This page puts every 3x3 Rubik's Cube algorithm for the layer-by-layer method in one place: 7 steps, with a picture for each case. You don't need to read it from top to bottom. Find the step you're on, compare your real cube with the pictures, then turn it using the algorithm under the matching picture.

Find your case fast

Look at your cube from above and tap the picture that matches it to see how to solve it. Grey cells are stickers you can ignore.

  • Case 1

    FU′RU

    • In the right spot but the white sticker faces the front: F U' R U
    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 2

    RUR′

    • White sticker facing right: R U R'
    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 3

    F′U′F

    • White sticker facing the front: F' U' F
    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 4

    RU2R′U′RUR′

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 5

    URU′R′U′F′UF

    • Matches the right centre, insert to the right: U R U' R' U' F' U F
    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 6

    U′L′ULUFU′F′

    • Matches the left centre, insert to the left: U' L' U L U F U' F'
    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 7

    FRUR′U′F′

    F R U R' U' F'

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 8

    FRUR′U′F′FRUR′U′F′

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 9

    FRUR′U′F′U2FRUR′U′F′FRUR′U′F′

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 10

    RUR′URU2R′

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 11

    RUR′URU2R′U2RUR′URU2R′

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 12

    RUR′URU2R′RUR′URU2R′

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 13

    RUR′URU2R′U′RUR′URU2R′

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 14

    RUR′URU2R′RUR′URU2R′U2RUR′URU2R′

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 15

    RUR′URU2R′U2RUR′URU2R′U′RUR′URU2R′

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 16

    RUR′URU2R′U′RUR′URU2R′U2RUR′URU2R′

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 17

    R′FR′B2RF′R′B2R2

    R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 18

    R′FR′B2RF′R′B2R2R′FR′B2RF′R′B2R2

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 19

    R′FR′B2RF′R′B2R2UR′FR′B2RF′R′B2R2

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 20

    UR′FR′B2RF′R′B2R2U2

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 21

    RU′RURURU′R′U′R2

    R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 22

    RU′RURURU′R′U′R2RU′RURURU′R′U′R2

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 23

    RU′RURURU′R′U′R2URU′RURURU′R′U′R2U′

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 24

    RU′RURURU′R′U′R2U′RU′RURURU′R′U′R2U

    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 25

    URU′R′U′F′UF

    • Insert a middle layer edge to the right: U R U' R' U' F' U F (the left insert is the mirror version in step 3).
    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 26

    FRUR′U′F′

    • Yellow cross: F R U R' U' F'
    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 27

    RUR′URU2R′

    • Yellow face (Sune): R U R' U R U2 R'
    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 28

    R′FR′B2RF′R′B2R2

    • Put the yellow corners in place (A-perm): R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2
    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →
  • Case 29

    RU′RURURU′R′U′R2

    • Put the yellow edges in place (U-perm): R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2
    1. You start with (input)
    2. After the formula
    See it in the post →

Each step also has its own post that explains it in more detail: layer 1, layer 2, layer 3, or the whole solve in How to solve a 3x3 Rubik's Cube for beginners. Every algorithm here is the one used in the EasyRubic step-by-step guide, and each has been tested on the site's Rubik's Cube simulator.

How to read the pictures and algorithms

  • Notation: R turns the right face, U the top (up) face, F the front face, L the left face, D the bottom (down) face and B the back face. A move with an apostrophe (R') turns the other way, and a move with a 2 (U2) turns twice. If this is new to you, see Rubik's Cube notation for beginners first.
  • The pictures come in pairs: the left picture is the cube before you turn, the right picture is the cube after the algorithm. Grey stickers are ones you don't need to worry about in that step.
  • How to hold the cube: in step 1, hold it with the white centre on top. From step 2 to the end, flip the cube over so the yellow centre is on top. The face pointing at you is the front face. Keep it pointing at you the whole time you turn.
  • How many algorithms: the 7 steps have lots of cases, but there are only 5 algorithms you need to know by heart. The first two steps use short sequences of three or four moves that you can follow just by looking at the pictures.

Step 1: White cross

  1. You start with (input)A scrambled cube
  2. Result you will get after finishing this stepWhite cross done

Goal: four edges with a white sticker sit around the white centre, and the other sticker of each edge matches the colour of the side centre next to it. Hold the cube with the white centre on top, pick an edge with a white sticker, then turn the whole cube so the centre matching its other sticker is at the front. Layer 3 is now at the bottom.

