F2L algorithms are used to solve the first 2 layers of a Rubik’s cube. This is why they are called F2L (first 2 layers). F2L is part of the CFOP method of solving a Rubik’s cube. Learning full F2L will massively improve the speed of your solves. In this guide we cover F2l in depth, and cover 41 different F2L algorithms.
There are a lot of algorithms to learn here. If you’re going to learn full f2l likes this, than it will take time, dedication and a lot of practise. But it can be done if you’re persistent enough.
This guide is broken down into sections to make it easier to find what F2l case you are looking for. Either flick through the whole guide or use the contents list to skip to the case you need. Of course, if you have any questions or need any more help with this, you can find us on your favourite social network!
F2L Algorithms Explained
Through out this guide you will find a lot of algorithms. If you are unsure of Rubik’s cube notation the please go and check out our guide. If you haven’t solved a Rubik’s cube before, then you should also consider solving a cube with the beginners method before moving onto f2l. This isn’t really for beginners.
F2L is when you solve one of the corners in the first layer, along with one of the side pieces in the second layer, at the same time. In beginners methods, you first solve the corners, then you solve the side pieces. To make things faster, F2L algorithms are used to do it all at once.
Each box below will show you a picture of an F2L case. They are all made of the red/blue/white corner and the red/blue side piece. But the colours will differ depending on which side of the cube you’re solving. We have just used these colours to keep it simple.
The empty slot in the picture should be on the right side, where your right thumb is when holding the cube. So the blue side should be facing you, white should be on the bottom, with the yellow side on the top. This means the red is on the right and the orange side (which you can see in these pics) will be on your left.
To start with, we will cover three easy F2L cases, when the sides just need to be inserted into the right place and they are already solved.
Inserting Solved F2L Cases
Most F2L cases will be solved in the top layer, and then they are inserted into the correct positions. In some cases, the corner and side piece that need to be connected are already connecting. In these cases the F2L pair can be easily inserted with some short algorithms.
If you find the corner pieces and side piece are connected, and the white side is facing you, you have a simple case to solve. Use this F2L algorithm:
U R U’ R’
Alternatively, if you find the corner and edge are solved, but the white square is on your right, you need to do this algorithm instead:
y U’ L’ U L
Lastly, if you find the corner and the side touching, but they are upside down in their slot, you need to flip them and insert them using this alg:
U’ (R’ F R F’) (R U’ R’)
These three cases are very easy to recognise and easy to solved. You should be able to execute these F2L algorithms quickly and easily. Next up, you may find cases where the bottom corners is already in the right place, and it is correctly oriented too. This means you just have to solve the edge piece. Let cover these next.
Bottom Corner Already Solved
If the bottom corner is in the right place and correctly orientated, you will only need to solved the side piece. If you have learned how to solved a Rubik’s cube using beginners method, you may already know how to solved 2 of these cases. But the last one is a little tricky.
For the case where you find the corner is solved but the side piece needs to move left into its correct slot, you can do this algorithm.
R’ F’ R U (R U R’) F
If you find the corner is solved, but the side pieces needs to move from the right into its correct slot, you simply need to do this alg:
U (R U’ R’ U’) F’ U F
Sometimes you may find the corner is solved, and the side piece is in the right place but flipped. To flip it into the correct orientation, do this alg:
R2 U2 F R2 F’ U2 R’ U R’
Two of these algorithms you should already know or at least be familiar with. So there is only one you need to learn for these cases. Next up we are going to cover cases where the white corners is facing upwards.
F2L Algorithms for White Corner Facing Upwards
Here we will cover nine different f2l cases. Some of which are easy, and some can be difficult. If the side pieces are touching the white corner piece, you are better of learning the f2l algorithms for those cases. But in cases where the side pieces are not touching the white corner, there is a track you can sue to make things really easy.
We will break these nine algorithms into sections to make them easier to follow.
White Corner Touching Side Pieces
There are 5 cases you will find where the white corner is facing up, and the side pieces are touching it. First we will cover what to do when the white and red are facing upwards, then we will cover the white and blue facing upwards.
If you find the white corner facing up, with the red on the left side of it, the blue side piece will be touching the blue centre. In this case do this alg:
y’ R’ U2 (R U R’ U’) R
In the case where you find the white facing up and the red is on the right of it, the blue side will be touching the red centre piece. Then do this alg:
F U (R U’ R’) F’ (R U’ R’)
Next, for the white facing up and the blue on the right of it. This means the red side is touching the red centre piece. For this case do this:
R U2 R’ U’ (R U R’)
In this case, the white is facing up with the blue square to the left, and the red side piece touching the blue centre. Do this algorithm:
R U R’ U2 (R U R’ U’) R U R’
Lastly, if the white corners is facing up, but the side piece is underneath it but flipped. You just have to do this easy algorithm!
