Rotating your monitor sideways is a settings change, not a hardware flip
You can turn your monitor sideways — into what's called portrait mode — without physically rotating the screen itself. Your operating system handles the rotation through display settings. The monitor stays in its stand; the image rotates 90 degrees. This works on Windows, Mac, and Linux machines, though the steps differ slightly for each.
Portrait mode is useful for reading long documents, browsing tall web pages, or working with code editors where you want more vertical space than horizontal. Some people use it for spreadsheets with many rows. The trade-off is that most content — videos, photos, games — was designed for landscape and will look stretched or have black bars on the sides.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows, right-click the desktop, select Display Settings, scroll to Orientation, and choose Portrait or Portrait (Flipped).
- On Mac, go to System Settings, Displays, and use the Rotation dropdown to select 90 degrees.
- Your monitor's physical stand must support rotation, or you'll need to manually turn the screen — check your monitor's manual first.
- Some graphics cards or older monitors may not support rotation through software, in which case you'll need to rotate the stand by hand if it allows it.
- After rotating, your mouse cursor and keyboard input will feel reversed until you get used to it — practice for a few minutes before deciding if it works for your workflow.
How to rotate on Windows 10 and Windows 11
Right-click anywhere on your desktop background and select Display Settings from the menu. If you don't see this option, your graphics driver may need updating — see the troubleshooting section below.
In Display Settings, scroll down until you find Orientation. You'll see a dropdown menu with four options: Landscape, Portrait, Landscape (Flipped), and Portrait (Flipped). Select Portrait to rotate the screen 90 degrees clockwise. The screen will rotate when ready. If the image is upside down, choose Portrait (Flipped) instead.
To undo the rotation, return to the same menu and select Landscape. The change takes effect right away with no restart needed.
How to rotate on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions). Navigate to Displays.
Look for a Rotation dropdown menu. Select 90° to rotate the screen one quarter turn. If the image appears upside down, select 270° instead. The rotation applies when ready. To return to normal, select 0°.
If you don't see a Rotation option, your Mac may not support software rotation for that particular monitor. This is more common with older external displays or displays connected through certain adapters.
Checking whether your monitor's stand supports physical rotation
Before you rotate the image on screen, check whether your monitor's stand can actually turn. Most modern monitors have stands that pivot, but not all do. Look at the base of your monitor where it connects to the stand. If the stand appears to swivel or has a hinge, it likely supports rotation.
The safest way to know is to check your monitor's manual or the manufacturer's website. Search for your monitor model number — it's usually printed on the back or bottom of the screen — and look for "specifications" or "stand features". The manual will say whether the stand supports portrait mode.
If your stand does support rotation, you can physically turn the monitor to match the software rotation. This is optional — the software rotation alone is enough to use portrait mode, but physically turning the monitor makes the experience feel more natural.
What to do if rotation isn't available in your settings
If you don't see an Orientation or Rotation option in your display settings, your graphics driver may be outdated or missing. Graphics drivers are the software that lets your operating system talk to your monitor.
On Windows, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting it. Expand Display adapters, right-click your graphics card (usually labeled Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD), and select Update driver. Choose Search automatically for updated driver software. Restart your computer after the update completes.
On Mac, go to System Settings, General, Software Update and install any available updates. Mac usually handles graphics drivers automatically, so this step is less common.
If rotation still doesn't appear after updating drivers, your monitor or graphics card may not support software rotation. In that case, you can only use portrait mode by physically rotating the monitor stand if it allows it.
How portrait mode affects your workflow and what to expect
When you first rotate to portrait mode, your mouse movements will feel backwards — moving the mouse right makes the cursor go up, for example. This takes five to ten minutes of practice to adjust to, and most people adapt quickly. If it feels wrong after a few minutes of use, you can always rotate back.
Some programs don't work well in portrait mode. Video players, photo editors, and games often assume landscape orientation and may display controls in awkward places or show black bars. Web browsers and text editors usually adapt well. Test the programs you use most before committing to portrait mode as your default.
If you use multiple monitors, you can rotate just one of them while keeping the others in landscape. This is useful if you want portrait mode for coding or documents on one screen while keeping a landscape screen for video or design work.
Rotating back to landscape mode
To undo the rotation, follow the same steps you used to rotate: go back to Display Settings (Windows) or Displays (Mac) and select Landscape or 0° rotation. The change takes effect when ready. If you physically rotated the monitor stand, turn it back to its original position.
There's no penalty for rotating back and forth — you can switch between portrait and landscape as many times as you want without damaging anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will rotating my monitor damage it?
No. Software rotation is just a display setting and causes no wear. If your monitor's stand supports physical rotation, turning it is also safe — manufacturers design stands to pivot. The only risk is dropping the monitor while rotating it, so move slowly and support the screen with both hands.
Can I rotate just one monitor if I have two?
Yes. In Display Settings (Windows) or Displays (Mac), you can adjust each monitor independently. Select the monitor you want to rotate from the list, then change its orientation. The other monitor stays in landscape.
Why does my screen look upside down after I rotate it?
You selected the wrong rotation option. On Windows, try Portrait (Flipped) instead of Portrait. On Mac, try 270° instead of 90°. The change takes effect when ready, so you can switch back if needed.
Does portrait mode work with laptops?
Yes, but only if you're using an external monitor connected to the laptop. You can't rotate a laptop's built-in screen through software. If you want portrait mode on a laptop, you need an external display that supports rotation.
What if my monitor is very old — will it still rotate?
Older monitors may not support software rotation if their drivers are no longer available. Try updating your graphics driver first. If rotation still doesn't appear, your monitor likely doesn't support it. You can only use portrait mode by physically rotating the stand if it allows it.