Rotate or flip an object

You can turn any object on the page, or flip it to make a mirror image. This works on text boxes, pictures, shapes, WordArt and groups. The text in a rotated text box turns with the box, and you can still edit it.

Rotate by dragging

1. Click the object to select it.
2. Point to the round handle just above the object. It’s joined to the top edge by a short line.
3. Drag the handle around the object. The object turns around its center.

To turn in 15-degree steps, hold Shift while you drag. This makes it easy to land on 15, 30, 45 or 90 degrees.

Rotate to an exact angle

1. Click the object to select it.
2. In the Properties pane, click the Layout tab.
3. Under Arrange, type the angle in the Rotation box, then press Enter.

The angle turns the object clockwise. For example, 90 turns it a quarter turn to the right. Type 0 to put it back straight.

You can also click the Home tab, click Rotate, then click More Rotation Options…. On the Size tab, under Size and rotate, type the angle in Rotation and click OK.

Rotate a quarter turn or flip

1. Click the object to select it.
2. Click the Home tab. In the Arrange group, click Rotate.
3. Click one of these:
   • Rotate Right 90° turns it a quarter turn clockwise.
   • Rotate Left 90° turns it a quarter turn counterclockwise.
   • Rotate 180° turns it upside down.
   • Flip Horizontal mirrors it left to right.
   • Flip Vertical mirrors it top to bottom.

Flips go by what you see on the page, even on an object that’s already rotated. Flip Vertical on a picture turned sideways still swaps its top and bottom as it sits on the page.

Other ways to get there

• The Rotate button is also in the Arrange group on the Shape Format, Picture Format and Word art tabs.
• In the Properties pane, click the Layout tab. The Rotate button is at the bottom of Arrange.
• Right-click a shape and click Format AutoShape…, or right-click a picture and click Format Picture…. Then use Rotation on the Size tab.

Rotate several objects at once

Hold Shift and click each object, then use Rotate or drag one object’s handle. Each object turns by the same amount around its own center. To turn them together as one piece, group them first with Ctrl+Shift+G.

If it still looks wrong

Rotate is grayed out

The object’s position is locked. Right-click it and click Unlock Position, then try again.

I want to undo a rotation

Press Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on a Mac), or type 0 in the Rotation box.