WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of WhatsApp’s key features is video calling, which allows users to make video calls to other WhatsApp users for free. However, some users have wondered whether it is possible to make WhatsApp video calls in landscape mode rather than the default portrait mode.
What is landscape mode?
Landscape mode refers to viewing or capturing content horizontally. When you hold your phone sideways so the width is longer than the height, you’ve oriented it in landscape mode. This is in contrast to portrait mode, where you hold your phone vertically and the height is longer than the width.
Many apps are designed for portrait mode by default but allow you to switch to landscape when viewing photos, videos, and other media. Landscape can be especially useful for video calls so you can see more of the person on the other end of the call.
Can you switch to landscape mode during WhatsApp video calls?
Unfortunately, WhatsApp does not currently support changing to landscape orientation during video calls. The WhatsApp video call interface is only available in portrait mode.
This means if you attempt to turn your phone sideways while on a WhatsApp call, the video will remain in portrait mode. The video screens will simply rotate and appear sideways on your phone’s landscape oriented screen rather than expanding to fill the width.
Why doesn’t WhatsApp allow landscape mode for video calls?
There are a few potential reasons why WhatsApp has not yet enabled landscape mode for video calling:
- Simpler user interface – Keeping video calls strictly in portrait creates a more streamlined interface that’s easier to understand for users.
- Consistency with messaging – Since WhatsApp’s messaging and voice calls are portrait only, keeping video calls the same provides a consistent experience.
- Technical limitations – There may be underlying technical issues that make enabling landscape orientation for video calls challenging.
- Other priorities – WhatsApp may be prioritizing other features over adding landscape support for the time being.
Are there any workarounds to get landscape WhatsApp video calls?
Unfortunately, within the WhatsApp app itself, there is no current workaround to force landscape orientation for video calls. However, there are a couple external options you can try:
- Use a third-party app – Some apps claim to enable landscape orientation for WhatsApp and other video calling apps. However, many have bugs and compatibility issues.
- Root/jailbreak device – You may be able to get landscape video calling on a rooted Android device or jailbroken iOS device through tweaks and mods. But this requires modifying your device’s software.
Neither workaround is guaranteed to work flawlessly, and altering your device’s software with rooting/jailbreaking introduces security risks. So most users are better off sticking with WhatsApp’s portrait video call interface for now.
Will WhatsApp ever add landscape video calling?
WhatsApp has not officially announced any plans to introduce landscape support for video calls. However, it remains a highly requested feature by users.
Since WhatsApp regularly rolls out new updates and improvements, there is a chance landscape video calling could be added in the future. But scaling a video calling interface to landscape while retaining good performance and call quality presents challenges.
Overall, don’t hold your breath for native landscape WhatsApp video calls anytime soon. But with continued user feedback, WhatsApp may prioritize adding this functionality down the road. We’ll have to wait and see.
Tips for better WhatsApp video calls in portrait mode
While landscape video calls aren’t an option on WhatsApp, you can still take steps to improve your WhatsApp video calling experience:
- Use phone with larger screen – A phone with a larger screen, like the iPhone 14 Pro Max, provides more visible area for the portrait video.
- Adjust camera distance – Position camera farther back to fit more of yourself/room in frame.
- Set phone on stable surface – Reduce shakiness by propping phone against something sturdy.
- Optimize lighting – Place yourself facing a window or add artificial lighting to be seen better.
- Clean camera lens – Wipe phone camera lens with microfiber cloth to improve video quality.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, the WhatsApp app itself does not currently support switching to a landscape orientation for video calls. Your only options are sticking with portrait mode or using buggy third-party apps/mods. Hopefully with enough user feedback, WhatsApp will make landscape video calling an official feature in the future. But for now, make the most of WhatsApp video calls by using larger phones, adjusting your setup, and optimizing the lighting and camera.