(U R U’ R’) (U R U’ R’) (U R U’ R’)
For the rest of the cases where the white corner is facing upwards, the side pieces are not touching it. This makes it much easier to solve the flowing cases without using F2L algorithms.
White Corner and Blue Side Piece Facing Upwards
If the white corner is facing up, and the blue side of the red/blue side piece is facing up too, there is a simple trick you can do to solve it.
First, rotate the top layer so the red side of the red/blue pieces is touch the red centre square.
Next, rotate the red side so the blue side of the side piece is moved away from the blue face of the cube. Then you just move the white/blue/red corner piece above the red/blue side piece and they will be connected. All you have to do then is insert them
To make this make more sense, just follow this algorithm in the first case:
With the white corner facing up, with the blue side pieces also facing up but not touching the white corner, just follow this alg to solve it:
U R U2 R’ U R U’ R’
The blue square may also be found to the left of the white instead of on the right. In this case you need to do the following algorithm:
R U’ R’ U2 R U R’
White Corner Facing Up with Red Side Piece F2L Algorithms
Much like the white/blue cases above, you can use the trick to solve these cases. Rotate the top layer so the blue side of the red/blue side piece is touching the blue centre square. Rotate the blue side of the cube, so the red side of the red/bleu side piece is moving away from the red face of the cube (towards orange).
Then just put the white/blue/red corner piece above the red/blue side piece using U moves. When they are together, turn that face backup to put the two pieces in the top layer together. Then just insert them again.
Of course you can do that, or uses the F2L algorithms:
For cases where the white corner is facing up, and the red side of the red/blue side piece is also facing up on the left side of the white, just do this algorithm:
y’ U’ R’ U2 R U’ R’ U R
If the white corner is facing up, and the red side of the red/bleu side pieces is facing up on the right of the white square, you should do this alg:
F’ L’ U2 L F
Thats is all of the f2l algorithms for cases where the white corner is facing upwards. If you learn the trick, these are very easy cases to solve. Along with learning these algs, you could also learn something called “intuitive f2l”. That will make this whole process a little easier, but we will cover that in another guide.
F2L Algorithms for White Corner Facing Front
This is a long section with 9 f2l algorithms to learn. We will begin by looking at the white corner and red side piece facing upwards. Then go over the white side facing up and the blue side facing up. You will see that there are only 3 of the white corner/blue side cases. This is because on of these cases has already been covered in the ready to insert section of this guide.
White Facing Front, Blue Corner on Top, Red Facing up
The next few algs are specifically for cases where the white corner is facing front of the cube, the blue side of the corner is on top of the cube, and the red side of the blue/red side piece is facing up. There are four of these cases.
With the white side of the corner piece facing the front of the cube and the blue side facing up, look for the red piece in this position. Then do this algorithm:
y L’ U’ L
If the corner piece has blue facing up and white facing forward, but the red is on the back of the cube, you need to do this algorithm to fix it:
U’ R U’ R’ U F’ U’ F
In the next position the red side piece is right next to the white/blue corners piece. This is not a good case for intuitive F2L, so learn this alg:
y’ R U2 R2 U’ R2 U’ R’
For the last position with red facing up, white facing forward, it is best to learn this alg instead of doing intuitive f2l as this may be faster:
y’ U R’ U R U’ R’ U’ R
White Facing Front, Blue Corner on Top, Blue Facing up F2L Algorithms
These next set of algs will cover what to do if the white square of the corner piece is facing front, the blue square is on top, and the blue side of the red/blue piece is facing upwards. There are only 3 of these case because one of them has already been covered in the easy to insert section of this guide.
This is a great case to use for learning intuitive F2l. Try to focus on how the pieces move around the cube when you do this f2l algorithm:
U’ R U2 R’ U2 R U’ R’
If the white corner is facing you with the blue corner on top, and the blue side of the red/blue side piece is at the back of the cube, do this algorithm:
U’ (R U R’) U2 (R U’ R’)
If the blue side of the red/blue side piece is facing up next to the white/blue/red corner like the picture show, do this algorithm to fix it:
(R U R’) U2 R U’ R’ U (R U’ R’)
White Facing Front, with Blue Facing Up, on Top of Side Piece
There are two cases where you will find the white/blue/red corner is sitting on top of the red/blue side piece. In one case the side piece will be oriented correctly, and in the other it wont be, here are the 2 F2L algorithms you need to solve these cases.
