How to rotate screen at startup

Question

I added a line xrandr --output HDMI1 --rotate right
in /etc/rc.local to rotate one of my monitors at startup, but it doesn't work (

Answer 1

When to run this command

When you run this command from /etc/rc.local, it is too early. Xrandr commands (just like commands to change keyboard and mousepad- settings) need to be run after login, with a little break.

If you run them too early, before the desktop is ready for it, they will either break, miss target or are overruled by local procedures.

To run it on login, with a little break:

• If it is for one user, add the command:

  /bin/bash -c "sleep 10 && xrandr --output HDMI1 --rotate right"
  

  to Startup Applications: Add to Startup Applications: Dash > Startup Applications > Add.

• If it is for all users, create a file:

  [Desktop Entry]
  Name=Set Screen Rotation
  Exec=/bin/bash -c "sleep 10 && xrandr --output HDMI1 --rotate right"
  Type=Application
  

  save it as setscreen.desktop and copy it to /etc/xdg/autostart

Note

Possibly, you can play a little withe the value of 10 seconds, to optimize for your situation. If it is for a VM, you might need to set it longer, on a regular system, it could probably be shorter.