How To Rotate Video In Windows Media Player

You cannot rotate video in Windows Media Player. Microsoft's own documentation confirms that "There is no way to rotate the video in Windows Media Player," but you can use two free, built-in Windows tools instead: the Photos app or the legacy Windows Movie Maker.

Can you rotate video in Windows Media Player?

No. Windows Media Player lacks any rotation feature. The only way to rotate a video for playback in Windows Media Player is to use a separate application to create a rotated copy of the file.

Rotate a video with the Windows Photos app

1. Right-click the video file in Windows Media Player and select "Open with" then "Photos." The video opens in the Photos app.
2. Click "Edit & Create" near the top of the window.
3. Select "Rotate left 90°" or "Rotate right 90°" to turn the video. Repeat if needed.
4. Click "Save a copy" to create a new rotated file without altering the original.

After saving, you can play the new rotated video in Windows Media Player.

Rotate a video with Windows Movie Maker (legacy)

Windows Movie Maker was included with older Windows versions. If you have it, follow these steps from Microsoft's documentation.

1. Import the video clip into Windows Movie Maker.
2. Drag the imported video clip and drop it onto the timeline.
3. On the "Tools" menu, click "Video Effects."
4. To rotate the video clip to the right, drag the "Rotate 90" video effect and drop it onto the movie on the timeline.
5. To rotate the video clip to the left, drag the "Rotate 270" video effect and drop it onto the movie on the timeline.
6. On the "File" menu, click "Save Movie File" and follow the instructions in the Save Movie Wizard.

This creates a new rotated video file you can open in Windows Media Player.

Rotate a video with Windows Live Movie Maker

Windows Live Movie Maker is a later version of the tool. The steps are slightly different.

1. Import your video into Windows Live Movie Maker and add it to the timeline.
2. Go to the "Home" tab, and in the "Editing" group, you will find "Rotate Left" and "Rotate Right" icons. Click the one you need.
3. Save the movie to create a new rotated file.

Play your rotated video in Windows Media Player

Once you have saved the rotated copy using any of the methods above, simply open Windows Media Player, navigate to the saved file, and double-click it to play. The video will now display in the correct orientation.