WordPress - Fix Image Orientation on Upload

fix-image-orientation.php

<?php
/**
 * Plugin Name: Fix Image Orientation
 * Plugin URI:  http://www.n7studios.co.uk
 * Description: Checks for an EXIF orientation flag, and rotates the image so it displays with the correct orientation in WordPress. Also retains the EXIF and IPTC metadata on the image.
 * Author:      Tim Carr
 * Author URI:  http://www.n7studios.co.uk
 * Version:     1.0.0
 */

/**
* Check if the EXIF orientation flag matches one of the values we're looking for
* http://www.impulseadventure.com/photo/exif-orientation.html
*
* If it does, this means we need to rotate the image based on the orientation flag and then remove the flag.
* This will ensure the image has the correct orientation, regardless of where it's displayed.
*
* Whilst most browsers and applications will read this flag to perform the rotation on displaying just the image, it's
* not possible to do this in some situations e.g. displaying an image within a lightbox, or when the image is
* within HTML markup.
*
* Orientation flags we're looking for:
* 8: We need to rotate the image 90 degrees counter-clockwise
* 3: We need to rotate the image 180 degrees
* 6: We need to rotate the image 90 degrees clockwise (270 degrees counter-clockwise)
*/
function fix_image_orientation( $file ) {

	// Check we have a file
	if ( ! file_exists( $file['file'] ) ) {
		return $file;
	}

	// Attempt to read EXIF data from the image
	$exif_data = wp_read_image_metadata( $file['file'] );
	if ( ! $exif_data ) {
		return $file;
	}

	// Check if an orientation flag exists
	if ( ! isset( $exif_data['orientation'] ) ) {
		return $file;
	}

	// Check if the orientation flag matches one we're looking for
	$required_orientations = array( 8, 3, 6 );
	if ( ! in_array( $exif_data['orientation'], $required_orientations ) ) {
		return $file;
	}

	// If here, the orientation flag matches one we're looking for
	// Load the WordPress Image Editor class
	$image = wp_get_image_editor( $file['file'] );
	if ( is_wp_error( $image ) ) {
		// Something went wrong - abort
		return $file;
	} 

	// Store the source image EXIF and IPTC data in a variable, which we'll write 
	// back to the image once its orientation has changed
	// This is required because when we save an image, it'll lose its metadata.
	$source_size = getimagesize( $file['file'], $image_info );

	// Depending on the orientation flag, rotate the image
	switch ( $exif_data['orientation'] ) {

		/**
		* Rotate 90 degrees counter-clockwise
		*/
		case 8:
			$image->rotate( 90 );
			break;

		/**
		* Rotate 180 degrees
		*/
		case 3:
			$image->rotate( 180 );
			break;

		/**
		* Rotate 270 degrees counter-clockwise ($image->rotate always works counter-clockwise)
		*/
		case 6:
			$image->rotate( 270 );
			break;

	}

	// Save the image, overwriting the existing image
	// This will discard the EXIF and IPTC data
	$image->save( $file['file'] );

	// Drop the EXIF orientation flag, otherwise applications will try to rotate the image
	// before display it, and we don't need that to happen as we've corrected the orientation

	// Write the EXIF and IPTC metadata to the revised image
	$result = transfer_iptc_exif_to_image( $image_info, $file['file'], $exif_data['orientation'] );
	if ( ! $result ) {
		return $file;
	}
	
	// Finally, return the data that's expected
	return $file;

}
add_filter( 'wp_handle_upload', 'fix_image_orientation' );

/**
* Transfers IPTC and EXIF data from a source image which contains either/both,
* and saves it into a destination image's headers that might not have this IPTC
* or EXIF data
*
* Useful for when you edit an image through PHP and need to preserve IPTC and EXIF
* data
*
* @since 1.0.0
*
* @source http://php.net/iptcembed - ebashkoff at gmail dot com
*
* @param string $image_info 			EXIF and IPTC image information from the source image, using getimagesize()
* @param string $destination_image 		Path and File of Destination Image, which needs IPTC and EXIF data
* @param int 	$original_orientation 	The image's original orientation, before we changed it. 
*										Used when we replace this orientation in the EXIF data
*/
function transfer_iptc_exif_to_image( $image_info, $destination_image, $original_orientation ) {

