Interactive course · Free
How to Solve a Rubik's Cube
A complete, beginner-friendly guide to solving a 3x3 Rubik's Cube step by step. Everything is explained in plain language with interactive 3D animations you can play move by move. No previous experience required — if you can turn a face, you can finish this guide.
- Learning time
- 1–3 hours
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Steps
- 8
- Algorithms
- 6 short ones
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Table of contents
Understanding the cube
Before any turning, it helps to know what you are actually moving. A 3x3 is not 54 loose stickers — it is 26 pieces of three kinds, and each kind behaves differently.
Centre · 6
A centre has one sticker and never moves relative to the other centres. The centre colour defines that whole face: the side with the red centre is the red side, always. Every other piece has to travel to the centre — the centre never travels to it.
Opposite colours
- White is always opposite Yellow — they can never sit next to each other on one piece.
- Red is always opposite Orange — they can never sit next to each other on one piece.
- Blue is always opposite Green — they can never sit next to each other on one piece.
A solved cube shows one solid colour on each of the six faces, with every piece matching the centres around it.
Turn it yourself
Drag to rotate, scroll to zoom, and use the controls to step through a turn. Reset returns to a solved cube.
RUR'U'
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Watch one corner as you step: it moves as a whole piece, carrying all three of its stickers with it.
Rubik's Cube notation
Every algorithm is written in notation. A letter on its own means a quarter turn clockwise of that face, seen from outside. A prime (') means counter-clockwise. A 2 means a half turn (180°). Tap any move below and the cube performs it.
Face turns
Slices
Rotations
Wide moves
Wide moves (Rw / r) turn the outer layer plus the slice behind it. Rotations (x, y, z) turn the entire cube and change nothing about the puzzle — only your point of view.
Watching: R
Right face clockwise
R
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How to hold the cube
Front (F) is simply the face pointing at you right now. It is not a colour — it changes the moment you rotate the cube.
Right (R) is the face on your right hand side, Left (L) the one on your left, Up (U) the top and Down (D) the bottom.
Turning a face moves nine stickers and changes the puzzle. Rotating the whole cube (x, y, z) changes nothing — it only changes which face is called F.
Because algorithms are written relative to your grip, orientation matters enormously. Set the cube up as the step describes, then keep the same face toward you until the algorithm finishes.
A practical habit: rest your left index finger on the front-left edge as an anchor, so you always know which face is F.
Face turn vs whole-cube rotation
This sequence does U (a face turn), then y (a rotation), then U again. Step through it and notice the rotation solves nothing.
UyUy2
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The beginner method — 8 steps
Work through the steps in order. Each one explains the goal, shows the moves in 3D, and finishes with a checkpoint so you know it is safe to continue.
1. The White Daisy
Goal
Build a 'daisy': the yellow centre on top surrounded by four white edge pieces.
Why it matters
The daisy is the easiest way to gather all four white edges before you commit them to the cross. It needs no algorithms at all — just intuition.
Finished state
Yellow centre on top with a white sticker pointing up on all four edges around it.
Instructions
- 1Hold the cube with the yellow centre facing up. Yellow stays on top for this whole step.
- 2Look around the cube for edge pieces (two stickers) that have white on them.
- 3Bring each white edge up to the top layer without knocking the ones you already placed out — turn the U layer to an empty slot first, then bring the next edge up.
- 4An edge in the bottom layer usually needs just one turn of its side face to reach the top; an edge in the middle layer needs one turn of the face it sits in.
Algorithms & animation
Bring an edge up
EasyFPurpose: Lifts a white edge from the front-left/right into the top layer.
When: When a white edge sits in the middle or bottom of the front face.
F
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Bring an edge up — flat view
💡 Tips
- Turn the top layer to park a finished petal safely before you bring the next edge up.
- There are exactly four white edges. Count them as you go.
- Ignore the corners completely — they get solved in step 3.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Knocking a finished petal out while inserting the next one — move the U layer first.
- Grabbing a white corner (three stickers) instead of a white edge (two stickers).
