To flip a photo in Google Photos on Android, open the photo, tap Edit, go to Crop, and tap the Flip button (two arrows pointing left and right) to mirror it horizontally. Then tap Save or Save copy. Google added the flip button to the Android app in 2025, and it works for videos too. If you don’t see it, update the app. The iPhone app and photos.google.com haven’t consistently offered a flip button, so on those you can use a quick workaround, covered below.
Flipping is different from rotating. Flip creates a mirror image, which is handy for fixing backward text in selfies. Rotate turns the photo 90 degrees at a time.
How to flip a photo in Google Photos on Android
- Open Google Photos and tap the photo or video.
- Tap Edit at the bottom.
- Tap Crop.
- Tap Flip to mirror the image left to right. Tap it again to undo.
- Tap Save to replace the original, or tap the arrow next to it and choose Save as copy to keep both versions.
To flip vertically (upside down mirror), tap Flip, then tap Rotate twice. That combination gives the same result as a vertical flip.
How to flip a photo on iPhone or iPad
If the Google Photos app on your iPhone doesn’t show a Flip button, use Apple’s Photos app, which has one built in:
- In Google Photos, open the photo, tap the three-dot More menu, and choose Download if it isn’t already on your iPhone.
- Open the Apple Photos app and find the photo.
- Tap Edit (the sliders icon), then tap Crop.
- Tap the Flip icon (a triangle with arrows) in the top-left corner.
- Tap Done. If Google Photos backup is on, the flipped version uploads as a new item.
How to flip a photo on a computer
The Google Photos website mainly offers rotate, not flip. Download the photo, then flip it with a built-in app:
- Windows: Open it in the Photos app, click Edit image, then use the Flip option in the crop tools. You can also open it in Paint and choose Rotate > Flip horizontal.
- Mac: Open it in Preview and choose Tools > Flip Horizontal, or open it in Photos and use Image > Flip Horizontal.
Then upload the flipped copy back to Google Photos by dragging it into photos.google.com.
How to rotate a photo in Google Photos
- Phone: Tap Edit > Crop > Rotate. Each tap turns the photo 90 degrees. Drag the angle dial to straighten a tilted horizon.
- Computer: Open the photo and press R, or click Edit > Crop > Rotate.
Why selfies look flipped
Your front camera preview works like a mirror, but many phones save the final photo unmirrored, so text looks correct and your face looks “backwards” to you. On iPhone, you can change this in Settings > Camera > Mirror Front Camera. Many Android phones have a similar setting in the camera app, often called Save selfies as previewed. For webcams, see how to mirror your camera on Windows 11.
Related: how to unsync Google Photos.
Frequently asked questions
Does flipping a photo reduce its quality?
A simple flip doesn’t noticeably reduce quality. Choosing Save as copy keeps your original untouched if you want to be safe.
Can I undo a flip after saving?
Yes. In Google Photos, open the edited photo, tap Edit, and tap Revert or Undo edits to go back to the original.
Can I flip a video in Google Photos?
On Android, yes. The same Flip button appears in the video editor’s Crop tab.
How do I flip an image in Google Docs or Slides?
See how to flip an image in Google Docs and how to rotate a picture in Google Slides.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.