Edge in layer 3 (at the bottom), right below the front centre

  • White sticker facing down: F2
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • White sticker facing the front: D R F' R'
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

Edge in layer 2, next to the front face

  • On the right, white sticker facing right: F'
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • On the right, white sticker facing the front: U' R U
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • On the left, white sticker facing left: F
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • On the left, white sticker facing the front: U L' U'
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

Edge in layer 2, at the back

  • Back right, white sticker facing right: R2 F' R2
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Back right, white sticker facing the back: U' R' U
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Back left, white sticker facing left: L2 F L2
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Back left, white sticker facing the back: U L U'
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

Edge already in layer 1 but wrong

  • In the right spot but the white sticker faces the front: F U' R U
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • White sticker on top but in the wrong spot (in the picture it sits above the right face, but its spot is at the front): R2 D' F2
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

Doesn't match any picture? Turn the bottom face (D) to bring the edge right below the front centre, then compare again. All 12 cases have pictures you can turn in Step 1 of the guide.

TRY IT RIGHT HERE

Four moves.
One at a time.

Tap each symbol and follow one piece. This is an exercise in watching the movement.

Step 2: First layer corners

  1. You start with (input)White cross done
  2. Result you will get after finishing this stepFirst layer all correct

Flip the cube: yellow centre on top, white cross at the bottom. Find a corner with a white sticker in the top layer, turn the whole cube so the two centres matching its other two stickers are at the front and on the right, then turn U so the corner sits right above its spot, at the front right. Look at the corner's white sticker:

  • White sticker facing right: R U R'
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • White sticker facing the front: F' U' F
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • White sticker facing up: R U2 R' U' then R U R'
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Corner already in layer 1 but twisted or in the wrong spot: R U R' U' to pop it out, then R U R'
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

The R U R' U' sequence in the last case is the four-move sequence J Perm uses as the base for the whole first layer in the J Perm guide (J Perm). You'll see it again in step 4. Every case is explained in How to solve the first layer of a Rubik's Cube.

Step 3: Middle layer edges

  1. You start with (input)First layer all correct
  2. Result you will get after finishing this stepFirst two layers all correct

Keep yellow on top. Find an edge in the top layer with no yellow sticker, and turn U until its side sticker matches the colour of the front centre. The edge's top sticker tells you which way it goes. Ruwix gives exactly these two algorithms for the middle layer (Ruwix):

  • Matches the right centre, insert to the right: U R U' R' U' F' U F
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Matches the left centre, insert to the left: U' L' U L U F U' F'
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Edge already in layer 2, in the right spot but flipped: do the right insert, turn U2, then do the right insert again.
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Edge stuck in the left spot but it belongs on the right: do the left insert to pop it out, turn U2, then insert it to the right.
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

For more pictures and how to spot each case, see How to solve the middle layer of a Rubik's Cube.

Step 4: Yellow cross

  1. You start with (input)First two layers all correct
  2. Result you will get after finishing this stepYellow cross on top

From here on, each step has just one algorithm. What changes is how many times you do it. Only look at the yellow stickers of the four edges on the top face, and ignore the corners. The algorithm:

F R U R' U' F'

  • Yellow line: turn U so the line is horizontal, then do it once.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Yellow L shape: turn U so the L is in the back left corner, then do it twice.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Only the yellow centre: do it once, turn U2, then do it twice more.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

Step 5: Yellow face

  1. You start with (input)Yellow cross on top
  2. Result you will get after finishing this stepWhole yellow face on top

Twist the four corners so the whole top face turns yellow. The algorithm is called Sune:

R U R' U R U2 R'

Count how many corners have their yellow sticker on top, then check which way the yellow stickers of the other corners face.

1 yellow corner on top

Turn U so that corner is at the front left, then look at the front right corner.

  • Its yellow sticker faces the front: Sune once.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Its yellow sticker faces right: Sune, turn U2, Sune.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

No yellow corners on top

  • Two yellow stickers on the left, two on the right: Sune twice in a row.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Two yellow stickers on the left, one at the front, one at the back: Sune, turn U', Sune.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

2 yellow corners on top

  • The two are diagonal, at the back left and front right; the front left corner has its yellow sticker at the front: Sune twice, turn U2, Sune.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • The two are at the back; the two front corners have yellow facing left and right: Sune, U2, Sune, U', Sune.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • The two are at the back; both front corners have yellow facing the front: Sune, U', Sune, U2, Sune.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

