How to solve a Rubik’s cube 3×3 for beginners (easy 7 steps)

If you have never solved a Rubik’s cube, this guide is for you. With just seven algorithms and a little patience you can solve the 3×3 in a few days.

Understand the cube first

A 3×3 has three kinds of pieces: 6 centers (one color, never move), 12 edges (two colors) and 8 corners (three colors). Because centers are fixed, a center sets its face’s color. You don’t solve “face by face”, you solve “piece by piece”.

Reading notation

Each letter is a face: U up, D down, R right, L left, F front, B back. A plain letter turns that face clockwise; a prime (R′) is counter-clockwise; a 2 (R2) is a 180° turn.

The seven steps

1. Hold it: yellow center up, green center facing you.
2. White cross: make a white cross on the bottom, each edge matching the center beside it.
3. White corners: use R U R′ U′ to insert each white corner.
4. Middle layer: place the four non-yellow edges with the “right” and “left” algorithms.
5. Yellow cross: F R U R′ U′ F′.
6. Match & position corners: use Sune and the corner-cycle algorithm.
7. Orient corners: repeat R′ D′ R D for each corner.

Tips for beginners

Don’t try to memorize everything at once. Learn one step, drill it until it’s automatic, then move on. Saying the algorithm out loud in rhythm helps you remember faster.

The fastest way to learn is to watch the algorithms play live on a 3D cube. Open the app and follow along.