How to Rotate a Video in VLC (and Save It) on Windows and Mac

Rotate a sideways video in VLC with Effects and Filters, then save it the right way up with Convert / Save and the Video transformation filter. Covers Windows and Mac, the usual pitfalls, and a free lossless option in your browser.

Written guide How to rotate a video in VLC Rotate playback, then save a rotated copy with Convert/Save. Read the guide →

Key moments

1. 1 Introduction , starts at 0:00
2. 2 Rotate for viewing , starts at 0:05
3. 3 Save a rotated copy , starts at 0:46
4. 4 On a Mac , starts at 1:37
5. 5 Free in your browser , starts at 2:10

Transcript

Introduction 0:00

1. 0:00 Here's how to rotate a video in VLC, and how to save it the right way up.

Rotate for viewing 0:05

1. 0:06 Open your sideways video in VLC.
2. 0:08 Then go to Tools, Effects and Filters, or press Ctrl+E.
3. 0:13 In Adjustments and Effects, click the Video Effects tab, then Geometry.
4. 0:18 Tick Transform.
5. 0:19 Then choose Rotate by 90°, which turns the picture clockwise.
6. 0:24 Rotate by 270° turns it counterclockwise, and 180° fixes an upside-down video.
7. 0:33 The video turns upright straight away.
8. 0:35 Click Close, and keep watching.
9. 0:38 But this only changes how VLC plays it.
10. 0:41 The file itself is still sideways, so in any other player it looks wrong again.

Save a rotated copy 0:46

1. 0:46 To save it, VLC uses the turn you picked in Transform.
2. 0:50 Stop playback first, then go to Media, Convert / Save.
3. 0:55 Click Add, and choose your video.
4. 0:57 Then click Convert / Save.
5. 1:00 The Profile box is empty the first time, so choose Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4).
6. 1:07 Then click the wrench to edit that profile.
7. 1:11 Open Video codec, then Filters.
8. 1:13 Tick Video transformation filter, and click Save.
9. 1:17 Next, click Browse to name the new file. You cannot type in that box.
10. 1:21 Then click Start.
11. 1:23 VLC converts the video, and the new file plays upright in any player.
12. 1:29 If Start does nothing, the video was still playing, so press Stop and try again.
13. 1:34 And the profile keeps the filter until you untick it.

On a Mac 1:37

1. 1:38 On a Mac, choose Window, Video Effects, or press Cmd+E.
2. 1:42 Open the Geometry tab, tick Transform, and pick the turn.
3. 1:47 To save a copy on a Mac, File, Convert / Stream has no filter option in its Customize panel.
4. 1:54 So open Settings, click Show All, and go to Stream output, Sout stream, Transcode.
5. 1:59 Under Video filter, tick Video transformation filter, and click Save.
6. 2:05 Then convert with Save as File and Go, and untick the filter afterwards.

Free in your browser 2:10

1. 2:10 Or skip the re-encode: open your video at rotate.video and click Turn right.
2. 2:15 Quarter turns are lossless, and nothing is uploaded.
3. 2:19 Click Export video, then Download video.
4. 2:23 Rotate your next video free at rotate.video.