A magnetoresistive sensor has a sensor plane in which the magnetoresistive sensor is sensitive to a magnetic field. The magnetoresistive sensor includes a reference layer having a reference magnetization that is fixed and that is aligned with an in-plane axis of the sensor plane; and a magnetic free layer disposed proximate to the reference layer, the magnetic free layer having a free layer magnetization aligned along an out-of-plane axis that is out-of-plane to the sensor plane. The free layer magnetization is configured to tilt away from the out-of-plane axis and towards the sensor plane in a presence of an external in-plane magnetic field.