✅ Checkpoint
- Yellow centre is on top
- Four white stickers are facing up around it
- No white edge is left in the middle or bottom layers
Want to practise this?
Scramble a cube, work through this step only, and see how quickly you can reach the checkpoint.
2. The White Cross
Goal
Turn the daisy into a white cross on the bottom, with every edge matching its side centre.
Why it matters
A correct cross is the foundation of the whole solve. If an edge's side colour doesn't match its centre, everything above it will end up misaligned.
Finished state
A white plus sign on the white face, and each cross edge's second colour lines up with the centre of that side.
Instructions
- 1Keep the daisy on top. Pick any petal and look at its side colour (the sticker not facing up).
- 2Turn U until that side colour sits above the matching centre — for example a red-white edge above the red centre.
- 3Now turn that face twice (F2) to drop the edge straight down to the white face.
- 4Repeat for all four petals. Each F2 must only be done once the colours match.
Algorithms & animation
Drop an edge
EasyF2Purpose: Sends the matched daisy petal down to form one arm of the cross.
When: Once the edge's side colour is directly above its matching centre.
F2
Move 0 / 1
Drop an edge — flat view
💡 Tips
- Say the colour out loud before turning: 'red edge above red centre'.
- Once dropped, an edge never needs to move again — treat the cross as locked.
- Turn the whole cube (a y rotation) to look at other sides instead of turning faces.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Doing F2 before the side colours match, which builds a 'flipped' cross that looks right from the bottom but is wrong.
- Using F instead of F2, which leaves the edge in the middle layer.
✅ Checkpoint
- White face shows a full white plus
- Every cross edge's side colour matches its centre
- Turning the cube around, you see four little T shapes of matching colour
Want to practise this?
Scramble a cube, work through this step only, and see how quickly you can reach the checkpoint.
3. First Layer Corners
Goal
Fill the four white corners so the entire white layer — cross plus corners — is finished.
Why it matters
This completes the first layer, which gives you a solid base and the first real feeling of progress.
Finished state
A full white face, and the first layer of every side shows one solid stripe of matching colour.
Instructions
- 1Turn the cube so white is on the bottom and yellow on top.
- 2Find a corner in the top layer that has a white sticker. Look at its other two colours — they tell you which slot it belongs in.
- 3Turn U until that corner sits directly above its slot (between the two matching centres).
- 4Repeat R U R' U' (right hand) until the corner drops in with white facing down. It can take up to five repeats — that is normal.
- 5If the corner is stuck in the bottom layer facing the wrong way, do R U R' U' once to pop it out, then re-insert it.
Algorithms & animation
Right hand
EasyR U R' U'Purpose: Cycles a corner between the top layer and the front-right slot.
When: The target slot is at the front-right.
RUR'U'
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Left hand
EasyL' U' L UPurpose: Mirror of the right hand for the front-left slot.
When: The target slot is at the front-left.
L'U'LU
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Right hand — flat view
Left hand — flat view
💡 Tips
- Never mix the two hands mid-corner. Pick one and repeat it.
- The white sticker can point up, left or right — repeating the algorithm handles all three.
- Check the cross is still intact after each corner.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Putting a corner in the wrong slot because you only checked one of its colours.
- Stopping halfway through R U R' U' and losing track.
- Rotating the whole cube in the middle of the algorithm.
✅ Checkpoint
- The whole white face is white
- The first layer of each side is a solid band of one colour
- No white stickers remain in the top two layers
Want to practise this?
Scramble a cube, work through this step only, and see how quickly you can reach the checkpoint.
4. Second Layer Edges
Goal
Place the four middle-layer edges so two full layers are solved.
Why it matters
This is the first step with a real left/right decision, and it teaches you the idea behind F2L used by every speedcuber.
Finished state
Two complete layers. Only the yellow layer is left scrambled.
Instructions
- 1Yellow on top. Look in the top layer for an edge with NO yellow sticker — those belong in the middle layer.
- 2Turn U so the edge's front colour matches the front centre. It now forms an upside-down T.
