How to Do a Barrel Roll: Google, Star Fox, and Real Planes
To do a barrel roll on Google, search do a barrel roll or z or r twice, and the page spins once. In Star Fox 64, double-tap Z or R to spin your Arwing. In a real plane, a barrel roll is a corkscrew-shaped move flown only by trained pilots. For more than one spin, use our free tool.
"Barrel roll" means something a little different depending on where you are. Pick your version below and jump straight to the steps.
Which Barrel Roll Are You Looking For?
Three very different things share one famous name. Here's a quick way to tell them apart.
| Where | What Happens | How to Do It | Time Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Search | The results page spins 360 degrees once | Search "do a barrel roll" or "z or r twice" | About 5 seconds |
| Star Fox 64 | Your Arwing spins and deflects enemy lasers | Double-tap Z or R | A split second |
| A real plane | The aircraft rolls while following a corkscrew path | Flown only by trained aerobatic pilots | Not a DIY move |
| This site | Your screen spins as many times as you choose | Tap a button and pick a count | Seconds to as long as you like |
How to Do a Barrel Roll on Google
This is the version most people mean. It's a hidden Easter egg built right into Google Search, and it takes about five seconds.
Steps
- Open google.com in any modern browser, or open the Google app on your phone.
- Type "do a barrel roll" into the search box. Capital letters don't matter.
- Press Enter or tap Search.
- Watch the page spin a full 360 degrees, then settle back to normal.
Shortcut phrase: Type z or r twice for the same spin. It's a nod to the Star Fox button command, which you'll find in the next section.
Not Spinning? Quick Checks
- Make sure JavaScript is turned on in your browser.
- Turn off your device's reduce-motion setting if you want to see the animation.
- Pause any ad or script blocker for google.com, then search again.
Still stuck? We put together detailed fixes for when it won't spin, sorted by symptom.
Good to know: The spin is purely visual. Your search results, settings, and account stay exactly the same.
How to Do a Barrel Roll in Star Fox 64
This is where the phrase began. In Star Fox 64, the 1997 Nintendo 64 game ✓ Source, teammate Peppy Hare tells you to "do a barrel roll" when enemy lasers fly your way. Here's how to follow his advice.
Steps
- Watch for incoming fire. Enemy lasers, or a warning from Peppy, are your cue.
- Double-tap the Z or R button. Two quick taps trigger the spin ✓ Source.
- Roll through the attack. Your Arwing spins fast and deflects lasers while the roll lasts.
Key detail: Holding Z or R only tilts, or banks, your ship for sharper turns. The quick double-tap is what makes it roll.
Playing on the 3DS? In Star Fox 64 3D for the Nintendo 3DS, double-tap L or R instead.
Want every button, plus tips for timing your rolls? See the full Star Fox controls table, along with the story of how Peppy's line became a meme.
What a Barrel Roll Means in a Real Plane
Long before games and search engines, "barrel roll" was an aviation term. And here's the twist: the real move looks quite different from the screen spin.
What It Looks Like
In a real barrel roll, the plane makes one full roll while also traveling along a wide corkscrew path. Picture the aircraft tracing the inside of a giant, invisible barrel as it flies forward. It ends upright, heading roughly in its original direction.
You'll most often see barrel rolls at airshows, flown by aerobatic display teams and solo performers.
Barrel Roll vs. Aileron Roll vs. Screen Spin
| Move | Rotation | Path | Where You See It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrel roll | One full 360° roll | Wide corkscrew, like circling inside a barrel | Airshows and aerobatic flying |
| Aileron roll | One full 360° roll | Fairly straight line, spinning along its own centerline | Airshows and aerobatic flying |
| Screen spin | One 360° turn of the page | Stays in place | Google, Star Fox-inspired memes, and this site |
So both the Star Fox move and the Google trick are technically closer to an aileron roll. "Barrel roll" was the catchier name, and it stuck. For a deeper look, here's how the real move works.
Leave the Sky to the Pros
This page explains what a barrel roll is. It doesn't teach anyone how to fly one. Real aerobatic maneuvers are flown only by trained pilots, in aircraft built for them, often with an experienced instructor on board. If you're curious about learning, a certified flight school is the place to start.
For a barrel roll you can safely try right now, your screen is ready.
How to Do a Barrel Roll More Than Once
Google spins the page only once per search. To see it again, you'd have to search again, and again, and again. Our tool skips all that and rolls your screen as many times as you want with one tap.
Three Steps
- Pick a count. Choose a ready-made number below, or type your own.
- Pick a speed. Fast, Normal, or Slow. You can switch mid-roll.
- Watch the counter. Track every spin and press Stop anytime.
Popular Counts
- Do a barrel roll twice: The classic double spin, straight from the Star Fox controls.
- 10 times: The perfect length for a harmless prank link.
- 20 times: A quick break where you choose the pace.
- 200 times: The endurance challenge. Can you watch them all?
Any Number You Like
Want 7 spins, 42, or 500? Type any number on the main tool, from 1 all the way to 1,000,000. Big counts run as an open-ended spin, so you can stop whenever you're ready.
Works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge on phones, tablets, and computers. It also opens in most chat apps, with no downloads or sign-ups. If your device prefers reduced motion, nothing spins until you tap Start.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do a barrel roll on Google?
Open google.com or the Google app, type "do a barrel roll" or "z or r twice" into the search box, and press Enter. The search results page rotates a full 360 degrees once and settles back to normal.
How do you do a barrel roll in Star Fox 64?
Double-tap the Z or R button on the Nintendo 64 controller right before enemy lasers hit your ship. In Star Fox 64 3D on the Nintendo 3DS, double-tap the L or R button instead. Holding the button once only tilts your Arwing.
Is a real barrel roll the same as the screen spin?
No. In a real plane, a barrel roll combines a 360-degree roll with a wide corkscrew flight path, and it is flown only by trained aerobatic pilots. The screen spin and Star Fox move rotate in place, which is closer to an aileron roll.
Can I do a barrel roll on my phone?
Yes. Both Google's Easter egg and the spin tool on this site work on iPhone and Android in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge without any downloads or accounts.
How do I do a barrel roll more than once?
Google only spins once per search, so use our free tool to spin multiple times in a row. You can pick ready-made counts like 2, 10, 20, or 200 spins, or type any number up to 1,000,000 and choose Fast, Normal, or Slow speed.
Pick Your Barrel Roll
Now you know every way to do a barrel roll: one spin on Google, a quick double-tap in Star Fox, and a corkscrew in the sky that's best left to the pros. Want more than one spin? Your screen is a tap away.