iPadOS 15.4 will bring iPad mini volume button orientation feature to other iPads

Apple’s iPadOS 15.4 update will bring the iPad mini’s button orientation feature to the rest of the iPad lineup. The feature enables the iPad’s volume buttons to shift based on the device’s orientation regardless of how it is being held. Currently, outside of the iPad mini, the button orientation is fixed which means that a particular button will always the volume or lower the volume regardless of how the device is being held.

iPad mini 6 button orientation feature will be available on other iPads soon

Discovered by @mattbirchler (via 9to5Mac), there is a new toggled switch titled “Fixed Position Volume Control” under Sound in Settings. The toggle allows users to change what each button does based on orientation.

To switch on the new toggle, make sure your iPad is running iPadOS 15.4. Then go to Settings > Sounds > Toggle off Fixed Position Volume Controls. With the toggle on, the volume button will be triggered by whichever volume button is on top of the other and vice versa, allowing you to use the device correctly in any orientation.

The previous button orientation behavior meant that the volume buttons were inverted when holding the iPad in two of the four possible ways to hold it. Note that the iPad mini 6 has its volume buttons on the top of the tablet, near the sleep/wake button, unlike most iPads which feature the volume buttons on the opposite side to the top button.

The final version of iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 is expected to be made available next week alongside the release of the iPhone SE (2022), iPad Air 5, and the new green iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro models.

Other features in the software update include 37 new emoji, the ability to initiate SharePay sessions directly from supported apps, additional voice for Siri, bug fixes and enhancements to Safari, Podcasts, Camera, and more.

iPad mini 6 button orientation feature will be available on other iPads soon

Asma Hussain