To rotate a PDF, open the Rotate PDF tool, add your file, choose 90 degrees clockwise, 180 degrees or 90 degrees counter-clockwise, pick which pages to turn, and download. The new PDF opens with the pages the right way up.
The pages are not converted to images. The rotation is stored in the PDF, so text stays sharp and selectable.
On this page
Key takeaways
- Choose a turn of 90 degrees clockwise, 180 degrees or 90 degrees counter-clockwise.
- Apply it to all pages, odd pages, even pages or a custom list such as 1-3, 5, 8-.
- The rotation is added to each page's existing rotation, and quality does not change.
- Output files get a -rotated suffix, and several files come as a ZIP.
How to rotate a PDF in three steps
- 1
Add your PDF. Open Rotate PDF and add one or more files.
- 2
Choose the turn and the pages. Pick the angle in the Rotate by menu. In Pages to rotate, choose all, odd, even or custom.
- 3
Rotate and download. The result is named like the original with -rotated added.
Which angle?
| Option | Effect | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| 90° clockwise | Quarter turn to the right | Pages lie on their left side |
| 180° | Half turn | Pages are upside down |
| 90° counter-clockwise | Quarter turn to the left | Pages lie on their right side |
Tilt your head the way you would to read the page. If you tilt right, the page needs a clockwise turn.
No loss of quality
PDF pages carry a rotation setting. The tool changes that setting and leaves the content as it is. Text stays selectable and searchable, vector graphics stay sharp and the file size barely changes. That is different from tools that turn each page into a picture.
Rotating only some pages
Choose Custom pages and type the page numbers, using commas and ranges, for example 1-3, 5, 8-. The trailing 8- means page 8 to the end. For odd and even pages and other examples, see rotating odd, even or chosen pages.
Next steps
If the pages are in the wrong order, use Reorder PDF. For a picture that is sideways, use Rotate Image. If the result does not look right, read rotated PDF looks wrong.
Typical reasons to rotate
- A scanner fed the pages sideways or upside down.
- A landscape table or chart was stored as a sideways portrait page.
- A phone app exported a document in the wrong orientation.
- You merged documents with different orientations and want them consistent.
Rotating several PDFs at once
You can add more than one PDF. The same angle and page selection apply to every file, and the results download together as a ZIP named rotated-pdfs. Each output keeps its original name with -rotated added, so it is easy to tell which is which. If different files need different turns, run the tool once for each group.
Check the result
Open the new file and look at the first and last pages that you rotated. Because the change is stored as a page setting, every PDF viewer shows the same orientation. If something looks wrong, go back to the original and run the tool again with different settings, as described in rotated PDF looks wrong.
Rotate PDF: FAQ
How do I rotate a PDF?
Add the PDF to the Rotate PDF tool, choose the angle and pages, and download the new file.
Can I rotate only one page?
Yes. Choose Custom pages and type its number.
Does rotating reduce quality?
No. Only the page rotation setting changes.
Will the text still be selectable?
Yes.
Which way is positive?
Clockwise. The counter-clockwise option is a 90 degree turn to the left.
Can I rotate several PDFs at once?
Yes. They share the same settings and download as a ZIP.
Is my file uploaded?
No. The change is made in your browser.
Can I rotate a protected PDF?
Unlock it first with Unlock PDF.
Does rotating change the page size?
No. The page keeps its size; only the direction it is displayed in changes.
Upright pages, same quality
Choose the angle and the pages, then download. Rotation is a setting inside the PDF, so nothing is degraded.