- 3Look at the top colour of that edge: if it matches the RIGHT centre, use the right insert. If it matches the LEFT centre, use the left insert.
- 4If an edge is already stuck in the middle layer the wrong way round, run either insert algorithm on that slot to kick it out into the top layer, then insert it properly.
Algorithms & animation
Right insert
MediumU R U' R' U' F' U FPurpose: Sends the top edge into the front-right middle slot.
When: The edge's top colour matches the right-hand centre.
URU'R'U'F'UF
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Left insert
MediumU' L' U L U F U' F'Purpose: Sends the top edge into the front-left middle slot.
When: The edge's top colour matches the left-hand centre.
U'L'ULUFU'F'
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Right insert — flat view
Left insert — flat view
💡 Tips
- Always make the T shape first — matching the front colour to the front centre.
- The two algorithms are exact mirrors. Learn one, then mirror every move.
- Yellow edges in the top layer are not for this step. Skip them.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Inserting an edge that contains yellow — it can never belong in the middle layer.
- Choosing left when the colour points right (and vice versa), which breaks the first layer.
- Forgetting to remove a wrongly-oriented edge already sitting in the middle layer.
✅ Checkpoint
- Two full layers solved all the way round
- Every middle edge matches both of its centres
- The white layer underneath is still complete
Want to practise this?
Scramble a cube, work through this step only, and see how quickly you can reach the checkpoint.
5. Yellow Cross
Goal
Make a yellow plus on the top face — ignore the corners for now.
Why it matters
Orienting the last-layer edges is the first half of finishing the cube, and it uses a single algorithm applied from three different starting shapes.
Finished state
A yellow cross on the top face. The side colours of those edges do not need to match yet.
Instructions
- 1Look at the yellow stickers on the top face. You will see a dot, an L shape, a line, or a finished cross.
- 2DOT (no yellow edges): run the algorithm once — you get an L. Then continue.
- 3L SHAPE: hold the L so the two yellow edges point to the back and the left (like ⌐ pointing up-left), then run the algorithm — you get a line.
- 4LINE: hold the line horizontally (left to right), then run the algorithm — you get the cross.
- 5From a dot it takes three runs, from an L two, from a line one.
Algorithms & animation
Cross builder
EasyF R U R' U' F'Purpose: Flips last-layer edges to build the yellow cross.
When: From a dot, L shape or line on the top face.
FRUR'U'F'
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Cross builder — flat view
💡 Tips
- Orientation matters more than speed here — get the L or line pointing the right way before you start.
- The algorithm is a sandwich: F, then the right hand, then F'.
- If nothing seems to change, you almost certainly held the shape the wrong way.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Holding the L pointing down-right instead of up-left.
- Holding the line vertically instead of horizontally.
- Panicking because the corners look worse — corners are supposed to be ignored here.
✅ Checkpoint
- A yellow plus is visible on the top face
- The first two layers are still solved
- You have not worried about corner colours yet
Want to practise this?
Scramble a cube, work through this step only, and see how quickly you can reach the checkpoint.
6. Position Yellow Edges
Goal
Rotate the yellow cross edges so each one matches the centre on its side.
Why it matters
The cross exists but its arms are shuffled. This step permutes them into the right places.
Finished state
Every yellow cross edge's side colour matches the centre beneath it — you see four matching T shapes.
Instructions
- 1Turn the U layer until as many edges as possible match their centres. You will always get at least two.
- 2If the two matching edges are adjacent (next to each other), hold them at the back and the right, then run the swap algorithm.
- 3If they are opposite each other, run the algorithm once from any angle — you will end up with an adjacent pair, then hold and repeat.
- 4Repeat until all four edges match.
Algorithms & animation
Edge swap
MediumR U R' U R U2 R' UPurpose: Cycles three last-layer edges while keeping the cross intact.
When: Two edges already match their centres.
RUR'URU2R'U
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Edge swap — flat view
💡 Tips
- Always turn U first. Many cases solve themselves with just a U turn.
- Only two matching edges is the normal starting point — do not expect three.
- This does not touch the corners at all.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Forgetting the final U at the end of the algorithm.
