How to Rotate a Picture in Microsoft Word

To rotate a picture in Microsoft Word, select it and drag the rotation handle above the image. In desktop Word, you can also open Picture Format > Rotate to choose a 90° turn or enter an exact angle. These main rotation controls work in Word for Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 on Windows and Mac.

Select the picture and drag its rotation handle

Click the picture to select it, then drag the rotation handle above it until the image reaches the angle you want. Use this method when you want to adjust the picture by eye. Grab the rotation handle above the picture, rather than a handle along its edge.

For more controlled movement in desktop Word, hold Shift while dragging. This turns the picture in 15° increments. If you need a quarter turn or a precise angle, use the ribbon controls instead.

Turn a sideways photo by 90 degrees

Select the photo, open Picture Format > Rotate, then choose Rotate Right 90° or Rotate Left 90°. The right command turns the picture clockwise, while the left command turns it counterclockwise. Both commands work in desktop Word on Windows and Mac.

To turn an upside down picture upright, apply the same 90° command twice. That produces a 180° rotation without reflecting the image.

Enter an exact rotation angle

On Windows, select the picture and open Picture Format > Rotate > More Rotation Options. Enter the number of degrees you want in Rotation. Use this when dragging leaves the picture slightly off your intended angle.

On Mac, select the picture and follow Picture Format > Rotate > More Rotation Options. Enter a value in Rotation, or use the arrows beside that setting to adjust it. Enter the same angle for separate pictures when you want matching tilts.

Flip a picture to reflect it

Select the picture and choose Picture Format > Rotate > Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical. A horizontal flip reflects the picture from side to side, while a vertical flip reflects it from top to bottom. Both options work in desktop Word on Windows and Mac.

Flipping produces a different result from rotating the picture 180°. If you just need an upside down photo to face upright, apply the same 90° rotation command twice.

Rotate in your browser or mobile app

In an editable Word for the web document, select the picture and drag the rotation handle above it. When you need numeric angles or the desktop rotation commands, open the document in desktop Word.

If you already have a licensed desktop Word installation, select Editing > Open in Desktop App in the browser. Select the picture in desktop Word, apply the rotation, and save the document. If you cannot edit the browser document, switch to editing using the fixes below first.

In Word on Android, iPhone, or iPad, tap the picture to select it. Hold and drag its rotation handle to turn the image to the angle you want. For a 90° turn before inserting the image, use one of the photo editors below.

Reach rotation controls with the keyboard

In Word for Windows, select the picture and press Alt to display Key Tips. Follow the displayed keys to Picture Format and Rotate, use Up Arrow or Down Arrow to choose a command, then press Enter. For a numeric angle, choose More Rotation Options and press Tab to reach Rotation.

You can also select the picture and press Alt + Q to focus Search, called Tell Me in some versions. Type rotate, press Down Arrow to browse available commands, and press Enter on the result you want. The available results depend on your Word version and selection.

Fix blocked picture rotation

Start by selecting the picture itself before looking for its rotation controls. In Word for Windows or Word for the web, select Viewing or Reviewing in the upper-right mode menu and choose Editing. If Editing is unavailable, request edit permission from the document owner.

On Windows, Protected View can also block picture editing. For a document whose source and contents you trust, select Enable Editing on the yellow Message Bar, then select and rotate the picture. If organizational policy prevents you from leaving Protected View, contact your administrator.

For a document you control that always opens read-only in Word for Windows, open File > Info > Protect document. Select Always Open Read-Only to clear that setting. Then select the picture and apply your rotation.

Rotate the source image on your computer

If you cannot complete the adjustment inside Word, rotate the source image in a photo editor and insert the edited file. On Windows 11, open the photo in Photos and select Edit image, or press Ctrl + E.

Select Crop, then use the clockwise or counterclockwise rotation button for quarter turns, or the slider for smaller adjustments. Save the edited photo, then in Word for Windows, select Insert > Pictures > This Device, choose that photo, and select Insert.

On Mac, open the image in Preview and click Rotate Left as needed. To turn it right, hold Option while clicking Rotate Right, then press Command + S to save. In Word, choose Insert > Pictures > Picture from File, select the saved image, and choose Insert.

To replace an existing picture in Word for Mac, hold Control and click the picture, then select Change Picture. Choose the edited replacement and select Insert.

Rotate the source image on mobile or the web

On iPhone, open the photo in Photos and tap Edit > Crop. Tap Rotate once for each 90° turn, then tap Done. Insert the edited photo into Word afterward.

If your iPhone has Preview, open the image there and tap More > Rotate Left or Rotate Right. Insert the edited image into Word.

On an iPad with Preview, open the image and tap Rotate Left, or tap More and choose Rotate Left or Rotate Right. Insert the edited image into Word afterward.

On Android, open the image in Google Photos and tap Edit > Crop > Rotate. Each tap rotates the picture 90°. Tap the checkmark when finished, choose Save or Save as copy, then insert the saved photo into Word.

In Google Photos in your browser, open the photo and select Edit > Crop & rotate > Rotate. Select Save, obtain the edited image file, and insert it into Word.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you rotate several pictures together in Word?

For each picture, set Wrap Text to an option other than In Line with Text, then hold Ctrl on Windows or Command on Mac while selecting at least two objects. Choose Picture Format > Group > Group, then drag the group's rotation handle. On Mac, expand Arrange if the grouping control is hidden.

How do you keep the Rotate control on the toolbar?

In Word for Microsoft 365 for Windows, select a picture, open Picture Format, right-click Rotate, and select Add to Quick Access Toolbar. If the toolbar is hidden, right-click above the ribbon and select Show Quick Access Toolbar. Select a picture before using the toolbar control to choose its rotation.

How do you apply or remove a 3D rotation effect?

In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac, select the picture and open Picture Format > Picture Effects > 3-D Rotation. Choose a preset, or select 3-D Rotation Options for custom settings. On Mac, you can choose a preset such as Isometric Left Down, and remove the effect through Picture Effects > 3-D Rotation > No 3-D Rotation.

Can you assign your own keyboard shortcut to a rotation command?

Word for Windows lets you assign a keyboard shortcut to a macro as you record it: choose View > Macros > Record Macro, enter a name, select Keyboard, enter an unused combination in Press new shortcut key, and select Assign. Microsoft does not document that the recorder captures picture rotation, and recorded macros don't capture selections made with a mouse. Macros must be permitted, and Word for the web cannot run them.

Can a VBA macro set a picture's rotation angle?

Yes, in desktop Word with VBA, you can set a floating Shape object's Rotation property. If the document's first floating shape is the intended picture, ActiveDocument.Shapes(1).Rotation = 45 sets its angle to 45°. Setting the property to 0 restores its unrotated angle. This example targets a floating Shape, not an InlineShape.

How do you use voice access to rotate a picture?

With Windows 11 voice access already set up in a supported language and the picture selected in desktop Word, say Show numbers. Say Click <number>, replacing the placeholder with the displayed number for Picture Format. Repeat those commands for Rotate and then the rotation command you want.