# CFOP step 2: F2L, the first two layers together

In the beginner method you put in four white corners, then four middle-layer edges: eight separate jobs. F2L does them in **four**. Each white corner goes in together with the edge that sits above it, as a **pair**.

> 3D demo, Corner and edge side by side: U R U' R': `U R U' R'`

## The idea

Start with the cross on the bottom and yellow on top. There are four **slots** left: the four columns between the side centres, each holding one white corner and one middle-layer edge.

For each slot:
1. **Find the pair.** The white corner and the edge with the same two side colours.
2. **Join them** in the top layer, so they sit side by side with matching colours.
3. **Insert the pair** into its slot with three moves.

Work on the slot at the **front-right**. To work on another slot, turn the whole cube with `y` until it's at the front-right.

The demos dim everything except the pair. The other three slots are already solved, so you can see that F2L moves leave them alone.

## Inserting a joined pair

These are the moves every other case ends with, so learn them first.

### Corner above the slot, white facing right

The edge is at the back of the top layer. `R` lifts the corner to the back, where it joins the edge. `U` carries the pair over the slot, and `R'` drops it in.

> 3D demo, Basic insert: R U R': `R U R'`

### Corner above the slot, white facing front

The mirror image, on the left side of the slot. The edge is on the left of the top layer.

> 3D demo, Basic insert, mirrored: F' U' F: `F' U' F`

## Corner and edge side by side

The corner is above the slot and the edge is right next to it, but they aren't joined: the edge's top colour matches the corner's top colour.

### White facing front, edge on the right

`U` moves both pieces away from the slot. `R U' R'` lifts the empty slot, brings the pieces back joined to each other, and drops the pair in.

> 3D demo, Edge on the right: U R U' R': `U R U' R'`

### White facing right, edge at the front

The mirror image.

> 3D demo, Edge at the front: U' F' U F: `U' F' U F`

## White facing up

The trickiest pairs have the corner's white sticker on top. Turn it sideways first: `R U2 R'` moves the corner to the front-left with its white facing you. Then `U'` brings it over the slot with white facing right, and the edge round to the back: that's the basic insert, `R U R'`.

> 3D demo, White up, edge on the right: R U2 R' U' R U R': `R U2 R' U' R U R'`

## One piece is already in the slot

### The corner is in, the edge is on top

If the corner is solved and the edge is on top, this is exactly the **second-layer** step of the beginner method. Line the edge's front sticker up with the front centre and use the insert you already know.

> 3D demo, Corner already in: U R U' R' U' F' U F: `U R U' R' U' F' U F`

### The edge is in, the corner is on top

Bring the corner out with its white facing sideways, join it with the edge, then insert.

> 3D demo, Edge already in, white up: R U R' U' R U R' U' R U R': `R U R' U' R U R' U' R U R'`

### Both are stuck in the wrong slot

Take them out first. Hold the slot at the front-right and do `R U R'` (or any insert): the pieces come up into the top layer and you're back to a normal case.

## Tips

- **Pairs, not pieces.** Always look for the corner and the edge together. If they're split far apart, move one of them without disturbing the other, until they're side by side.
- **Use empty slots.** While a slot is still unsolved, you can lift pieces through it freely.
- **Keep the cross.** Every move above lifts a slot and puts it straight back. If the cross breaks, something was turned without being undone.
- **There are 41 cases.** You don't need to learn them as algorithms. The handful above, plus working out the rest by joining and inserting, is how most people learn F2L.

## Common mistakes

- **Turning the cube between every pair.** First check whether any pair is already easy at its current angle.
- **Joining the pair with the wrong colours.** Joined pieces must show the **same colour** on each side they share. If one side mismatches, the pair goes in twisted.
- **Inserting with `R U' R'` instead of `R U R'`.** Follow where the edge goes: the top turn has to bring it to the corner, not away from it.

Source: https://scanmycube.com/learn/cfop/f2l