If the white/blue/red corner is on top of the side piece and the side piece is orientated correctly, you just have to do this F2L algorithm:
U’ (R U’ R’) U2 (R U’ R’)
In the case of the white/blue/red corner sitting on top of the red/blue side piece, but the side piece is flipped, you just have to do this algorithm:
U’ (R U R’) U F’ U’ F
F2L Algorithms for White Corner Facing Right
There are also 9 f2l algorithms for when the white corner is facing to the right of the cube. They are all reasonably easy and should not take you long to learn.
It is important to go through these algorithms slowly so you can understand what the pieces are doing as they move around the cube. That will help you understand what’s going on with F2L and in the long run make you much faster.
Top Colours DO Not Match
When the white side of the corner is facing right, and red is facing up, the side piece can be in 4 different positions. Here is the first case:
U’ (R U R’) U (R U R’)
If you find the side piece is on the back of the cube with blue facing upwards, check the white corner is facing right with red on top, and do this alg:
R U R’
In the case of the side piece touching the corner piece, you first need to separate them. Then you connect the and insert them. This is done with this alg:
U’ (R U’ R’) U (R U R’)
For the last case where the top colours do not match, the side piece and corner are touching. You can separate them, fix them and insert them using this alg:
R’ U2 R2 U R2 U R
Matching Colours on Top
In some cases you will find the white corner facing right, with red on top, which matches the side piece. When the side piece is on the left of the cube use this alg:
U’ r U’ R’ U R U r’
If the white corner is facing right, with the red on top, and the red side of the side piece also faces upwards, but its on the back of the cube, use this alg:
r’ U2 R2 U R2′ U r
When the white side of the corner is facing right, with red on top, and the red side of the side piece is on the right of the cube, touching the corner, do this alg:
R U’ R’ U2 F’ U’ F
In some cases the side pieces will sit under the white corner. If the white corner is facing right, and so is the red side of the side piece, use this algorithm:
U (R U R’) U2 (R U R’)
If you find the side piece under the white corner piece. But the white corner faces right, and the blue side of the side piece faces right too, use this alg:
U2 (R’ F R F’) U2 (R U R’)
White Corner on the Bottom Layer F2L Algorithms
For the last set of cases we will look at cases where the white corner pieces is in the bottom layer of the cube. In the cases the white corner of that corner piece will be facing either left or right. For cases where the bottom corner is already solved, see the section of the guide at the top of this article.
There are 8 different cases to cover here. 4 where the white side of the corner is on the front of the cube, and the blue side faces right. Then 4 cases where the white side faces right and the red side faces the front.
White Facing Front, Blue Facing Right
The white side of the corner piece will be facing the front of the cube with blue facing right. The side piece in on the right, with the red side, touching the red centre
(R U’ R’) U (R U’ R’)
Next, the white corner is facing front and the blue is on the right. The side piece has blue on the front, and it is touching the blue centre square, do this alg:
(R’ F R F’) (R’ F R F’)
If the side piece is directly on top of the white and blue corner, and it is properly orientated, you need to do this f2l algorithm to fix it:
(R U’ R’ U’) (R U R’) U2 (R U’ R’)
In the case where the side piece is on top of the white and blue corner, but it needs to be flipped to fix it, do this algorithm, note the lower case r’s!
(r U’ r’) U2 (r U r’) (R U R’)
White Facing Right, Red Facing Front F2L Algorithms
With the white side of the corner facing right, and the red side facing front, if the side piece on the front face with the blue side touching the blue centre, do this alg:
y (L’ U L) U’ (L’ U L)
Instead, if the side piece is on the right, with the red side of the side piece touching the red centre piece. You just have to do this easy algorithm:
(R U R’ U’) (R U R’)
If the side piece is on top of the white corner piece, with the red facing front, and white facing right, but it is orientated correctly, do this algorithm:
(R U’ R’) U R U2 R’ U (R U’ R’)
If the side piece is on top of the white/red/blue corner. But it needs to be flipped to solve this F2L, use this algorithm to break them up and solve them:
(R U’ R’) (r U’ r’) U2 (r U r’)
Summary of F2l Algorithms
There are a lot of algorithms to learn when you learn F2L. Some people find it very difficult to learn them all. It may be easier for some solvers to learn “intuitive F2L” instead of all of these F2L algorithms. They are essentially the same thing, you just learn the solving method rather than algorithms. But it does take practice.
What ever you do, F2L will massively improve your solve times on Rubik’s cube. If you want to solve a Rubik’s cube quickly, in under 20 seconds, than F2l Algorithms are very important to learn. It will be intimidating at first, but with time and practise, you will get there, just don’t give up.
Learnig to cube is not easy sometimes, but it should always be fun. If you get stressed at anytime, take a break! There is no rush to learn all of these algorithms. Why not learn one per day? Maybe two. And if it gets too much, come and visit us on our social networks, and maybe join our discord server. There are people there who also love to cube like you do. So come and join us: