How To Rotate Videos in Windows 10 Easily

Rotating videos in Windows 10 is actually pretty straightforward, especially with the Photos app that’s already built in. But sometimes it’s a bit finicky — like, you rotate, save, and the video still looks wrong. Or maybe you want to do it in a batch or need a quick fix without fumbling through multiple menus. The thing is, the built-in tools usually do the trick, but you gotta know where to look, and sometimes it’s not as obvious as clicking a rotate button a couple of times. Here’s a rundown of the real-world tips that actually work, along with some extra commands and paths that might come in handy. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary, right?

How to Rotate Video in Windows 10 (The Practical Ways)

Method 1: Basic Rotation with Photos App

This is the default way and what most folks try first. It’s easy if the app behaves. Usually, you open the video, hit the rotate button, and save a new copy. Keeps the original safe, but sometimes, especially on some setups, the rotation doesn’t stick immediately. If you notice your video still looks sideways after saving, try closing the app completely and reopening it before checking. That’s just Windows playing tricks.

Open Photos by typing “Photos” into the Windows search bar and hitting Enter.
Click on Import (top right or from the menu) and choose From this PC to load your video. If dragging directly into Photos works, that’s even simpler.
Find your video in the library, double-click to open.
Hit Edit & Create > Edit
Use the Rotate button (looks like a circular arrow) until your video is oriented right. Each click does 90° rotation.
Click Save a copy. This saves a new file, leaving your original untouched — which is handy if you mess up. On some machines, this isn’t instant, so give it a few seconds or restart the app if it seems stuck.

Method 2: Using VLC Media Player (If Photos fails or gets weird)

If the Photos app keeps ignoring your rotations or seems buggy, VLC can do the job — and it’s free. Not sure why, but sometimes Windows apps get stuck or don’t save rotations properly. VLC actually edits the video temporarily, but you need to export it after rotation to keep the changes. It’s a bit more manual but totally worth it if you want something reliable.

Download and install VLC Media Player if you haven’t yet.
Open your video in VLC.
Go to Tools > Effects and Filters (or press Ctrl + E).
Select the Video Effects tab, then the Geometry sub-tab.
Check the box for Transform and pick the rotation you need, e.g., 90°, 180°, etc.
Play the video to see if it looks right. If yes, go to Media > Convert/Save.
Add your file, then choose Convert. Under settings, pick a profile (like MP4), then hit Start.

This exports a new, rotated version. Not super quick, but it works pretty reliably — and on some setups, it’s the only way that finally works.

Method 3: Command Line with FFmpeg (For power users)

If you’re comfortable with the terminal, FFmpeg is the ultimate tool. No GUI, just pure command magic. Rotate, crop, resize, whatever. You just need to download it first, then run a simple command. Handy if you need batch processing or do this often.

Get FFmpeg from here. Follow the instructions specific to Windows to install it.
Open Command Prompt or PowerShell.
Navigate to the folder with your video: cd C:\Path\To\Your\Videos.
Type the rotation command. For example, to rotate 90° clockwise: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "transpose=1" output.mp4. You can also do other angles or flip it. For 180°, use transpose=2, transpose=2. For 270°, use transpose=3.

Super nerdy, but this way, you can automate a batch of videos or script rotations for consistent results. Just beware, the syntax can be confusing if you’re new to FFmpeg, but it’s a game-changer once you get used to it.

Additional Tips & Tricks

Sometimes, videos get stuck in rotating limbo because of incomplete saves or temporary glitches. If rotation doesn’t stick, reboot, and try again.
Check your video’s format and codec compatibility—some apps won’t rotate certain formats properly. Converting to MP4 with H.264 codec can smooth things out.
For quick previews, right-click the video, choose Properties, and ensure the rotation metadata is correct. Some players read that info directly, avoiding re-encoding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to rotate videos without quality loss?

Generally, rotating in apps like Photos or VLC doesn’t re-encode the video unless you explicitly export or save it. That means quality stays the same. But if you use command-line tools, make sure to specify a lossless profile or avoid unnecessary re-encoding.

Why does my video still look sideways after editing?

This happens when the rotation metadata isn’t written properly or the app you’re using doesn’t save the change. Sometimes, opening in a different player or re-saving with another tool fixes it. Usually, VLC or FFmpeg can really help here.

Can I rotate multiple videos at once?

With most GUI tools, no — they focus on one file at a time. But FFmpeg can batch process via scripts if you’re into command-line magic.

Uninstalling and reinstalling the Photos app?

Because Windows keeps that app integrated, best to go through Settings > Apps & Features, find Photos, then uninstall. Reinstall from the Microsoft Store afterward if needed. Sometimes, reinstalling clears weird bugs.

Summary

Open the Photos app, import the video, and use the rotate button.
If that gets wonky, try VLC’s transform feature or FFmpeg for more control.
Always save as a new copy to keep the original safe.

Wrap-up

Rotating videos in Windows 10 isn’t always perfect, but the methods above cover most scenarios. Whether sticking with Photos for simplicity, turning to VLC for reliability, or using FFmpeg for heavy lifting, the key is to find what’s consistent in your setup. Sometimes, a quick restart or a different format helps fix the weird glitches. Hopefully, this saves some head-scratching time and gets your videos looking right without much fuss. Fingers crossed this helps someone get their orientations straight!