Sometimes when you record a video using your smartphone or camera, you may realize later that the video appears sideways or even upside-down. Watching a video in the wrong orientation can be inconvenient and distracting. Thankfully, VLC Media Player, one of the most popular free multimedia players available today, offers a simple way to rotate videos. Whether you’re fixing a video for personal viewing or preparing content for others, knowing how to rotate video files using VLC can be extremely valuable.
Why Use VLC to Rotate Videos?
VLC Media Player isn’t just a tool for playing videos; it’s a powerful multimedia application with a wide range of features. One of these features includes the ability to rotate, flip, and transpose videos during playback or permanently save the corrected version.
Here are a few reasons why VLC is a reliable tool for video rotation:
- Free and Open Source: VLC is entirely free and regularly updated by its community of developers.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: It works on Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile operating systems, giving you flexibility.
- No Extra Codecs Required: VLC plays most video and audio formats without needing additional downloads.
- Advanced Features: From editing tools to streaming capabilities, VLC offers much more than just video rotation.
Types of Video Rotation in VLC
VLC allows for both temporary and permanent rotation of videos. Understanding the distinction between the two is crucial before proceeding with the process:
- Temporary Rotation: This method rotates the video only for your current viewing session. Once you close VLC, the rotation is not saved.
- Permanent Rotation: This method applies the rotation and saves it to the file if you re-encode the video. This is useful if you need to share the video or use it elsewhere.
Let’s explore both of these options in detail.
How to Temporarily Rotate a Video in VLC
If you only need to view your video in the correct orientation for the moment, rotating it temporarily is the easiest and quickest solution.
- Open VLC Media Player.
- Click Media in the top menu and select Open File… to open your video.
- Once the video is playing, navigate to Tools > Effects and Filters.
- In the Adjustments and Effects window, click the Video Effects tab.
- Click the Geometry tab inside Video Effects.
- Check the box labeled Transform.
- From the drop-down menu, choose your desired rotation:
- Rotate by 90 degrees
- Rotate by 180 degrees
- Rotate by 270 degrees
- Other options like Flip horizontally or Flip vertically
Once selected, your video will be rotated for your current session. However, these settings will reset the next time you reopen VLC.
How to Permanently Rotate and Save a Video in VLC
For those who need a permanent fix—perhaps you’re editing family footage or preparing content for upload—VLC also supports rotating videos and saving the corrected version.
Step-by-Step Guide to Permanent Rotation
- Launch VLC Media Player.
- Go to Media > Open File… and choose your video.
- Pause the video once it begins playback.
- Navigate to Tools > Effects and Filters.
- Select the Video Effects tab, then click Geometry.
- Again, check the Transform box and select the appropriate rotation.
- Close the Effects and Filters window.
- Now go to Tools > Preferences.
- At the bottom left corner, under Show settings, choose All.
- In the left column, expand Stream output and go to Sout stream > Transcode.
- On the right panel, check the box next to Video filter and enter
rotate(if it’s not already selected). - Click Save.
- Return to the main VLC window, click Media > Convert / Save…
- In the File tab, click Add to select your video.
- Click Convert / Save.
- In the new window, under Settings, choose Convert.
- Select a suitable profile (e.g., Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4)).
- Click the Edit selected profile icon (the wrench).
- Under Video codec > Filters, check Rotate video filter.
- Click Save.
- Choose a Destination file name and location.
- Click Start to re-encode and save the rotated video.
VLC will now process the video. Depending on its length and your computer’s performance, this may take a few minutes. Once completed, you’ll have a new video file saved with the desired rotation.
Alternative Rotational Adjustments
Aside from standard 90-degree transformations, VLC supports more flexible adjustments for those needing precise changes. If your video isn’t perfectly aligned, use VLC’s rotation tool:
- Go to Tools > Effects and Filters.
- Click Video Effects > Geometry.
- Check the Rotate box (instead of Transform).
- Use the rotation dial to rotate the video to the desired angle.
This method provides granular control but is generally only used for temporary viewing unless advanced editing software is used in combination to hard-code the angle.
Common Issues and Troubleshooting
If you encounter issues during rotation, such as the output file not saving correctly or audio syncing problems, consider the following:
- Update VLC: Ensure you’re using the latest version of VLC. Older versions may contain bugs or lack features.
- Profile Compatibility: Make sure the chosen profile supports your desired container format (MP4, AVI, MKV).
- Audio Settings: If audio synchronization becomes an issue, experiment with different transcoding profiles or adjust synchronization manually under Tools > Track Synchronization.
- Hardware Performance: Rotating and converting videos can be demanding. Make sure your system has sufficient resources.
Tips for Efficient Video Rotation
To make your rotation process smoother and avoid quality loss, follow these best practices:
- Use Copy Codec When Possible: If you’re not changing the file format, use the “Video – Keep original video track” profile to prevent re-encoding and maintain video quality.
- Backup Your Original File: Always keep a copy before making permanent changes in case you need to revert.
- Use Descriptive File Names: Label your rotated file appropriately to avoid confusion with the original.
Conclusion
VLC Media Player is more than just a video viewer; it’s a robust tool for light editing tasks like rotating videos. Whether you’re adjusting orientation for a better viewing experience or preparing footage for public presentation, learning how to rotate a video in VLC helps
