How to Rotate Images in Windows 11’s File Explorer

What is File Explorer?

What is File Explorer? It’s the program built into Windows that helps you find and organize all your files and pictures.

Learn more about File Explorer here: How to Open and Use File Explorer on Windows 11

How to Rotate Images in File Explorer

Now, let’s look at how to do this using the Photos app. Windows 11’s File Explorer allows you to rotate images without extra software. Find the picture you want to fix, click the picture to select it, and then use the rotate buttons that appear. This lets you quickly turn your pictures 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise directly from the file browsing window.

1. Find the picture file you want to rotate.
2. Click once on the picture to select it.
3. At the top of the 📁 File Explorer window, look for buttons called Rotate right and Rotate left.
4. Click Rotate right to turn the picture 90 degrees clockwise.
5. Click Rotate left to turn the picture 90 degrees counterclockwise.

Another Quick Way

1. 🖱️ Right-click on the picture file.
2. From the menu that appears, choose Rotate right or Rotate left.

Rotate Images Using the Photos App

Windows 11’s built-in Photos app makes rotating your pictures quick. Double-click any image to open it, and you’ll see a clear rotate button right at the top. Each click turns the image 90 degrees clockwise. This lets you easily fix its orientation without installing anything new.

1. Double-click your image to open it in the Photos app.
2. Click the Rotate button at the top (it looks like a curved arrow), or press CTRL + R on your keyboard.
3. Each click or shortcut press turns the image 90 degrees clockwise.
4. When finished, click the three dots (More options) in the top right corner, and select Save as to save your rotated image.
5. Choose where you want to save the image and click Save.

Rotate Images Using the Paint App

You can also use the classic Paint app in Windows 11 to rotate your pictures. Open your image with Paint, and you’ll find easy-to-use rotate buttons on the toolbar. This method lets you turn the image 90 degrees left or right, offering a quick way to adjust orientation if you’re comfortable using Paint.

1. Right-click the image file, choose Open with → Paint.
2. In Paint, find the Rotate buttons on the top toolbar.
3. Click Rotate right or Rotate left to turn the image 90 degrees.
4. When done, click File → Save or Save as to keep your changes.

Summary

Rotating images in Windows 11 is convenient because you can use tools already on your computer, like File Explorer, the Photos app, and Paint. You won’t need to download any extra software to get your pictures facing the right way. Pick the method that feels most comfortable for you to adjust image orientation with just a few clicks.

The Photos app and Paint app also let you rotate and save your pictures easily. Choose the method you like best to fix your pictures’ orientation in just a few clicks!

Try it out the next time you need to fix a picture’s orientation!