The Easy 7-Step Rubik's Cube Guide
Follow these 7 clear steps using the beginner Layer-by-Layer method. Use the interactive 3D visualizers to play move sequences at your own pace!
Step 1: The Daisy & White Cross
Goal: Form a white cross on bottom matching side center colorsBefore moving any pieces, remember Rule #1: Center pieces never move relative to each other. The face with the yellow center piece will always be top, and white will always be bottom.
Phase A: The Daisy
Hold your cube with the Yellow center facing UP. Your goal is to move the 4 white edge pieces around the yellow center piece, making it look like a daisy flower with yellow in the middle and white petals.
Phase B: Forming the White Cross
- Look at one white petal edge piece on the top yellow face. Look at its side sticker color.
- Turn the top face (U) until the side sticker color matches the side center color.
- Turn that side face twice (F2) to send the white petal to the bottom white face.
- Repeat for all 4 petals until you have a perfect White Cross on the bottom!
Visualizing the White Cross
Always solve the white cross on the bottom face so you can easily see the top yellow layer for the remaining steps!
Step 2: First Layer Corners
Goal: Solve the entire first white layer with matching side colorsNow we insert the 4 white corner pieces into the bottom layer. We will use the famous 4-move sequence called the Righty Trigger.
How to Insert a White Corner:
- Find a corner piece in the top layer that has a white sticker on it.
- Look at its other two colors (e.g. Red and Blue). Turn the top layer (U) to position this corner directly above the Red and Blue center pieces.
- Hold the cube so the corner is on the top-right-front side.
- Repeat the Righty Trigger algorithm (R U R' U') 1 to 5 times until the white sticker faces down and side colors match!
Understanding the cube's notation will speed up your learning. Check out our Move Notation Guide →
Righty Trigger Sequence
Repeat this move to drop the white corner into the bottom layer.
Don't just solve the white face stickers blindly! Make sure the side stickers of each white corner match the adjacent side center colors.
Step 3: Second Layer (Middle Edges)
Goal: Solve all 4 middle layer edge piecesWe now turn our attention to the top layer to find edge pieces that do NOT have yellow on them.
Case 1: Edge moves to the RIGHT
Align the front sticker color with its matching side center to form a vertical "T". If the top sticker needs to drop to the RIGHT middle slot, use this sequence:
Case 2: Edge moves to the LEFT
If the top sticker needs to drop to the LEFT middle slot, use the mirror sequence:
Move Edge Right
Drops the top edge piece down to the right middle layer.
Move Edge Left
Drops the top edge piece down to the left middle layer.
Step 4: Top Layer Cross (Yellow Cross)
Goal: Form a yellow cross on top face regardless of corner colorsWith the first two layers complete, we now work on the top yellow layer. Hold the cube with yellow on top.
- Dot (Only yellow center)
- L-Shape (9 o'clock position)
- Horizontal Line (Left-to-right)
- Yellow Cross (Goal reached!)
Apply the magic sequence F R U R' U' F' to advance from Dot → L-Shape → Line → Yellow Cross!
Yellow Cross Formula
Turns Front face clockwise, performs Righty Trigger, then restores Front face.
Step 5: Permute Top Layer Edges
Goal: Match all 4 yellow edge side colors with side center piecesNow that we have a yellow cross, we align its side colors to match the center pieces of each side.
Turn the top face (U) to see how many yellow edges match their side center colors. Hold the cube so one matching edge is at the BACK and one is at the RIGHT side, then perform Sune algorithm.
Sune Algorithm (Swap Edges)
Swaps top layer edges while keeping yellow cross orientation intact.
Step 6: Position Top Layer Corners
Goal: Move all 4 yellow corner pieces into their correct corner slotsPut each corner piece in its correct corner slot. It doesn't matter if the yellow sticker faces up yet!
If one corner is in the correct position, hold it in the TOP-FRONT-RIGHT position and execute the Niklas algorithm:
Niklas Algorithm (Cycle Corners)
Cycles the remaining 3 corners until all 4 corners are in their correct slots.
Step 7: Orient Top Layer Corners (Solved!)
Goal: Flip yellow corners face-up to complete the entire Rubik's Cube!- Turn your entire cube UPSIDE DOWN so the White face is now on TOP and Yellow is on BOTTOM.
- Bring an unsolved corner to the BOTTOM-RIGHT position.
- Perform R U R' U' (Righty Trigger) 2 or 4 times until the yellow sticker faces DOWN.
- Turn ONLY the bottom face (D or D') to move the next unsolved corner into the bottom-right slot.
- Repeat until all corners face yellow down. Your Rubik's Cube is officially SOLVED! 🎉
Congratulations! You Solved the Cube!
Practice these steps to build muscle memory. Ready to practice speedcubing or solve a custom scramble state?
How to Use the Interactive 3D Cubes
Master mouse click gestures, mobile touch controls, and 360° 3D orbit dragging.
Desktop Mouse Controls
- •Click & Drag: Click and drag mouse anywhere on 3D cube to orbit 360°.
- •Click Face: Click directly on any face sticker to execute a face turn!
- •Move Buttons: Click R, L, U, D, F, B buttons to turn specific layers.
Mobile Touch Gestures
- •1-Finger Swipe: Swipe 1 finger across the screen to rotate 3D view.
- •Tap Face: Tap on any face sticker or control button to turn layers.
- •Smooth Inertia: Release swipe for smooth momentum rotation physics.
Scramble & Camera Reset
- •🔀 Mix Button: Click Mix to execute a quick multi-move scramble.
- •🎥 Reset Button: Reset 3D camera back to original viewing angle.
- •Real-Time Colors: Sticker colors update live on every face turn.