diff --git a/lib/src/darwin/native.dart b/lib/src/darwin/native.dart
index f05eb72..a96429c 100644
--- a/lib/src/darwin/native.dart
+++ b/lib/src/darwin/native.dart
@@ -19,10 +19,13 @@ import 'package:platform_image_converter/src/output_resize.dart';
 /// - Supports all major image formats (JPEG, PNG, HEIC, WebP, etc.)
 /// - Uses CoreFoundation and CoreGraphics for efficient processing
 /// - Memory-safe with proper resource cleanup
+/// - Applies EXIF orientation correction: bakes rotation/flip into pixels so
+///   output images display upright regardless of EXIF tag presence.
 ///
 /// **API Stack:**
 /// - `CGImageSourceCreateWithData`: Decode input image
-/// - `CGImageSourceCreateImageAtIndex`: Extract CGImage
+/// - `CGImageSourceCopyPropertiesAtIndex`: Read EXIF orientation tag
+/// - `CGImageSourceCreateThumbnailAtIndex`: Create orientation-corrected image
 /// - `CGBitmapContextCreate`: Create a canvas for resizing
 /// - `CGContextDrawImage`: Draw and scale the image
 /// - `CGBitmapContextCreateImage`: Extract resized CGImage
@@ -48,6 +51,8 @@ final class ImageConverterDarwin implements ImageConverterPlatform {
     CFDataRef? cfData;
     CGImageSourceRef? imageSource;
     CGImageRef? originalImage;
+    // Orientation-corrected image (owned, non-null only when correction applied).
+    CGImageRef? orientedImage;
     CGImageRef? imageToEncode;
     CFMutableDataRef? outputData;
     CGImageDestinationRef? destination;
@@ -77,17 +82,35 @@ final class ImageConverterDarwin implements ImageConverterPlatform {
         throw const ImageDecodingException();
       }
 
-      final originalWidth = CGImageGetWidth(originalImage);
-      final originalHeight = CGImageGetHeight(originalImage);
+      // CGImageSourceCreateImageAtIndex returns raw sensor pixels without
+      // applying the EXIF Orientation tag. iPhone photos captured in portrait
+      // are stored with orientation=6 (Right/90° CW), causing the decoded
+      // pixels to appear rotated. We correct this by reading the orientation
+      // and, when it is not Up (1), using CGImageSourceCreateThumbnailAtIndex
+      // with kCGImageSourceCreateThumbnailWithTransform=true, which bakes the
+      // rotation/flip into the pixel data before we encode.
+      final sourceOrientation = _readOrientationFromSource(imageSource);
+      if (sourceOrientation != 1) {
+        final srcW = CGImageGetWidth(originalImage);
+        final srcH = CGImageGetHeight(originalImage);
+        final maxEdge = srcW > srcH ? srcW : srcH;
+        orientedImage = _createOrientedImage(imageSource, maxEdge);
+      }
+
+      // Use the orientation-corrected image as the base for all further ops.
+      final baseImage = orientedImage ?? originalImage;
+
+      final originalWidth = CGImageGetWidth(baseImage);
+      final originalHeight = CGImageGetHeight(baseImage);
       final (newWidth, newHeight) = resizeMode.calculateSize(
         originalWidth,
         originalHeight,
       );
 
       if (newWidth == originalWidth && newHeight == originalHeight) {
-        imageToEncode = originalImage;
+        imageToEncode = baseImage;
       } else {
-        imageToEncode = _resizeImage(originalImage, newWidth, newHeight);
+        imageToEncode = _resizeImage(baseImage, newWidth, newHeight);
       }
 
