Issue Description
Many users find that a photo looks fine in their local gallery, but appears rotated or upside down after uploading. This is usually caused by the Exif orientation metadata, not by file corruption.
Exif Orientation Data
When you take a photo, the device often saves an orientation tag instead of rotating the actual pixels. Common values include:
- 1 = Normal (no rotation)
- 3 = Rotate 180°
- 6 = Rotate 90° clockwise
- 8 = Rotate 90° counterclockwise
Whether software reads and applies this tag determines if the photo looks correct.
Why the Problem Happens
- Local Gallery: Most mobile and desktop viewers read Exif orientation and display the photo correctly.
- Websites/Systems: Some ignore Exif metadata and just show the raw pixel data, making the photo appear rotated.
How to Fix
- Re-save: Open in an editor (e.g., Photoshop) and export to remove the orientation tag.
- Use Tools:
- Exif Auto Orient: Automatically corrects orientation based on Exif data.
- Exif Viewer: Lets you check Exif metadata, including orientation.
Summary: If a photo rotates after upload, it's usually due to the Exif orientation tag. Correcting or removing it will fix the problem.