    // Check destination exists
    if ( ! file_exists( $destination_image ) ) {
    	return false;
    }

    // Get EXIF data from the image info, and create the IPTC segment
    $exif_data = ( ( is_array( $image_info ) && key_exists( 'APP1', $image_info ) ) ? $image_info['APP1'] : null );
    if ( $exif_data ) {
    	// Find the image's original orientation flag, and change it to 1
    	// This prevents applications and browsers re-rotating the image, when we've already performed that function
        // @TODO I'm not sure this is the best way of changing the EXIF orientation flag, and could potentially affect
        // other EXIF data
    	$exif_data = str_replace( chr( dechex( $original_orientation ) ) , chr( 0x1 ), $exif_data );

        $exif_length = strlen( $exif_data ) + 2;
        if ( $exif_length > 0xFFFF ) {
        	return false;
        }

        // Construct EXIF segment
        $exif_data = chr(0xFF) . chr(0xE1) . chr( ( $exif_length >> 8 ) & 0xFF) . chr( $exif_length & 0xFF ) . $exif_data;
    }

    // Get IPTC data from the source image, and create the IPTC segment
    $iptc_data = ( ( is_array( $image_info ) && key_exists( 'APP13', $image_info ) ) ? $image_info['APP13'] : null );
    if ( $iptc_data ) {
        $iptc_length = strlen( $iptc_data ) + 2;
        if ( $iptc_length > 0xFFFF ) {
        	return false;
        }

        // Construct IPTC segment
        $iptc_data = chr(0xFF) . chr(0xED) . chr( ( $iptc_length >> 8) & 0xFF) . chr( $iptc_length & 0xFF ) . $iptc_data;
    }    

    // Get the contents of the destination image
    $destination_image_contents = file_get_contents( $destination_image );
    if ( ! $destination_image_contents ) {
    	return false;
    }
    if ( strlen( $destination_image_contents ) == 0 ) {
    	return false;
    }

    // Build the EXIF and IPTC data headers
    $destination_image_contents = substr( $destination_image_contents, 2 );
    $portion_to_add = chr(0xFF) . chr(0xD8); // Variable accumulates new & original IPTC application segments
    $exif_added = ! $exif_data;
    $iptc_added = ! $iptc_data;

    while ( ( substr( $destination_image_contents, 0, 2 ) & 0xFFF0 ) === 0xFFE0 ) {
        $segment_length = ( substr( $destination_image_contents, 2, 2 ) & 0xFFFF );
        $iptc_segment_number = ( substr( $destination_image_contents, 1, 1 ) & 0x0F );   // Last 4 bits of second byte is IPTC segment #
        if ( $segment_length <= 2 ) {
        	return false;
        }
        
        $thisexistingsegment = substr( $destination_image_contents, 0, $segment_length + 2 );
        if ( ( 1 <= $iptc_segment_number) && ( ! $exif_added ) ) {
            $portion_to_add .= $exif_data;
            $exif_added = true;
            if ( 1 === $iptc_segment_number ) {
                $thisexistingsegment = '';
            }
        }

        if ( ( 13 <= $iptc_segment_number ) && ( ! $iptc_added ) ) {
            $portion_to_add .= $iptc_data;
            $iptc_added = true;
            if ( 13 === $iptc_segment_number ) {
                $thisexistingsegment = '';
            }
        }

        $portion_to_add .= $thisexistingsegment;
        $destination_image_contents = substr( $destination_image_contents, $segment_length + 2 );
    }

    // Write the EXIF and IPTC data to the new file
    if ( ! $exif_added ) {
        $portion_to_add .= $exif_data;
    }
    if ( ! $iptc_added ) {
        $portion_to_add .= $iptc_data;
    }

    $output_file = fopen( $destination_image, 'w' );
    if ( $output_file ) {
    	return fwrite( $output_file, $portion_to_add . $destination_image_contents ); 
    }

    return false;
    
}

Thanks for this!

What version of WordPress is this one compatible?

Doesn't seem like this works

Yes man, it works! WordPress 4.9.8 tested.

Tested 5.2.2 and works! thank you.

Does this fix work when uploading images through a form to a custom folder? Or does it only apply to images uploaded to the media archive?