Complete Guide to Rotate Videos with VLC: No Advanced Skills

Have you ever opened a video and thought, "Why is this turned the wrong way?" If you have VLC Media Player on Windows or Mac, you can rotate it for free. In this guide, we'll walk you through every step to rotate video with VLC, and introduce an easier alternative for a faster solution!

Part 1: How to Temporarily Rotate a Video in VLC

VLC offers basic editing features, allows you to trim video, crop clips, record screen and more. If you just want to rotate a video for easier viewing, you can simply flip or rotate videos while watching them using VLC. Keep in mind that this change is only temporary and will not affect the original video files.

Rotate a Video in VLC on Windows

Step 1. Launch VLC Media Player, select "Open File" from the "Media" menu, and then choose your video file.

Step 2. Head to the top menu bar, click "Tools", then select "Effects and Filters". You can also press Ctrl + E for faster access.

Step 3. In the pop-up window, switch to the "Video Effects" tab, then click "Geometry". Check the "Transform" box, then you can see the rotation options.

Step 4. You can choose preset angles (90°, 180°, 270° clockwise/counterclockwise) from the drop-down menu. If you need a custom angle, tick the "Rotate" box and drag the circular dial to adjust freely.

Step 5. Click "Close" to apply the rotation effect immediately.

Rotate a Video in VLC on Mac

Step 1. Launch VLC Media Player on your Mac. Then go to the "File" menu, choose "Open File", and upload the video you want to rotate.

Step 2. Click VLC on the top menu bar, choose "Window", then select "Video Effects".

Step 3. Navigate to the "Geometry" tab and check "Transform".

Step 4. Pick a standard rotation angle or tweak the custom rotation dial as needed.

Step 5. Close the settings panel, and VLC will save the changes automatically.

Part 2: How to Permanently Rotate Your Video with VLC

If you want to save the video with the new orientation in VLC, follow the steps below:

Step 1. Select "Tools" > "Preferences" from the main menu. In the "Simple Preferences" window, click the "All" button under the "Show settings" section.

Step 2.

Step 3. After rotating your video, click "Media" on the left of the top menu bar.

Step 4. Select "Convert/Save" from the drop-down menu.

Step 5. Click the "Add" button to import the video you want to rotate permanently, hit "Convert/Save" at the bottom, then select "Convert" from the resulting drop-down menu.

Step 6. In the Convert window, click "Browse" and select a location, enter a name for your video, and then click "Save."

Step 7. Finally, click "Start" to convert and save the rotated video.

Part 3: Easiest Way to Rotate a Video Without VLC

Maybe VLC's rotation process is a little tedious for you. Many users are confused about its advanced hidden settings, and fail to save their rotated videos due to the complex export parameters. If you want a straightforward tool to rotate videos easily, AnyRec Video Converter really suits you! This tool can handle the video rotation within simple steps. You don't need to deal with the parameters anymore!

How to rotate a video using AnyRec:

Step 1. Open the software, click "Toolbox" in the top menu and locate "Video Rotator".

Step 2. Click the "Add" button to upload your video, or drag and drop your video files into the box.

Step 3. Select the rotation you want to apply to your video. You can preview the rotation effects in the right window.

Step 4. You can also adjust format, name, and resolution as you like. Click the "Export" button to save the rotated video on your computer.

Part 4: FAQs About Rotating Video with VLC

• Why won't my VLC rotated video save permanently?

  Most users only adjust the rotation in playback settings but forget to enable the Video transformation filter in the Convert/Save profile settings. Without turning on this filter, VLC will export the original unrotated video directly.

• Can I rotate multiple videos at once in VLC?

  No. VLC does not support rotating multiple videos at the same time. You need to rotate each video individually or use a video editor that supports batch processing.

• Does rotating video in VLC reduce video quality?

  No, rotating a video in VLC does not reduce quality. If you export the rotated video via conversion, the quality may change if the output settings change.

• Can I rotate a video on iPhone?

  Yes. You can rotate a video on iPhone using the built-in Photos app. Open the video in Photos, choose "Edit" > "Crop", and tap the rotate icon to adjust the orientation.

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