How do I specify different layouts for portrait and landscape orientations?

Question

I've seen references to being able to specify two separate layout xml files for an activity, one for Portrait and one for Landscape. I've not been to find any information on how to do that though. How do I specify for each activity which xml file is it's portrait layout and which is the Landscape layout?

Is it also possible to specify different layouts for different screen sizes? If so, how is this done?

score 220 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 22 '13 at 06:58

220

Create a layout-land directory and put the landscape version of your layout XML file in that directory.

edited Jan 22 '13 at 06:58

Paresh Mayani

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answered Jan 23 '10 at 17:47

Mark B

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Does that mean all activities need to define both a landscape and a portrait view if I do this? – Jay Askren Jan 23 '10 at 19:01
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No, if no layout-land definition exists it just uses the XML layout in the standard layout directory. – Mark B Jan 23 '10 at 19:49
in my case , layout-land is not working when i am using , android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden|screenSize" – Tushar Pandey Feb 11 '14 at 06:53
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Remove orientation from android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden|screenSize" – Ushal Naidoo Jun 04 '14 at 21:59
When I change the orientation the activity does not switch the layout, staying with the layout when the activity is created. If I remove orientation from `android:configChanges`, the activity is destroyed. – Luis A. Florit Jan 26 '22 at 14:30

score 64 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 23 '10 at 17:52

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You just have to put it under separate folders with different names depending on orientation and resolution, the device will automatically select the right one for its screen settings

More info here:

http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/screens_support.html

under "Resource directory qualifiers for screen size and density"

answered Jan 23 '10 at 17:52

Silvio Donnini

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Only works for OS versions 1.6 or higher. If you want to support 1.5, you need this link: http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/screens-support-1.5.html – SMBiggs Sep 19 '11 at 14:13
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@Silvio Donnini - links no longer have the required information. – itsaboutcode Sep 10 '12 at 02:05
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@itsaboutcode Yes it does: Go down to "Using configuration qualifiers" – Danation Nov 02 '12 at 18:11

AmiNadimi · Answer 3 · 2019-07-06T20:38:46.010

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For Mouse lovers! I say right click on resources folder and Add new resource file, and from Available qualifiers select the orientation :

But still you can do it manually by say, adding the sub-folder "layout-land" to

"Your-Project-Directory\app\src\main\res"

since then any layout.xml file under this sub-folder will only work for landscape mode automatically.

Use "layout-port" for portrait mode.

edited Jul 06 '19 at 20:38

answered Sep 17 '16 at 14:45

AmiNadimi

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This worked for me. I added a new layout file as instructed with the same name as the portrait version. Android Studio automatically created a folder for that layout. One layout for portrait and another for landscape. The new layout automatically gets displayed when rotating screen. – Smitty-Werben-Jager-Manjenson Jan 22 '19 at 21:00

Shid · Answer 4 · 2022-08-08T09:26:04.870

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Fastest way for Android Studio 3.x.x and Android Studio 4.x.x

1.Go to the design tab of the activity layout

2.At the top you should press on the orientation for preview button, there is a option to create a landscape layout (check image), a new folder will be created as your xml layout file for that particular orientation

Update: On newer versions the options have been moved to the context menu of the .xml filename button. (Big thanks to Oliver Hoffmann for pointing that out).

edited Aug 08 '22 at 09:26

answered Jul 16 '19 at 06:01

Shid

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One of the easiest and Shortest way to deal with landscape layout – Nikunjkumar Kapupara Jan 01 '21 at 07:51
This answer should be chosen – pvd Oct 21 '21 at 02:51
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On newer AndroidStudio versions this option moved a bit to the context menu of the .xml filename button – Oliver Hoffmann Aug 04 '22 at 09:31

score 22 · Answer 5 · edited Aug 09 '16 at 10:07

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Just a reminder:

Remove orientation from android:configChanges attribute for the activity in your manifest xml file if you defined it:

android:configChanges="orientation|screenLayout|screenSize"

edited Aug 09 '16 at 10:07

Gustavo Morales

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answered Oct 30 '13 at 09:19

Robin Qiu

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what if I need to have android:configChanges="orientation|screenLayout|screenSize" in my manifest, as some of my fragments can be in both orientation and some don't, but still need separate layouts for landscape and portrait for those fragments that can change orientation dynamically? – natansalda Feb 20 '20 at 13:57
If I remove the orientation from android:configChanges the activity is destroyed when the orientation changes. – Luis A. Florit Jan 26 '22 at 14:21

score 6 · Answer 6 · answered Feb 25 '19 at 07:57

I think the easiest way in the latest Android versions is by going to Design mode of an XML (not Text).

Then from the menu, select option - Create Landscape Variation. This will create a landscape xml without any hassle in a few seconds. The latest Android Studio version allows you to create a landscape view right away.

I hope this works for you.

score 4 · Answer 7 · edited Aug 09 '16 at 09:30

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Create a new directory layout-land, then create xml file with same name in layout-land as it was layout directory and align there your content for Landscape mode.

Note that id of content in both xml is same.

edited Aug 09 '16 at 09:30

Tom11

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answered Apr 23 '16 at 11:22

Nouman Shah

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score 4 · Answer 8 · answered Feb 26 '19 at 17:26

The last line below is an example for applying two quantifiers: landscape and smallest width(600dp) screen. Update 600dp with the ones you need.

res/layout/main_activity.xml                # For handsets
res/layout-land/main_activity.xml           # For handsets in landscape
res/layout-sw600dp/main_activity.xml        # For 7” tablets
res/layout-sw600dp-land/main_activity.xml   # For 7” tablets in landscape

The above applies to dimens as well

res/values/dimens.xml                # For handsets
res/values-land/dimens.xml           # For handsets in landscape
res/values-sw600dp/dimens.xml        # For 7” tablets
res/values-sw600dp-land/dimens.xml   # For 7” tablets in landscape

A useful device metrics: https://material.io/tools/devices/

score 2 · Answer 9 · edited Aug 09 '16 at 09:34

Or use this:

<ScrollView xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
            android:scrollbars="vertical" 
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
            android:layout_width="fill_parent">

  <LinearLayout android:orientation="vertical"
                android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                android:layout_height="fill_parent">

     <!-- Add your UI elements inside the inner most linear layout -->

  </LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>

eos1d3 · Answer 10 · 2019-06-14T22:46:30.463

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Right click res folder,
New -> Android Resource File
in Available qualifiers, select Orientation,
add to Chosen qualifier
in Screen orientation, select Landscape
Press OK

~~Using Android Studio 3.4.1, it no longer creates layout-land folder. It will create a folder and put two layout files together.~~

edited Jun 14 '19 at 22:46

answered Jun 09 '19 at 02:46

eos1d3

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Incorrect. You are not using the folder view mode (like "Project"). You are probably using "Android" view mode, which groups files together like in your screenshot in virtual folders, but the actual folder structure is still how every other post here describes. – monK_ Jun 14 '19 at 06:14

score 1 · Answer 11 · answered Nov 30 '22 at 23:41

In Android Studio Chipmunk, the options you are looking for are here.

For landscape, the option is "Create Landscape Qualifier" in the XML name drop-down.
For different screen sizes, the option is "Create Tablet Qualifier"

these have been moved from previous Android Studio versions.

Source: https://stackoverflow.com/a/74047314/3718756

How do I specify different layouts for portrait and landscape orientations?

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