Rotating Your Screen on Windows, Chromebook, iOS, & More

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Foolproof ways to adjust your screen when the usual hacks don’t seem to work
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Ugh! You need to rotate your device’s screen, but nothing seems to work. What gives? Don’t worry—whether you're using a Windows PC, Mac, Chromebook, Linux PC, or even a tablet, it's easy to flip your screen. The key is knowing where to look in your settings. We’ve outlined everything you need to know below so that you can reorient your device ASAP.

Turning Your Screen Upside Down

With older versions of Windows, rotate your screen by pressing Ctrl + Alt + an arrow key . Or right-click your desktop and choose Display Settings . Use the rotation menu in the Display portion of your settings on a Mac or a Chromebook.

Section 1 of 5:

Windows

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  1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard and type the word settings . Click Settings to pull up your PC’s settings. [1]
    • Shortcut: Right-click on a blank section of your desktop screen and left-click Display Settings from the sub-menu.
    • This works for both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
  2. If you're using Windows 10, you'll see this icon in the main panel. In Windows 11, the System option is in the left panel.
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  3. If you're using Windows 10, this option is at the top of the menu on the left-hand side of the screen. On Windows 11, you'll see this at the top of the right panel. [2]
  4. Select an option from the Orientation menu to rotate your screen . Click on the setting you’d prefer—once you select, click either Keep Changes or Revert to switch your screen back to normal. Your options are: [3]
    • Landscape: Right-side-up; what most computer screens are
    • Portrait: Rotated 90 degrees to the left
    • Landscape (flipped): Rotated 180 degrees to the left
    • Portrait (flipped): Rotated 90 degrees to the right
  5. Older PC screens (including PCs with an older version of Windows 10) can be rotated with a combination of Ctrl , Alt , and one of the four arrow keys: [4]
    • Ctrl + Alt + ↓ - Flip the screen upside down (Landscape flipped)
    • Ctrl + Alt + → - Rotate the screen 90° to the right (Portrait flipped)
    • Ctrl + Alt + ← - Rotate the screen 90° to the left (Portrait)
    • Ctrl + Alt + ↑ - Return the screen to its standard orientation (Landscape)
    • Troubleshooting tip: If you have an Intel-powered PC, right-click your desktop and select Graphics Options . From there, turn on screen rotation in the Hot Keys section.
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Section 2 of 5:

Mac

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  1. 1
    Press and hold ⌥ Opt . You have to press and hold this key to see the Rotation settings. This is to prevent accidentally rotating your screen. [5]
  2. 2
    Pull open the System Settings page. Click on the menu and select System Settings . [6]
    • If you're using macOS Monterey or earlier, click the Apple menu and select System Preferences instead.
  3. 3
    Select Displays . You'll see this option in the System Settings or System Preferences menu, depending on your macOS version. [7]
  4. Select the number of degrees you’d like your screen to rotate using the Rotation menu. Once you’ve settled on an adjustment, hit the Confirm button to apply the changes. [8]
    • Want to reset your screen ? Just go back to the Rotation menu and pick the Standard option.
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Section 3 of 5:

Chromebook

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  1. On the bottom-right corner of your screen , left-click on the clock. Then, select the gear icon to pull open your Chromebook’s Settings. [9]
  2. 2
    Select Device . If the screen is vertical, you need to click ☰ to open the side menu. The menu will appear immediately if the tablet or screen is in landscape mode (horizontal). [10]
  3. This will show you options for the Display. [11]
  4. Select the number of degrees you’d like to rotate your screen:
    • 0°: The default, upright orientation
    • 90°: Rotate 90 degrees to the right
    • 180°: Rotate 180 degrees to the right
    • 270°: Rotate 270 degrees to the right [12]
    • Quick alternative: Press the Ctrl , ⇧ Shift , andkeys all at the same time—this generates a pop-up confirming that you want to rotate your screen 90 degrees. Hit Continue to set your new orientation. Continue pressing this key combo if you’d like to keep rotating your Chromebook screen. [13]
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Section 4 of 5:

Linux

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  1. 1
    Find the display settings. The location of this may vary according to your Linux distribution.
  2. 2
    Change the Rotation setting to "Inverted". Click on Apply to save this.
  3. 3
    Confirm your changes by clicking on Keep this configuration . This will rotate your screen indefinitely until you re-adjust the display settings.
    • The dialog box contains a countdown timer; if you don't choose an option by the end of the timer, the display will automatically revert to its previous configuration. You can also cancel your changes altogether by clicking Restore the previous configuration .
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Section 5 of 5:

Mobile

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  1. You can easily rotate your screen using the Control Center . Here's how:
    • If your iPad or iPhone has Face ID, swipe down from the top right corner of your screen to pull up the Control Center. If your device has Touch ID, swipe up from the bottom of the Home screen instead. [14]
    • Look for an icon that features a lock symbol surrounded by a circular arrow—if the icon is red, tap it once to unlock your screen. Then, tilt your iPad or iPhone manually to rotate the screen automatically. [15]
  2. Tap the auto-rotate option in the Quick Settings panel, which you can access by swiping down from the top of your screen.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    My computer wont respond to Ctrl+Alt+Arrows. And I cant find the Appearance-Personalization thing on the computer managment...
    Janice Tieperman
    Community Answer
    Your computer might be too new to use the Ctrl+Alt+Arrows shortcut. Instead, go to your PC's Settings and choose the Display option from the System category. From there, use the Orientation drop-down menu to adjust your screen.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0
  • Question
    What is the easiest way to do it?
    Janice Tieperman
    Community Answer
    If your computer is Windows 10 or above, the easiest way to rotate the screen is to go to the Display menu in the System portion of your PC's settings. From there, use the Orientation drop-down menu to adjust your screen.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 2
  • Question
    Will turning my screen upside down while doing schoolwork make it more fulfilling?
    Janice Tieperman
    Community Answer
    Probably not—if anything, it might be more challenging since you have to move your mouse in the opposite direction than you're used to. You know your own study habits best, though, so feel free to give it a try if you think it could help!
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/change-your-screen-resolution-and-layout-in-windows-5effefe3-2eac-e306-0b5d-2073b765876b
      2. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/change-your-screen-resolution-and-layout-in-windows-5effefe3-2eac-e306-0b5d-2073b765876b
      3. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/change-your-screen-resolution-and-layout-in-windows-5effefe3-2eac-e306-0b5d-2073b765876b
      4. ↑ https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/rotate-screen-in-windows-10-how-to-flip-your-monitor-orientation-90-degrees/
      5. ↑ https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255072447?sortBy=rank
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/rotate-the-image-on-your-display-mh11534/mac
      7. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/rotate-the-image-on-your-display-mh11534/mac
      8. ↑ https://teamdynamix.umich.edu/TDClient/99/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=9398
      9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4wKJODobOc&t=0m35s
      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/_ZtZpG4436A?si=aT1Cwai5MD9ScH3M&t=75
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4wKJODobOc&t=0m46s
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4wKJODobOc&t=0m51s
      4. ↑ https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/183101?hl=en
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/118226
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102499

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To turn your computer screen upside down on a Windows operating system, press the Ctrl, Alt, and down arrow keys on your keyboard simultaneously. Alternatively, right click on your desktop and select “Screen resolution” from the drop down menu. Then, select “Properties” and click on the “Display” tab to change the orientation to “flipped.” If you have a Mac computer, open System Preferences and click on the “Rotate” menu to make any adjustments. To learn how to turn your screen upside down if you’re using Chrome OS, read on!

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        Oct 27, 2018

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