- Not aligning U first, so no edges match when you start.
- Holding the matched pair on the wrong sides.
✅ Checkpoint
- All four yellow cross edges match their side centres
- The yellow cross is still intact
- The first two layers are untouched
Want to practise this?
Scramble a cube, work through this step only, and see how quickly you can reach the checkpoint.
7. Position Yellow Corners
Goal
Get every yellow corner into its correct location, even if it is twisted.
Why it matters
Corners must be in the right place before you can twist them upright. Position first, orientation last.
Finished state
Each corner sits between the two centres whose colours it carries — regardless of which way it faces.
Instructions
- 1Check each yellow corner's three colours. A corner is 'in the right place' if its colours match the three faces it touches, even if twisted.
- 2Find one such corner and hold it at the front-left.
- 3Run the corner cycle. It rotates the other three corners around.
- 4If no corner is in the right place, run the algorithm once from any angle — one will appear. Then hold it front-left and repeat.
Algorithms & animation
Corner cycle
MediumU R U' L' U R' U' LPurpose: Cycles three last-layer corners into place without touching the lower layers.
When: At least one corner is already in its correct location.
URU'L'UR'U'L
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Corner cycle — flat view
💡 Tips
- Twisted is fine here. Location is all that matters.
- Hold the correct corner at the front-left — the top-left corner nearest to you.
- The top face will look messy during this step. That is expected.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Judging a corner by its top sticker instead of all three colours.
- Changing which corner is at the front-left between repetitions.
✅ Checkpoint
- Every corner is between the two centres of its own colours
- The yellow cross edges still match
- The first two layers are still solved
Want to practise this?
Scramble a cube, work through this step only, and see how quickly you can reach the checkpoint.
8. Orient Yellow Corners
Goal
Twist the last corners upright so the cube is fully solved.
Why it matters
This is the final step, and the one that scares beginners most because the cube looks broken half way through. It isn't.
Finished state
A completely solved cube — every face one solid colour.
Instructions
- 1Hold the cube with yellow on top and DO NOT rotate the whole cube until the step is finished.
- 2Bring an unsolved corner to the front-right by turning ONLY the U layer.
- 3Repeat R' D' R D until that corner's yellow sticker faces up. It takes two or four repeats — never one or three.
- 4Turn U (only U!) to bring the next unsolved corner to the front-right, and repeat.
- 5After the last corner, one final U turn realigns everything and the cube is solved.
Algorithms & animation
Sexy move
EasyR' D' R DPurpose: Twists the front-right top corner in place.
When: The front-right corner's yellow sticker is not facing up.
R'D'RD
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Sexy move — flat view
💡 Tips
- The cube WILL look scrambled during this step. It repairs itself as long as you only turn U between corners.
- Do the sexy move in pairs — check the corner after every two repeats.
- Go slowly. This step is about discipline, not speed.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Rotating the whole cube part-way through — this genuinely does scramble it.
- Turning a face other than U between corners.
- Giving up when the cube looks scrambled after the first corner.
✅ Checkpoint
- Every face is a single solid colour
- The yellow face is fully yellow
- You only ever turned U between corners
Want to practise this?
Scramble a cube, work through this step only, and see how quickly you can reach the checkpoint.
Your finish line
Mark all eight steps as learned and this becomes your celebration screen. 8 to go.
Move 0 / 0
Common beginner mistakes
Almost every stuck cube comes down to one of these.
Turning the wrong face
Re-orient the cube before you start an algorithm, then keep the same front face until the algorithm finishes.
Doing R instead of R'
R turns the right face the way a clock's hands move when you look straight at that face. R' is the opposite. Look at the face you are turning, not at the front of the cube.
Confusing clockwise and counter-clockwise
Clockwise is always judged from outside the face being turned. For D, that means looking up at the bottom of the cube.
Holding the cube incorrectly
Each step assumes a specific colour on top. Check the top colour before every algorithm.
Rotating the whole cube when the algorithm says turn a face
R turns one layer. x rotates everything. Mixing them up is the single most common beginner error.
