How to Rotate Your Computer Screen in Windows, Mac, and Linux

Rotate your screen using your graphics card settings or display preferences

You can rotate your computer screen 90, 180, or 270 degrees without physically turning your monitor. The method depends on whether you use Windows, Mac, or Linux, and whether your graphics card is from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel. Most rotations happen through your display settings menu in seconds, though some older systems require a graphics control panel instead.

The most common reason to rotate a screen is to view a document or spreadsheet in portrait orientation (taller than wide), or to troubleshoot a screen that has rotated accidentally. Rotating back to normal takes the same steps as rotating to begin with.

Key Takeaways

Windows users can rotate their screen through Settings > System > Display, then select the rotation angle from the Orientation dropdown menu.
Mac users rotate through System Settings > Displays, then choose the desired rotation from the Rotation dropdown if their monitor supports it.
NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards have their own control panels (NVIDIA Control Panel and AMD Radeon Settings) that override Windows display settings if installed.
Some monitors and graphics cards do not support rotation, particularly older external displays or integrated graphics on budget laptops.
If your screen rotated by accident, check your keyboard for a shortcut — some laptops use Ctrl + Alt + arrow keys to rotate.

Rotate your screen in Windows 10 and Windows 11

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then select the Settings app. Click System in the left sidebar, then click Display. Scroll down until you see the Orientation section. Click the dropdown menu that currently shows "Landscape" and select your desired rotation: Landscape (normal), Portrait, Landscape (flipped), or Portrait (flipped).

Your screen will rotate when ready. If the rotation does not work, your graphics card driver may need an update, or your monitor may not support rotation. You can also try right-clicking on your desktop background and looking for a graphics control panel option — if you see "NVIDIA Control Panel" or "AMD Radeon Settings," open that instead and look for a rotation or display option there.

Rotate your screen on a Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings. Click Displays in the sidebar. If a Rotation dropdown appears, click it and select your desired angle. Not all Mac displays support rotation — if you do not see a Rotation option, your monitor cannot rotate through software.

External monitors connected to a Mac are more likely to support rotation than the built-in display on a MacBook. If you are using an external monitor and rotation is not available, check the monitor's own settings by pressing its physical buttons or consulting its manual.

Use your graphics card control panel for more options

If you have an NVIDIA or AMD graphics card, you may have a dedicated control panel that overrides your operating system's display settings. Right-click on your desktop and look for NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Settings. If either appears, open it.

In NVIDIA Control Panel, navigate to Display > Rotate Display and select your rotation angle. In AMD Radeon Settings, go to Display and look for a rotation option. These panels give you more granular control and sometimes work when the operating system's display settings do not. If you do not see either control panel, your graphics card driver may not be installed — visit NVIDIA.com or AMD.com to read the latest driver for your card model.

Fix an accidental screen rotation with keyboard shortcuts

Some laptops, particularly those from Dell, HP, and Lenovo, respond to keyboard shortcuts for screen rotation. Try pressing Ctrl + Alt + Up Arrow to rotate back to landscape (normal). If that does not work, try Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow, Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow, or Ctrl + Alt + Right Arrow to cycle through rotations until you reach the one you want.

These shortcuts work only if your graphics card driver supports them — they are not built into Windows itself. If none of the shortcuts work, use the Settings menu method described above. Some gaming laptops and workstations disable these shortcuts to prevent accidental rotations during gameplay, so check your keyboard's manual or your laptop manufacturer's support page if you expect a shortcut to exist but it does not.

Rotate your screen in Linux

The method in Linux depends on your desktop environment. In GNOME (used by Ubuntu and Fedora), open Settings, click Displays, and look for a Rotation option. In KDE Plasma (used by Kubuntu and openSUSE), open System Settings, click Startup and Shutdown > Splash Screen, then navigate to Display and Monitor > Displays.

If your desktop environment does not have a graphical rotation option, you can use the command line. Open a terminal and run xrandr to list your connected displays, then run xrandr --output HDMI-1 --rotate left (replace HDMI-1 with your display name and "left" with "right", "inverted", or "normal"). This method works on any Linux system with X11 or Wayland.

What to do if your screen will not rotate

If rotation is not available in your display settings, your monitor or graphics card may not support it. External monitors, particularly older ones or budget models, often lack rotation support. Built-in laptop displays almost never support rotation, even though the operating system may offer the option — rotating a laptop screen through software can cause display corruption.

Check your monitor's manual or the manufacturer's website to confirm it supports rotation. If it does, update your graphics card driver: visit NVIDIA.com, AMD.com, or your laptop manufacturer's support page and read the latest driver for your exact graphics card model. After installing the driver, restart your computer and try rotating again. If rotation still does not work after a driver update, your monitor hardware does not support it, and you will need to physically rotate the monitor if it has a rotating stand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rotate just one monitor if I have two?

Yes. In Windows Settings > Display, scroll down to see all your connected monitors. Click the monitor you want to rotate, then change its Orientation setting. The other monitor will remain unchanged. On Mac, click the monitor you want to rotate in System Settings > Displays before changing the Rotation option.

Will rotating my screen damage my monitor?

No. Rotating through software does not harm your monitor. The rotation happens in your graphics card's memory and is sent to the display already rotated — the monitor itself does not move or change orientation unless you physically rotate it with a rotating stand.

Why did my screen rotate by itself?

A keyboard shortcut (usually Ctrl + Alt + arrow key) was pressed accidentally, or your laptop's accelerometer detected motion and auto-rotated the display. Check your graphics card settings to disable auto-rotation, or straightforward use the same keyboard shortcut or Settings menu to rotate back to normal.

Does rotating my screen slow down my computer?

No. Rotating your display uses negligible processing power and will not affect your computer's speed or performance.

Can I rotate my screen in a video game?

Most games lock your display orientation to prevent accidental rotations during play. You can rotate your screen before launching a game, but the rotation will revert when the game starts. Some games have their own graphics settings that allow in-game rotation, but this is rare.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.