How do I mirror a video?
Open it in the tool at the top of this page, turn on Flip horizontal (or press H), then select Export video and download it. It works the same on phones and computers.
Mirror video online
To mirror a video, open it in the tool above and turn on Flip horizontal. Left and right swap, exactly as if you were watching the clip in a mirror. The same switch un-mirrors a video: mirroring a mirrored clip puts it back the right way round.
This page is about the mirror effect and fixing front-camera and webcam footage. To turn a picture upside down along the horizontal axis, see flip a video vertically.
How to mirror a video
-
Open the video
Drop the clip onto the tool, or tap to choose it from your camera roll or files.
-
Turn on Flip horizontal
Click the Flip horizontal switch, or press H. The preview shows the mirror image right away.
-
Check text and details
Pause on a frame with writing, a logo or a watch. If the text now reads normally, the video is un-mirrored.
-
Export and download
Select Export video, then Download. On a phone, use Share or save to Photos to keep it with your other videos.
Why selfie and webcam videos look mirrored
Front cameras show you a mirrored preview because that's how you're used to seeing yourself. Whether the saved video stays mirrored depends on the phone, the camera app and its settings. Some save what the lens actually saw; others keep the mirrored version, which is why a T-shirt slogan or a sign behind you can come out backwards.
Webcam software works the same way. Many video-call apps mirror only your own self-view, so other people see you the right way round, but some recording and streaming apps save the mirrored picture. If text in your recording reads backwards, the clip is mirrored, and a horizontal flip fixes it.
Many phones also have a front-camera mirror setting (on iPhone it's called Mirror Front Camera, in Settings → Camera). Changing it affects new shots, not videos you've already recorded. More in how to mirror a video on iPhone.
When to mirror a video on purpose
- Dance and workout tutorials. When you face the camera, a mirrored video lets viewers follow your moves as if you were their reflection in a studio mirror.
- Continuity in an edit. Flip a shot so a person or car moves the same way as in the shot before, or so a subject looks into the frame.
- Composition. Move the subject to the other side of the frame to make room for titles or captions.
- Footage filmed in a mirror. Mirror it again to restore the real layout of the scene.
Before you publish a mirror image video, look for giveaways: text, logos, watches and hair partings all switch sides.
What mirroring changes, and what it doesn’t
Mirroring reflects the picture only. The sound, length and frame rate stay the same, and so does the resolution unless you choose a smaller size. Because every frame is redrawn, the video is re-encoded at a high bitrate; set Quality to High for the closest match to the original.
It mirrors the whole frame. This video mirror doesn't make split-screen or kaleidoscope effects, where half of the picture is reflected onto the other half.
It's also private. The mirror is applied on your device by your browser, so your video isn't uploaded, and there's no account and no watermark. That matters for selfies, family clips and anything you'd rather not hand to a server.
Mirror video FAQ
How do I un-mirror a front-camera video?
Apply a horizontal flip. Mirroring is its own undo, so flipping a mirrored selfie puts text and faces back the right way round.
Is mirroring a video the same as flipping it?
Mirroring is a horizontal flip. Flipping can also mean a vertical flip, from top to bottom; the flip video page covers both.
Can I mirror a video on iPhone?
Yes. The Photos app has a flip button in its crop tool, explained in our iPhone guide. You can also open this page in Safari and mirror the clip here.
Will people notice that a video is mirrored?
Usually only through text, logos and things that are always on one side, such as a watch or a parting. Check a few frames before you post.
Does mirroring a video reduce quality?
The video is re-encoded because each frame is redrawn, but at a high bitrate, so it stays very close to the original. Choose High quality to keep as much detail as possible.
Can I mirror only part of a video?
Not here. The mirror applies to the whole clip, or to the part you keep after trimming.