Quick answer: Rotating by 90, 180 or 270 degrees only moves pixels, so no quality is lost when you save as PNG. Flipping makes a mirror image, horizontally or vertically. Each step is applied to what you see, so “Flip horizontal” always flips left to right as it appears on screen.
A photo that opens sideways, a scan that was fed in upside down, or a selfie that is mirrored the wrong way: all of these take seconds to fix here. Load the image, press the buttons until it looks right, and download it.
You can combine as many steps as you like, and each one is applied to what you see on screen, so “Flip horizontal” always flips left to right as it appears. Reset puts the picture back the way it was. Nothing is uploaded.
What each button does
- Rotate left / right turns the picture a quarter turn (90°) counterclockwise or clockwise.
- Rotate 180° turns it upside down.
- Flip horizontal mirrors it left to right, like a mirror image.
- Flip vertical mirrors it top to bottom.
Rotating by multiples of 90 degrees does not lose any quality, because pixels are only moved, not recalculated. Save as PNG for an exact copy, or JPEG for a smaller file. If the image is very large, it is scaled to fit the limits of your browser. If you want to turn a picture by an angle that is not a multiple of 90 degrees, use an editor with a straighten or free rotate tool.
A worked example
Example. A photo that came out sideways: press “Rotate right” once. A selfie that is mirrored the wrong way: press “Flip horizontal”. Turning right twice equals “Rotate 180°”, and you can combine any steps before you download.
What each action does
| Action | Top-left | Top-right | Bottom-left | Bottom-right |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original | A | B | C | D |
| Rotate right | C | A | D | B |
| Rotate left | B | D | A | C |
| Rotate 180° | D | C | B | A |
| Flip horizontal | B | A | D | C |
| Flip vertical | C | D | A | B |
Where the four corners of a picture end up after each action.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Rotating a JPEG many times. Each save re-compresses it, so make all changes and save once, or save as PNG.
- Confusing rotate with flip. Rotating turns the picture, flipping mirrors it, and text in a flipped picture reads backwards.
- Expecting a straighten tool. This tool turns by multiples of 90 degrees only, so use a photo editor for small angles.
Go deeper: read our guide How to Compress Images for Your Website.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my photo open sideways?
Phones store a note about how the camera was held, and some programs ignore it. Rotate the picture here and save it, and it will be the right way up everywhere.
Does rotating reduce the image quality?
Not when saving as PNG. Turning by 90, 180 or 270 degrees only moves pixels around. JPEG and WebP add a small amount of compression when saved.
What is the difference between rotating and flipping?
Rotating turns the picture around its center. Flipping creates a mirror image, so text in the picture will be reversed.
Is my image uploaded?
No. Everything happens in your browser, and your picture stays on your device.
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Sources and further reading
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