Windows 11 Stuck in Tablet Mode? Get it Out in 6 Steps

A quick restart goes a long way and could potentially fix this too

by Kazim Ali Alvi

Kazim Ali Alvi

Author

Kazim has always been fond of technology, be it scrolling through the settings on his iPhone, Android device, or Windows PC. He's specialized in hardware devices, always ready... read more

Updated on October 4, 2023

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Windows 11, the latest iteration from Microsoft, has officially done away with the tablet mode. Fret not! The OS still has the feature, although you cannot control it manually. After many users claimed that Windows 11 is stuck in tablet mode, we decided to address it.

In the previous iteration, you could easily enable/disable the tablet mode from the Action Center or Settings. But, with that option missing, you are left at the mercy of the Windows to automatically switch modes.

However, it’s not that intricate as well. To get you acquainted with the concept and this issue, we will discuss all there’s to know in the following sections.

How can I enable the tablet mode in Windows 11?

As discussed earlier, there’s no manual way to enable/disable the tablet mode in Windows 11. All you have to do is detach the keyboard or flip the device with the keyboard on one side, and the display on the other, whichever functionality is present, and your system will automatically switch to tablet mode.

After switching to the tablet mode, don’t expect a complete revamp of the UI or other elements. You will just find the icon size increased and they will be spaced out a bit, along with some other changes.

What can I do if Windows 11 is stuck on tablet mode?

1. Check if the keyboard is attached to the tablet

As discussed earlier, the tablet mode is enabled when you disconnect the keyboard from the system. Therefore, to disable it, you simply need to reconnect the keyboard and make sure that the connections are in order.

Oftentimes, it’s the connections that cause the error, hence make sure that the keyboard is properly fixed, and that you are able to use it. Now, check if Windows 11 is still stuck in tablet mode.

2. Rotate the screen (for laptops)

Another way to enable the tablet mode is to flip the screen to the back. To go back to Desktop mode, simply rotate the screen back to the initial position.

Your system should automatically revert to desktop mode once the screen is rotated. This helps when HP Spectre laptops go to sleep in tablet mode.

If that’s not the case, you can try rebooting the OS, as discussed in the next method, in case the problem persists.

3. Restart Windows 11

1. Click on the Start button in the Taskbar, to launch the the Start menu.
2. Click on the Power button, and select Restart from the list of options that appears.
3. After the system restarts, check if the tablet mode is disabled.

If it’s a bug in the OS or a background process that’s responsible for Windows 11’s stuck on tablet mode issue, restarting the computer should do the job.

When you reboot the Windows, the OS is reloaded, thereby eliminating any bugs that might be causing the error.

4. Update Windows 11

1. Click on the Start button in the Taskbar to launch the Start menu.
2. Select Settings from the apps listed at the top.
3. Next, select Windows Update from the tabs listed in the navigation pane on the left.
4. Click on Windows Update on the right.
5. Click on Check for updates to let Windows scan for any available newer version.
6. If any are found, download and install them.

Running an outdated version of Windows is also known to cause a bunch of issues and is detrimental to the performance. Hence, it’s recommended that you keep the OS up-to-date.

With each update, Microsoft releases a bunch of patches for previously known bugs, enhances the security, and introduces features that improve the performance.

5. Run a SFC scan

1. Launch the Power User/Quick Access menu, and select Windows Terminal (Admin) from the list of options that appear.
2. Click Yes on the UAC (User Account Control) prompt that appears.
3. Click on the downward arrow at the top and select Command Prompt from the list of options. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + 2 to directly launch the Command Prompt tab.
4. Next, type/paste the following command, and hit Enter to run the SFC scan:sfc /scannow
5. After the scan is complete, restart the computer, and check if the Windows 11 stuck in tablet mode issue is resolved.

The SFC or System File Checker scan looks for corrupt system files and replaces them with their cached copy stored on the disk.

This is an effective troubleshooting method but will take some time to complete depending upon the files to be scanned along with a bunch of other factors.

6. Perform a system restore

1. Click on the Start button in the Taskbar to launch the Start menu.
2. Enter create a restore point in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result that appears.
3. Next, click on the System Restore button.
4. Now, you can either proceed with the Recommended restore point or tick the option for Choose a different restore point to manually select one, and then click on Next. We choose the latter to help you get acquainted with the process.
5. Now, select a restore point from the ones listed here, and click on Next.
6. Finally, review the restore settings and click on Finish to start the process.

Do remember to save any open files to avoid data loss since the computer will restart during the process.

System restore is a great way to fix most of the errors in case the other methods listed here don’t work. It may affect the configured settings or remove the recently installed applications but it won’t affect the files stored on the computer.

In system restore, your computer is basically taken back in time to a state when the error didn’t exist.

Also, since Windows automatically creates a restore point (with the right settings in order) before any significant changes, you should be able to find one easily and resolve the Windows 11 stuck on tablet mode issue.

How to disable auto-rotation on tablet mode in Windows 11?

You can easily disable the Rotation lock for Windows 11 via Display settings. Here’s how you can do that:

NOTE

If you find the option to be greyed out, it’s primarily because the tablet mode is not activated. Activate it and check again.

1. Launch the Settings app, as discussed earlier.
2. Click on Display in the System tab that opens by default.
3. Now, scroll down and disable the toggle for Rotation lock.

After disabling the rotation lock, you should be able to use tablet mode in Windows 11 the way it’s intended.

You can apply these methods when Windows 11 is stuck on tablet mode. In case these tips don’t work, you can always reset the system to its factory settings, a sure-shot fix for almost all issues pertaining to the software.

If you are not too pleased with the new tablet mode UI and settings, rolling back to Windows 10 is an option.

Also, read our comparison of Windows 10 and Windows 11 in order to understand how the latter differs from the former.

Tell us which fix worked for you and the experience with tablet mode in Windows 11 in the comments section below.

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