Beginner Method

A step-by-step guide to solving the Rubik's Cube

There are many ways to solve a Rubik's Cube, and several are considered beginner methods. We've put together the one we think is the best combination of ease and extendability — so the skills you learn here carry over as you get faster.

Understanding the cube

Learn the building blocks — what the pieces are and how moves are written down.

Pieces

The cube is made up of pieces, not individual stickers.
Each piece moves as a unit.
We will solve the cube layer by layer, starting with the white face.

Corner Pieces (8)

Three colored faces. Found at the corners of the cube.

Edge Pieces (12)

Two colored faces. Found between corners.

Center Pieces (6)

One colored face. Fixed in place — they define each side's color.

Notation

Each letter is a 90° clockwise turn. Add ' for anti-clockwise, 2 for a double turn.

The ' notation is called prime — U' is spoken as U-prime.

Face turns

Top (U)

U Clockwise

U' Anti-clockwise

U2 Double turn

Left (L)

L Clockwise

L' Anti-clockwise

L2 Double turn

Front (F)

F Clockwise

F' Anti-clockwise

F2 Double turn

Bottom (D)

D Clockwise

D' Anti-clockwise

D2 Double turn

Right (R)

R Clockwise

R' Anti-clockwise

R2 Double turn

Back (B)

B Clockwise

B' Anti-clockwise

B2 Double turn

Cube rotations

Rotate the entire cube without turning any face.

x (R axis)

x Same as R

x' Same as R'

x2 Double rotation

y (U axis)

y Same as U

y' Same as U'

y2 Double rotation

z (F axis)

z Same as F

z' Same as F'

z2 Double rotation

Let's start solving!

Follow each step in order. Every step builds on the one before it.

Step 1

First Layer Cross

Place the 4 white edges around the white center. Make sure each edge's other color matches its center.

Flipped Cross Edge

F U' R U

Fixes a flipped cross edge

Step 2

Flip the Cube

Flip the cube upside down so white is on the bottom. From here on, the white face stays down and you'll work with the yellow face on top.

Step 3

First Layer Corners

Position a corner with a white face above the front-right corner slot, between the matching edge pieces.

Try to follow the corner piece with your eyes as you execute the alg to understand how the piece is being inserted!

White in front

U R U' R'

White on side

R U R'

White on top

(R U2 R') U' (R U R')

The parentheses group recurring moves, called "triggers"

Corner incorrectly oriented

R U R' U'

This algorithm is called "Right Trigger"

Step 4

Middle Layer Edges

Insert top-layer edges into the left or right middle slot.

If an edge is stuck, push it out by inserting another.

Insert Left

(U' L' U L) y' (U R U' R')

Insert Right

(U R U' R') y (U' L' U L)

Step 5

Make the Yellow Cross

When you get to this step, your cube may be in any of these four states.

Orient the top-layer edges by applying the same algorithm up to 3 times, re-positioning the cube between each application.

F (R U R' U') F'

No edges oriented

Hold the cube in any orientation and execute the algorithm.

Two adjacent edges oriented

Hold the two oriented edges at the back and left.

Two opposite edges oriented

Hold the line going left to right.

Step 6

Make the Top Face Fully Yellow

When you get to this step, your cube may be in any of these four states.

Apply the same algorithm up to 4 times, re-positioning the cube in regards to the top left corner in between each application.

Note that you go from 0 → 2 → 1 → solved, not 0 → 1 → 2 → solved.

(R U R') U (R U2 R')

This algorithm is called "Sune"

No corners oriented

Orient the cube so that the top left corner has a yellow face facing left.

Two corners oriented

Orient the cube so that the top left corner has a yellow face facing forward.

One corner oriented

Orient the cube so that the top left corner has a yellow face facing up.

You might have to do this step twice.

Step 7

Last Layer Corner Permutation

Align two matching corners on the left (So called headlights), then execute. If no corners match, do it from any angle first, then find the headlights and go again.

Corner Permutation

(R U R' U') (R' F R2 U') R' U' (R U R' F')

This algorithm is called the "T-Perm"

Step 8

Last Layer Edge Permutation

Put a solved edge at the back, then execute 1-2 times. If no edge is solved, do it from any angle.

Edge Permutation

(R U') (R U) (R U) (R U') R' U' R2

This algorithm is called the "Ua-Perm"

Congratulations!

You can now solve the Rubik's Cube! Practice until you can do it without looking at the guide.

What's next?

Time your first solve — get a baseline to compare against as you develop.
F2L (First Two Layers) — solve the first layer and middle layer at the same time, instead of in two separate steps. This is the biggest speed improvement you can learn.
2-Look OLL & 2-Look PLL — solve the last layer in just 4 algorithms instead of the beginner steps.