How to Fix a Sideways or Upside Down Screen in Windows

Flip that computer screen back to where you want it

by
Scott Orgera
Scott Orgera
Writer
Scott Orgera is a former writer who covering tech since 2007. He has 25+ years experience as a programmer and QA leader, and holds several Microsoft certifications.
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Scott Orgera
Updated on June 01, 2020

PC and laptop screens become stuck when a key command is accidentally pressed, the display settings are changed, or the device is connected to an external display. If the screen display on your Windows PC or laptop is stuck sideways or upside down, solve the issue with either a keyboard shortcut or a few mouse clicks.

Instructions in this article apply to Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

Rotated screen
Wikimedia Commons

Use a Keyboard Shortcut

The most common keyboard shortcut combinations to rotate the screen are:

  • Ctrl+Alt+Up Arrow
  • Ctrl+Alt+Down Arrow
  • Ctrl+Alt+Left Arrow
  • Ctrl+Alt+Right Arrow

Whether or not these shortcuts work depends on a few hardware and software variables. It's also possible that the hotkey combinations need to be manually enabled before these shortcuts can be used.

If simultaneously pressing these keys does not have any effect, follow these steps to enable hotkeys with the graphics card:

  1. Right-click an empty space on the desktop.

  2. Depending on your setup, there's an option labeled Graphic Settings or something similar. Select the option to control hotkey activation.

Display Orientation Settings

If the keyboard shortcuts did not fix the problem, modify the display orientation through the Display Settings.

In Windows 10

  1. Right-click an empty space on the desktop, and select Display Settings. Or, go to the Windows search bar, and enter display settings.

    The desktop in Windows 10 with the Display Settings command highlighted

  2. In the Display screen, select the Display Orientation drop-down arrow, and choose Landscape.

    The Display options in Windows 10 with the Landscape option highlighted

  3. A confirmation dialog box prompts you to either retain the new screen orientation or return to the previous display. If you're satisfied with the updated look, select Keep changes. If not, wait 15 seconds for the prompt to expire or select Revert.

In Windows 8

  1. Select the Windows button, found in the lower-left corner of the screen.

  2. Select Control Panel.

  3. In the Control Panel window, go to the Appearance and Personalization section, and choose Adjust screen resolution.

  4. Select the Orientation drop-down arrow, and choose Landscape.

  5. Select Apply to implement the change.

  6. In the confirmation dialog box, select Keep changes to keep the new screen orientation. To go back to the previous orientation, wait 15 seconds for the prompt to expire or select Revert.

In Windows 7

  1. Select the Windows menu button, found in the lower-left corner of the screen.

  2. Select Control Panel.

  3. In the Control Panel window, go to the Appearance and Personalization section, and select Adjust screen resolution.

  4. In the Change the appearance of your display window, select the Orientation drop-down arrow and choose Landscape.

  5. Select Apply to rotate the display.

  6. In the Display Settings dialog box, select Keep changes to maintain the new orientation. Otherwise, wait 15 seconds for the changes to return to the previous orientation or select Revert.