It’s not unusual for GoPro footage to have occasional orientation issues due to the device’s built-in rotation sensors. Fortunately, we have the steps for resolving any rotation issues.
You can disable automatic rotation before a shot by enabling Landscape Lock through your GoPro’s settings. You can also rotate videos using editing programs such as GoPro Quick, Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, or your smartphone’s photo software.
Don’t worry if your latest action-packed sequence came out upside down! This is a common occurrence, and it can be easily fixed and avoided in the future. Let’s take a look at how to rotate GoPro videos.
Editing GoPro Videos
To get the most out of your GoPro camera, you’ll need to learn proper editing and post-production techniques. These techniques can range from color correction to improving sound quality, rotating clips, and much more.
Learning the best editing techniques will enhance your GoPro video quality. Some programs have steeper learning curves than others, so it’s best to be informed before you dive in.
Editing Programs for GoPro
There are several different editing programs to choose from. Some programs are best suited for beginners, while others are more intensive and designed for professional use. Each software has its advantages, disadvantages, and best-use scenarios. Here are some editing programs to choose from when considering your GoPro device.
GoPro Quik
The GoPro Quik App and legacy software are two programs designed by GoPro for GoPro devices. The Quik app allows you to easily store, access, and edit shots from your GoPro device. You can trim videos, add music, change the colors, and more.
Unfortunately, the Quik software for desktop is no longer being updated, and you’ll require the legacy version. That being said, GoPro Quik is a great start for editing shots and rotating videos.
Adobe Premiere Pro
Although it has a steeper learning curve, Adobe Premiere Pro is an excellent choice for editing GoPro videos. Premiere Pro has been utilized by professionals for many movies, TV shows, and music videos.
You can stabilize shaky videos, add incredible effects, and fine-tune any settings to your liking. If you’re up for a challenge, Adobe Premiere Pro might be right for you.
Final Cut Pro
If you use a Mac computer, you might want to consider Final Cut Pro. Like Adobe, Final Cut Pro has a steeper learning curve than beginner software. However, you can edit full-360 shots, rotate videos, remove camera rigs, and more.
Final Cut Pro is an excellent program to consider if you don’t mind learning and using a Mac device.
How to Rotate GoPro Videos
Most GoPro models have built-in sensors that detect the rotation of the device. The sensors use this information to rotate the screen depending on how the camera is held.
For example, if you place the camera upside down, the screen will rotate to be upside down.
The rotation data is also embedded into the video or photo file’s metadata, meaning playback apps will display the video using this information.
This can result in some videos playing upside down, right side up, and everything in between. Thankfully, there are ways you can disable this feature and avoid unnecessary hiccups.
How to Turn on Landscape Lock
Rotation affects the touch display and the playback of any given shot. Thankfully, you can easily disable this setting. Here are the basic steps for turning on Landscape Lock:
- Go to the Preferences tab of your GoPro device.
- Find the Touch Display tab.
- Locate Landscape Lock and enable the feature as needed.
Some GoPro models allow you to lock the rotation up or down, while others only allow you to turn the feature on and off.
How to Rotate GoPro Videos on Mobile
If you don’t have access to a computer with professional editing software, don’t worry. There are a few different ways you can rotate GoPro footage using your smartphone or mobile device.
For iOS Devices
You can easily rotate GoPro clips on an iOS device by using the Photos app. Follow the steps below to begin:
- Open the Photos app on your Apple device.
- Locate the GoPro clip you want to edit and select it.
- In the preview screen, select the ‘Edit‘ button located near the top right corner of the app. You’ll be directed to a new editing page.
- From the new screen, start by selecting the cropping feature at the bottom and move it to the top left corner. You’ll notice two options you can choose from. The first option allows you to flip the footage horizontally. The other option allows you to rotate the video counterclockwise. Select whichever option fits your situation.
- Finally, select the ‘Done‘ button and complete the rotation process.
You can use these steps to rotate as many GoPro videos as you need to. You can also add special features, trim videos, adjust the colors, add filters, and more.
For Android Devices
You can also edit GoPro footage on Android devices through the Google Photos app. The Google Photos app should be preinstalled. However, you’ll need a Google account to use the software. Here are the steps for rotating GoPro footage on an Android device.
- First, open the Gallery on your Android device. Find the GoPro clip that needs rotating. Tap the video and select the ‘Share‘ icon. Now, select the ‘Upload to Photos‘ feature.
- Next, open Google Photos on your device and select the search bar.
- Choose the ‘Videos‘ button. You should see the GoPro clips that you uploaded in step one.
- Select one of the clips and tap the slider bar located at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose ‘Rotate.’ Rotate the footage until it’s orientated how you would like.
- Finally, select the ‘Save‘ button to finish editing your GoPro clip.
You can repeat these steps for as many GoPro clips as you would like.
Conclusion
It’s not uncommon for you to find your GoPro videos oriented in strange ways. Thankfully, you can resolve these issues by using Landscape Lock or rotating the shots in editing software.
The process for rotating GoPro clips is pretty similar across most editing programs. However, your situation will vary depending on your software of choice. You can also rotate GoPro footage on your mobile device if you don’t have access to editing programs or a computer.