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Is it possible to rotate images in Preview in degrees other than 90? Ask Question

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Companies I want to rotate an image in preview but I only need to move it a few degrees. Is this possible?
Or can you only rotate 90 degrees?
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Share Improve this question Follow asked Jul 1, 2011 at 16[59 and a USD200
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Unfortunately, Preview can only rotate in 90* increments and flip images.

If you want to rotate a different amount, you'll have to use a more-powerful program, like
33
Photoshop or Pixelmator.

From Preview Help:

Related

0 Is it possible to tilt pdf in Preview?

1 Auto rotate photos and save them

afterwards (perhaps using Preview?)

0 What is special about Preview added text

or shape elements? Can I move other
elements besides these?

4 How do you rotate inserts in Apple Mac

OS preview 7?

8 Rotate Selection in Preview

2 Creating New Images in Preview

154 Add images to existing PDF with Preview

1 Compression of PDF with added images

Share Improve this answer Follow answered Jul 1, 2011 at 17[08 on preview
Nathan Greenstein
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9 Use Apple's Photos app. Select the Crop editing option and the degrees will show on the right side package?
of the image. Drag your mouse on the degrees to rotate the image. – Russ Van Bert Sep 30, 2018 at
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If you're not averse to using the command line, you can use the sips command to rotate images.
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Share Improve this answer Follow edited Jan 30 at 9[51 answered Aug 13, 2012 at 13[51
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There is a way to do it using Preview, although it is imprecise.
70's-80's sci-fi/fantasy movie (TV) with togas
and crystals
You can use a two finger twisting gesture to arbitrarily rotate the image within preview. Now, it
55 Tips on removing solder stuck in very small
snaps back to normal once you let go, but if you take a screenshot to clipboard while hole
maintaining the rotated view, then paste from the clipboard into preview, then save. Then I open 9-16-25 2D Matrix
the image again and do a little bit of cropping to get it looking nice.
Question feed
I mapped the 'screenshot to clipboard' function to a key combination that was easy to hit while
maintaining my twist.

Obviously a dedicated app will do the job better, but I thought it was worth mentioning my OS
only workaround which I discovered.

Share Improve this answer Follow answered Mar 12, 2014 at 1[13
Alex White
729 5 3

19 Wow maybe someone at apple read this because it is now a (somewhat hidden) feature in preview.
Simply cut and paste an image and you can use the two finger twisting gesture to rotate the image.
– Henry Nov 8, 2015 at 17[43

2 Interesting workaround! Note that you will get a poor quality resulting image though. Real image
editors will perform a high quality resampling. This method is just a crude rotation since it is "real
time". – wisbucky Jul 16, 2018 at 22[51

Add a comment

Code. Experiment. Build.

Continuously learn new skills and experiment
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I love the free ToyViewer.app (check Mac App Store). Can do some cool things with images.
Small and fast.
11

Share Improve this answer Follow edited Dec 21, 2021 at 13[11 answered Jul 1, 2011 at 22[17
clt60
8,469 9 47 72

Now on the Mac App Store, still free: itunes.apple.com/us/app/toyviewer/id414298354?mt=12

– newenglander Nov 14, 2013 at 19[37

the given link in the answer does not work – Dirk Schumacher Dec 18, 2021 at 13[14

This app quite nice. Only 13mb download size – Arundale Ramanathan Nov 29, 2022 at 3[36

Tried this out: Does not show the rotated image while rotating it, so essentially useless. – ssc Jan
20, 2023 at 13[03

Add a comment

Copy-paste the image into another image or new file (cmd+N) and twist the pasted object with
two fingers.
7
(as shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvE2DHJOTCE)

Share Improve this answer Follow edited Jun 21, 2017 at 12[43 answered Jun 21, 2017 at 10[58
grg ♦ user242399
202k 44 360 486 79 1 1

1 the youtube link is missing nowadays... – Dirk Schumacher Dec 18, 2021 at 12[38