Losing your orientation mid-algorithm
Keep one finger on the front face as a reference, or put a small mark on your desk to line the cube up with.
Putting a corner in the wrong slot
Check all three of a corner's colours against the three centres before inserting it.
Flipping an edge
In the second layer, an edge inserted with the wrong algorithm goes in flipped. Eject it with either insert algorithm and redo it.
Breaking a completed layer
Almost always caused by starting an algorithm from the wrong setup position. Re-do the setup, not the algorithm.
Stopping halfway through an algorithm
A half-finished algorithm leaves a state that matches no case. If you lose your place, finish the sequence anyway and re-read the cube.
Thinking the cube is broken
In steps 7 and 8 the cube looks scrambled part-way through. It repairs itself if you follow the step to the end.
Mixing up notation
Lowercase (r, u, f) means two layers. A prime (') means counter-clockwise. A 2 means a half turn.
Still stuck? Enter your cube into the CubeRaceTimer Solver and follow the solution move by move.
Beginner algorithm library
Every algorithm used in this guide, in one place. Play each one move by move until your fingers know it without reading.
Bring an edge up
EasyFPurpose: Lifts a white edge from the front-left/right into the top layer.
When: When a white edge sits in the middle or bottom of the front face.
F
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Drop an edge
EasyF2Purpose: Sends the matched daisy petal down to form one arm of the cross.
When: Once the edge's side colour is directly above its matching centre.
F2
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Right hand
EasyR U R' U'Purpose: Cycles a corner between the top layer and the front-right slot.
When: The target slot is at the front-right.
RUR'U'
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Left hand
EasyL' U' L UPurpose: Mirror of the right hand for the front-left slot.
When: The target slot is at the front-left.
L'U'LU
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Right insert
MediumU R U' R' U' F' U FPurpose: Sends the top edge into the front-right middle slot.
When: The edge's top colour matches the right-hand centre.
URU'R'U'F'UF
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Left insert
MediumU' L' U L U F U' F'Purpose: Sends the top edge into the front-left middle slot.
When: The edge's top colour matches the left-hand centre.
U'L'ULUFU'F'
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Cross builder
EasyF R U R' U' F'Purpose: Flips last-layer edges to build the yellow cross.
When: From a dot, L shape or line on the top face.
FRUR'U'F'
Move 0 / 6
Edge swap
MediumR U R' U R U2 R' UPurpose: Cycles three last-layer edges while keeping the cross intact.
When: Two edges already match their centres.
RUR'URU2R'U
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Corner cycle
MediumU R U' L' U R' U' LPurpose: Cycles three last-layer corners into place without touching the lower layers.
When: At least one corner is already in its correct location.
URU'L'UR'U'L
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Sexy move
EasyR' D' R DPurpose: Twists the front-right top corner in place.
When: The front-right corner's yellow sticker is not facing up.
R'D'RD
Move 0 / 4
Ready for more? The full F2L, OLL and PLL sets live in the Algorithm Trainer.
Cubing glossary
- Centre
- The single fixed sticker in the middle of a face. It defines that face's colour.
- Edge
- A two-sticker piece that sits between two centres. There are 12.
- Corner
- A three-sticker piece where three faces meet. There are 8.
- Face
- One whole side of the cube — nine stickers.
- Layer
- A turnable slice of the cube. The 3x3 has three layers on each of three axes.
- Algorithm
- A memorised sequence of moves that produces a known change while leaving other parts of the cube intact.
- Scramble
- A sequence of random moves used to mix the cube. Competitions use random-state scrambles.
- Solve
- One attempt at restoring the cube from a scramble, usually timed.
- Recognition
- Spotting which case you are looking at, so you know which algorithm to use.
- Orientation
- Which way a piece faces. A corner can be in the right place but wrongly oriented.
- Permutation
- Where a piece is located, regardless of which way it faces.
- F2L
- First Two Layers — solving a corner and its matching edge together as a pair, instead of layer by layer.
- OLL
- Orientation of the Last Layer — making the whole top face one colour in a single algorithm.
