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Whether you like to apply changes that affect your photo's quality, feel, and look—or you want to add information on top of your photos, the Photos app in Windows gives you all kinds of options for getting your photos and videos looking their best.

Edit a photo

With the Photos app, you can easily crop, rotate, adjust look and feel, add a filter, and write or draw on your photo to communicate and provide context.

In the search box on the taskbar, type Photos. From the list, select Photos. Then select the photo you’d like to change.

  1. Select Edit image (Ctrl+EShows an icon with a mountain drawing, and a pencil angled across one corner. at the top of your screen.

  2. Select either Crop, Adjustment, Filter, or Mark-up to start editing.

  3. Use these features to tweak the light, color, look, and feel of your photo.

Shows the crop option selected for editing a photo in Windows 11.

Tip: To cancel all the edits that have been applied to your photo, select Reset on the top left of your screen.

What each feature does

Crop, flip, or rotate photos to trim out the unwanted parts manually or use preset aspect ratios. You can also rotate a photo left and right by 90 degrees or by incremental degrees—or flip an image by 180 degrees.

  1. While viewing an image, select Edit image from the top of your screen.

  2. Select Crop and then, from the tool bar at the bottom, select an option:

    • Rotate clockwise Shows an icon with an arrow in the clockwise direction. or counterclockwise  Shows an icon with a counterclockwise arrow.

    • Use the preset aspect ratio  Shows an icon with a small square inside a larger square.

    • Flip image vertically  Shows an icon with up and down arrows. or horizontally  Shows an icon with left and right arrows.

    • Freely rotate your photo using the slider

Shows an image being cropped in Windows 11, with the transparent original behind it.

Adjust light and color to set the mood and quality of photos.

  1. Select Edit image from the top of your screen.

  2. Select Adjustment and then, from the adjustment panel on your right, adjust light and colors sliders.

  3. You can click and hold or press the spacebar to view the original photo.

Shows the light and colors options for editing photos in Windows 11.

Use filters to refine the tone of images or add special effects to transform photos using only one click. To get started, open a photo.

  1. Select Edit image from the top of your screen.

  2. Select Filter and then, from the Filter panel on your right, select one of fifteen available filters. No worries if you don’t want to apply any filters—you always have the Original option available.

  3. You can click and hold or press the spacebar to view the original photo.

Shows the filter options for editing photos in Windows 11.

Markup photos. Sometimes, there's more to the story than what pictures can convey on their own. Add a personal touch to your favorite moments by drawing on your photos.

Shows markup options for photos in Windows 11, including pen colors and widths.

To get started, open the photo or video you'd like to mark up.

  1. Select Edit image from the top of your screen.

  2. Select Mark-up and then, from the toolbar, select one of three drawing tools (2 available pens, and one highlighter).

  3. Select the type of line (plain line, line with single arrow, line with double arrow) and the color and size from the pen options.

  4. Go ahead and draw right on your image, and no worries if you mess up—you can always erase markings you don't like with the Eraser tool. Or clear your whole drawing by selecting Clear all ink strokes next to the Eraser tool.

Shows the markup tool menu with pen colors, line widths, and arrow options.

Edit a photo

With the Photos app, you can easily crop, rotate, add a filter, and automatically enhance your photos.

In the search box on the taskbar, enter photos. From the list, select Photos. Then select the photo you’d like to change.

  1. Select Edit & Create at the top of your screen.

  2. Select Edit, and then select either Crop & rotate, Filters, or Adjustments.

  3. Use these features to tweak light, color, clarity, and remove red eyes.

Photos app choices for editing

Tip: To make minor changes or touch up blemishes, select Edit & Create > Edit > Adjustments. Then choose Red eye or Spot fix.

For more creative options, select Edit & Create, and then select Add 3D effects or Edit with Paint 3D.

Get creative with your photos and videos

Sometimes, there's more to the story than what pictures and videos can convey on their own. Add a personal touch to your favorite moments by drawing on your photos and videos.

Photo being drawn on in Microsoft Photos app

To get started, open the photo or video you'd like to enhance.

  1. Select Edit & Create from the top of your screen.

  2. Select Draw   and then, from the toolbar, select one of three drawing tools.

  3. Select your chosen tool a second time to see options for color and size.

  4. Go ahead and draw right on your image, and no worries if you mess up—you can always erase markings you don't like with the Eraser  tool. Or, clear your whole drawing by selecting Clear all ink strokes.

Drawing options in Microsoft Photos app

For more creative options, select Edit & Create, and then select Add 3D effects or Edit with Paint 3D.

Share your creations

When you're happy with your drawing, share it! To share a still of your new image or an animated playback of your drawing, with your creation open, select Share .

For more info on videos, see Create videos.

See Also

Remove the background of a photo with Paint 3D

Group photos by faces

See all your photos

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