How to Rotate Video Using VLC and Its Alternative Solutions

Patricia Rapatalo .
The frustration will be understated if you record a video on your mobile phone and realize it has the wrong orientation. Luckily, you don’t have to deal with that problem for a long time, thanks to powerful software like VLC. VLC can rotate your video to the orientation that you need. Then that’s why we are to give you a detailed guide on how to rotate video in VLC. In addition, we will give five other ways to rotate your videos as a bonus. Online tools or apps, we have them all for you!
rotate video in vlc
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VLC has been a top-notched media player for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. You can utilize it to rotate your videos clockwise at 90, 180, or 270 degrees. Besides that, VLC lets you rotate videos at any random angle you need. You can get more from VLC as long as you know how to configure its settings. Move below to see how you can rotate videos using VLC and some bonus tips if VLC doesn’t work.


How to Rotate Video With VLC

You can rotate a video for a variety of reasons. It's possible that the video was shot incorrectly or that you want to see it from a different angle. Also, the most frequent explanation is that you want to rotate the video to landscape format because it was shot in portrait mode. So, it seems small on your computer screen, resulting in a black screen on either side. The tool has lots of features, such as speed controlling, converting, recording, and others. With a bit of setup, the rotation feature of VLC allows you to save the final output on your computer. The steps to rotate video using VLC are listed below to eliminate this problem.

Step 1Import a Video File

First, launch the VLC app if you already have it saved on your computer. If not, click the link above to get its installer. After that, launch the tool, hit the “Media” button, and select “Convert/Save” from the menu. Then, hit the “Add” button from the window that will appear to import the video you like to rotate. Click the “Convert/Save” button on the bottom to proceed.

click media, convert/save, hit add and convert/save button

Step 2Configure the Transition Settings

Next, another window will appear. Browse the ”Profile” section and click the “wrench” icon to see the other settings. Afterward, hit the “Video codec” tab and untick the “Keep original video track.” Hit the “Filters” button and select “Video transformation filter” from the options. Once done, click the “Save” button.

hit wrench icon, video codec, select filters and video transformation, hit save

Step 3Start Rotating and Save Video

Finally, hit the “Browse” button to choose the output folder for your video. Then, tick the “Start” button to rotate the video permanently. Once everything is completed, open the chosen folder and locate the video. See if the video is now rotated accordingly with the VLC flip video feature.

hit browse and start button


Five Alternative Ways to Rotate Videos

Some users experience a black screen or error message when playing a video on VLC. That’s because VLC doesn’t support every existing video format. If you play a video and get a “No suitable decoder module” notice, that means the video format is “undf,” meaning “undefined file format” or cannot be played. Furthermore, you cannot also rotate the video on VLC. So if you experience the same problem or find the VLC Media Player rotate video feature challenging to handle, you can opt for other solutions.

1Video Editor Pro

Distinctive Feature: It allows you to record your computer screen directly and edit it immediately within the tool without installing screen recording software.
User Group: Best for beginners and professionals who wants to enhance video with more video editing features.

Video Editor Pro is a powerful editing program for Mac and Windows PCs. It has a ton of tools that you can use to make your video eye-catching. Video Editor Pro offers an extensive array of editing options, unlike the VLC player rotate video tool. You may combine your videos, add subtitles, remove unnecessary segments, overlay transitions or filters, and more. Besides that, you can use it to rotate your video in various orientations. The tool lets you rotate videos at 90 degrees counterclockwise or clockwise and flip them horizontally or vertically. Also, trim videos on Windows 10 to remove unnecessary parts. Visit this site to know more about it. Then, find out below how to use Video Editor Pro to rotate your videos.

