Rubik's Cube notation is a "language" that uses letters to write down each move. Every capital letter is a face: R (right), L (left), U (up), D (down), F (front), B (back). A letter on its own means turn that face 90° clockwise as if you were looking straight at that face. Add an apostrophe (R') and you turn it anticlockwise; add a 2 (U2) and you turn it 180°. Get the hang of these three rules and you can read almost every beginner algorithm.
This guide explains each symbol with examples, the mistakes beginners often make, and how to practise until you can read algorithms without thinking.
Why do you need Rubik's Cube notation?
Every Rubik's Cube guide, from the layer-by-layer beginner method to the CFOP that speedcubers use, writes its algorithms in notation. The most popular system today comes from the mathematician David Singmaster. What makes it handy is that it is relative: the letters are not tied to colours but to where each face sits compared with the person holding the cube. So an algorithm like R U R' U' works on any cube, whichever face is pointing at you (Wikipedia).
- You start with (input)
- After the formula
The 6 basic faces: R, L, U, D, F, B
Hold the cube so one face points straight at you. Then:
- F (Front): the front face, the one facing you.
- B (Back): the back face, on the opposite side.
- R (Right): the right face.
- L (Left): the left face.
- U (Up): the top face.
- D (Down): the bottom face.
Each letter means turn that face a quarter turn (90°) clockwise, imagining you are looking straight at that face (J Perm).
!The R move: the right face turns clockwise Image: [Thomas 003 / Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubik%27s_cube_notation_for_1_layer_-_R.jpg), CC BY-SA 3.0
A trick for remembering the direction
This is where beginners get mixed up the most. For R, seen from the front, the right face "goes up" (the stickers on the front move up onto the top). For L, the left face "goes down", because you have to imagine looking at it from the left side. In the same way, U moves the top row from right to left, and D moves the bottom row from left to right.
!The U move: the top face turns clockwise Image: [Thomas 003 / Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubik%27s_cube_notation_for_1_layer_-_U.jpg), CC BY-SA 3.0
Four moves.
One at a time.
Tap each symbol and follow one piece. This is an exercise in watching the movement.
The apostrophe (') and the number 2
- Apostrophe (say it "prime"): turn anticlockwise. For example, R' makes the right face "go down", and U' moves the top row from left to right.
- The number 2: turn that face twice, which is 180°. U2 and U2' give the same result, so the direction does not matter (J Perm).
!The F' move: the front face turns anticlockwise Image: [Thomas 003 / Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubik%27s_cube_notation_for_1_layer_-_F%27.jpg), CC BY-SA 3.0
A small tip: every move has its own "opposite move". Do R and then R', and the cube is back where it started. So if you make one wrong move by accident, just do the opposite move to fix it.
Lowercase letters and "w": turning two layers
When you see a lowercase letter such as r, u, f, or a form like Rw, Uw, it means turn two layers at once: that face and the middle slice next to it, in the same direction as the matching capital letter (J Perm). Beginners hardly ever need this; it usually shows up in advanced OLL/PLL algorithms.
What is lowercase r on a Rubik's Cube?
r (lowercase, also written Rw) turns the right face and the middle slice next to it together, so the two right-hand layers, 90° clockwise exactly like R. Only the left face stays still, so r is the same as turning the whole cube with x and then putting the left face back where it was.
- You start with (input)
- After the formula
In the picture above, the left cube is before the r move and the right cube is after it. The coloured stickers are the two right-hand layers moving together; the grey stickers belong to the left face and are not touched at all.
The middle slices: M, E, S
These three only turn a middle slice and leave the two outer faces alone:
- M (Middle): the slice between L and R, turning the same way as L.
- E (Equator): the slice between U and D, turning the same way as D.
- S (Standing): the slice between F and B, turning the same way as F.
J Perm's way to remember it: M follows L, E follows D, S follows F (J Perm).
Turning the whole cube: x, y, z
Sometimes an algorithm asks you to turn the whole cube in your hands instead of turning one face:
- x: turn the whole cube the same way as R (the front face flips up to the top).
- y: turn the whole cube the same way as U.
- z: turn the whole cube the same way as F.
These also come as x', y2 and so on, with the same meaning as above. Note: after you turn the whole cube, the "front" is the new face pointing at you, and every letter after that is read from the new position.
Reading an algorithm: R U R' U'
This is the sequence beginners meet first, and it is also the algorithm for putting the layer 1 corners in place in the layer-by-layer method. Read it move by move:
- R: the right face goes up.
- U: the top face turns clockwise.
- R': the right face goes down.
- U': the top face turns anticlockwise.
If you repeat R U R' U' 6 times in a row, the cube goes back to exactly how it started. This is a great way to check yourself: if the cube is not back to normal after 6 times, you are reading one of the letters wrong.
A longer algorithm, such as F R U R' U' F' (used to make the cross on the top face), is really just R U R' U' "sandwiched" between F and F'. Spotting familiar little chunks inside an algorithm helps you remember it much faster.
See it in 3D, before and after
- You start with (input)
- After the formula
The picture above holds the cube with the yellow face on top: the algorithm only moves pieces in the top layer, and the two bottom layers stay the same.
Common mistakes when reading notation
- Getting L and D the wrong way round. Always remember: clockwise means looking straight at that face, not looking from the front.
- Changing how you hold the cube halfway through. During an algorithm, keep the same front and top. Only change your grip when you see x, y or z.
- Missing the apostrophe. R and R' are completely different. When you are just starting, read slowly and say the moves out loud.
- Thinking U2 is two different moves. U2 is just one 180° move.
Video guide
If you would rather watch than read, this video from the J Perm channel explains the whole notation system (in English, with automatic subtitles available):
See the notation in 3D with EasyRubic
Reading letters on a page and picturing which way to turn is the hardest part for beginners. In the EasyRubic app, the Read the notation section shows you R, U, F' and more being done right on a 3D cube. Once you are used to it, you can scan your real cube with the camera and follow the solution step by step, with every move showing both the notation and the motion.
Get EasyRubic to practise reading notation with 3D pictures.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say R' and how is it different from R?
R' is said "R prime". R turns the right face clockwise (the right face goes up when seen from the front), and R' turns it the other way (the right face goes down).
Does the direction matter for U2?
No. U2 turns the top face 180°, and either direction gives the same result.
Which notation should beginners start with?
Just the 6 faces R, L, U, D, F, B plus the apostrophe and the number 2. Lowercase letters, M/E/S and x/y/z can wait until you move on to advanced methods.
How do I know I am reading an algorithm correctly?
Try repeating R U R' U' 6 times: if the cube goes back to how it started, you are reading the turn directions correctly.
Cover photo: Lars Karlsson (Keqs) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0