Camera and media capture
Mirror Front Camera
Most people call this selfies saved the way you see them in the viewfinder.
With this on, a selfie is saved exactly as it appeared on screen, rather than flipped horizontally.
This setting is present on your iPhone.
- We have this path on file but have not yet confirmed it against an official source.
Where to find it - iOS 18 and later
- Settings
- Apps
- Camera
- Mirror Front Camera
What it does
The front camera shows a mirrored preview because that is how you see yourself in a mirror. Without this setting the saved file is flipped back, which makes text read correctly but makes your face look subtly wrong to you.
What changes
When it is on
Selfies are saved mirrored, matching the preview.
When it is off
Selfies are flipped back, so text in the shot reads correctly.
Should you turn it on?
Good reasons to turn it on
- The photo matches what you saw while taking it.
- Faces look right to you rather than reversed.
Good reasons to turn it off
- Any writing in the photo appears backwards.
- Others see your face the way it actually is.
Battery
No real change
Privacy
No real change
Performance
No real change
Cellular data
No real change
Storage
No real change
Out of the box: Off.
What your iPhone needs
- Needs iOS 14 or later
Where this setting used to live
Apple moves settings between releases. This is every location we have on file.
-
iOS 18 and later
Settings > Apps > Camera > Mirror Front Camera
-
iOS 14 to iOS 17
Settings > Camera > Mirror Front Camera
Questions people actually ask
- Why do my selfies look flipped?
- The preview is mirrored but the saved file is not, unless you turn on Mirror Front Camera.
If it is not working
- You can flip an existing photo in the Photos editor if you change your mind.
- It applies to the front camera only.