Step 6: Put the yellow corners in place

  1. You start with (input)Whole yellow face on top
  2. Result you will get after finishing this stepYellow corners in place

A corner is in place when its two side stickers match the two centres next to it. The algorithm (A-perm) keeps the front left corner where it is and swaps the other three:

R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2

  • 1 corner in place, held at the front left; the other three need to move clockwise: do it once.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • 1 corner in place at the front left; the other three need to move anticlockwise: do it twice.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • 2 diagonal corners in place, at the front right and back left: do the algorithm, turn U, do it again.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • 2 side-by-side corners in place, on the left: turn U, do the algorithm, then turn U2.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

Can't see any corner in place? Turn U and look again, checking all four positions.

Step 7: Put the yellow edges in place

  1. You start with (input)Yellow corners in place
  2. Result you will get after finishing this stepCube solved

The last step. Find a side whose whole top row is one colour, hold that side at the back, then do the algorithm (U-perm):

R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2

  • The front edge needs to go right: do it once.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • The front edge needs to go left: do it twice.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • No side is finished, each edge swaps with the opposite one: algorithm, U, algorithm, U'.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • No side is finished, the front edge and the right edge swap places: algorithm, U', algorithm, U.
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

Once this step is done, your cube is solved. Pictures and explanations for every case in steps 4 to 7 are in How to solve the last layer of a Rubik's Cube.

The 5 3x3 algorithms to know by heart

If you just want a 3x3 Rubik's Cube algorithm cheat sheet to print or save as a photo, here are the five algorithms to remember, each with the case it solves in one go:

  • Insert a middle layer edge to the right: U R U' R' U' F' U F (the left insert is the mirror version in step 3).
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Yellow cross: F R U R' U' F'
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Yellow face (Sune): R U R' U R U2 R'
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Put the yellow corners in place (A-perm): R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula
  • Put the yellow edges in place (U-perm): R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2
See it in 3D, before and after
  1. You start with (input)
  2. After the formula

Tip: take one algorithm a day, go slowly and say each move in your head until your hands remember it on their own. J Perm says that with the beginner method and some practice, you can solve the whole cube in about 2 to 4 minutes (J Perm).

Why are the algorithms different on other sites?

There are many versions of the layer-by-layer method. Ruwix, for example, solves the last layer in a different order: it puts the yellow edges in place first and the corners after, with different algorithms from this page (Ruwix). Either way solves the cube. What matters is sticking to one set the whole way through. Don't mix algorithms from two guides in the same solve, because each set expects the cube to be in a different state after the step before.

What comes next?

Once you can solve the cube every time without looking at this page, the next step is CFOP, the most popular speedsolving method. In CFOP, the four steps of the last layer are combined into two: OLL and PLL. Start with What is CFOP, then move on to 2-look OLL and 2-look PLL. To track your progress, time your solves with the 3x3 timer.

Video

The video below by J Perm (in English) is a very popular beginner guide. It uses a few algorithms that differ from this page, so pick one set and stick with it when you practise.

Learn How to Solve a Rubik's Cube in 10 Minutes (Beginner Tutorial)Video · J Perm · YouTube

Stuck halfway? With the EasyRubic app, you can scan your real cube with your camera and see the solution step by step on a 3D cube. Get EasyRubic.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How many algorithms do you need to solve a 3x3 Rubik's Cube?

With the layer-by-layer method on this page, there are five algorithms to know by heart: inserting a middle layer edge (plus its mirror version), the yellow cross, Sune, A-perm and U-perm. The first two steps only use short sequences you can follow just by looking at the pictures.

Which algorithm should I start with?

Follow the order of the solve: steps 1 and 2 first, then the middle layer algorithm, then the four last layer algorithms one by one. Each time you pick up a new algorithm, practise it on a real cube straight away until you can do it without looking.

I did the algorithm right, but my cube doesn't look like the picture. Why?

Usually the cube is held the wrong way or one move was turned wrong, most often R instead of R'. Check that the front face stayed pointing at you the whole time you turned. If the last layer has one or three yellow edges on the top face, the cube has been put together wrong and needs to be taken apart and reassembled, as J Perm points out (J Perm).

Do 3x3 Rubik's Cube algorithms work on a 2x2 cube?

Some do. A 2x2 cube only has corners, so you can use the corner algorithms, such as the ones in step 2, Sune and A-perm. See How to solve a 2x2 Rubik's Cube for beginners.

Cover photo: Mike Gonzalez (TheCoffee) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

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