How to Solve 3×3 Rubik’s Cube?

I’ve always been passionate about puzzles, and the 3×3 Rubik’s Cube is one of my favorites. If you’re wondering how to solve the 3×3 Rubik’s Cube, I’m here to help. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps I use, from the basic understanding of the cube’s layout to executing the final moves that will help you complete the puzzle. Whether you’re a beginner or just looking to get faster, stick with me, and let’s tackle this challenge together!

Terminologies in a 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube

1. Colors

a. The 3×3 Rubik’s Cube has 6 colors, namely white, yellow, blue, orange, green, and red, each representing one side.

b. The color scheme of the Rubik’s Cube is fixed and follows: white is opposite to yellow, blue is opposite to green, and red is opposite to orange.

2. Pieces

The Rubik’s Cube has 26 pieces in total, comprising three different types of pieces:

1. Centers: There are 6 centers in the Rubik’s Cube, and they have a fixed position, which guides the solver in determining the correct position of the respective pieces. On a solved Rubik’s Cube, the pieces adjacent to the centers must be of the same color.
2. Corners: The corner pieces are located at the apex of the puzzle, and the Rubik’s Cube has a total of 8 corner pieces. Each corner piece comprises three colors.
3. Edges: The two-colored edges in the Rubik’s Cube are located between the corners and adjacent to the centers. There are a total of 12 edges in a Rubik’s Cube.

Master the 3×3 cube faster by using our 3×3 Rubik’s Cube Solver tool, designed to guide you through every move.

Notations of a 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube

Before starting to solve the Rubik’s Cube, it is necessary to know a few notations to further understand the puzzle:

1. R & R’ Notation

• R (Right): Rotate the right layer of the Rubik’s Cube clockwise, i.e., right side upwards.
• R’ (Right Prime): Rotate the right layer of the Rubik’s Cube counterclockwise, i.e., right side downwards.

2. L & L’ Notation

L (Left): Rotate the left layer of the Rubik’s Cube clockwise, i.e., left side downwards.

L’ (Left Prime): Rotate the left layer of the Rubik’s Cube counterclockwise, i.e., left side upwards.

Note: The left and right movements are opposite to each other.

3. U & U’ Notation

U (Upper): Rotate the upper layer of the Rubik’s Cube clockwise, i.e., upper side towards the left.

U’ (Upper Prime): Rotate the upper layer of the Rubik’s Cube counterclockwise, i.e., upper side towards the right.

4. M & M’ Notation

M (Middle): Rotate the middle layer of the Rubik’s Cube clockwise, i.e., the vertical middle layer upwards.

M’ (Middle Prime): Rotate the middle layer of the Rubik’s Cube counterclockwise, i.e., the vertical middle layer downwards.

5. F & F’ Notation

F (Front): Rotate the front layer of the Rubik’s Cube clockwise, i.e., front side towards the right.

F’ (Front Prime): Rotate the front layer of the Rubik’s Cube counterclockwise, i.e., front side towards the left.

6. B & B’ Notation

B (Back): Rotate the back layer of the Rubik’s Cube clockwise, i.e., back side towards the left.

B’ (Back Prime): Rotate the back layer of the Rubik’s Cube counterclockwise, i.e., back side towards the right.

7. D & D’ Notation

D (Down): Rotate the down layer of the Rubik’s Cube clockwise, i.e., down side towards the left.

D’ (Down Prime): Rotate the down layer of the Rubik’s Cube counterclockwise, i.e., down side towards the right.

Note: Any alphanumeric representation denoted by ‘2’ after the alphabet, for example, U2, indicates moving that respective layer twice in any direction (as the puzzle has four sides, two moves on any side is the same).

How to Solve 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube?

Before you start learning the Rubik’s Cube, you should first select a color. You might choose white as the starting color for convenience during the learning process; however, after learning, you can become color-neutral and start solving the puzzle from any side. 

Hold the cube such that the white center is on the top. 

Step 1: Forming the White Cross

The first step is to locate white edge pieces (two colored), namely white-red, white blue, white-orange, white-green. Once you have located either of the pieces, depending on its position, you may use one of the configurations below:

 a. Top layer flipped edge

If you are ever faced with an edge piece at the top near white center but flipped, you can solve it by: Face the white piece and perform F R.

