WordPress has a small but capable photo editor built right into your Media Library. You can crop, rotate, flip, and scale an image without opening another program — and put it back the way it was if you change your mind.

## Before you start

- An image that is already uploaded to your Media Library.
- An account that is allowed to edit media — Administrator, Editor, or Author.

## Steps

### Step 1: Open your image in the Media Library

In your dashboard, go to **Media** → **Library**. Every image on your site is listed here — click the one you want to change to open its details.

![Open your image in the Media Library](https://wordpress.supportpages.io/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6OTQ4MywicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--e0951097d44a234a386c92016617b10d00179d43/step_0.png)

### Step 2: Open the image editor

In the details panel, click **Edit Image**. Your photo opens in the image editor, with the editing tools along the top and their options beside the preview.

![Open the image editor](https://wordpress.supportpages.io/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6OTQ4NCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--746b423f5dce008b3388943847a34ce7eab5944a/step_1.png)

### Step 3: Find your way around the tools

**Crop** trims the photo, **Scale** resizes it, and **Image Rotation** turns or flips it. **Undo** and **Redo** step back and forth through your changes, and **Save Edits** writes them to the file.

![Find your way around the tools](https://wordpress.supportpages.io/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6OTQ4NSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--9506762907f3ffedabd70238e54361c37c418e64/step_2.png)

### Step 4: Crop the photo

Click **Crop**, then drag the handles on the photo to frame the part you want to keep. When it looks right, click **Apply Crop** — or **Clear Crop** to start the selection over.

![Crop the photo](https://wordpress.supportpages.io/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6OTU1MCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--b57075215e811b383aec18696c4999c011aa2ff2/block_crop-image.png)

### Step 5: Rotate or flip the photo

Click **Image Rotation** and pick **Rotate 90° left**, **Rotate 90° right**, **Rotate 180°**, **Flip vertical**, or **Flip horizontal**. The preview updates as soon as you choose one.

![Rotate or flip the photo](https://wordpress.supportpages.io/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6OTQ4NywicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--9068798cd1c0ffebf96ce8ec229f12ce20c838f6/step_4.png)

### Step 6: Scale the photo

Click **Scale** to open the sizing panel, then type a new width or height — the other one follows along so the photo keeps its proportions. Click **Scale** in the panel to apply it.

![Scale the photo](https://wordpress.supportpages.io/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6OTU1MiwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--240488db5e30796011bcc0c0e3f0d247a01073e0/block_scale-image.png)

### Step 7: Save your changes

Click **Save Edits**. WordPress saves the edited copy of the image and reshapes its thumbnails to match.

![Save your changes](https://wordpress.supportpages.io/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6OTU1MSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--fd2aaf71480a8a83583e158de1c41fe5669cacb8/block_save-your-changes.png)

### Step 8: Put the original back

Changed your mind? Open the image editor again and expand **Restore original image**, then click **Restore image**. Every change is discarded and the original file comes back.

![Put the original back](https://wordpress.supportpages.io/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6OTUwMywicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--618e38f9b58ec3117b7c42d637c8bc22e67c26e3/step_7.png)

## Tips

- Scaling works best before you crop, rotate, or flip — and images can only be made smaller, never larger.
- **Undo** steps back one change at a time, so you can try something and take it straight back.
- You can only restore an image once you have saved at least one edit to it.

## Summary

Crop, rotate, flip, or scale your photo right in the Media Library, then click **Save Edits** when you are happy with it. And if you are not, **Restore image** puts the original straight back.