Orientation problems
Video playing sideways or upside down? Fix the rotation for good
Short answer
Phones store video in the sensor's orientation and add a rotation flag telling players how to turn it. Some players, converters and upload paths ignore the flag (sideways) or apply it twice (upside down). Rotating the video in an editor and exporting a new file writes the rotation into the pixels, so every app shows it the same way.
Key takeaways
- Phones store many videos with a rotation flag instead of rotated pixels; players that ignore it show the video sideways.
- Re-encoding with FFmpeg applies the rotation to the pixels by default, so every app shows the result the same way.
- VLC can rotate a video for playback (Tools → Effects and Filters → Video Effects → Geometry); that does not change the file unless you convert it.
- On iPhone, Photos → Edit → Crop → Rotate saves the rotation; on Android, Google Photos → Edit → Crop → Rotate does the same.
- Mirrored video needs a horizontal flip, not a rotation.
Why videos play sideways
A phone records in the sensor's orientation and writes a rotation value telling players to turn the picture by 90, 180 or 270 degrees. Phones, browsers and most modern players apply it. Older players, some converters, PowerPoint and some upload tools ignore it, so the same file plays sideways there and upright everywhere else.
- See the stored size and rotation:
ffprobe -v error -select_streams v:0 -show_entries stream=width,height:stream_side_data=rotation -of default=nw=1 in.mov - Write the rotation into the picture:
ffmpeg -i in.mov -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:a copy out.mp4 - Rotate further if needed:
-vf transpose=1(90° clockwise),-vf transpose=2(90° counterclockwise),-vf "hflip,vflip"(180°).
Free tool:Rotate a video
Find your case
| What you see | What it usually means | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Right in your gallery, sideways elsewhere | Rotation flag ignored | Rotate and re-export (step 1) |
| Upside down after converting | Rotation applied twice | Rotate 180° and re-export (step 1) |
| Recorded with the phone flat | Phone couldn't detect orientation | Rotate in an editor (step 1) |
| Mirrored text from the front camera | Mirroring, not rotation | Flip horizontally (step 3) |
| Sideways only on YouTube or a platform | Upload path dropped the flag | Upload the re-exported file (step 2) |
Fix it step by step
Rotate and export a new file
Rotate the clip until it plays upright, then export. The new file has upright pixels and no rotation flag to misread.
Re-upload the fixed file
Most platforms can't rotate a video after posting. Delete the sideways post and upload the re-exported file.
Mirroring needs a flip
Front-camera clips can be mirrored. Use flip horizontal; rotating won't fix it.
Prevent it
Start recording with the phone upright so the motion sensors set the right orientation, and avoid converters that only change the container.
Rotate a video for good, by device
iPhone
- Photos → open the video → Edit → Crop → tap Rotate until it is upright → Done.
Android
- Google Photos → open the video → Edit → Crop → Rotate → Save copy.
Windows
- Open the video in Clipchamp, rotate it and export a new file; VLC's rotation is playback only unless you convert.
Mac
- QuickTime Player → Edit → Rotate Left or Rotate Right → File → Export As.
Sideways in VLC, YouTube or PowerPoint
- VLC: Tools → Effects and Filters → Video Effects → Geometry → Transform to rotate while watching; use a rotated copy to fix it for everyone.
- YouTube: re-upload a rotated file; YouTube Studio's editor does not rotate videos.
- PowerPoint: insert the rotated copy, since some versions ignore the rotation flag.
Rotate a video on Windows with Clipchamp
- Open Clipchamp (included with Windows 11) and import the video.
- Drag it onto the timeline and select it.
- Use the rotate tool under the video on the stage, or rotate in 90° steps.
- Export a new file.
Microsoft's own instructions for Clipchamp's rotate tool are linked in the sources.
Stretched or squeezed instead of rotated?
A video can also look wrong without being rotated: faces too wide or too thin. That is the pixel (sample) aspect ratio in the file, which tells players to stretch each pixel. Phone cameras use square pixels, but some converters and screen recorders write a non-square value, and platforms that ignore or apply it differently show the picture stretched.
- Check it:
ffprobe -v error -select_streams v:0 -show_entries stream=width,height,sample_aspect_ratio,display_aspect_ratio -of default=nw=1 in.mp4. A sample_aspect_ratio other than 1:1 is the cause. - Fix it with square pixels at the intended size:
ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -vf "scale=1080:1920,setsar=1" -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -c:a copy out.mp4
Frequently asked questions
Why is my video sideways on my computer but not my phone?
Your phone reads the rotation flag; the computer player doesn't. Rotate and export a new file.
Can I rotate a video after uploading to YouTube?
YouTube Studio has no rotate tool for published videos. Rotate the file and upload it again.
Does rotating a video reduce quality?
Writing the rotation into the pixels re-encodes the video. Export at the original resolution and a high bitrate to keep quality.
Why is my video playing sideways on my computer but not my phone?
The phone applies the rotation flag and your computer's player ignores it. Re-encode the file so the rotation is in the pixels.
How do I play a video sideways on iPhone the right way?
Open it in Photos → Edit → Crop → Rotate and save; the rotated version plays upright everywhere.
Why is my video playing sideways on YouTube?
The file's rotation flag was not applied. Rotate the video in an editor, export a new file and upload that; YouTube Studio's editor does not rotate videos.
How do I fix a video playing sideways in VLC?
Tools → Effects and Filters → Video Effects → Geometry → Transform → Rotate. This changes playback only; to fix the file, convert or re-encode it rotated.
Why does my video play sideways in PowerPoint?
Some PowerPoint versions ignore the rotation flag. Insert a rotated copy of the video, or rotate the video frame with its rotation handle on the slide.
Sources
- YouTube Help: Recommended upload encoding settings (official, checked 2026-10-05)
- Clipchamp (Microsoft): How to rotate a video (official, checked 2026-10-06)
Reviewed 2026-10-06. Steps not attributed to a source are general video practice or computed above.