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How to rotate video on an iPhone or iPad quickly and easily

You just recorded a video of a memorable moment using your iPhone, but belatedly realize that it's in portrait mode rather than landscape. No worries. You can easily correct this digital faux pas right on your iPhone or iPad.

With Apple's Photos or iMovie apps for iOS, there are built-in ways to fix rotation issues. We show you how it's done in iOS 15.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • iPhone

Use the Photos app

This is the quickest and easiest way to rotate videos and photos. Every iPhone includes the Photos app.

The Photos app has numerous tools that let you rotate video using a slider, add a horizontal or vertical tilt, or flip video horizontally.

Step 1: Open the Photos app, and tap on the video you wish to rotate.

iPhone Photos app all photos pane.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Tap Edit in the top-right corner.

iPhone Photos app video Edit pane.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: Tap the Crop and straighten tool icon on the toolbar at the bottom.

iPhone Photos app video rotate control.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: Tap the Rotate tool located in the top-left corner — it resembles a box with a curved arrow. Tap the tool until the video rotates to the proper orientation.

iPhone Photos app video rotate pane.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 5: Tap Done to save your changes.

iPhone Photos app video rotate Done pane.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Use iMovie

This is a longer process for fixing video orientation. It’s the next-best method besides Photos and may come in handy if you want to do additional editing.

Step 1: Launch iMovie for iOS from your App Library.

iPhone App Library module.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Tap Start new project > Movie.

iMovie for iPhone new movie pane.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: Tap Create movie.

iMovie for iPhone create movie pane.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: With your original movie at the top of the screen and in the timeline, tap the Plus sign (+) on the left, under the movie preview.

iMovie for iPhone preview pane.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 5: A video pane appears with your selected movie already highlighted.

iMovie for iPhone all movie pane.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 6: Tap to see a series of icons underneath the filmstrip and then tap the Plus sign (+) at the left.

iMovie for iPhone all movie pane.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 7: Use your thumb and forefinger on the movie preview up top for a rotate gesture. You will see an arrow onscreen indicating the direction of the rotation.

iMovvie rotate arrow.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 8: Tap Done at the upper left.

iMovie Done button.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Editors' Recommendations

Jackie Dove
Contributor
Jackie is an obsessive, insomniac tech writer and editor in northern California. A wildlife advocate, cat fan, and photo app…
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