Beginner step 5

How to Solve Yellow Corners on a Rubik's Cube

Yellow corners involve two different jobs that beginners often mix up: first make the yellow stickers face up, then put the corners in the correct positions. Final yellow-edge swaps are a separate finish step in the full guide.

Last reviewed: May 31, 2026 by the Cubzor Editorial Team.

Start by matching your cube

What does your cube look like?

Check corners in two passes. First ask whether yellow corner stickers face up. Then ask whether each corner sits between the right side centers.

Needs orientation

Focus on yellow stickers facing up first.

Yellow corners are not all facing up

If you see: One or more yellow corner stickers point to the side instead of the top.
Hold it: Keep the unsolved corner at the front-right of the top layer.
Do this: Use R U R' U R U2 R' to orient the corner pattern, then recheck the top face.
Result: More yellow corner stickers face up. Repeat only as the beginner guide instructs.

Needs positioning

A solid yellow face can still have corners in the wrong slots.

Yellow face is solid but corners are in wrong places

If you see: All yellow stickers face up, but side colors on the top corners do not match centers.
Hold it: Find a corner that is already in the right place if there is one. Hold it at front-right.
Do this: Use R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2 to cycle the other corners.
Result: Corners move into the correct slots while staying oriented.

Edges remain

If only edges are wrong, this page has done its job.

Corners are correct but yellow edges are still swapped

If you see: Yellow face is solid and corner side colors match, but top edges are in the wrong side positions.
Hold it: Stop using corner algorithms.
Do this: Return to the final yellow-edge step in the full beginner guide.
Result: You solve the remaining edge cycle without disturbing solved corners.

Practice this stepTry the same turns on the virtual cube.Scan my cubeUse the solver if your cube does not match the pictures.Full beginner guideGo back to the complete 7-step method.

Your goal

Orient the yellow corners so the yellow face becomes solid.
Position the last-layer corners so their side colors match the side centers.
Keep yellow-edge swaps separate from corner work.

You are done when...

All four yellow corner stickers face up.
Each last-layer corner belongs between its three matching centers.
The first two layers stay solved.
Only final yellow-edge swaps may remain.

Orienting and positioning are different

A solid yellow face means the corners are oriented. The side colors still need to prove that the corners are positioned correctly.

Oriented

All yellow stickers face up.

Position check

Side corner colors must match centers too.

First ask: do all yellow corner stickers face up?
Then ask: does each corner sit between the right three centers?
If only yellow edges are misplaced, use the final step in the full beginner guide.

Interactive demo

Orient yellow corners

Use the beginner corner-orientation algorithm to make yellow stickers face up.

Loading interactive cube...

Position last-layer corners

Use this corner-positioning algorithm when corners need to move to the correct slots.

Loading interactive cube...

Algorithm / move box

New to the letters? Review notation basics before following the move box.

Orient yellow corners

R U R' U R U2 R'

Use this to make yellow corner stickers face up.
Do not use it as a final edge-swap algorithm.

Position yellow corners

R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2

Use this when yellow corners need to move around the top layer.
After corners are correct, return to the full beginner guide for final yellow-edge swaps.

Common mistakes

Confusing orientation with position

How to spot it: The yellow face is solid, but side colors around the top layer are wrong.

Fix: Treat that as a positioning problem, not an orientation problem.

Solving yellow edges on this page

How to spot it: Only top edges need to cycle, but you keep changing corners.

Fix: Use the final edge-swap step in the full beginner guide instead of more corner algorithms.

Turning the whole cube during corner orientation

How to spot it: The first two layers break or the target corner changes unexpectedly.

Fix: Keep the same front face while applying the orientation algorithm, then turn only the top layer to bring the next corner into place.

Practice this stepTry the same turns on the virtual cube.Scan my cubeUse the solver if your cube does not match the pictures.Full beginner guideGo back to the complete 7-step method.

Fix a specific beginner step

Open the focused guide for the exact step that looks wrong on your cube.

White CrossMatch the four white edge pieces with the white center and side centers.White CornersFinish the first layer corners without breaking the white cross.Second LayerPlace the four middle-layer edges before starting the yellow face.Yellow CrossMake the yellow edge cross while keeping the first two layers solved.Yellow CornersOrient and position the last-layer corners without mixing up the two jobs.

How to Solve Yellow Corners on a Rubik's Cube

Last reviewed: May 31, 2026 by the Cubzor Editorial Team.

Start by matching your cube

What does your cube look like?

Check corners in two passes. First ask whether yellow corner stickers face up. Then ask whether each corner sits between the right side centers.

Needs orientation

Focus on yellow stickers facing up first.

Yellow corners are not all facing up

If you see: One or more yellow corner stickers point to the side instead of the top.
Hold it: Keep the unsolved corner at the front-right of the top layer.
Do this: Use R U R' U R U2 R' to orient the corner pattern, then recheck the top face.
Result: More yellow corner stickers face up. Repeat only as the beginner guide instructs.

Needs positioning

A solid yellow face can still have corners in the wrong slots.

Yellow face is solid but corners are in wrong places

If you see: All yellow stickers face up, but side colors on the top corners do not match centers.
Hold it: Find a corner that is already in the right place if there is one. Hold it at front-right.
Do this: Use R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2 to cycle the other corners.
Result: Corners move into the correct slots while staying oriented.

Edges remain

If only edges are wrong, this page has done its job.

Corners are correct but yellow edges are still swapped

If you see: Yellow face is solid and corner side colors match, but top edges are in the wrong side positions.
Hold it: Stop using corner algorithms.
Do this: Return to the final yellow-edge step in the full beginner guide.
Result: You solve the remaining edge cycle without disturbing solved corners.

Your goal

Orient the yellow corners so the yellow face becomes solid.
Position the last-layer corners so their side colors match the side centers.
Keep yellow-edge swaps separate from corner work.

You are done when...

All four yellow corner stickers face up.
Each last-layer corner belongs between its three matching centers.
The first two layers stay solved.
Only final yellow-edge swaps may remain.

Orienting and positioning are different

A solid yellow face means the corners are oriented. The side colors still need to prove that the corners are positioned correctly.

Oriented

All yellow stickers face up.

Position check

Side corner colors must match centers too.

First ask: do all yellow corner stickers face up?
Then ask: does each corner sit between the right three centers?
If only yellow edges are misplaced, use the final step in the full beginner guide.

Algorithm / move box

New to the letters? Review notation basics before following the move box.

Orient yellow corners

R U R' U R U2 R'

Use this to make yellow corner stickers face up.
Do not use it as a final edge-swap algorithm.

Position yellow corners

R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2

Use this when yellow corners need to move around the top layer.
After corners are correct, return to the full beginner guide for final yellow-edge swaps.

Common mistakes

Confusing orientation with position

How to spot it: The yellow face is solid, but side colors around the top layer are wrong.

Fix: Treat that as a positioning problem, not an orientation problem.

Solving yellow edges on this page

How to spot it: Only top edges need to cycle, but you keep changing corners.

Fix: Use the final edge-swap step in the full beginner guide instead of more corner algorithms.

Turning the whole cube during corner orientation

How to spot it: The first two layers break or the target corner changes unexpectedly.

Fix: Keep the same front face while applying the orientation algorithm, then turn only the top layer to bring the next corner into place.