Your Chromebook screen is sideways or upside down, and you want the normal view back. The display controls let you restore it, flip it 180°, or choose a sideways angle for portrait use. Start with Settings for an exact angle, or use the keyboard shortcut for a quick rotation.
Choose the screen angle in Settings
This fixes unwanted rotation or sets your built-in screen to a specific angle, with no touchscreen required. Select the time at the bottom right, then open Settings.
Select Device, choose Displays, and select Built-in Display. Open Orientation, then choose 180° for an upside-down screen, 90° or 270° for a sideways screen, or the zero-degree option to restore the normal view.
Use the keyboard for a quick flip
In laptop mode, Ctrl + Shift + Refresh rotates the display 90° each time on a compatible keyboard.
- 1.Find the Refresh key, marked with a circular arrow.
- 2.Press Ctrl + Shift + Refresh.
- 3.Select Continue if the first-use confirmation appears.
- 4.Press Ctrl + Shift + Refresh again for a total rotation of 180°, or repeat the shortcut until an accidentally rotated screen is upright.
When you want to rotate an external monitor
A connected monitor has its own orientation setting. To adjust it independently of the Chromebook screen, the displays must be extended rather than mirrored.
Select the time at the bottom right, then open Settings. Select Device and choose Displays.
Turn off Mirror Built-in Display if it is enabled, then select your external monitor. Open its Orientation menu and choose 90° or 270° for portrait use, 180° for an upside-down view, or the zero-degree option to restore its normal orientation. If the monitor does not rotate independently, check that Mirror Built-in Display is off in Settings → Device → Displays.
Let a tablet or convertible rotate automatically
This makes a compatible Chromebook tablet or convertible follow the way you hold it when its rotation tile is available. Place the Chromebook in its supported tablet configuration.
Tap the time to open Quick Settings, then turn on Auto rotate. Physically turn the Chromebook to the orientation you want. Turn Auto rotate off to keep that orientation. The control's locked-state labels include Locked to vertical and Locked to horizontal.
Another way to enable automatic rotation
On a compatible tablet or convertible, select the time. Open Settings, then select Device.
Choose Displays and select Built-in Display. Open Orientation, then choose Auto-rotate when available, or a fixed angle if it is absent. The automatic option appears only when automatic rotation is allowed for the selected display.
With Auto-rotate selected, physically turn the device to change the screen orientation.
Tip: For an ordinary clamshell Chromebook, use a fixed angle in Settings; physically turning it does not enable automatic rotation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my school or work Chromebook flip back after restarting?
An administrator's default rotation policy reapplies the selected orientation at reboot. Users can change orientation after signing in, but changing that default requires the administrator.
Does flipping the screen mirror it from left to right?
No. Screen rotation changes which edge is at the top. Mirror Built-in Display duplicates the Chromebook screen on another display; it does not create a left-right reflection.
Do I need to install anything to rotate my Chromebook screen?
No. The screen-rotation methods use built-in ChromeOS controls and require no downloads or installations.
Why are the orientation controls missing and the shortcut not working?
Unified Desktop mode hides the orientation controls and disables the rotation shortcut. The shortcut also requires a compatible keyboard; tablet mode has separate rotation behavior.