How to Mirror or Flip A Video in Simple Steps (Android, iPhone, Mac, Windows)
Flipping a video is easy, but it can quickly become complicated if you need to flip it for a reason. For example, you might have recorded a video with a selfie camera and want to reverse it because the text appears backward. Or, you want to flip a video to create an interesting effect on your audience. Whatever the case, AI in video production can help you achieve your goal in no time! In this article, we will walk you through how to mirror or flip a video in simple steps, whether using an Android device, an iPhone, a Mac, or a Windows computer.
Regarding flipping videos, WrapVideo's AI video art tool makes the process even easier by automating the task and eliminating any guesswork.
When to Flip or Mirror a Video
Flipping a video fixes orientation issues. For example, if you've ever recorded something on your phone and later realised it was upside down, a vertical flip will turn it right-side up. This is especially useful if the camera was mounted incorrectly or the video auto-rotated during recording.
Flipping is also sometimes used creatively. Editors might flip a clip to create a mirrored perspective or to match the direction of movement across different shots. While it’s less common than horizontal flipping, it can be effective for visual storytelling or stylised content.
When to Mirror a Video: Reversed Footage
Mirroring a video is helpful when the footage appears reversed. This usually happens with selfie cameras or mirror recordings, where everything looks flipped from how we’d typically see it. Faces might look slightly off, and text or logos might be backward.
Correcting Visual Orientation
Mirroring the video corrects this. It flips the image so the subject appears like we’d see them in real life. It’s essential when there’s readable text on screen, like a T-shirt design or signage, or when the direction of movement matters (e.g., someone throwing a ball from left to right). Keep in mind, when you mirror a video:
Left becomes right, and vice versa.
Any movement across the frame is reversed.
It can subtly change how the viewer perceives direction or motion.
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What’s the Difference Between Flipping, Mirroring, and Rotating a Video?
Flipping a video means reversing it across either a horizontal or vertical axis. Think of it like flipping a photo over, either from side to side or upside down. A horizontal flip swaps the left and right sides of the frame. For example, if someone in the video is waving with their right hand, a horizontal flip would make it look like they’re using their left hand instead.
Horizontal vs. Vertical Flips
This is common when correcting selfie videos or webcam footage that feels “backwards.” A vertical flip flips the video upside down. The top becomes the bottom and vice versa. It’s less common, but you might need it if the camera was accidentally mounted upside down. In both cases, you’re not turning the video or changing its angle; you’re just flipping its layout like a mirror image, but replacing the original.
Mirroring a Video: What’s the Difference?
Mirroring a video is often confused with flipping because it involves the same kind of reversal, but it’s slightly different in how it's used. When you mirror a video, you usually duplicate the original image and place it next to its flipped version. It’s like what you see when someone adds a mirror effect—one side of the screen is the normal video, and the other is its reflection.
Stylistic Flips vs. Practical Mirroring
This is often used for stylistic effects in editing, like in dance videos or creative visuals. That said, some software tools (especially in webcam apps or smartphones) use the word “mirror” to mean a simple horizontal flip, like when you look at yourself in your phone’s front-facing camera. So context matters here.
Rotating a Video: What You Need to Know
Rotating a video means turning it around its center point to a specific degree. You’re not flipping the content; you're changing its orientation. The most common rotation is 90 degrees, either clockwise or counterclockwise. This is handy when you shoot something in portrait mode on your phone, but want to view or upload it in landscape mode.
Here are the typical rotation angles:
90 degrees: Turns vertical video horizontal (or vice versa)
180 degrees: Flips the video upside down
270 degrees: Same as 90 degrees counterclockwise
Some editing tools even let you rotate videos freely (like 45° or 120°), but it’s about switching between portrait and landscape for most people.
Quick Summary
Flip: Reverse the video’s direction (left ↔ right or top ↔ bottom).
Mirror: Show the original video and its flipped reflection side by side.
Rotate: Turn the video to a new angle (usually 90°, 180°, or 270°).
Each tool can be helpful depending on what you’re working on. Whether trying to fix an upside-down clip, make a video look less “backwards,” or just add a fun mirrored effect, understanding the difference helps you make cleaner edits and more polished videos.
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How to Mirror or Flip a Video in Simple Steps (Android, iPhone, Mac, Windows)
iPhones make it relatively easy to flip a video horizontally (like a mirror). Just follow these steps:
Open the Photos app and find the video you want to flip.
Tap “Edit” in the top-right corner.
