Cube Notation 📖

Cube notation provides a standardized way to describe each move you can do on the Rubik’s Cube. It is used to scramble the cube, to reconstruct solves or most commonly to read algorithms.

Check the video or the graphics below to get an understanding!

Basic Moves

Each uppercase letter means to turn that side of the cube clockwise, as if you were facing it.

Illustration of Rubik's Cube moves: right face clockwise, left face counterclockwise, up face clockwise, with colored stickers and arrows showing direction.
Illustration showing three Rubik's Cubes labeled "Down," "Front," and "Back," with arrows indicating the directions to rotate different cube faces.

Other Moves

An apostrophe ‘ after the letter (prime) means to turn the face counterclockwise.
”2” after the letter means to turn the face 180° (either direction!).
A lowercase letter means to turn two layers simultaneously.

Three Rubik's cubes illustrating different moves labeled R', R2, and r. The first cube (R') shows a counterclockwise move. The second cube (R2) shows a 180-degree rotation. The third cube (r) indicates a rotation of two layers together.

Cube Rotations

Rotating the entire cube is displayed by the letter around which axis it rotates

Illustration showing a Rubik's Cube with rotations: no rotation, x-axis follows R, y-axis follows U, z-axis follows F, with arrows indicating movement.

Slice Turns

Turning only the middle layer is also called a “Slice Turn” and has the same rules as normal turns.

Diagram showing three Rubik's Cubes with rotation arrows; labeled 'M' follows L, 'S' follows F, 'E' follows D, against a black background.

Cube Notation Practice