How to Do a French Braid in 6 Easy Steps

Alyssa Brown • January 29, 2023

Learning to do a French braid is easy, and the process is made of six simple steps. And once you master this braid, you can add it to your updo for a wedding, tie a classic French braid for working out at the gym, and create a fun and unique look by adding ribbons, extensions, and hair accessories.

Most important, French braiding your hair is the fast and easy way to keep your hair out of your face and staying in place comfortably all day long. Unlike a ponytail which can pull, French braids rest comfortably down your back to the side. This is why it is the perfect hairstyle perfect for doing chores, relaxing for some “me time”, studying, and moving throughout your day without “hair problems.”

Before you begin there is one key difference between a French braid and a classic braid. With a classic braid you take all of your hair and section it into three parts. When doing a French braid you use smaller groupings of hair and weave them individually to create the layered look.

Fun-fact: If you go over the middle strand you are tying a French braid, if you go under, it becomes a Dutch braid.

So without further ado, here is how to do a French Braid.

You will need:

Brush
A small or tiny hair tie

The steps to create this look:

Take a small section of hair from the top of your head, split it into three equal sections, and hold the middle and right sections in your right hand keeping them separate.
Cross the right section over to the center and then do the same thing with the left section. Once the section is crossed over and into the center section, the section becomes the middle.
Now grab a small section from the front of your hair to add to the right section and then cross it over into the center.
Now grab a small section of hair towards the back of your head, add it to the left section, and cross it over the center.
Keep gathering and adding your hair from the left and right until you reach the nape of your neck and all of your hair is in one of the three sections.
Braid the bottom in a classic 3 strand braid and secure with a hair tie.

And as a bonus, here’s three French braid hair hacks:

By French braiding your hair at night, you can take it out in the morning and rock soft heatless waves all day.
For a messy yet stylish braid, French braid your hair before you go to bed and in the morning just spray with hairspray to hold the look.
To add volume and texture to your French braid, use your fingers to pull and loosen your hair after you’ve secured it.

Once you master the basics, try taking your new look up a notch with advanced styles. There's no shortage of types of French braids you can do. Here are six of our favorites: