Beginner step 4
How to Make the Yellow Cross on a Rubik's Cube
The yellow cross orients the four yellow edge pieces on the top face. You are not solving yellow corners yet, and the side positions of the yellow edges can wait.
Last reviewed: by the Cubzor Editorial Team.
Start by matching your cube
What does your cube look like?
Look only at the four yellow edge stickers on top. Ignore the yellow corners while choosing the case.
Dot
Do the algorithm once and recheck.
Dot case
- If you see
- Only the yellow center is facing up. No yellow edge stickers are on top.
- Hold it
- Any front side is okay. Keep yellow on top.
- Do this
- Do F R U R' U' F' once, then inspect the new top pattern.
- Result
- The dot turns into an L-shape or line, so you can continue from that case.
L-shape
Hold the L in the back-left.
L-shape case
- If you see
- Two yellow edge stickers form a small corner shape.
- Hold it
- Turn the top so the L sits in the back-left of the top face.
- Do this
- Do F R U R' U' F'.
- Result
- The L-shape becomes a line or the full yellow cross.
Line
Hold the line horizontally.
Line case
- If you see
- Two yellow edge stickers form a straight line across the top.
- Hold it
- Turn the top so the line is horizontal from left to right.
- Do this
- Do F R U R' U' F'.
- Result
- The line becomes the yellow cross.
Cross
Edges are oriented. Corners are next.
Cross already exists
- If you see
- The four yellow edge stickers already make a plus shape.
- Hold it
- Stop changing edge orientation.
- Do this
- Move to yellow corners. Do not wait for the whole yellow face here.
- Result
- You avoid breaking progress by overusing the yellow-cross algorithm.
Your goal
- Turn the yellow edge stickers upward.
- Recognize whether you have a dot, L-shape, line, or cross case.
- Keep the first two layers solved while making the top cross.
You are done when...
- The yellow face has a plus shape through the center.
- Yellow corners may still point sideways or down.
- The first two layers are still solved.
- The yellow edge side colors do not need to be permuted yet.
Dot, L-shape, line, then cross
Hold the case correctly before using the algorithm. Repeat until the top face has the yellow cross.
Dot
Only the yellow center faces up.
L-shape
Hold the L in the back-left corner.
Line
Hold the line horizontally.
Cross
Stop here; corners are next.
- Ignore yellow corner stickers while checking this step.
- Use the same algorithm from the correct case orientation.
- After the cross appears, stop and move to yellow corners.
Interactive demo
Yellow cross algorithm
Use F R U R' U' F' to change dot, L-shape, or line cases toward a cross.
Loading interactive cube...
Algorithm / move box
New to the letters? Review notation basics before following the move box.
Beginner yellow cross
F R U R' U' F'
- Hold a line horizontally before starting.
- Hold an L-shape in the back-left before starting.
- For the dot case, use the algorithm once, inspect, then continue from the new case.
Common mistakes
Trying to solve yellow corners at the same time
How to spot it: You wait for the whole yellow face instead of stopping at the cross.
Fix: Check only the four yellow edge stickers and ignore the corner stickers for now.
Holding the line vertically
How to spot it: The algorithm changes the case, but progress feels random.
Fix: Rotate the top face or whole cube so the yellow line is horizontal before starting.
Breaking the first two layers
How to spot it: A solved middle-layer edge moves out during last-layer work.
Fix: Make sure you are using F R U R' U' F' exactly and not turning the bottom layers.
Fix a specific beginner step
Open the focused guide for the exact step that looks wrong on your cube.