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18 Jan

Written by on in Video Editing Basics .

Rotating a video clip to correct sideways footage using rotation controls in OpenShot.
Rotating a video clip to correct sideways footage using rotation controls in OpenShot.

Rotating a video lets you fix sideways or upside-down footage by adjusting the clip’s rotation so it displays correctly.

Rotating a video is most commonly needed when footage is recorded in the wrong orientation, especially on phones or handheld cameras. This lets you correct the angle of a clip without re-recording or changing the rest of your edit.

OpenShot lets you rotate a video visually using simple controls, making it easy to fix orientation issues in just a few steps.

How to rotate a video in OpenShot

  1. Add your clip to the timeline. Import your video and drag it onto a track.
  2. Select the clip. Click the clip so it’s highlighted.
  3. Open the clip properties. Right-click the clip and choose Properties.
  4. Adjust the rotation value. Change the rotation setting (for example, 90°, 180°, or 270°) until the video is oriented correctly.
  5. Preview the result. Play the video to confirm the rotation looks right.

Tip: If black bars appear after rotating, you may need to resize or scale the clip to fill the frame.

Try it in OpenShot

Fixing video orientation is quick and beginner-friendly in OpenShot. Rotate your clips to the correct angle, then continue editing without worrying about sideways or upside-down footage.