To rotate a video on Mac, open it in QuickTime Player, choose Edit > Rotate Left or Edit > Rotate Right (Shift-Command-L or Shift-Command-R), and save. QuickTime can also flip videos horizontally or vertically. It's built in and free. For an MP4 with the rotation baked into the picture, use the MobileStudio Rotate & Flip Video tool in Safari or Chrome.
The short answer
| Method | Rotate | Flip | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuickTime Player | Left or right 90° | Horizontal or vertical | Same format (usually MOV) |
| iMovie | 90° steps | No | MP4 via Share > File |
| Photos | 90° steps | Horizontal | In your library |
| Rotate & Flip Video | 90° steps | Horizontal | MP4 |
How do I rotate a video in QuickTime?
- Open the video in QuickTime Player.
- Choose Edit > Rotate Left (Shift-Command-L) or Edit > Rotate Right (Shift-Command-R).
- Repeat until it's upright.
- Choose File > Save or File > Export As to keep it.
Apple's guide to rotating or flipping clips in QuickTime covers rotating a single clip too, via View > Show Clips.
How do I flip a video in QuickTime?
Choose Edit > Flip Horizontal to mirror it left to right, or Edit > Flip Vertical to turn it upside down as a mirror image. Flipping horizontally fixes mirrored front-camera videos. More in how to flip a video.
How do I rotate a video in iMovie on Mac?
- Select the clip in the timeline.
- Click the Cropping button above the viewer.
- Click the rotate buttons to turn it 90 degrees left or right.
- Click the checkmark to apply.
Apple's iMovie rotate guide has the details. Export with File > Share > File.
How do I rotate a video on Mac and save it as MP4?
- Open Rotate & Flip Video in Safari or Chrome.
- Drag in the video.
- Click Left 90° or Right 90°, and Flip if needed.
- Click Export MP4.
The rotation becomes part of the image, so Windows players, web uploads, and older editors all show it upright. If you already rotated in QuickTime and the file is a MOV, the MOV to MP4 converter turns it into MP4.
Why does my rotated video still look sideways somewhere else?
QuickTime and Photos often store rotation as a note in the file instead of changing the pixels. Apple apps read the note; some other apps don't. Exporting from the browser tool bakes the rotation in, which fixes it everywhere. See how to fix a sideways video.
Does rotating a video on Mac reduce quality?
No. QuickTime saves rotation without re-encoding in many cases, and 90-degree turns don't lose detail. The browser tool re-encodes at high quality to make the rotation permanent.
Can I rotate a video in Photos on Mac?
Yes. Open the video in Photos, click Edit, then use the rotate button in the toolbar, or click Crop for rotate and flip together. Apple's guide to editing videos on iPhone, iPad, and Mac covers the editor. Changes stay in your library and can be reverted, and iCloud Photos syncs them to your other devices.
Can I rotate just part of a video on Mac?
In QuickTime, split the video into clips with Edit > Split Clip, select one clip in View > Show Clips, and rotate only that clip.
Where MobileStudio fits
Rotate & Flip Video is one of our free tools. MobileStudio itself turns phone screen recordings into polished app demos. Get MobileStudio.
Quick FAQ
What's the shortcut to rotate a video in QuickTime?
Shift-Command-L rotates left; Shift-Command-R rotates right.
Can QuickTime flip a video?
Yes. Edit > Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical.
How do I rotate a video 180 degrees on Mac?
Rotate left or right twice.
Does QuickTime rotation work on Windows?
Not always. Export a fixed MP4 with the browser tool.
Can I rotate a video on a MacBook for free?
Yes. QuickTime, iMovie, Photos, and the browser tool are all free.
