Lock with a circular arrow at the top of an iPhone: what does it mean?
On an iPhone it means the screen is locked upright (portrait orientation lock), so it will not turn sideways.
What Apple says
- iPhone (Apple) — Portrait orientation lock. The iPhone screen is locked in portrait orientation.
Turn it off: Open Control Center and tap the same icon.
Source: Apple Support: Learn the meaning of iPhone status icons (iPhone User Guide) (checked 2026-09-29)
- What it looks like
- A small padlock inside an arrow curving round it in a circle.
- Shown by
- iPhone (Apple)
Icons to compare
Sources
Each meaning above is taken from the maker’s own support page, fetched and read on the date shown. The drawing is ours; the real icon on your phone may be drawn a little differently and can change with software updates.
- iPhone (Apple) — Apple Support: Learn the meaning of iPhone status icons (iPhone User Guide). OS: iOS 27, the version the guide opened on; not dated on the page. Checked 2026-09-29.