Free Download
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
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Free Download
For macOS 10.12 or later
Secure Download

Step 1Install the VLC Alternative

To begin with, download the Video Editor Pro installer for Windows or Mac by clicking the “Download” buttons above. Once you have fully saved the software on your device, pass through the prompt. Once finished, wait for the tool to display on the screen as your computer analyzes it. Then, start familiarizing its interface to follow the next steps quickly.

video editor pro main interface

Step 2Import the Video File

Next, navigate to the "Media" panel of the program and select "Import." Decide if you want to import a single file or a whole folder. Alternatively, you can drag the video straight into the video editor for a hassle-free import process. Then wait for your video to appear in the media section.

hit import, import video file or folder

Step 3Start Rotating the Video

Once the video appears, drag it ito the video timeline and double-click on it. New settings will appear on the top left part of the tool, where the rotating video feature is located. Hit the “Video” tab and move to the “Rotate” feature. Afterward, select the orientation you want from the options. You can check the orientation change in the tool's preview section to see its difference. If satisfied, hit the “OK” button to apply it.

drop video into the timeline, hit video and rotate, preview video and hit ok

Step 4Check the Rotated Video

Lastly, click the "Export" button beneath the preview tab and wait for the rendering process to be finished. Then the video will be transferred to your computer after the process. After that, launch the finished video on your computer’s media player. You can see that the video is now rotated into the orientation we set in step 3.

hit export and play rotated video

Video Editor Pro
Easy but powerful video editing software to edit and enhance video clips to make it professional-looking.
  • You can merge multiple video clips to create one huge video.
  • It has a premade audio that you can overlay to your videos to add background music.
  • The tool let you add a watermark to your video with customizable position, duration, and size.
  • It provides the option to preview every part of the video before exporting it.

2Rotate My Video

Distinctive Feature: You can change the color of the bands around the rotated video to make it fit.
User Group: It is best for beginners who don’t want to rotate videos directly without complicated settings.

Rotate My Video is an application to use if you want to alter the orientation of your video for free without installing any software on your computer. It is a web-based tool for changing the orientation of videos. With Rotate My Video, you may quickly rotate clockwise or counterclockwise and flip to vertical or horizontal to get any required angle. Aside from that, you can also change the aspect ratio of your video to 4:3 and 16:9. Then, you can automatically share them on social media platforms, including YouTube and Facebook. Check the listed steps below to see how this VLC rotate video and save alternative works.

User guide:

  • Access the official website of Rotate My Video on your web browser. Once you are at the landing page, hit the “Pick Video” button in the center part of the website. Then, your file folder will appear.
  • Select the video file you want to rotate and hit “Open” to add it to the tool. After that, you can now select the orientation. To do so, hit the arrows under the “Rotation” feature until you achieve your desired orientation.
  • Once finished, you can change the video ratio and band color according to your liking. Finally, hit the “Rotate Video” to apply all the changes you have made. The final video output will be kept in the “Downloads” folder of your folder, where you can watch it.

rotate my video interface

3Photos App

Distinctive Feature: It allows you to upload your video to OneDrive directly, so you can quickly get and share the video link.
User Group: It is best for beginners looking for an app where they can organize videos.

The Photos App is a free photo and video viewer for Windows 8 and 10. It does more than organize many video and image files! You can also store, share, view, and edit your media files in this app. Plus, it provides simple editing tools that are useful when you rotate video Windows 10. You have complete control over the orientation of your video. To add more, you can adjust the speed of the video, cut it, and add 3D effects and text, among other things, to make your video more attractive. Moreover, Photos App is an excellent alternative to VLC since it is a built-in app with no duration limits.

User guide:

  • To start the Photos App, go to the "Task Bar" on your computer and enter "Photos App" into the search bar. Click on the app to launch it, and select "Video Editor" from the top menu. Next, hit the “New video project” button to continue.
  • Choose a video you want to change its orientation and import it to the app. Once done, drop the video into the timeline board and right-click on it. This will launch other settings, including the “Rotate” function.
  • Hit the “Rotate” button from the options to modify the orientation of the video. Do the same process if you want to change the orientation once again. Lastly, hit the “Finish Video” to render and save the video on your computer.

photos app video editing interface

4Kapwing

Distinctive Feature: It has prebuilt stock videos and audio that you can add to your video to add a wow factor.
User Group: It is recommended for users looking for a tool with advanced features without needing to install it.

