How to edit pictures in the Photos app on iPhone and iPad

There's no doubt that the iPhone and iPad can take some beautiful pictures with their camera. The Camera app offers a bunch of features to make every shot as pretty as it can be. However, some pictures might need a little extra work. Fortunately, you can easily edit pictures in the Photos app on iPhone or iPad. You don't need any photo editing apps to rotate, crop, or straighten your photos. Here's how to do it!

How to rotate in Photos on iPhone or iPad

1. Launch Photos on your iPhone or iPad.

2. Find the photo you would like to rotate and tap it to open it.

   Source: iMore

3. Tap Edit in the top right corner.

4. Tap on the Crop button in the bottom menu.

   Source: iMore

5. Tap the Rotate button in the top menu.
   • It is the second button from the left with a curved arrow.
   • Tap it until you get your desired rotation.

6. Tap Done to save your changes.

   Source: iMore

How to straighten in Photos on iPhone or iPad

1. Launch Photos on your iPhone or iPad.

2. Find a photo that you want to straighten out, and then tap on it to open.

   Source: iMore

3. Tap Edit in the upper right corner.

4. Tap on the Crop button in the bottom menu.

   Source: iMore

5. By default, it goes to Straighten. Simply drag your finger along the dial at the bottom to straighten out your image.

6. If you need to straighten out the image vertically or horizontally, tap on either Vertical or Horizontal (located next to the default Straighten option).

   Source: iMore

7. Adjust the slider until you are satisfied with the results.

8. Tap Done to save your changes.

   Source: iMore

Sometimes you'll need to vertically or horizontally straighten your image to get a better perspective. This is especially true if you are taking photos of architecture and buildings, and want a straight edge on the walls rather than a skewed perspective due to the lens.

How to crop in Photos on iPhone or iPad

1. Launch Photos on your iPhone or iPad.

2. Find the photo you want to crop, and then tap on it to open.

   Source: iMore

3. Tap Edit in the upper right corner.

4. Tap the Crop button in the bottom menu.

   Source: iMore

5. Tap and drag on the corner handles of the crop until you're satisfied with the results.

6. Tap Done to save your changes.

   Source: iMore

How to change the aspect ratio for crops on iPhone and iPad

1. Launch Photos on your iPhone or iPad.

2. Find a photo you want to crop, then tap on it to open.

   Source: iMore

3. Tap Edit in the top right corner.

4. Tap on the Crop button in the bottom menu.

   Source: iMore

5. Tap the Aspect Ratio button at the top (it's the one with multiple rectangles in one located next to the options button or the "..." button).

6. Scroll through the aspect ratio options by swiping horizontally.
7. Tap the ratio you want to use (the default is Freeform).

8. Tap Done to save your changes.

   Source: iMore

Any questions?

Do you have any questions about how to edit pictures in the Photos app on iPhone or iPad? Sound off in the comments below.

November 2020: Updated for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14.