Google rolls back portrait lock setting in Phone app beta

The two-column landscape call layout split caller details and controls, frustrating users on the move

Google briefly tested a new setting in its Phone app that allowed users to lock calls in portrait mode, a move aimed at addressing complaints about the recently introduced landscape calling screen.

The option, labelled “Keep portrait mode on calls,” was added to the app’s beta channel and designed to prevent accidental screen rotation during calls, particularly for users who keep system-wide auto-rotate enabled.

The landscape interface features a two-column layout, with caller details on one side and call controls on the other, a change that some users found disruptive while on the move.

However, the feature has now been rolled back. As of this week, beta users report that the setting has disappeared from the app’s Display options, and it never made its way to the stable release. Other experimental features, such as Expressive Calling, remain available for testers.