To rotate a video on iPhone, open it in the Photos app, tap Edit, then Crop, and tap the rotate button in the top corner until the video is upright. Tap Done. Each tap turns it 90 degrees counterclockwise. If the video still plays sideways when you send it to a Windows PC, bake the rotation in with the MobileStudio Rotate & Flip Video tool in Safari.
The short answer
| Goal | Steps in Photos |
|---|---|
| Rotate 90° | Edit > Crop > rotate button (once) |
| Rotate 180° | Tap the rotate button twice |
| Mirror the video | Edit > Crop > flip button |
| Undo | Edit > Revert |
| Fix for other devices | Rotate & Flip Video in Safari |
How do I rotate a video in the Photos app?
- Open Photos and tap the video.
- Tap Edit.
- Tap Crop at the bottom.
- Tap the rotate button (a square with a curved arrow) in the top corner. Each tap turns the video 90 degrees counterclockwise.
- Tap Done.
Apple's crop, rotate, and flip guide shows the buttons. The same screen has a flip button to mirror the video, and a straighten slider for small tilts.
How do I undo a rotation on iPhone?
Open the video, tap Edit, then Revert, and confirm. Photos keeps the original, so you can always go back.
Why is my iPhone video sideways?
iPhone decides orientation from how you hold it when you start recording. If the phone was flat on a table, or rotation lock confused the camera, the video can come out sideways. Rotating it in Photos fixes it on Apple devices. Read how to fix a sideways video for every fix.
Why does my rotated video still play sideways on Windows?
Photos often stores the rotation as a note in the file instead of changing the pixels. Some Windows players, older editors, and websites ignore the note. To fix it for good:
- Open Rotate & Flip Video in Safari.
- Pick the original video.
- Rotate it with Left 90° or Right 90°.
- Tap Export MP4.
The rotation is now part of the image, so every player shows it upright. The MP4 also uses H.264, which Windows plays without extra codecs; see why your iPhone video won't play on Windows.
How do I flip a mirrored video on iPhone?
In Edit > Crop, tap the flip button (two triangles) to mirror the video horizontally. To stop the front camera mirroring in the future, check the Mirror Front Camera setting, which Apple explains in its selfie guide. More in how to flip a video.
Can I rotate a video with iMovie?
Yes. In an iMovie project, place two fingers on the video in the viewer and twist to rotate it 90 degrees. The iMovie user guide covers editing projects. Photos is quicker for a single clip.
How do I avoid sideways videos in the future?
On iPhone, check that Portrait Orientation Lock is off in Control Center before filming, then turn the phone to the shape you want and wait for the Camera buttons to rotate with it. If you start recording while the phone lies flat, it guesses the orientation and often gets it wrong. Lifting the phone up for a second before tapping record avoids most sideways clips.
Does rotating a video on iPhone reduce quality?
No. A 90-degree rotation doesn't throw away any detail.
Where MobileStudio fits
Rotate & Flip Video is one of our free tools. MobileStudio itself turns iPhone screen recordings into polished app demos with device frames and zooms, right on your phone. Get MobileStudio.
Quick FAQ
How do I rotate a video on iPhone without an app?
Use Photos: Edit > Crop > rotate button.
Which way does the iPhone rotate button turn?
90 degrees counterclockwise per tap.
How do I rotate a video 90 degrees clockwise on iPhone?
Tap the rotate button three times.
Why can't I rotate a video in Photos?
Shared or iCloud-only videos may need saving to your library first.
Will the rotation stay when I send the video?
On Apple devices, yes. For other devices, export a fixed copy with the browser tool.
