Portrait orientation unlock; iOS 26 mail sidebar

Question

Level 1

47 points

Portrait orientation unlock; iOS 26 mail sidebar

iPhone 17 Pro Max. Used to be when I unlocked portrait orientation and rotated my iPhone in the Mail app, the sidebar would disappear and the Message would span the entire screen. Now there does not seem to be a way to disappear the sidebar and the mail message might as well be viewed in Portrait mode. This is extremely annoying. Anybody feel the same way? Or know how to disappear the sidebar?

Behavior was the same on my iPhone 16 Pro Max which I replaced this week.

Thanks.

iPhone 17 Pro Max, iOS 26

Posted on Oct 4, 2025 10:29 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Nov 17, 2025 5:25 PM in response to axiom7

I also the same issue and agree that is very frustrating (annoying is more like it). I also have io26 on my iPhone 14+ and it is equally frustrating there. Portrait is ok but I occasionally have to rotate to landscape to read finer print and the sidebar comes in and reduces the size anyway.

My preference would be to have the sidebar hidden by default and available by manual selection.

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Answer 2

stard0c

Level 1

8 points

Oct 6, 2025 7:44 AM in response to axiom7

Agreed. This is an EXTREMELY frustrating change.

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Answer 3

axiom7 Author

Level 1

47 points

Nov 17, 2025 5:33 PM in response to BigMacSnr

I showed it to an Apple employee and he took my iPhone and manipulated it like he figured I was just some dumb user. Then he was like huh. After every iOS update I try it but so far no joy. iOS 26.1

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