How to Solve a Rubik's Cube: A Step-by-Step Guide for Families

Learn to solve a Rubik's cube with this beginner-friendly guide that breaks down the process into simple, manageable steps.

  1. Understanding Your Cube. Before you start solving, get familiar with how the cube works. Each face has a center piece that never moves - this tells you what color that face should be when complete. Edge pieces have two colors and corner pieces have three colors. Practice turning the faces smoothly and learn the basic notation: F means turn the front face clockwise, R means turn the right face clockwise, and adding an apostrophe like F' means turn counter-clockwise.
  2. Step 1: Make a White Cross. Start with the white center on top. Find the four white edge pieces and position them to form a plus sign on the white face. Make sure the edge pieces also match the center colors on the sides. For example, if you have a white-red edge piece, position it so white is on top and red matches the red center on the side. This step requires practice and experimentation - don't worry about following exact algorithms yet.
  3. Step 2: Complete the White Face. Now place the white corner pieces. Position a white corner piece directly below where it needs to go on the white face. Use this simple algorithm: R, U, R', U' (right face clockwise, top clockwise, right counter-clockwise, top counter-clockwise). Repeat this sequence until the white corner piece pops into place. Do this for all four white corners until the entire white face is complete and the first layer matches on all sides.
  4. Step 3: Position the Middle Layer Edges. Turn the cube over so white is on the bottom. Look for edge pieces on the top layer that don't have yellow on them (assuming yellow is opposite white). Position the cube so the edge piece matches the center color it belongs with. If the other color on that edge piece should go to the right, use: U, R, U', R', U', F', U, F. If it should go to the left, use: U', L', U, L, U, F, U', F'. Repeat until all middle layer edges are in place.
  5. Step 4: Make a Yellow Cross. Focus on the top face (yellow). You might see a yellow dot, an L shape, or a line. Use this algorithm: F, R, U, R', U', F'. Keep repeating this sequence until you have a yellow cross on top. Don't worry about the side colors yet - just focus on getting yellow on the top face in a plus sign pattern.
  6. Step 5: Position Yellow Corners. Get all yellow stickers on the top face. Hold the cube so any yellow corner is in the top-right position. Use: R, U, R', U, R, U, U, R'. Keep repeating until all corners show yellow on top. The cube might look messy, but don't worry - you're just getting the yellow face complete first.
  7. Step 6: Position the Final Corners. Now make sure corner pieces are in the right positions (even if they're twisted wrong). Hold the cube with one correctly positioned corner in the front-right position. Use: U, R, U', L', U, R', U', L. Repeat until all corners are in the right spots, even if the colors aren't facing the right way yet.
  8. Step 7: Orient the Final Corners. Keep the cube in the same position. Focus on the front-right corner. Use: R', D', R, D and repeat until that corner is oriented correctly. Then turn the top face (U) to bring the next unsolved corner to the front-right position. Repeat the R', D', R, D sequence for each corner until the entire cube is solved. Don't turn the whole cube during this step - only use U turns to bring corners to the working position.