Rubik's Cube Solver from Photo (2×2–4×4)

Photograph the six faces of a scrambled cube or paint them onto a 3D cube, and this Rubik's cube solver plays the solution one move at a time. It handles the 2×2, 3×3 and 4×4, and spells out every move in words such as "Right face — 90° clockwise". The "Beginner method" tab also walks you through the layer-by-layer method from your own cube's position, so you learn the formulas as you solve. All solving and photo reading happens in your browser.

How to use

1. Under "Cube size" at the top, pick 2×2, 3×3 or 4×4 to match the cube in your hand.
2. On the "Solve" tab, set "Cube input" to "Read from photos", press "Turn on camera", then press "Take photo" for each face in the order shown. Saved photos go in with "Choose a photo".
3. Drag the four corner dots onto the face so the grid lines up; if the colours read sideways, press "Rotate 90°", then press "Use for this face".
4. Press "Check and fix on the cube" and compare the cells marked ? with your real cube; to fix one, pick a "Paint colour" and tap the cell. You can also skip photos and paint from scratch with "Paint the 3D cube" or "Paint the net".
5. Press "Find solution" to see the move count and the moves. Each press of "Next" turns the 3D cube by one move and "Play" runs to the end; turn the cube in your hand the same way.
6. To learn the formulas, open the "Beginner method" tab and press "Show the stages for this cube". Each stage, from the white cross to the last-layer corner twist, appears with its formula (3×3 only).
7. For practice, press "Scramble" on the "Scramble & timer" tab; press and release the space bar or the time to start the timer and press again to stop. Solving the on-screen cube also stops it.

How it works

• The 3×3 is solved with Kociemba's two-phase algorithm in at most 25 moves (usually 20 to 22) and the 2×2 optimally (at most 11). The 4×4 goes through centres, edge pairing, parity and a 3×3 solve, so it usually takes over 100 moves.
• Only layer turns are counted. Whole-cube turns (x, y, z) are not counted as moves.
• Notation: R L U D F B turn that face 90° clockwise as you look at it, a trailing ' means counter-clockwise and 2 means 180°. On the 4×4, Rw turns the right two layers and 2R the second layer from the right.
• Photos are processed on this device only and are never uploaded. The solving tables are built on the device the first time; the 3×3 tables and timer records stay in this browser.
• The 2×2 and 3×3 use random-state scrambles (every position equally likely); the 4×4 uses 40 random moves. If colours are hard to tell apart, turn on "Colour-blind mode (symbols)".

Solve a Rubik's cube from a photo: how to get a clean scan

When reading photos, the tool samples the middle of each grid cell and assigns it to the nearest cube colour. It weighs hue above brightness to reduce shadows, yet white and yellow, or orange and red, can still look alike under some lights. Uncertain cells get a ?, and once all six faces are in it checks that each colour appears the right number of times (nine on a 3×3) and that every piece is a real colour combination.

Shoot straight on in even light without glare, with the face filling most of the frame. Direction matters: the four side faces need the top face at the top of the photo, the top face needs the front face toward the bottom of the photo, and the bottom face needs the front face toward the top. If several ? cells remain, press "Re-read with equal colour counts" to reclassify every cell so each colour gets the same count.

How to solve a 3x3 Rubik's cube: beginner method step by step

The beginner method finishes the cube one layer at a time from the bottom. Hold the white centre down and build the white cross, the first-layer corners and the middle-layer edges to finish two layers; then the yellow cross, the last-layer edges, placing the last-layer corners and twisting them complete the top. The white cross has no fixed formula, and the formulas for the other stages are all short.

The tool's formulas. First-layer corners: repeat R U R' U' until the corner drops in. Middle-layer edges: U R U' R' U' F' U F to send an edge right, U' L' U L U F U' F' to send it left. Yellow cross: F R U R' U' F'. Last-layer edges: R U R' U R U2 R'. Placing corners: U R U' L' U R' U' L. Twisting corners: R' D' R D.

Most beginners get stuck on the final corner twist. Repeating R' D' R D makes the lower two layers look scrambled; that is expected, and they come back once every top corner is twisted. To move to the next corner, turn only U to bring it to the front-right top position, never the whole cube. A layer-by-layer solve usually takes 100 moves or more, far longer than a computer solution, but a person can memorise it.

2x2 and 4x4 cube solver: how they differ from the 3x3

A 2×2 has no centres or edges, only eight corners, so it has just 3,674,160 positions. The tool builds a table of the distance of every position and always shows the shortest solution; no position needs more than 11 moves.

A 4×4 has no fixed centres, so you first gather each face's four centre pieces, then pair the two edge pieces of each colour pair, then solve it like a 3×3. Along the way a state that cannot happen on a 3×3 may remain: a single flipped edge (OLL parity) or two swapped edges (PLL parity), each needing its own formula. The tool splits the solution into "Centres", "Edge pairing", "OLL parity", "PLL parity" and "Solve as a 3×3", adding the parity stages only when needed.

Questions and answers

Is there a website that solves a Rubik's cube from a picture?

Yes, this page does. Photograph the six faces as shown, check the cells marked ?, and press "Find solution" to see the moves on a 3D cube.

What is the fewest moves to solve a 3x3 Rubik's cube?

Every position can be solved in 20 moves or fewer, as proven in 2010. For speed, this tool gives solutions of at most 25 moves, usually 20 to 22.

Why does the cube solver say my cube cannot be solved?

Usually one cell has the wrong colour. Wrong colour counts, one twisted corner, one flipped edge or exactly two swapped pieces cannot come from turning, so compare those cells with your cube again. A cube reassembled wrongly after taking it apart gives the same message.

How many algorithms do beginners need to solve a Rubik's cube?

Seven short formulas in this tool's layer-by-layer method, counting the right and left middle-edge formulas separately. The white cross is solved without a formula, one piece at a time.

What does R U R' U' mean in cube notation?

R turns the right face and U the top face 90° clockwise as you look at that face, and ' means counter-clockwise. L D F B are the left, bottom, front and back faces, and 2 means 180°.

What is God's number for a 2x2 cube?

It is 11 moves, counting any 90° or 180° turn of a face as one move. This tool always shows the optimal 2×2 solution.

Why does parity happen on a 4x4 cube?

Each 4×4 edge is split into two pieces, and pairing them can leave positions impossible on a 3×3. There is OLL parity (one flipped edge) and PLL parity (two swapped edges), and the tool adds the right formula only when your cube needs it.

How is the average of 5 calculated on a cube timer?

Take your last five times, drop the single best and worst, and average the remaining three. "Average of 12" works the same way over the middle ten of the last twelve.

Can I use this Rubik's cube solver on my phone without an app?

Yes. It runs in the browser, scans the faces with your phone camera, and the photos never leave the device.