Resolving iPad Multitasking Orientation Requirements for iOS Apps

28 February 2025 Stephan Petzl Leave a comment Xcode

When submitting a universal iOS app to the App Store, developers may encounter an error related to iPad multitasking support. This issue arises when the app doesn’t support all the required screen orientations for iPad multitasking. Specifically, iPad multitasking requires support for the following orientations:

• UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait
• UIInterfaceOrientationPortraitUpsideDown
• UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft
• UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeRight

If your app supports only portrait orientations, you might need to opt-out of multitasking. Below are the methods to resolve this issue effectively:

Method 1: Modify Info.plist File

One of the simplest solutions is to edit the Info.plist file in your Xcode project. Follow these steps:

1. Open your project’s Info.plist file in a text editor.
2. Add the following key-value pair:

<key>UIRequiresFullScreen</key>
<true/>

3. Ensure this entry is placed below the UISupportedInterfaceOrientations section.

This setting ensures that your app runs in full-screen mode, thereby bypassing the multitasking requirement for multiple orientations.

Method 2: Set Requires Full Screen in Xcode

For a more visual approach, you can configure the setting directly in Xcode:

1. Open your project in Xcode.
2. Navigate to General under your project target settings.
3. Locate the Requires Full Screen option and check the corresponding checkbox.

Additional Considerations

It’s essential to ensure that your app’s interface is designed to work seamlessly in full-screen mode. Additionally, ensure that other project settings, such as icons and launch screen configurations, comply with Apple’s guidelines.

Enhancing Testing Efficiency with Repeato

While addressing issues like iPad multitasking orientation, it’s crucial to have reliable testing tools. This is where Repeato can be a game-changer. Repeato is a no-code test automation tool that simplifies the process of creating and maintaining automated tests for iOS, Android, and web apps. With Repeato, you can efficiently record tests using its test recorder and rapidly execute them, ensuring that changes like orientation settings are thoroughly tested. Repeato’s support for command line scripts and Javascript code enables complex task automation, making it a versatile tool for developers. Additionally, all tests and workspace data are saved in text and JSON formats, facilitating easy version control.

For more details on how Repeato can streamline your testing workflow, check out our documentation.

Check it out!

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