• Success Criterion 1.3.4
  • Conformance level AA

App Manifest Locking Orientation for Ordinary, General Content

1.3.4 — Orientation

Scenario

Setting

A podcast app's episode list

What’s wrong

PWA manifest "orientation": "portrait" for general content.

Example 

{
  "name": "PodStream",
  "display": "standalone",
  "orientation": "portrait"
}

Why it matters

Someone who installs the podcast app to a car mount fixed in landscape can no longer browse or select episodes once the app is locked to portrait.

How to test

Check the web app manifest.json for an "orientation" key locked to portrait or landscape for general content: this fails unless the content is orientation-essential.

How to fix

Set "orientation" to "any," or omit it, for general content; reserve a fixed value for the rare app with a genuine, essential reason.

{
  "name": "PodStream",
  "display": "standalone",
  "orientation": "any"
}

Outcome

A driver with a landscape car mount can now browse and pick episodes without the app rejecting the orientation.

Who is affected

Users with car mounts, tripod stands, or wheelchair-mounted devices fixed in landscape lose access to the episode list entirely.

Learn more

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