Another tool that can effortlessly rotate videos is Kapwing. Kapwing is a professional online video editor that works on Windows and Mac computers. Additionally, it has the “Studio” tool, which enables you to start editing a video from scratch. With Kapwing, you can rotate your videos in a variety of directions. You can use the handles in the preview window to move the video to any desired angle. Also, you can utilize the rotate icon to quickly rotate the video to 90, 180, or 270 degrees. What is more, you can add subtitles, merge video clips, overlay transitions, elements, and more. Discover below how to rotate video with Kapwing.

User guide:

  • Click the link overhead to go to the official website of Kapwing. Log into your Kapwing account if you already have an existing account. If not, create a new account with your email to access the video editor.
  • After that, hit the “Add” Media” button to import a video. Once the video shows up in the media section, click the file to put it into the timeline automatically. Then, click the handle on the preview to move the orientation of the video.
  • Also, you can proceed to the right side of the tool and locate “Rotate.” Hit the orientation icon you prefer or the “-” and “+” icons to adjust the orientation. Following that, you may edit the video before saving it. Click the “Export Project” on the top part to store the finished video.

 kapwing interface

5Movavi Video Editor

Distinctive Feature: The software's "Montage Wizard" feature allows you to create a themed movie from your video clips.
User Group: It is suitable for users with no professional skills in video editing.

Movavi Video Editor is the final software you can use to rotate your videos. The software can be installed and used to edit videos by Windows and Mac users. You can take advantage of the numerous video editing features offered by Movavi Video Editor. That includes an audio editing tool, filters, transitions, audio background noise remover, and file sharing, to state a few. Furthermore, you can use its “Rotator” to adjust the orientation of your video from any angle. Even if you rotate to 90 degrees counter or counterclockwise or flip the video, the tool can do that effortlessly. Be sure to follow the instructions below to rotate the video with Movavi Video Editor.

User guide:

  • Install Movavi Video Editor on your computer using the link above. Make sure to get a suitable installer for your computer OS. After installing, launch the software and discover its interface.
  • Then, hit the “Add Files” button to add the video to the software. Once it shows up in the media panel, drop the file into the tool’s timeline. Hit the video into the timeline and click the “Rotate” button until you acquire the necessary orientation.
  • Afterward, edit the video with the editing tools before exporting it. Meanwhile, you can directly save the rotated video according to your preference. To do so, hit the “Export” button, and your video will be moved to your device.

movavi video editor interface


FAQs About Rotating Video

1. Can I rotate the video on VLC while playing?
You can use VLC turn 90 degrees or other orientations while playing the video. Hit the “Tools” button on the VLC’s menu and choose “Effects and Filters” from the options. Then, select “Video Effects” and hit the ”Geometry” button. After that, click the “Transform” button to select your desired orientation. Finally, hit the “Close” button to set the changes. Remember that this option is not permanent and only applicable while playing video. If you want to rotate your video permanently, follow the guide in the first part.
2. Can I use VLC to rotate video on my phone?
VLC is an open-source program accessible on most devices, including mobile phones like Android or iPhone. You can operate it to rotate your videos on your smartphone device. This is convenient since you don’t need to transfer your videos to your computer before you can rotate them. It has the same process of rotating the video on a computer with VLC.
3. How can I turn my video back to its default orientation?
You can turn back the default orientation of your video with the ”Rotate” features of the tools mentioned above, like VLC, Video Editor Pro, and others. You need to adjust the orientation according to the video’s default angle. Make sure that you memorize its original angle to set it back quickly.

Comparison Chart

Tools Output Formats Limitations Output Quality
VLC MP4, AVI, MOV, TS, and more It doesn’t offer other editing tools. Up to 4K
Video Editor Pro MP4, MOV, FLV, WebM, and more It is not accessible on low-end computers. Up to 4K
Rotate My Video Same as the original video. You cannot change the video quality. Same as the original video.
Tools Output Formats Limitations Output Quality
Photos App Same as the original video. The app doesn’t support advanced editing functions. Up to 1080P
Kapwing MP4, WMV, AVI, MKV, and more You need to upgrade to its version to access all its features. Up to 1080P
Movavi Video Editor MP4, FLV, MOV, MKV, and more A watermark will be added to the output video for the trial version. Up to 4K

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