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Windows Photo Viewer Rotate is Greyed Out: How to Fix it

Check the permissions and file attributes

3 min. read

Updated onNovember 7, 2023

updated onNovember 7, 2023

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Key notes

The Windows Photo Viewer comes with editingfeaturesthat allow you to make basic changes like cropping theimagesand rotating them. However, some users have reported that they cannot rotatepicturesin Windows Photo Viewer, and the option is greyed out.

In this article, we look at the possible solutions to help resolve the inability to rotate pictures in Windows Photo Viewer.

What can I do if rotate is greyed out in Windows Photos Viewer?

What can I do if rotate is greyed out in Windows Photos Viewer?

1. Check for Read-only attributes

Someimages,by default, come with aRead-onlyattribute to prevent accidental modifications made by the user. After removing theRead-only, the rotate option shouldn’t be greyed out in Windows Photo Viewer anymore.

2. Check the permission

If auto rotate is greyed out in Windows 10 Photo Viewer, modifying the file permissions and securing full control should get things running.

3. Run System File Checker and DISM

The System File Checker will scan all protected system files and replace corrupted files with a cached copy that is located in a compressed folder in the Windows directory.

Running theSystem File Checkertool can help you resolve the issues with Windows Photo Viewer if it happens due tofilecorruption, etc. It also helps whenportrait photos are showing in landscape mode.

By now, you should have fixed things when the rotate option in Windows Photo Viewer is greyed out. And you also know how to rotate an image in Windows Photo Viewer.

Before you leave, find out thebest Photo Viewers for Windowsand get one today for a seamless experience.

If the issue persists, run theSystem File Checkerto fix any issues with the app and system files.

More about the topics:photo viewer,windows 10

Tashreef Shareef

Tashreef Shareef is a software developer turned tech writer. He discovered his interest in technology after reading a tech magazine accidentally. Now he writes about everything tech from Windows to iOS and streaming services to IoT at WindowsReport.

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Reviewed byAlex Serban