To rotate the screen in Windows 10, right-click the desktop and select Display settings. Under Display orientation, choose Landscape, Portrait, Landscape (flipped), or Portrait (flipped), then select Keep changes.
If your screen is upside down or sideways, choose Landscape to put it back to normal.
Applies to: Windows 10 desktops, laptops, and 2-in-1s. Checked against Microsoft Support on September 25, 2026.
Rotate the screen in Settings
- Right-click an empty spot on the desktop and select Display settings. You can also go to Start > Settings > System > Display.
- If you have more than one monitor, select the one you want to rotate at the top.
- Open the Display orientation list and choose an orientation.
- Select Keep changes. If you don’t, Windows goes back to the old orientation after 15 seconds.
Which orientation to choose
- Landscape: the normal, wide view.
- Portrait: turned 90 degrees, for a monitor stood on its side.
- Landscape (flipped): upside down.
- Portrait (flipped): turned 90 degrees the other way.
Use a keyboard shortcut
On some PCs with Intel graphics, these shortcuts rotate the screen:
- Ctrl + Alt + Up arrow: normal (landscape)
- Ctrl + Alt + Down arrow: upside down
- Ctrl + Alt + Left arrow or Right arrow: sideways
Many newer PCs have these shortcuts turned off. If nothing happens, use Display settings instead.
Fix an upside-down screen
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Up arrow. If that works, you’re done.
- If not, right-click the desktop and select Display settings. The mouse moves in the rotated direction, so go slowly.
- Set Display orientation to Landscape and select Keep changes.
Turn auto-rotate on or off
On tablets and 2-in-1 laptops, Windows rotates the screen when you turn the device.
- Quick way: open Action Center (Windows + A) and select Rotation lock.
- In Settings: go to Settings > System > Display and turn Rotation lock on or off.
Rotation lock only shows on devices with a rotation sensor. It’s grayed out while the laptop is in laptop mode, not tablet mode.
Use your graphics software
Some PCs also have a rotation option in the graphics app, such as the NVIDIA Control Panel (Display > Rotate display) or Intel Graphics Command Center. Display settings in Windows does the same job.
If you can’t rotate the screen
- Display orientation is grayed out or missing: update your display driver. A PC using Microsoft Basic Display Adapter can’t rotate.
- The screen rotates by itself: turn on Rotation lock.
- Only one monitor should rotate: select that monitor at the top of Display settings before changing the orientation.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my screen turn sideways?
Usually a shortcut was pressed by accident, or a 2-in-1 was turned. Set Display orientation back to Landscape.
Can I rotate just one app?
No. Windows rotates the whole display. Some apps, like Photos, can rotate pictures on their own.
Does rotating the screen change my resolution?
Not really. In portrait, the width and height swap, for example from 1920 × 1080 to 1080 × 1920, but the screen shows the same number of pixels.
If only a video is sideways, not your screen, see how to rotate a video in Windows 10.
For more help with the display, see how to set up dual monitors in Windows 10 and how to reduce screen size in Windows 10. Microsoft’s guide is Change your screen resolution and layout in Windows. More help is on our Windows Help & Guides page.
On Windows 11, see how to rotate the screen in Windows 11.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.