       if (imageToEncode == nullptr) {
@@ -161,9 +184,16 @@ final class ImageConverterDarwin implements ImageConverterPlatform {
       if (inputPtr != null) calloc.free(inputPtr);
       if (cfData != null) CFRelease(cfData.cast());
       if (imageSource != null) CFRelease(imageSource.cast());
-      if (imageToEncode != null && imageToEncode != originalImage) {
+      // Release imageToEncode only if it is a distinct CGImage (i.e. came from
+      // _resizeImage). Do not double-release if it was aliased to baseImage.
+      if (imageToEncode != null &&
+          imageToEncode != orientedImage &&
+          imageToEncode != originalImage) {
         CFRelease(imageToEncode.cast());
       }
+      // orientedImage is an independent retained CGImageRef created by
+      // _createOrientedImage; release it after imageToEncode.
+      if (orientedImage != null) CFRelease(orientedImage.cast());
       if (originalImage != null) CFRelease(originalImage.cast());
       if (outputData != null) CFRelease(outputData.cast());
       if (destination != null) CFRelease(destination.cast());
@@ -269,4 +299,84 @@ final class ImageConverterDarwin implements ImageConverterPlatform {
       }
     }
   }
+
+  /// Reads the EXIF/CGImage orientation tag from the first image in [src].
+  ///
+  /// Orientation values match CGImagePropertyOrientation:
+  /// - 1 (Up) = normal, no correction needed
+  /// - 6 (Right) = 90° CW — most common for portrait iPhone photos
+  /// - 3 (Down) = 180°
+  /// - 8 (Left) = 90° CCW
+  ///
+  /// Returns 1 if the tag is absent, unreadable, or the image is already upright.
+  int _readOrientationFromSource(CGImageSourceRef src) {
+    CFDictionaryRef? props;
+    try {
+      props = CGImageSourceCopyPropertiesAtIndex(src, 0, nullptr);
+      if (props == nullptr) return 1;
+      final orientRef = CFDictionaryGetValue(
+        props,
+        kCGImagePropertyOrientation.cast(),
+      );
+      if (orientRef == nullptr) return 1;
+      return using((arena) {
+        final intPtr = arena<Int32>();
+        // kCFNumberInt32Type = 9
+        final ok = CFNumberGetValue(orientRef, 9, intPtr.cast());
+        return ok ? intPtr.value : 1;
+      });
+    } finally {
+      if (props != null && props != nullptr) CFRelease(props.cast());
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// Creates a new CGImageRef with EXIF orientation baked into pixel data.
+  ///
+  /// Uses [CGImageSourceCreateThumbnailAtIndex] with
+  /// `kCGImageSourceCreateThumbnailWithTransform = true`, which instructs
+  /// ImageIO to apply the EXIF rotation/flip before returning the image.
+  /// [maxPixelSize] should be the longest edge of the source image so the
+  /// returned image is full resolution (or at least as large as the source).
+  ///
+  /// Returns a retained [CGImageRef] that the caller must [CFRelease],
+  /// or `null` if the thumbnail could not be created.
+  CGImageRef? _createOrientedImage(CGImageSourceRef src, int maxPixelSize) {
+    return using((arena) {
+      final keys = arena<Pointer<Void>>(3);
+      final values = arena<Pointer<Void>>(3);
+
+      // kCGImageSourceCreateThumbnailFromImageIfAbsent = kCFBooleanTrue
+      keys[0] = kCGImageSourceCreateThumbnailFromImageIfAbsent.cast();
+      values[0] = true.toNSNumber().ref.retainAndAutorelease().cast();
+
+      // kCGImageSourceCreateThumbnailWithTransform = kCFBooleanTrue
+      // This is the key that bakes the EXIF rotation into pixel data.
+      keys[1] = kCGImageSourceCreateThumbnailWithTransform.cast();
+      values[1] = true.toNSNumber().ref.retainAndAutorelease().cast();
+
+      // kCGImageSourceThumbnailMaxPixelSize = longest source edge
+      // Setting this to the source's longest edge returns full resolution.
+      keys[2] = kCGImageSourceThumbnailMaxPixelSize.cast();
+      values[2] = maxPixelSize.toNSNumber().ref.retainAndAutorelease().cast();
+
+      final keyCallbacks = arena<CFDictionaryKeyCallBacks>();
+      final valueCallbacks = arena<CFDictionaryValueCallBacks>();
+      final opts = CFDictionaryCreate(
+        kCFAllocatorDefault,
+        keys.cast(),
+        values.cast(),
+        3,
+        keyCallbacks,
+        valueCallbacks,
+      );
+      if (opts == nullptr) return null;
+
+      try {
+        final thumb = CGImageSourceCreateThumbnailAtIndex(src, 0, opts);
+        return (thumb == nullptr) ? null : thumb;
+      } finally {
+        CFRelease(opts.cast());
+      }
+    });
+  }
 }