Buzz
Have you ever thought about flipping your computer screen? Maybe you need to view an image from a different perspective or fix a misaligned display. Perhaps you even want to pull a prank on a coworker. Whatever the reason, rotating your screen is easier than you might think.
Steps
On Windows
Try keyboard shortcuts. If you're using Intel graphics, you can use shortcuts to rotate your screen. Test the following combinations. If they don't work, continue reading for alternative methods.
- Ctrl+Alt+↓ – Flip the screen upside down.
- Ctrl+Alt+→ – Rotate the screen 90° to the right.
- Ctrl+Alt+← - Rotate the screen 90° to the left.
- Ctrl+Alt+↑ – Return the screen to its standard orientation.
Use the Screen Resolution window. If keyboard shortcuts don't work, you can rotate your screen through the Screen Resolution or Display Properties window. Access this by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting "Screen resolution" or choosing "Properties" and clicking the Display tab (Windows XP only).
- Use the "Orientation" dropdown menu to select your preferred display mode. If changes aren't confirmed, the screen will revert to default settings after a few seconds.
Identify your graphics card type. Screen rotation depends on your graphics card, as its drivers may override Windows' rotation controls. Knowing your card type makes it easier to locate the rotation settings.
- Press ⊞ Win+R and type dxdiag. The DirectX Diagnostic Tool will open.
- Click the Display tab. If you have an NVIDIA card, proceed to the next step. For AMD/ATI cards, skip to step 5.
Rotate your screen with an NVIDIA card. If your system uses an NVIDIA graphics card, you can rotate the screen via the NVIDIA Control Panel. For AMD/ATI cards, see the next step.
- Right-click the desktop and select "NVIDIA Control Panel".
- Choose "Rotate display" under the "Display" section in the left menu.
- Select the screen you want to rotate.
- Pick your desired orientation or use buttons to rotate in 90° increments.
Rotate your screen with an AMD/ATI card. If your computer uses an AMD or ATI graphics card, you can rotate the screen using the Catalyst Control Center.
- Right-click the desktop and select "Catalyst Control Center".
- Choose "Rotate Desktop" under "Common Display Tasks". If unavailable, update your drivers (see the next step).
- Select the screen to rotate from the dropdown menu.
- Choose your preferred display orientation.
Update drivers if screen rotation fails. The most common reason for rotation issues is outdated or corrupted drivers. Updating to the latest version often restores this feature and improves system performance.
- Visit the NVIDIA or AMD website (depending on your graphics card). Use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool if unsure (see step 3).
- Run the automatic detection tool to identify your graphics card. You can also use data from the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to manually look up your card.
- Download and install the latest drivers. The installer will remove old drivers and install the newest version. Most users can stick with default settings.
- Attempt to rotate your screen again. After updating, use one of the methods above to adjust your display.
On Mac OS X
Click the Apple menu and select "System Preferences". If your computer runs Mavericks (10.9) or earlier, you can rotate any display connected to your Mac. For Yosemite users, only supported displays can be rotated.
Open the Displays settings. How you access this and the Rotation settings depends on your OS X version:
- Mavericks (10.9) and earlier – Hold ⌘ Command+⌥ Option and click "Displays".
- Yosemite (10.10) and later – Click "Displays". On Yosemite, using ⌘ Command+⌥ Option to open Displays may cause serious errors.
Click the "Rotate" menu and choose your desired display orientation. If the Rotation menu is missing on Yosemite, your display doesn't support rotation. This is common with built-in MacBook and iMac screens.
Open the "Arrangement" tab (Yosemite). When multiple displays are connected and you rotate one on OS X Yosemite, all screens will rotate. To fix this, open the Arrangement tab and uncheck "Mirror Displays".
On Chrome OS
Use keyboard shortcuts. Press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+rotate. The screen will rotate 90 degrees. Repeat the process to rotate another 90 degrees until you reach your desired orientation.
Warning
- Not all graphics cards support screen rotation. Be aware that these methods may not work on your computer.
