Why your video feed is mirrored on one platform
Learn why your camera looks reversed on one video platform, how to tell whether only your preview is mirrored, and which settings to check.
Your face looks reversed in a meeting, but the camera seems normal everywhere else. Or your name on a sign appears backward only in one app. This is often a preview setting, not a broken camera.
Use the Camera Test to check that the camera is producing a clear live image, then compare it with what the platform shows. The key is to find out whether the platform mirrors only your self-view or sends a reversed image to other people too.
Check where the image gets mirrored
- Open the Camera Test and allow camera access when your browser asks. Check that the live preview appears and is stable.
- Hold up something with a clear left and right side, such as a page with a large letter or a logo. Note which way it faces in the test. The test checks the camera feed, but its preview may not display orientation exactly like your video platform.
- Open the platform where the image looks reversed and check its camera preview. Use the same camera and the same object so you can compare the two views.
- Ask someone you trust on the call whether the image looks reversed to them. If you cannot ask, join from a second device with its microphone and speakers muted, then check the image that device receives.
- Compare the result with another video app or browser page. If the camera looks normal elsewhere, focus on the affected platform's video settings rather than changing system settings at random.
What the result means
Only your own preview looks reversed
The platform is probably mirroring the self-view so it feels like looking in a mirror. Other participants may still see the image the right way around. Check with a participant before changing anything, especially if you are presenting a slide, showing a document, or pointing to something.
Other people see the reversed image too
The platform may be flipping the outgoing camera image, or a camera effect or manufacturer utility may be doing it. Look for a mirror or horizontal flip setting in the platform's video controls. If it is not there, check any camera effects or webcam software running on the computer.
The image is reversed in the test and in every app
A setting that affects the camera across apps is more likely than a platform-only preference. Check the camera manufacturer's software, virtual camera effects, or a utility used for background replacement. A physical webcam fault is unlikely to reverse left and right by itself.
The picture is not reversed, but it looks different
A tighter crop, background blur, portrait effect, or a different camera can make the picture seem unfamiliar without flipping it. Compare a distinctive object near one edge of the frame and check which camera the platform is using.
How to fix it
- Check the platform's mirror setting. Open its camera or video settings and look for a control named something like Mirror my video or Flip video. The exact wording and location vary. If the setting says it affects only your preview, changing it will not change what participants see.
- Check the outgoing image with another person. If only your self-view is reversed, you may not need to change anything. If participants see reversed text or gestures, change the setting that affects the shared or outgoing video, if the platform offers one.
- Turn off camera effects temporarily. Disable virtual backgrounds, filters, portrait effects, and any webcam utility that can alter the image. Check the view again after each change so you can identify which setting caused it.
- Confirm which camera the platform uses. If you have a laptop camera and an external webcam, select the intended device in the platform's camera settings. On Windows 11, Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Cameras shows cameras Windows recognizes. On a Mac, System Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera controls which apps can access the camera. These system pages do not flip the image, but they can help you confirm the camera or app involved.
- Restart the platform after changing settings. Close and reopen the app or browser tab, then check both your preview and the image another person receives. Some platforms do not apply camera changes to a call that is already running.
- Update or remove camera software only if the reversal appears everywhere. If every app shows the same flipped image, check the webcam maker's utility for a flip option and update its driver or software from the computer or camera manufacturer. Avoid installing a random camera driver from an unfamiliar source.
Why one platform may look different
Video apps can choose how they display your self-view separately from how they send video to other people. A mirrored preview can make it easier to match your own movements, much like looking in a bathroom mirror. That does not mean the call itself is mirrored.
Text is a useful clue, but it only tells you what is happening in the view you are checking. A backward word in your own preview does not prove that everyone else sees it backward. Verify the outgoing image before changing a setting that could make your self-view less familiar.
If the Camera Test shows a steady image and the reversal happens only in one platform, the camera is probably working; check that platform's preview and outgoing-video controls first.
