Python OpenCV - cv2.rotate() method

OpenCV-Python is a library of Python bindings designed to solve computer vision problems. cv2.rotate() function is used to rotate images by multiples of 90 degrees. It is a simple and fast way to rotate an image in just one line of code. we use this image:

Example:

import cv2
path = r'C:\Users\user\Desktop\geeks14.png'
src = cv2.imread(path)
rotated = cv2.rotate(src, cv2.ROTATE_90_CLOCKWISE)

cv2.imshow("90° Clockwise", rotated)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()

Output

Explanation:

• cv2.imread() loads the image from the given file path and cv2.rotate() rotates it using a specified code like cv2.ROTATE_90_CLOCKWISE.
• cv2.imshow() displays the image in a window, cv2.waitKey(0) waits for a key press and cv2.destroyAllWindows() closes the window.

Syntax

cv2.rotate(src, rotateCode[, dst])

Parameter:

Returns: This function returns the rotated image.

Available rotateCode values

OpenCV offers constants to rotate images by 90°, 180° or 270° without manual pixel manipulation. Below are the common rotation codes and their meanings:

Examples

Example 1: In this example, we rotate the image upside down by rotating it 180 degrees.

import cv2
path = r'C:\Users\user\Desktop\geeks14.png'
src = cv2.imread(path)
rotated = cv2.rotate(src, cv2.ROTATE_180)

cv2.imshow("180° Rotation", rotated)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()

Output

Explanation:

• cv2.imread() loads the image from the given file path and cv2.rotate() rotates it using the cv2.ROTATE_180 code, which flips the image upside down.
• cv2.imshow() displays the image in a window, cv2.waitKey(0) waits for a key press and cv2.destroyAllWindows() closes the window afterward.

Example 2: In this example, we rotate the image 270 degrees clockwise (which is equivalent to 90 degrees counterclockwise)

import cv2
path = r'C:\Users\user\Desktop\geeks14.png'
src = cv2.imread(path)
rotated = cv2.rotate(src, cv2.ROTATE_90_COUNTERCLOCKWISE)

cv2.imshow("270° Clockwise", rotated)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()

Output

Explanation:

• cv2.imread() loads the image from the given file path and cv2.rotate() rotates it using the cv2.ROTATE_90_COUNTERCLOCKWISE code, which is equivalent to a 270-degree clockwise rotation (or 90 degrees to the left).
• cv2.imshow() displays the rotated image, cv2.waitKey(0) pauses for a key press and cv2.destroyAllWindows() closes the display window.