This should be the accepted answer! – Bartek Banachewicz Feb 20, 2023 at 12[28

@user242399 The video is private in YouTube. – Hamid Rouhani Feb 28, 2023 at 22[08

Add a comment

In Yosemite, open the image in Photos and crop it - this function brings up a grid and alignment
tool, you can then save the image simply aligned, but not necessarily cropped.
3
Share Improve this answer Follow edited Oct 15, 2015 at 10[57 answered Oct 15, 2015 at 9[57
klanomath user152496
66.5k 9 132 202 39 1 1

2 The OP is asking how to do this in Preview. – IconDaemon Oct 15, 2015 at 13[33

Add a comment

There's no current way to do that with Preview, although you can use ImageMagick's convert
command to do it:
3
convert your_input_image_name.png -rotate X new_output_image_name_path.png

This command will rotate your image X degrees, accepting a positive or negative value.

Finally, you'll probably want to remove the white background:

convert rotated_image_name_path.png -transparent white final_output_image_name_path.png

Share Improve this answer Follow answered Jul 15, 2020 at 16[31
kraftydevil
263 3 6

Add a comment

It's possible to do this by copying or opening the object in a separated window, then there you
can rotate it. Next, just copy back the object already at the desired position. This is the only
2 way I've found, and works for quick tasks.

Share Improve this answer Follow answered Nov 19, 2014 at 19[54
Regi
21 1

Add a comment

In Preview, yes...! I just discovered. Hold the option button down, and use 2 fingers on the
trackpad. So many hidden features.
2
Share Improve this answer Follow answered May 2, 2018 at 13[22
David Hollands
37 1

2 Welcome to Ask Different! I don't think your answer is correct; holding down the option button
doesn't make a difference (for me at least). Please read the other answers. – Glorfindel ♦ May 2,
2018 at 13[25

1 @Glorfindel This just worked for me. I held the option key and used 2 fingers to rotate on the
trackpad. – ognockocaten Jan 29, 2019 at 15[22

holding option + two fingers on track pad just creates a duplicate photo for me on mojava 10.14.6
– Gorgon_Union Nov 12, 2019 at 1[11

5 Did not help. As soon as I release fingers from trackpad, the image reverts to it's original position
before I rotated it. The option key did not matter either way. – Ed of the Mountain May 27, 2020 at
14[51

Add a comment

Apparently, it used to be possible by holding down the option key while rotating (using the
button on the toolbar), at least according to this forum entry from 2005:
1 http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=2005012115382953

But it didn't work for me on OS X Mountain Lion, all the option button did was change the
rotation direction (for the rotation button on the toolbar).

Share Improve this answer Follow answered Nov 14, 2013 at 15[29
newenglander
1,517 2 13 22

Add a comment

I found an online website that does it (probably there are many others):

LunaPic (http://www140.lunapic.com/editor/)
1
No need to register or install anything. Just upload the picture, type how many degrees should
be rotated and done.

Share Improve this answer Follow answered Mar 30, 2017 at 12[03
J0ANMM
281 1 3 9

Add a comment

You can do this straight from Preview if you're on a MacBook. Just put two fingers on the touch
pad, rotate, and viola. Unfortunately, there is no way to input exactly the degrees to which you
1 want to rotate, but this at least allows for an approximation.

Hope that helps.

Share Improve this answer Follow edited Apr 5, 2018 at 20[24 answered Apr 5, 2018 at 19[49
Allan Kelsey
103k 31 204 460 111 1

3 Strange, when I do that it jumps and snaps into 90degrees positions – leon Feb 27, 2019 at 1[40

Add a comment

If you have a trackpad, visit System Preferences > Trackpad panel and select Rotate in the
Scroll & Zoom tab. Now, once in Preview, you can rotate your image by the amount you prefer,
1 by using your thumb and index finger in a rotating manner on the trackpad. No need to click on
the trackpad or hold down the option key. Without a trackpad, Preview only offers 90-degree
rotational increments.

Share Improve this answer Follow answered Nov 7, 2023 at 1[27

Brett Donald
158 5

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