savvy iPhone users. The two icons both indicate that a specific function is locked. The simple lock icon that appears on the screen briefly tells the user that the iPhone is locked and must be unlocked for use. The padlock inside a circle next to the battery icon tells you that the screen orientation is locked, whether you’re holding the handset in Portrait or Landscape mode.
These indicators are important visual cues that can offer immediate information to the user, without having to inspect any parameters. For example, seeing a simple lock icon in the middle of the status bar, under the Face ID notch, or inside Dynamic Island is a visual indication that the handset is locked, and therefore secure, because your information is encrypted.
As for the lock icon inside a circle, it tells you that the screen orientation is locked, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally changing the iPhone screen orientation while you’re scrolling through social media in bed. The icon also reminds you to turn off the lock to watch videos in landscape mode.
How to manage portrait orientation lock
If you have an iPhone with a Home button, which also has a screen with large top and bottom bezels, the portrait orientation lock will still be visible next to the battery icon. The icon shows a padlock inside a circular arrow. In other words, the lock tells you that the screen won’t rotate when the handset rotates in your hand. If you have an iPhone with a notch (iPhone However, this icon becomes visible next to the battery icon as soon as you open Control Center on these models, by swiping down from the upper right corner of the screen.
To turn Portrait Orientation Lock on and off, you’ll need to find the Portrait Orientation Lock toggle in Control Center, which shows a larger version of the lock icon. When portrait orientation lock is enabled, this icon is red. Tap it to turn it off, and the lock will disappear from the status bar, while a button animation in Control Center will remove the red highlight. Text will also appear at the top of Control Center to let you know that you have enabled or disabled the setting.
There is also a way to automate the process. For example, you can create an iPhone shortcut to automatically turn off portrait orientation lock every time you open a specific app. This can be useful for watching videos on YouTube and Netflix. You can also set a shortcut to enable portrait orientation lock when you close these video apps.
Why the other lock icon is important
The simple lock icon that you can see on the screen or in the status bar is even more important than the portrait orientation lock indicator because it tells you that your handset is secure. The simple lock symbol appears in the middle of the status bar on iPhones with home buttons. It appears below the notch on iPhone models with an iPhone X-style cutout at the top, and it appears inside Dynamic Island on all iPhones with a pill-shaped cutout at the top. Unlike the portrait orientation lock, visible next to the battery icon, the lock icon on the lock screen disappears when you unlock the handset, with an animation playing when the phone unlocks. The lock icon may remain visible in Dynamic Island on iPhones that support Always-On Display.
The lock tells you or anyone using your phone that the device is protected by a password or PIN and Touch ID or Face ID. iPhones with Home buttons have fingerprint sensors in that button and support Touch ID unlocking. All-screen iPhones with cutouts at the top feature 3D facial recognition (Face ID) unlocking. You’ll want to set a password and enable Touch ID or Face ID on your device to ensure the device is encrypted when not in use and your data remains safe.
If lost or stolen, a locked iPhone will help protect your data and may even allow you to erase it remotely. A locked handset also makes it much more difficult for thieves to reuse the device, especially if Find My iPhone is enabled, as this setting also enables the Activation Lock feature. With this in mind, it is not advisable to use your iPhone without a password.