- PLL
- Permutation of the Last Layer — moving the already-oriented last layer pieces into place.
- CFOP
- Cross, F2L, OLL, PLL — the most popular speedcubing method, and the natural upgrade from the beginner method.
- PB
- Personal Best — your fastest recorded solve.
- Ao5
- Average of 5: five solves with the best and worst removed, then averaged.
- Ao12
- Average of 12: twelve solves with the best and worst removed, then averaged.
Frequently asked questions
＋How do you solve a Rubik's Cube?
You solve it layer by layer. Build a white cross, fill in the white corners to finish the first layer, insert the four middle-layer edges, then finish the yellow layer in four short steps: make the yellow cross, match the yellow edges to their centres, position the corners, and finally twist them upright. That is the beginner method, and it needs only about six short algorithms.
＋How do you solve a 3x3 cube step by step?
Step 1 build the daisy, step 2 turn it into the white cross, step 3 insert the white corners, step 4 solve the middle layer edges, step 5 make the yellow cross, step 6 position the yellow edges, step 7 position the yellow corners, step 8 orient the yellow corners. Each step on this page has instructions, a 3D animation and a checkpoint list.
＋How long does it take to learn how to solve a Rubik's Cube?
Most people complete their first solve with this guide in one to three hours, and can solve unaided within a few days. Getting under a minute usually takes another week or two of practice.
＋What is Rubik's Cube notation?
Notation is a shorthand for turns. Each letter names a face — R right, L left, U up, D down, F front, B back — and the letter on its own means a clockwise quarter turn of that face, viewed from outside.
＋What does R mean on a Rubik's Cube?
R means turn the right-hand face one quarter turn clockwise, as seen from the right-hand side of the cube.
＋What does R' mean?
R' (said 'R prime') means turn the right face one quarter turn counter-clockwise — the exact opposite of R.
＋What does R2 mean?
R2 means turn the right face 180 degrees. The direction does not matter because you end up in the same place either way.
＋What is F2L?
F2L stands for First Two Layers. Instead of solving the white corners and then the middle edges separately, you pair each corner with its edge and insert both together. It is the first big speed upgrade after the beginner method.
＋What is CFOP?
CFOP is Cross, F2L, OLL, PLL — the method most speedcubers use. It replaces the four last-layer beginner steps with two: orient the whole top face, then permute it.
＋How can I solve a Rubik's Cube faster?
Solve the cross in eight moves or fewer, plan it during inspection, learn intuitive F2L, then add 2-Look OLL and 2-Look PLL. Turn slower but pause less — lookahead beats raw finger speed at every level.
＋What should I learn after the beginner method?
Improve your cross first, then learn intuitive F2L, then 2-Look OLL and 2-Look PLL, and finally full OLL and PLL. The What Next section at the bottom of this page links to each stage.
＋How do Rubik's Cube algorithms work?
An algorithm temporarily breaks part of the cube, moves the piece you care about, and then restores everything it disturbed. That is why the cube can look worse in the middle of a sequence and correct at the end.
＋Why does my cube look scrambled after an algorithm?
Because most algorithms are 'commutators' — they undo their own damage in the second half. If you stop early, or rotate the whole cube part-way through, the repair never happens.
＋Why can't I solve the final layer?
The two usual causes are holding the cube in the wrong orientation for the case, and rotating the whole cube during the last step. Re-read the case, hold the cube exactly as described, and only turn U between corners.
＋What should I do if I get stuck?
Use the 'I'm stuck' button in each step for targeted troubleshooting, or enter your cube into the CubeRaceTimer Solver and it will show you a full solution from your current state.
What to learn next
The beginner method is the start. Here is the usual path from a first solve to real speedcubing.
1. Beginner method
OpenYou are here — get comfortable solving unaided.
2. Learn OLL
OpenOrient the whole last layer — start with 2-Look OLL.
3. Learn PLL
OpenPermute the last layer — start with 2-Look PLL.
4. Put CFOP together
OpenTime full solves and track your splits with the Coach.
5. Start speedcubing
OpenRace friends, chase PBs and join a club.