Rotate pixels instead of changing a display flag
The browser decodes the source, creates a canvas with swapped dimensions for a quarter turn, draws the pixels around the new center, and saves a separate file. A 1200-by-800 image rotated left or right becomes 800 by 1200. A 180-degree turn keeps the original width and height.
Output format determines transparency and compression
Keeping the source format uses JPEG, PNG, or WebP to match the uploaded type. PNG preserves transparent pixels and uses lossless compression. JPEG is lossy and fills any transparent pixels with the selected background. WebP can retain transparency in modern browsers. The quality setting is an encoder request for JPEG and WebP rather than a precise target-size guarantee.
Metadata is normally removed from the new file
Canvas export generally strips EXIF orientation, GPS coordinates, camera details, thumbnails, color profiles, animation, and other metadata. The visible browser-decoded orientation is baked into the output pixels before the requested turn is applied. Keep the original and verify direction, dimensions, fine detail, colors, and transparency in the downloaded file.
Check the result outside the editor
Start with a recognizable feature such as text, a doorway, or the top edge of a scanned page. Choose left, right, or 180 degrees according to where that feature should move, then download the result and open the new file separately. A quarter turn should swap width and height; two quarter turns should leave the dimensions unchanged while reversing top and bottom. This gives a simple check that you selected the intended direction rather than relying only on the preview.
For an image that already appears sideways in one application but upright in another, preserve the original first. Different programs can interpret an orientation tag differently, while the exported copy uses newly drawn pixels. Compare both files in the actual destination—website, document, print workflow, or messaging app—before replacing anything.
The source and rotated pixels remain in this browser and are not intentionally uploaded to Gypes. Only rotate, publish, or distribute images when you have the necessary rights and permission, especially for confidential, identity, medical, or copyrighted material.