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How to Rotate or Flip Video in VLC

Rotate or flip video during VLC playback, understand which changes are temporary, and choose a proper export workflow for permanent rotation.

VLC.ONL EditorialPublished Reviewed 4 steps

Quick answer

Use Tools → Effects and Filters → Video Effects → Geometry for a viewing-only correction. VLC does not rewrite the source merely because the display is rotated.

Understand the task

Input

A video that plays correctly but appears sideways, upside down, or mirrored.

VLC action

VLC’s Geometry controls rotate or flip the picture shown during playback.

Expected result

The view changes immediately, but the original video keeps its existing orientation.

Tip: Turn the effect off when you finish. The same filter may remain active for the next video.

Steps to rotate or Flip Video in VLC

  1. Start playback and open Tools → Effects and Filters.

  2. Choose Video Effects, then Geometry.

  3. Enable Transform for 90-degree steps or Rotate for a custom angle.

  4. Disable the effect when finished so the next video is not unexpectedly rotated.

Limits and recovery

  • The Geometry setting affects playback. Permanent rotation requires conversion or a video editor.
  • Lossless metadata rotation is container-dependent and is not the same as re-encoding pixels.

Related decisions

If the picture still looks stretched after rotation, correct the VLC aspect ratio before cropping any edges.

To produce a corrected file rather than a temporary view, check VLC’s video export limitations before re-encoding.

Sources and corrections

VLC User Documentation >

Menus can differ by VLC version and operating system. If a verified current build behaves differently, report the exact version and platform.