Step 7: Orient Last Layer Corners On Your Rubik's Cube
On this page you can find a detailed description on how to solve the last layer corners of the Rubik's Cube. In the final phase of the solution with the beginner's method we will orient the yellow corner pieces.
When you reach this final step all the pieces are on the right spot, you just have to orient the last layer corners which are now on the top of the puzzle.
Hold the cube in your hand so the upper piece you want to orient is on the front-right-top corner, then do this algorithm twice or four times until that specific piece is oriented correctly:
R' D' R D
In the meantime it might seem like you messed up the whole cube but don't worry, it will be all right when all the corner pieces are oriented.
When a yellow corner is oriented correctly, turn the top layer only to move another yellow corner piece you want to orient to the front-right-top corner of the cube and repeat R' D' R D again until this specific piece is OK.
Keep doing this until your Cube is solved.
Important!
Many people mess up their cube in this final step because they skip the last D turn as soon as they see the yellow sticker facing up at the top. Make sure you complete the whole R' D' R D algorithm.
Don't rotate the whole cube while doing the steps! Face rotations only and follow the steps carefully.
See the diagram, animated examples and video below for a more detailed explanation!
Demonstration by Will Smith
You might remember The Pursuit of Happyness movie (2006) in which the character played by Will Smith solves the cube to impress his future employer and receives an invitation for a job interview. Watch the video below where he demonstrates the R' D' R D method. He's using a slightly different down, away, up, back notation though, but that's doing the same thing. He says Boom when he finishes a piece and brings another misaligned corner to the FRU position.
Animated examples
To see the animations just click the play button and follow the steps. Adjust the speed if it's too fast for you. We have separated the R' D' R D bits so you can see better how to apply this algorithm.
Example 1.
Two wrong pieces next to each other: do R' D' R D twice for one corner and four times for the other.(R' D' R D)x2 U' (R' D' R D)x4 U
When they're next to each other but the yellow stickers are facing like this the order changes(R' D' R D)x4 U' (R' D' R D)x2 U
Example 2.
For three corners: The algorithm has to be applied twice for each corner.(R' D' R D)x2 U (R' D' R D)x2 U2 (R' D' R D)x2 U
When you meet the orientation below the algorithm has to be executed 4 times for each corner.(R' D' R D)x4 U (R' D' R D)x4 U2 (R' D' R D)x4 U
Example 3.
Two corners on opposite sides.U (R' D' R D)x2 U2 (R' D' R D)x4 U
Example 4.
It requires a total of 12 iterations when all yellow corners are twisted.(R' D' R D)x4 U (R' D' R D)x4 U (R' D' R D)x2 U (R' D' R D)x2 U
(R' D' R D)x2 U (R' D' R D)x2 U (R' D' R D)x4 U (R' D' R D)x4 U
These algorithms may seem to be long but they're repeating the same R' D' R D sequence all the time, so you just have to memorize this short algorithm and the method how to use it. With a little practice you'll perform these very quickly.
Congratulations! You have solved your Rubik's Cube!
Is this tutorial too complicated for you? Here's what you can do:
Read another guide at Cube Solve or at how to solve a Rubix Cube.
Use the Online Rubik's Cube Solver, insert your scramble and the program will calculate the solution.
I will give 10 stars it's very good it will be used great 👍 👍 🤩
MESSED UP!! (｡•̀ ⤙ •́ ｡🧊) !!!
Do not repeat, until the white is aligned again... this was the key for me... I simple turned the top level to the next corner... continued the sequence...when that corner was aligned...moved to the next corner needed... did the sequence...and BOOM... done... WHEW!!!!!!
Only about 3 hours.... SHOOOT....
You have to read this last step VERY carefully....
My failed at first because I didn't complete the whole algorithm when I saw the yellow piece aligned. You need to complete the whole R' D' R' D
Don't follow this guide.
A solvable cube with the first two layers sovled and the corners position will always have 0, 2, 3. or 4 corners in the wrong orientation. Read the page on ths site on disassembling the cube. You will need to diassembe your cube and reassemble it solved to fix this.
Great animations, clear succinct structured instructions with links to detailed explanations and other useful resources. Thank you for your effort!!!
My 8 year-old twins got hooked up into solving the Rubix cube due to this site and have mastered nearly all algorithms.
2 days of messing up the cube every time I tried to solve the final layer. Searching the internet high and low but continuing to make the same mistake.
Thanks again!!
Heres a link to that same video if you don't see it: https://youtu.be/kY4eWhvrVo0
It's like the final obstacle in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Step of the ledge, pay attention and you'll be fine. Yes the cube looks messed up and sometimes you'll get it wrong but IT DOES WORK.
Please read the instruction carefully.
If the yellow side of your corner is facing front, you can do D' R' D R, and you will only need to do it twice, rather than four times.
Some detail about why this works, to the best of my understanding:
The R' D' R D algorithm is cyclical. If you repeat it six times, it will return the cube to the same state that you started with. You can demonstrate this for yourself. Take a solved cube, and repeat R' D' R D six times, the cube will be solved.
Each two repetitions of R' D' R D will bring The front right corner back to its original position, oriented differently. It will also throw some first and second layer pieces out of position. If a the yellow side of the corner piece is facing right, two repetitions of R' D' R D will bring it to the top. If it is facing front, you will need to do it four times. But if you reverse the algorithm (D' R' D R) it will only take two repetitions. The whole cube will be exactly the same as if you had done R' D' R D four items.
This is also related to why you rotate just the top layer rather than the whole cube. It will always take a total of either 6 or 12 repetitions of R' D' R D to bring all the top layer corners into orientation. By rotating the top layer this insures that all the first and second layer pieces will be brought back to their correct position.