How to rotate a video
- Choose the direction: 90° clockwise, 90° anticlockwise, 180°, or a mirror flip.
- Choose your videos or drop them on the box above.
- Download the rotated MP4s. Several videos can be rotated in one go.
Why videos end up sideways
Phones record video with the sensor in one fixed position and note how the phone was held. If the phone’s orientation lock was on, or it was lying flat when recording started, the note can be wrong, and the video plays sideways or upside down. Older players and some editing apps also ignore the note entirely.
Rotation without re-encoding
| Change | How it’s done | Quality | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90° or 180° turn (H.264 video) | Orientation setting updated, picture copied | Unchanged | Seconds |
| Mirror flip | Picture re-encoded | High quality | About playback speed |
| Any change to HEVC, VP9 or other formats | Picture re-encoded to H.264 | High quality | About playback speed |
The result is always an MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio, which plays on every device and uploads to every site.
Mirroring selfie videos
Front cameras often record a mirror image, so text and logos appear reversed. Choose Flip horizontally to put them the right way round.
Rotating on a phone instead
- iPhone: open the video in Photos, tap Edit, tap the crop button, then the rotate button until it’s upright, and tap Done.
- Android (Google Photos): open the video, tap Edit, choose Crop, then tap rotate.
That’s quickest for a single clip on the phone that recorded it. This tool is easier for videos on a computer, several videos at once, or files a phone app won’t open.
Privacy
Videos are rotated in your browser using Mediabunny, an open-source media library. Nothing is uploaded.
Questions
Why is rotation so fast?
For H.264 videos, the picture isn't changed at all. The MP4 stores an orientation setting, and players turn the picture when they show it. That's how phones record portrait videos, so every modern player, phone, browser and video site supports it.
Does rotating reduce quality?
Not for H.264 videos rotated by 90° or 180°, because the picture data is copied unchanged. Mirroring, and videos in other formats, are re-encoded at high quality.
My video looks right on my phone but sideways on my computer. Why?
The phone and computer read the orientation setting differently, usually because of an old player. Rotating here and saving a fresh MP4 gives a file that newer players show correctly. VLC and current versions of Windows Media Player, QuickTime and web browsers all respect the setting.
Which way should I rotate?
If the top of the scene points to the left, rotate 90° clockwise. If it points to the right, rotate 90° anticlockwise. If it's upside down, rotate 180°.
Last reviewed 6 November 2026