Rotating your monitor works in two places: the physical display and your operating system
You can rotate your monitor 90 degrees to portrait orientation (taller than wide) in two separate steps. First, you physically turn the monitor on its stand or arm. Second, you tell your operating system to rotate the display so the image follows. If you skip the second step, your screen will look sideways and be unusable. Both steps take less than a minute.
Portrait mode is useful for reading long documents, browsing web pages that scroll vertically, or viewing spreadsheets with many rows. Some people use it for coding, where tall windows show more lines of text. It is less common for gaming or watching video, where landscape (wider than tall) is standard.
Key Takeaways
- Physically rotate the monitor first using its stand or mounting arm, then rotate the display in your operating system settings to match.
- Windows users find display rotation in Settings > System > Display, while Mac users go to System Settings > Displays.
- Some monitors have stands that lock in only landscape mode, so check whether your stand allows rotation before forcing it.
- Rotating the display in software does not harm the monitor, and you can switch back to landscape at any time.
Physically rotating the monitor stand or arm
Most monitor stands have a pivot point that allows 90-degree rotation. Grasp the monitor firmly on both sides of the bezel (the frame around the screen) and rotate it slowly toward portrait orientation. The stand should move smoothly. If it does not budge after gentle pressure, check whether a locking mechanism or release button is holding it in place — some stands have a small lever or button on the base that must be pressed before rotation is possible.
If your monitor is mounted on an adjustable arm instead of a stand, the arm itself usually rotates. Loosen the arm's rotation joint (often a knob or lever), rotate the monitor to portrait, and tighten the joint again. Do not force any part of the stand or arm — if something resists, look for a release mechanism rather than explore more pressure.
Some older or budget monitors have fixed stands that do not rotate at all. If your stand will not move, you have two options: purchase a separate monitor arm that supports rotation, or use a monitor mount bracket designed for your model. Check your monitor's manual or the manufacturer's website to confirm whether rotation is supported before buying additional hardware.
Rotating the display on Windows
Once the monitor is physically rotated, open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then pressing Enter. Click System in the left sidebar, then click Display. Look for a section labeled Scale and layout or Orientation.
You will see a dropdown menu or radio buttons showing your current orientation. The options are usually Landscape, Portrait, Landscape (flipped), and Portrait (flipped). Select Portrait. Windows will ask you to confirm the change — click Keep changes if the display looks correct, or click Revert if it is upside down or sideways. If you need the flipped version instead, go back to Display settings and select Portrait (flipped).
If you have multiple monitors, make sure you are changing the correct one. The Display settings page shows a diagram of your monitors. Click on the monitor you want to rotate in that diagram, then change its orientation. The setting applies only to the monitor you selected.
Rotating the display on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings. Click Displays in the sidebar. If you have multiple monitors, click the monitor you want to rotate in the list on the left.
Look for a dropdown menu labeled Rotation or Orientation. The options are usually Standard (landscape), 90°, 180°, and 270°. Select 90° to rotate the display 90 degrees counterclockwise, or 270° to rotate 90 degrees clockwise. The change takes effect when ready. If the display is upside down, try the other option.
Some older Mac models or external monitors may not support rotation in software. If you do not see a Rotation option, your monitor or Mac does not support this feature. In that case, you can still physically rotate the monitor, but the image will appear sideways on screen.
Fixing common rotation problems
If your monitor rotated but the image is upside down, you selected the wrong rotation option. Go back to your display settings and choose the opposite direction (90° instead of 270° on Mac, or Portrait instead of Portrait flipped on Windows).
If the monitor will not rotate physically, check for a release button or lever on the stand base. Some stands require you to press and hold a button while rotating. If there is no release mechanism, the stand may not support rotation — check your monitor's manual or the manufacturer's website.
If you rotated the monitor but the operating system will not let you change the orientation, your graphics card or monitor may not support software rotation. Try updating your graphics drivers (on Windows, search for "Device Manager", find your graphics card, right-click it, and select "Update driver"). If that does not work, the hardware may have a limitation you cannot override.
If your mouse or trackpad feels backwards after rotation, that is normal — your cursor will move in the direction the screen is now facing. You do not need to change any input settings; your brain will adjust within a few minutes of use.
Switching back to landscape mode
To return to landscape orientation, reverse the process. First, go back to your display settings (Settings > System > Display on Windows, or System Settings > Displays on Mac) and select Landscape or Standard. Then physically rotate the monitor back to its original position. You can do these steps in either order — the important thing is that the physical orientation and the software setting match.
Rotating your display back and forth as often as you like does not damage the monitor or wear out any components. The rotation is purely a software setting that tells your graphics card how to send the image to the screen.
When you might need a different solution
If your monitor stand does not support rotation and you do not want to buy a new arm, you can use software-only rotation. Physically leave the monitor in landscape, but rotate the display in your operating system settings. The image will appear sideways, but this works if you are willing to tilt your head or turn your chair. Most people find this uncomfortable for extended use.
If you use multiple monitors and only one supports rotation, you can rotate just that monitor while leaving the others in landscape. Your operating system treats each monitor independently, so the rotated display will not affect the others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does rotating the display damage the monitor?
No. Rotating the display in your operating system is a software setting that does not affect the monitor's hardware. You can rotate it back and forth as many times as you want without any risk of damage.
Can I rotate just one monitor if I have two?
Yes. In your display settings, select the specific monitor you want to rotate, then change only that monitor's orientation. The other monitor will stay in landscape. Windows and Mac both let you configure each monitor independently.
What if my monitor stand will not rotate?
Check your monitor's manual to confirm whether the stand supports rotation. If it does not, you can purchase a separate monitor arm or mount bracket that allows rotation. Some budget monitors have fixed stands by design.
Why does my screen look upside down after I rotated it?
You selected the wrong rotation direction. Go back to your display settings and choose the opposite option — if you picked 90°, try 270° instead, or if you picked Portrait, try Portrait flipped.
Can I rotate my laptop display?
You can rotate the display in software the same way you would on a desktop monitor. However, most laptop screens are built into the case and cannot be physically rotated. The software rotation will work, but the image will appear sideways on your fixed screen.