Tap the crop icon (it looks like two overlapping right angles) at the bottom.
You’ll see two icons in the top-left corner: The triangle flips the video horizontally (perfect for mirror corrections). The square with an arrow rotates your video.
Tap “Done” to save the flipped video back to your gallery.
Now, your video is mirrored and ready to use. You can even open it in iMovie to edit it further.
(Note: You can't vertically flip a video in the Photos app—you'd need a third-party app.)
How to Flip a Video on Android
Android phones don’t have built-in video flipping tools, but you can do it easily with a free app from the Play Store.
Download a video flipper app (search “mirror video” or “flip video” on the Play Store. There are several good free options).
Open the app and upload your video from Google Photos or your camera roll.
Look for a flip or mirror button (often shown with a triangle or arrows).
Once you’ve flipped the video the way you want, save it—usually to your device or Google Drive.
Now, you can share it on social media or send it to a friend.
How to Flip a Video on Mac (Using QuickTime Player)
Mac users can flip videos easily with the built-in QuickTime Player.
Open your video in QuickTime.
From the top menu, click Edit.
Choose Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical, depending on your needs.
When happy with the result, go to File > Save to keep the changes. That’s it, your flipped video is now ready to use or share.
How to Flip a Video on Windows (Using Windows Movie Maker)
Windows has no built-in video flipper, but Windows Movie Maker is a free tool.
Open Windows Movie Maker and click “Create New Project.”
Choose “Add new clip” and upload the video you want to flip.
Go to More Tools > Rotate and Flip in the menu.
Pick the flip option you want, horizontal or vertical, then click OK.
Save the edited video, and you’re good to go.
Quick Tip: If you're unsure which way to flip, horizontal is best for mirror image fixes (like selfie videos), and vertical is for turning an upside-down video the right way up.
5 Best Tools for Mirroring or Flipping a Video
1. WarpVideo: The Creative AI Video Art Tool
Unleash your creative potential with WarpVideo's revolutionary AI video art tool, transforming ordinary content into extraordinary visual experiences. Our powerful face swap and morphing technologies create captivating videos in minutes, seamlessly blending identities and transforming scenes with just a few clicks.
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Our intuitive platform allows you to generate professional-quality videos without requiring specialized skills or expensive equipment. Elevate your visual storytelling, stand out from the competition, and bring your creative vision to life with WarpVideo's transformative AI technology.
Start with five free text-to-image generations today and see why creators worldwide make WarpVideo their secret weapon.
2. iMovie: The Built-In Video Editor for Mac Users
If you're a Mac user, iMovie is your best option. It comes packaged with every Mac, so there's no need to download or purchase any extra applications. Each click rotates the video 90 degrees. It supports 1080p HD video at 60 frames per second. You can make video clips using iMovie on your iPhone and import them on your Mac to add extra effects like speeding up or slowing down the action.
3. VLC: The Free Media Player and Video Editor
VLC is a free media player and video editor program for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. Rotating a video in VLC is simple and free, and you can rotate the video 90, 180, and 270 degrees. Moreover, it also provides flip options that allow you to flip the video horizontally and vertically.
The player can also flip the video, rotate it into a perfect portrait or landscape orientation, and even transcode it (rotating and flipping simultaneously) to fit the screen.
4. Freemake Video Converter: The Free Video Converter with Basic Editing Tools
Freemake Video Converter is a free and comprehensive video converter. It supports 250+ video formats, including:
MP4
WMV
MKV
AVI
FLV
DVD
It also includes a basic video editor that easily rotates videos from your iPhone, PC, or camcorder 90, -90, and 180 degrees without problems.
5. Windows Movie Maker: The Simple Video Editor for Windows Users
If you're a Windows user, Windows Movie Maker can be the easiest tool for rotating or flipping videos. This feature-rich yet simple-to-use video editing tool can rotate the video by 90, 180, or 270 degrees and flip (mirror) it vertically or horizontally.
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WarpVideo's AI video art tool analyzes your existing footage and generates new visuals based on your chosen effect or style. For example, suppose you upload a video of a person talking and select a "face swap" effect. In that case, the software will use artificial intelligence to detect the facial features of both subjects and seamlessly transform the footage to replace one identity with the other.
The result looks like a natural exchange rather than a clunky or awkward cut. Just as artists use brushes and paints to create their masterpieces, WarpVideo provides a new medium for visual storytellers to unleash their creativity and produce eye-catching video content.