To rotate a screen recording, open it in your phone's editor and rotate it 90 degrees: on iPhone, Photos > Edit > Crop > rotate; on Android, Google Photos > Edit > Crop > Rotate. For a recording that stays upright on every device and website, export it from the MobileStudio Rotate & Flip Video tool, which bakes the rotation into the picture.
The short answer
| Situation | Fix |
|---|---|
| Landscape game recorded sideways | Rotate 90° in Photos or Google Photos |
| Looks fine on the phone, sideways elsewhere | Export from the browser tool |
| You want it vertical for TikTok | Crop instead of rotating |
| You want it landscape for YouTube | Rotate to landscape, then trim |
Why do screen recordings come out sideways?
When you record a landscape app or game, some phones save the recording in portrait with a rotation note, or follow the phone's rotation lock instead of the app. The result plays sideways in some players. It depends on the phone, the app, and whether rotation lock was on.
How do I rotate a screen recording on iPhone?
- Open the recording in Photos.
- Tap Edit, then Crop.
- Tap the rotate button until the picture is the right way up.
- Tap Done.
Apple's crop and rotate guide shows the controls. Turning off Portrait Orientation Lock before you record a landscape game helps iPhone save it in the right orientation. For recording itself, see how to screen record on iPhone.
How do I rotate a screen recording on Android?
Open it in Google Photos, tap Edit > Crop > Rotate, and tap Save copy. Google's editing help covers the options. To record, see how to screen record on Android.
How do I rotate a screen recording so it stays upright?
Phone editors often save just a rotation note. YouTube, some Windows players, and editors may ignore it. To make the fix permanent:
- Open Rotate & Flip Video.
- Drop in the recording.
- Rotate with Left 90° or Right 90°.
- Click Export MP4.
Should I rotate or crop a screen recording?
| You want | Do this |
|---|---|
| A landscape game recording shown full width | Rotate to landscape |
| A portrait app recording for TikTok or Reels | No rotation; maybe crop the status bar with the crop tool |
| A landscape recording turned vertical | Crop to 9:16, don't rotate |
Rotating a portrait recording to landscape just turns the app on its side, which isn't what viewers want.
How do I rotate a screen recording on a computer?
On Mac, QuickTime's Edit > Rotate Left or Rotate Right, per Apple's QuickTime guide. On Windows, use Clipchamp or the browser tool. If the recording also needs trimming, do it in the same session; see how to trim a screen recording.
How do I rotate an app demo recording for a presentation?
Slides are landscape, but phone app recordings are portrait. Don't rotate them, or the app ends up on its side. Instead, place the portrait recording in the middle of a landscape slide, or put it inside a phone frame so it looks intentional. For still screenshots, the App Mockup Generator puts them in an iPhone frame in seconds.
How do I stop screen recordings saving sideways?
- Turn off rotation lock before recording landscape apps.
- Start the recording after the app has already rotated.
- Check one test recording before a long session.
Where MobileStudio fits
Rotate & Flip Video is one of our free tools. MobileStudio itself turns screen recordings of your app into polished demos with device frames, zooms, and backgrounds, right on your phone. Get MobileStudio.
Quick FAQ
Why is my screen recording sideways?
The phone saved it with the wrong orientation, often because of rotation lock.
How do I rotate a screen recording on iPhone?
Photos > Edit > Crop > rotate button > Done.
Will rotating fix it on YouTube?
Export a fixed copy from the browser tool to be sure.
Does rotating a screen recording lose quality?
No visible loss.
Can I rotate only part of a screen recording?
Split it in an editor like iMovie or Clipchamp and rotate just that part.
