Swift - How to detect orientation changes

Question

let const = "Background" //image name
let const2 = "GreyBackground" // image name
    @IBOutlet weak var imageView: UIImageView!
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        imageView.image = UIImage(named: const)
        // Do any additional setup after loading the view.
    }

    override func viewWillTransition(to size: CGSize, with coordinator: UIViewControllerTransitionCoordinator) {
        super.viewWillTransition(to: size, with: coordinator)
        if UIDevice.current.orientation.isLandscape {
            print("Landscape")
            imageView.image = UIImage(named: const2)
        } else {
            print("Portrait")
            imageView.image = UIImage(named: const)
        }
    }

Using NotificationCenter and UIDevice's beginGeneratingDeviceOrientationNotifications

Swift 4.2+

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()        

    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(ViewController.rotated), name: UIDevice.orientationDidChangeNotification, object: nil)
}

deinit {
   NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(self, name: UIDevice.orientationDidChangeNotification, object: nil)         
}

func rotated() {
    if UIDevice.current.orientation.isLandscape {
        print("Landscape")
    } else {
        print("Portrait")
    }
}

Swift 3

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()        

    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(ViewController.rotated), name: NSNotification.Name.UIDeviceOrientationDidChange, object: nil)
}

deinit {
     NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(self)
}

func rotated() {
    if UIDevice.current.orientation.isLandscape {
        print("Landscape")
    } else {
        print("Portrait")
    }
}

Swift 3 Above code updated:

override func viewWillTransition(to size: CGSize, with coordinator: UIViewControllerTransitionCoordinator) {
    super.viewWillTransition(to: size, with: coordinator)

    if UIDevice.current.orientation.isLandscape {
        print("Landscape")
    } else {
        print("Portrait")
    }
}

⚠️Device Orientation != Interface Orientation⚠️

Swift 5.* iOS15 and below

You should really make a difference between:

• Device Orientation => Indicates the orientation of the physical device
• Interface Orientation => Indicates the orientation of the interface displayed on the screen

There are many scenarios where those 2 values are mismatching such as:

• When you lock your screen orientation
• When you have your device flat

In most cases you would want to use the interface orientation and you can get it via the window:

private var windowInterfaceOrientation: UIInterfaceOrientation? {
    return UIApplication.shared.windows.first?.windowScene?.interfaceOrientation
}

In case you also want to support < iOS 13 (such as iOS 12) you would do the following:

private var windowInterfaceOrientation: UIInterfaceOrientation? {
    if #available(iOS 13.0, *) {
        return UIApplication.shared.windows.first?.windowScene?.interfaceOrientation
    } else {
        return UIApplication.shared.statusBarOrientation
    }
}

Now you need to define where to react to the window interface orientation change. There are multiple ways to do that but the optimal solution is to do it within willTransition(to newCollection: UITraitCollection.

This inherited UIViewController method which can be overridden will be trigger every time the interface orientation will be change. Consequently you can do all your modifications in the latter.

Here is a solution example:

class ViewController: UIViewController {
    override func willTransition(to newCollection: UITraitCollection, with coordinator: UIViewControllerTransitionCoordinator) {
        super.willTransition(to: newCollection, with: coordinator)
        
        coordinator.animate(alongsideTransition: { (context) in
            guard let windowInterfaceOrientation = self.windowInterfaceOrientation else { return }
            
            if windowInterfaceOrientation.isLandscape {
                // activate landscape changes
            } else {
                // activate portrait changes
            }
        })
    }
    
    private var windowInterfaceOrientation: UIInterfaceOrientation? {
        return UIApplication.shared.windows.first?.windowScene?.interfaceOrientation
    }
}

By implementing this method you'll then be able to react to any change of orientation to your interface. But keep in mind that it won't be triggered at the opening of the app so you will also have to manually update your interface in viewWillAppear().

I've created a sample project which underlines the difference between device orientation and interface orientation. Additionally it will help you to understand the different behavior depending on which lifecycle step you decide to update your UI.

Feel free to clone and run the following repository: https://github.com/wjosset/ReactToOrientation

Swift 4+: I was using this for soft keyboard design, and for some reason the UIDevice.current.orientation.isLandscape method kept telling me it was Portrait, so here's what I used instead:

override func viewWillTransition(to size: CGSize, with coordinator: UIViewControllerTransitionCoordinator) {
    super.viewWillTransition(to: size, with: coordinator)

    if(size.width > self.view.frame.size.width){
        //Landscape
    }
    else{
        //Portrait
    }
}

Swift 4.2, RxSwift

If we need to reload collectionView.

NotificationCenter.default.rx.notification(UIDevice.orientationDidChangeNotification)
    .observeOn(MainScheduler.instance)
    .map { _ in }            
    .bind(to: collectionView.rx.reloadData)
    .disposed(by: bag)

Swift 4, RxSwift

If we need to reload collectionView.

NotificationCenter.default.rx.notification(NSNotification.Name.UIDeviceOrientationDidChange)
    .observeOn(MainScheduler.instance)
    .map { _ in }            
    .bind(to: collectionView.rx.reloadData)
    .disposed(by: bag)

If your are using Swift version >= 3.0 there are some code updates you have to apply as others have already said. Just don't forget to call super:

override func viewWillTransition(to size: CGSize, with coordinator: UIViewControllerTransitionCoordinator) {

   super.viewWillTransition(to: size, with: coordinator)

   // YOUR CODE OR FUNCTIONS CALL HERE

}

If you are thinking to use a StackView for your images be aware you can do something like the following:

override func viewWillTransition(to size: CGSize, with coordinator: UIViewControllerTransitionCoordinator) {

   super.viewWillTransition(to: size, with: coordinator)

   if UIDevice.current.orientation.isLandscape {

      stackView.axis = .horizontal

   } else {

      stackView.axis = .vertical

   } // else

}

If your are using Interface Builder don't forget to select the custom class for this UIStackView object, in the Identity Inspector section at the right panel. Then just create (also through Interface Builder) the IBOutlet reference to the custom UIStackView instance:

@IBOutlet weak var stackView: MyStackView!

Take the idea and adapt it to your needs. Hope this can help you!