Rotate or flip a video
Pick the rotation or flip and VideoBB rewrites the picture itself, not just a rotation flag, so the result plays the right way up in every player.
Free with a VideoBB account
Sign in with Google to use the rotate or flip video. Your uploads and results stay private to you and are deleted after 24 hours.
How it works
Phones store orientation as a metadata flag and some players ignore it, which is how a portrait video ends up sideways on a TV or in an editor. This tool applies that flag first, then turns the pixels the way you choose, so the result looks the same in every player.
Flipping horizontally is handy for selfie footage that was mirrored, or text that reads backwards.
Options at a glance
| Option | Result |
|---|---|
| 90° clockwise | Top of the frame moves to the right |
| 90° counter-clockwise | Top of the frame moves to the left |
| 180° | Upside down becomes upright |
| Flip horizontal | Mirror left to right |
| Flip vertical | Mirror top to bottom |
Step by step
Upload
Drop the video.
Choose
Pick the rotation or flip.
Rotate
The picture is re-encoded at high quality.
Download
Save or publish it.
When to rotate or flip a video
Rotate a video when it looks wrong on the phone or computer that plays it best. That covers a portrait clip lying on its side, a clip that is upside down, or a selfie with backwards text. The tool turns the pixels themselves, so the fix travels with the file.
One case needs a different tool. If the clip plays upright on your phone but sideways on a PC or TV, the phone is reading a rotation flag the other player ignores. The video converter writes that flag into the picture without turning it further, so the file plays upright everywhere.
How rotation flags affect the result
Phones often save a clip in landscape and add a note that says turn this by 90 degrees. The tool applies that note first, then adds the turn you pick.
So judge the direction by how the clip looks on the phone that recorded it. If the result is turned the wrong way, run the original again with the opposite direction.
Common reasons to rotate or flip
Sideways, upside-down and mirrored footage each have a clear fix.
A portrait video lying on its side
This happens when the phone guessed the angle wrong, often when it was held flat. Pick the 90-degree turn that brings the top of the picture back up.
Footage filmed upside down
Action cameras and phones on a car, bike or tripod often end up inverted. A 180-degree turn fixes it in one job.
A mirrored selfie or backwards text
Front cameras can mirror the picture, so signs and shirts read backwards. Flip horizontal puts them the right way round.
Quality and file size after rotating
Rotating means re-encoding, because every pixel moves. The tool writes H.264 at a high quality setting, CRF 20, so the loss is very hard to see. The result is always an MP4 file.
The new file can be bigger or smaller than the original, depending on how the original was encoded. If you need it smaller, run it through the video compressor next. The sound is copied as it is, with no change, when MP4 can hold it.
Fixing common rotate problems
When a rotation goes wrong, the cause is usually one of these.
The result is still sideways
The phone's rotation flag was applied before your turn. Run the original again with the opposite direction. If the clip was upright on the phone all along, use the converter instead.
The sound of a WMV file was converted
Some audio formats, such as the WMA sound in WMV files, are not allowed in MP4. In that case the tool converts the sound to AAC at 160 kbps instead of copying it. Every other sound track is copied unchanged.
A slight tilt is still there
This tool turns in 90-degree steps only. It cannot straighten a horizon that leans by a few degrees.
Privacy and file retention
Rotated files are private to your account and are deleted after 24 hours. The video tools help page gives a quick overview of every tool in the set.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my video play correctly on my phone but sideways elsewhere?
The phone reads a rotation flag that the other player ignores. Run the file through the video converter, which writes the flag into the picture so it plays upright everywhere. Use this rotate tool only if the clip is also wrong on the phone.
Is audio affected?
No. The audio track is copied unchanged. The one exception is sound MP4 cannot hold, such as WMA in a WMV file, which is converted to AAC.
Does VideoBB fix rotation on upload?
Yes. Uploads to your channel read the rotation flag automatically. This tool is for files you want to use elsewhere.
What is the difference between rotating 180 degrees and flipping vertically?
Rotating 180 degrees turns the picture upside down, so text still reads normally when turned back. Flipping vertically makes a mirror image, so text reads backwards.
Can I rotate and resize in one job?
No. Each job does one thing. Rotate first, then run the result through the resize tool.
Does rotating change the frame rate or length?
No. Only the picture turns. The frame rate, length and sound stay the same.
Related guides
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