My Chromebook x360 14 has stopped auto rotating the screen

[Ian_McElroy]

When I first tried my laptop, the screen would auto rotate when I put the machine into tent mode for watching a film or streaming TV.

3 days later (it is brand new), and this has stopped. I have not played with any settings, and I can see how to manually rotate it (in settings or with the keyboard), but cannot find any setting to make it automatic again.

Please tell me how to switch this back on.

Thank you.

[Ian_McElroy]

This morning it worked again for about 3 minutes, just after i switched it on. Feels like a faulty product to me.

Advice please!

[Echo_Lake]

@Ian_McElroy
Thank you for posting on the HP Support Community.

Don't worry as I'll be glad to help,  I have a few troubleshooting steps we could try to fix the issue:  

• Let's try power wash: It turns out, you can still wipe the Chromebook clean with a keycode combination. At the first login screen, simply press Alt+Ctrl+Shift+R and tap the Restart button. Doing so brings up the Powerwash prompt, which you can choose to wipe the device clean within a few minutes.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance.
Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.

[Ian_McElroy]

Hi  @ECHO_LAKE

Thank you for your offer of help. I think I may have solved this - and I'm posting this here in case it helps anyone else.

I noticed that other brands of Chromebook were having similar issues when I was looking for help on my HP Chromebook x360. One page I looked at was a ChromeOS help page (I can't post link in the text here ?!?!). Among the replies were references to powerwashing, but also a theme of attached mouse peripherals, both on USB, or by Bluetooth.

I figured that the first time this happened to me, a new blue-tooth mouse was attached and working correctly. Upon switching off Bluetooth, and rebooting the machine, the screen rotation started to work correctly again. I have since reconnected the mouse and the auto-rotate stopped once more.

It seems to be just the mouse that causes the problem, as a Bluetooth speaker attached did not have the same effect.

So I am guessing that there is a fault within Chrome OS, and at the moment I believe the HP Chromebook is working fine - a big relief. I will use the mouse when the machine is in regular orientation, and touch screen in all other configurations from now on.

I hope this helps!

If you need any more info from me (that might aid the community), then please ask, and I will do my best.

[Echo_Lake]

@Ian_McElroy
Thank you for posting back. 

I am glad to know that you managed to resolve the issue. Please reach out again for any further assistance.

Have a nice day ahead.
 

[DigFinWiz]

Thanks @Echo_Lake, however, the OP does not have a resolution, he has a cumbersome workaround that limits the functionality and usability of your HP products. Could you please forward this issue into the groundswell of support for at least an option to disable the "Mouse overrides auto rotation" behavior of Chromebooks.

Many of us want to use a mouse and virtual keyboard in other orientations all at the same time. We don't need Chrome OS deciding when I want to use a mouse or which keyboard is available when a mouse is connected. There is already an option to lock the screen rotation if the user wants that behavior. Otherwise, the point of the 2 in 1 design is to switch back and forth seamlessly. This mouse locking the screen behavior is needless and needs at least a toggle setting on and off.

[Ian_McElroy]

Thanks @DigFinWiz - but I really don't think this is a HP chromebook issue, since the other forum (Chrome OS) that I spotted the issue on had chromebook users from the ASUS, ACER, HP and other chromebook manufacturers.

The fault is with Chrome OS, surely ??

@Echo_Lake - is there some way that HP could put some weight behind a request to Chrome OS to fix this issue??

Thanks

Ian

[Echo_Lake]

@Ian_McElroy

Thank you for posting back. 

I would request you to reach out to our Support and our Support Engineers should be able to sort this out. HP Support can be reached by clicking on the following link: www.hp.com/contacthp/

Please feel free to contact us here anytime you need any further assistance. Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.