1.3.4 Orientation (AA)

Two tablets display images of the same website, one in portrait view and one in landscape view. The website adjusted its layout for each orientation.

Success Criterion 1.3.4 Orientation (Level AA):

“Content does not restrict its view and operation to a single display orientation, such as portrait or landscape, unless a specific display orientation is essential.”

Intent

Some websites and applications require users to orient their mobile devices in either landscape or portrait mode, instead of giving them a choice. The intent of this success criterion is to ensure that users who cannot easily rotate their device can still access content and functionality on websites in any device orientation.

Exception:

This criterion contains an exception for websites or applications where a specific device orientation is essential. The W3C provides an example exception of an application that simulates a piano, where displaying the keys in portrait mode would show too few or make them too small.

Who it helps:

Users who cannot easily rotate their screens, such as those who have their device mounted on a wheelchair.

“I can't rotate my tablet — it's attached to my wheelchair.”
- Comic with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair