To rotate an image, open the Rotate Image tool, add your picture, choose 90 degrees clockwise, 180 degrees, 90 degrees counter-clockwise or a custom angle, and download the result. The image keeps its format.
It runs in your browser, so your photos stay on your device.
On this page
Key takeaways
- Choose 90° clockwise, 180°, 90° counter-clockwise or a custom angle from -360 to 360 degrees.
- Positive angles turn the picture clockwise.
- The canvas grows when the angle is not a right angle, so no corners are cut off.
- Files keep their format and get a -rotated suffix.
Steps shown in the video
- Click Choose Images and select the photos to rotate
- Each file is listed with a preview and its size
- Choose the angle, here 90° clockwise
- Click Rotate images
- Download your rotated images
How to rotate an image in three steps
- 1
Add your images. Open the Rotate Image tool and drag in your pictures. Each one gets a preview.
- 2
Choose the angle. Pick one of the quick turns, or choose Custom angle and type a number. Use a negative number to turn the other way.
- 3
Rotate and download. Click the button. One image downloads directly. Several come as a ZIP named rotated-images.
Which option do you need?
| Option | Effect | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| 90° clockwise | A quarter turn to the right | The picture lies on its left side |
| 180° | A half turn | The picture is upside down |
| 90° counter-clockwise | A quarter turn to the left | The picture lies on its right side |
| Custom angle | Any angle from -360 to 360 degrees | The horizon is slightly tilted, or you want a creative tilt |
A quick way to choose: imagine which way you would turn your head to read the picture upright. If you would tilt your head to the right, the picture needs a clockwise turn.
What happens to the size
A quarter turn swaps width and height, so a 4000 by 3000 photo becomes 3000 by 4000. No pixels are lost. A half turn keeps the size. Other angles need a larger canvas to hold the tilted picture, so for example 45 degrees turns the same photo into a square of about 4950 pixels on each side, with empty corners.
The empty corners
At angles other than 90, 180 and 270 degrees, the corners of the new canvas are not covered by the picture. PNG and WebP keep them transparent. JPG cannot store transparency, so they are filled with white.
To remove them, rotate first, then trim the edges with Crop Image. The guide to straightening a tilted photo gives the percentages to use.
Formats and file names
JPG and WebP images are saved in the same format at 92 percent quality. PNG images are saved losslessly, and other formats are saved as PNG. The result is named after the original with -rotated added, so the original is never overwritten. Because the rotated file is a fresh image, its camera metadata is not carried over.
When you need a different tool
- Mirror image rather than a turned one: use Flip Image. The post on flip vs rotate explains the difference.
- A scanned PDF with sideways pages: use Rotate PDF.
- A photo that shows sideways in some apps only: see fixing a sideways or upside-down photo.
Rotating images: FAQ
How do I rotate an image online?
Add it to the Rotate Image tool, choose an angle, click rotate and download the result.
Which way does a positive angle turn?
Clockwise. Use a negative angle for counter-clockwise.
Can I rotate by an angle such as 15 degrees?
Yes. Choose Custom angle and enter any value from -360 to 360.
Does rotating reduce quality?
Quarter and half turns move pixels without changing them. Other angles resample the picture slightly, so use them only when needed.
Why are there blank corners after a custom rotation?
The canvas must grow to hold the tilted image. Corners are transparent in PNG and WebP and white in JPG.
Can I rotate several images at once?
Yes. They share one angle and download as a ZIP.
Is my image uploaded?
No. Rotation happens in your browser.
Does the image keep its format?
JPG, PNG and WebP keep their format. Other formats are saved as PNG.
Is rotating the same as flipping?
No. Flipping makes a mirror image, and rotating turns the picture around its center.
Turn it the right way
Choose a quarter turn, a half turn or a custom angle, then download. The original stays unchanged.