Note 1: After performing F, the U layer is independent to move. Let’s say you find a white piece already present in the right layer, you may perform U/U’/U2 and have a non-white edge slot where you insert the white edge by performing R. (Kindly refer the video above for more clarity)

2. Middle layer edge

You may encounter either of the two cases for the white edges in the middle layer:

a. White edge on left layer: Face the white piece and perform a L’ to insert the edge piece on the top.

b. White edge on right layer: Face the white piece and perform a R to insert the edge piece on the top.

Note 2: Follow the advice on Note 1 if you find any white edge on the top layer already.

3. Bottom layer edge

You may encounter either of the two cases for the white edges in the bottom layer:

a. White edge on face: If you are able to face the white edge piece you can insert it to the top by performing a D M’ D’ M.

b. White edge on bottom: If you are not able to face the white edge piece you can insert it to the top by performing a M’ D2 M.

Note 3: Ensure you have a non-white spot on the top layer on the F layer for inserting the pieces from the bottom layer. If you have a white edge, you may perform U/U/U2 to move it away.   

4. Solving the cross

Now we have formed the cross however the edges might not match the adjacent centers (red, blue, orange and green). Before we start you may rotate the top layer with U/U’/U2 moves to match at least one or two edges.

You may be faced with either of the two cases, however, the logic remains the same:

a. Two adjacent edge swaps

• Face one unsolved edge and perform F2, then check for the color on the bottom layer. Now match it with its center by performing D/D’ depending on which side its center is.
• Now rotate the entire cube to the left or right to face the matched center and perform F2 again. This will solve the 1^st edge with the 2^nd edge now on the bottom layer (as while performing F2 we swapped the positions of the 1^st and 2^nd edge pieces).
• Now check for the color on the bottom layer and match it with its center by performing D/D’ depending on which side its center is.
• Now rotate the entire cube to the left or right to face the matched center and perform F2 again to solve the cross. 

b. Two opposite edge swaps

• Face one unsolved edge and perform F2, then match it with its center by performing D2 (as it is the opposite center).
• Now rotate the entire cube twice to face the matched center and perform F2 again. This will solve the 1^st edge with the 2^nd edge now on the bottom layer.
• Now check for the color on the bottom layer and match it with its center by performing D2.
• Now rotate the entire cube twice to face the matched center and perform F2 again to solve the cross.

Note 4: In case you find three edge swaps, perform U/U’ moves the adjacent edge swap case from above.

Step 2: Solving the 1^st Layer

After solving the white cross, the next step is to insert the white corners to solve the 1^st layer of the cube. You may face either of the case:

Positioning the corners

a. Before moving on to the solution, you need to orient the white corner in-between the respective centers before solving them.

b. This can be easily done by: identifying the colors in an edge piece, for example let’s take white-red-blue corner, this corner needs to be placed in-between the red-blue center.

c.  This can be done by performing D moves until it’s in the correct position.

1. White corner on the left layer

a. After orienting the corner in the correct position, face the white color on the corner piece. If it’s on the left layer, insert it to the cross by performing D L D’ L’.

2. White corner on the right layer

a. After orienting the corner in the correct position, face the white color on the corner piece. If it’s on the right layer, insert it to the cross by performing D’ R’ D R.

Special cases

Sometimes you may face either of the three cases where the corner piece may be inaccessible for solving the 1^st layer.

1. White corner facing bottom (i.e. facing yellow side)

a. In this case we have to first rotate the corner before orienting to solve the 1^st layer, since with this type of corner piece you may not be able to face the white color.

b. First perform D moves and bring this corner to the right layer, and ensure the top corner in the white cross is unsolved.

c. Then perform R’ D2 R, now you must be having that corner on your left layer. Orient it and solve as per the above guide.

2. Corner piece on top layer

In this case we must bring the white corner to the bottom layer first. You may face the white color and may encounter either of the two cases:

a. White corner on right layer: Bring it to the bottom layer by performing R’ D R.

b. White corner on left layer: Bring it to the bottom layer by performing L D’ L’. 

After bringing it to the bottom layer, solve it as mentioned in Step 2 above.

Step 3: Solving the 2^nd Layer

Now with the 1^st layer solved, the next step is to solve the 2^nd layer. Here we need to concentrate on the ‘’non-yellow edge pieces’’ such as blue-red edge and so on. Either of the two cases may be faced while solving:

Positioning the edges

a. This can be done by performing D moves until a non-yellow edge piece matches with the center either (blue/orange/red/green).

b. Now identify the color on the bottom of that edge piece.

1. Edge piece to the right layer:

a. If the edge piece needs to move to the right layer, then perform D’ R’ D R.

b. Now rotate the cube to the left and face the white corner, and perform D L D’ L’

2. Edge piece to the left layer:

a. If the edge piece needs to move to the left layer, then perform D L D’ L’.

b. Now rotate the cube to the left and face the white corner, and perform D’ R’ D R.

With this your second layer will be solved!!

Special cases

Sometimes you may have no non-yellow edge pieces on the bottom layer to start with or may have an edge piece in the incorrect position in the middle layer. In either case, we need to first remove the edge piece from the middle layer to the bottom layer. This can be done easily by placing the correct edge on the right side and performing R’ D R. Now rotate the cube to the right where you are able to face the white on the left bottom corner and perform D L D’ L’. Now with the edge piece on the bottom layer you can solve it with either of the two cases mentioned above.

Step 4: Forming the Yellow Cross

Now rotate your cube upside down with the yellow center on the top. Here our objective is to form a yellow cross and we can encounter either of the three cases. Before solving keep in mind we only need to focus on the yellow edge pieces and the position of the corned pieces is not important for us and may kindly ignore:

1. Dot

a. Hold the cube in any position and perform F R U R’ U’ F’.

b. Now you will get an Inverted L case, solve it with the next step.

2. Inverted L

a. Hold the inverted L to the left two layers and perform F R U R’ U’ F’.

b. Now you will get a straight-line case, solve it with the next step. 

3. Line

a. Hold the straight line parallel to you and perform F R U R’ U’ F’.

b. This will form the yellow cross on the top layer.

Step 5: Solving the Yellow side

Now with the yellow cross formed, we have to look at the yellow corners and see how many corners are solved. We may have none of the corners solved or 1 corner solved or 2 corners solved. In any of these cases, the solution remains the same and here we will be performing a corner twisting algorithm here.

1. First ensure your right layer has a non-solved yellow corner, then perform (R’ D’ R D) (R’ D’ R D) and check if the yellow on the top.

2. If it’s unsolved, perform (R’ D’ R D) (R’ D’ R D) and it must be solved.

3. Then rotate the top layer by performing U/U’/U2 moves and bring a non-solved yellow corner to the right layer and perform (R’ D’ R D) (R’ D’ R D).

Repeat this until the whole yellow is solved and kindly note not to rotate the cube under any circumstances and always to perform the algorithm (R’ D’ R D) (R’ D’ R D) in multiples of two.

With this, the yellow color would be fully solved. Now to the second last step.  

 Step 4: Solving the Yellow Corners

Now we need to identify something called ‘’headlights’’, which means two corners of the same color on one side. Once you have identified that face that side and perform R B’ R F2 R’ B R F2 R2.

If no headlights are found perform R B’ R F2 R’ B R F2 R2 and now you should be able to find one now. Now solve it with the above-mentioned methodology.

Step 5: Solving the Yellow Edges

Now we only have to solve the yellow edges. You may face either of the two cases:

1. Three edge swaps

a. Keep the solved side on the back side and perform R U’ R U R U R U’ R’ U’ R2.

2. Four edge swaps

a. Face any side and perform R U’ R U R U R U’ R’ U’ R2, this will solve one edge piece.

b. Now keep the solved side on the back side and perform R U’ R U R U R U’ R’ U’ R2.

Congratulations you have solved the 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube!!!

 In summary, a 3×3 Rubik’s Cube is solved as follows:

White Cross -> 1^st Layer -> 2^nd Layer -> Yellow Cross -> Yellow Side -> Yellow Corners ->  Yellow Edges

Tips to Solve 3×3 Rubik’s Cube?

1. Write down the algorithms on paper while practicing if you struggle to remember them.
2. It might take a few solves to get comfortable with the beginner’s methodology. You can achieve solve times of 45-55 seconds with this approach. Welcome to the cubing community!
3. As you progress, consider exploring advanced methodologies like CFOP, Roux, ZZ, etc., to further decrease your solve times and dive into speedcubing.

Conclusion

Mastering the Rubik’s Cube is within your grasp with persistence and practice. Beyond solving colored stickers, it’s about developing problem-solving skills and staying resilient through setbacks. Memorize the algorithms, persevere, and soon you’ll impress others with your speed. Join a cuber’s group for motivation, challenge yourself, and build a strong foundation with the beginner’s method before advancing. Invest time in learning finger tricks to improve your solve times further. Consider online classes for expert guidance and continuous improvement.

Reach your solving goals faster with the help of our 3×3 Rubik’s Cube Solver tool for efficient solutions.