How to Change the iPad Side Switch Action
By default, the iPad side switch is used to mute the iPad, but that’s not its only function. If you prefer, change a setting on the iPad so that when you toggle the switch, the iPad locks in landscape or portrait mode. Locking the orientation of the iPad is convenient when playing a game or reading a book and holding the iPad at an odd angle. Rather than having a screen that constantly changes between landscape and portrait mode, lock the position in place with the switch. For iPads that have a side switch, changing what it does on an iPad takes only a few taps in the Settings app: When you use the side switch, the iPad either locks the rotation, so the screen doesn’t flip as you move it, or it silences all sound from the iPad, depending on your choice.
If Your iPad Doesn’t Have a Side Switch
Apple’s quest to limit the number of hardware buttons on the iPad led it to discontinue the side switch with the introduction of the iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 4. The iPad Pro models also don’t have a side switch. On these newer iPads, the hidden Control Center gives quick access to these functions and others such as changing the iPad’s volume, skipping to the next song, turning Bluetooth on or off, and accessing the AirDrop and AirPlay features.
