You can edit an image from Media → Library or from an Image block in the Block Editor. Use the Media Library editor when you need to change the image file itself; use the block controls when you only need to change its size, aspect ratio, or on-page framing.
Choose the right WordPress editing route
| Goal | Best route | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Crop, rotate, flip, or proportionally resize an uploaded file | Media → Library → Edit → Edit Image | The image edit saved by WordPress; the Media Library editor also provides restoration controls. See Edit Media. |
| Adjust width, height, or the visible frame in a post or page | Select the Image block and use its settings | Display only. Changing an Image block’s aspect ratio “only changes how the image appears on the page.” See Image block. |
| Open the full editor for an image already in a post | Select the Image block, then choose Crop on its toolbar | The Block Editor’s crop, rotate, flip, zoom, straighten, and save controls. |
Labels and screenshots can differ between WordPress versions. The current Image block documentation has a changelog entry dated August 20, 2026, while the Edit Media guide was updated October 23, 2024.
Edit an image from the Media Library
- In the WordPress dashboard, open Media → Library.
- Open the image’s Edit link. On the Edit Media screen, select Edit Image.
- Make your crop, rotation, flip, or scale changes, using Undo and Redo as needed.
- Save the edit using the control shown by your WordPress version.
The documented Media Library workflow is described in WordPress’s Edit Media guide.
Crop the image
Click and drag over the part you want to keep, then select the crop icon. Enter or choose an aspect ratio when you need a consistent shape; the guide gives 1:1, 4:3, and 16:9 as examples. Hold Shift while dragging to lock the selected ratio.
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For precise positioning, the editor supports these keyboard adjustments:
- Arrow key: move the selection by 10 pixels.
- Shift + Arrow: move it by 1 pixel.
- Ctrl + Arrow: resize it by 10 pixels.
- Ctrl + Shift + Arrow: resize it by 1 pixel.
The smallest possible selection is determined by the thumbnail size configured in Media settings.
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Rotate the image
- Rotate left: turns the image 90 degrees counter-clockwise.
- Rotate right: turns it 90 degrees clockwise.
Flip the image
- Flip vertical: turns the image upside down.
- Flip horizontal: mirrors it from left to right.
Scale the image file
Enter the new dimensions and select Scale. Media Library scaling preserves the original proportions and reduces dimensions only: “Images can only be scaled down, not up.” WordPress recommends scaling before cropping, flipping, or rotating.
Scaling here changes the image file, unlike changing an Image block’s displayed width or height.
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Undo, redo, or restore the original
Use Undo and Redo to step through edits. To discard the edits and return to the uploaded specifications, choose Restore Original Image, then confirm with Restore Image. The Edit Media guide says previously edited copies are not deleted when you restore the original.
Edit an image while editing a post or page
- Open the post or page in the Block Editor and select its Image block.
- Choose Crop from the block toolbar. This opens the Media Editor.
- Use the Crop tab, then save or cancel your changes.
Crop, zoom, rotate, flip, and straighten
Drag the crop handles for a freeform crop or choose an aspect-ratio preset. Use Zoom to position details more accurately. The handles snap to source-image pixels.
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The editor also provides horizontal and vertical flip controls, 90-degree rotation controls, and a ruler beneath the image for straightening by degree. Reset, Undo, and Redo are available while editing.
Save or cancel
Select Save to apply the edit or Cancel to discard it. The Image block documentation says the edited result is saved as a new image file while the original remains available in the Media Library; a later edit can also be reversed through the editor’s undo action.
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Change the displayed frame without editing the source file
When you only need a different presentation, select the Image block and adjust its width, height, or aspect-ratio settings. This changes the display rather than the underlying image file.
Cover versus Contain
- Cover: fills the assigned area, so parts of the image may be cropped.
- Contain: keeps the entire image visible, which can leave empty space around it.
Use these settings for layout variations when you want to keep the original available for other pages or designs.
Thumbnail and size behavior in the legacy editor
The legacy Media Library editor can apply a change to all image sizes, the thumbnail only, or all sizes except the thumbnail. WordPress describes thumbnails as smaller versions of the main image. Its documented default thumbnail is 150 × 150 pixels and cropped square, although Media settings can change that value. See Media Library screen for the related settings context.
Which workflow should you use?
- Choose the Media Library editor for a permanent file-level crop, rotation, flip, or proportional reduction.
- Choose Image block settings when you only need a different on-page size or frame.
- Choose the Block Editor’s Crop tool when the image is already in a post and you want its integrated crop, zoom, straighten, rotate, and flip controls.
- Scale down before other Media Library edits when you know the final dimensions; WordPress does not upscale through that control.
For developer-level image-editor details, consult the WordPress Developer Resources Image_Editor reference.
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