How to Rotate a Picture in Microsoft Word

Or you could just tilt your head

You no longer need complex image editing programs such as Photoshop or GIMP to edit yourimages for Microsoft Worddocuments. It’s true that Word doesn’t have all theimage editing optionsyou might need, but simple things such as resizing, positioning, flipping, and rotating can be done on the spot inside the Word document.

The best part is that the process ofrotating a picturein Microsoft Word is straightforward and similar across platforms. That means that you can easily do it on Windows, macOS, or in the web version of this app. In fact, you can rotate any graphic element such as shapes, WordArt, or a text box in the same way as you would rotate a picture. It’s a simple action, but there are several ways to do it.

1. Use Your Mouse to Rotate the Image

You can manually rotate a picture in Microsoft Word to the desired angle. All you have to do is click the image and drag your mouse. This is the easiest way to rotate an image in Microsoft Word and it works in Windows, macOS, and Web versions of the app.

You can press and hold theShiftbutton on your keyboard to rotate the image in a 15-degree increment while dragging the mouse.

2. Rotate an Image in a 90-degree Angle Increment

If you need to rotate your image in a 90-degree increment, there’s no need to do it by hand (and by the eye). There’s an easier method that’ll allow you to rotate your image in any of the four directions. Here’s how:

3. Flip the Image Horizontally or Vertically

Remember Microsoft Word lets you flip an image horizontally or vertically. So if you don’t need a special position for the image, this option is better than rotating. This can also be a great formatting choice for your Word document layout.

Flipping the image creates a direct mirror image from your selected picture. Follow these steps to flip your image horizontally or vertically:

For the best results, you can combine the rotate and flip features to get the picture in the desired position.

4. Rotate an Image at the Desired Angle

If a 90-degree increment is not to your satisfaction, Microsoft Word lets you rotate an image at a custom degree. Here’s how you can easily do it:

Note: If you use the arrows to find the exact angle, note that the upward arrow equals positive numbers and they will rotate your picture to the right. The downwards arrow does the opposite, so your image will rotate left.

5. Rotate an Image in 3-Dimensional Space with Presets

Microsoft Word 2007 and later editions implemented a new feature by which you can rotate and distort your image in a 3-dimensional space. You’re no longer restricted to rotating just to the left or to the right. But you don’t have to bother with 3D rotation manually as MS Word has several handy presets that you can use.

6. Rotate an Image in 3-Dimensional Space Manually

If you don’t find what you want in presets, Microsoft Word lets you manually rotate your image in 3-D space. That allows you to freely manipulate the object across the X, Y, and Z-axis.

Note that:

As you change the values in the axis text boxes, you can watch your image warp in real time. This will help you adjust the image angle to the desired position, without having to repeat the steps if you are unhappy with the result.

7. Bonus Method: Text Wrapping

The most annoying thing in MS Word, related to rotating, moving, and repositioning images, is doing it without moving the text. Whenever you resize, or move the photo in your document, it influences the text layout. But there’s a way around it. All you have to do is change the text wrapping settings. There are several options so both the text and the image fit your document layout perfectly.

To change the text wrapping setting:

Here’s what each of the text wrap options does:

Note: these text wrapping settings will give different results depending on what image format you’re working with (for example JPG or Vector).

And there you have it. You’re one step closer to mastering the manipulation of images in Microsoft Word without feeling the sudden urge to bash your keyboard against the wall.

Nicolae is a Jack of all trades technology writer with a focus on hardware, programming languages, and AI image-processing software. Over the last five years, he has ghostwritten numerous tech how-to guides and books on a variety of topics ranging from Linux to C# programming and game development. Nicolae loves everything that has to do with technology and his goal is to share his knowledge and experience with others.Read Nicolae’s Full Bio

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How to Rotate a Picture in Microsoft Word#

1. Use Your Mouse to Rotate the Image#

2. Rotate an Image in a 90-degree Angle Increment#

3. Flip the Image Horizontally or Vertically#

4. Rotate an Image at the Desired Angle#

5. Rotate an Image in 3-Dimensional Space with Presets#

6. Rotate an Image in 3-Dimensional Space Manually#

7. Bonus Method: Text Wrapping#