How to Flip or Invert a Picture on iPhone

Flipping or inverting a photo on your iPhone lets you mirror it horizontally or vertically, or reverse its colors. This guide covers the built-in Photos app for mirroring and the accessibility settings for color inversion, so you can achieve the effect you need without third-party apps.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone running iOS 13 or later (for the Photos app editing tools)
The photo you want to edit saved in your Photos library

Step-by-Step

Mirror (Flip) a Photo Horizontally or Vertically

Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
Tap the photo you want to flip to view it full screen.
Tap Edit in the top-right corner.
Tap the crop/rotate icon (a square with arrows) at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the flip icon (a triangle with a horizontal line through it) located in the top-left corner of the editing toolbar. This flips the image horizontally (mirror left-to-right).
To flip vertically (upside-down), tap the same flip icon again – but note that the built-in tool only does horizontal flips. For vertical flip, you’ll need to rotate the image 180° (tap the rotate icon twice) and then flip horizontally. Alternatively, use the rotate icon (a square with an arrow) to turn the photo 90° at a time until it’s upside down.
Tap Done in the bottom-right corner to save your changes.

Invert Colors (Negative Effect)

Open Settings on your iPhone.
Go to Accessibility → Display & Text Size.
Tap Smart Invert or Classic Invert to enable it. Smart Invert keeps images and some media natural, while Classic Invert reverses all colors.
To see the effect, open the photo in the Photos app – the colors will appear inverted.
To save the inverted photo, take a screenshot (press side button + volume up) and then crop it to the photo area.

Common Mistakes

Confusing flip with rotate: Flipping mirrors the image; rotating turns it. They are not the same.
Expecting a vertical flip from the flip icon: The Photos app’s flip tool only flips horizontally. For vertical, you need to rotate 180° and then flip.
Forgetting to save: If you exit the editor without tapping Done, your changes are lost.
Using Smart Invert when you want full inversion: Smart Invert may leave some colors unchanged, especially in photos. Use Classic Invert for a true negative.

Tips

Use Smart Invert if you want a dark mode look without reversing photos.
For precise vertical flipping, use the rotate tool twice (180°) and then flip horizontally – this gives a perfect vertical mirror.
If you need to flip multiple photos, edit them one by one – there’s no batch flip in the Photos app.
To revert a flip, go back to Edit and tap the flip icon again – it toggles back to the original.

Troubleshooting

Flip icon not visible: Make sure you’re in the crop/rotate mode (the icon with a square and arrows). The flip icon appears in the top-left of that toolbar.
Photo won’t save: Check that you have enough storage space. If not, free up space or use a cloud service.
Invert not working: Ensure you’ve enabled it in Settings and that you’re viewing the photo in the Photos app, not in a third-party app that might override the setting.
Changes not applied: If you tap Done but the photo looks unchanged, you may have accidentally toggled the flip twice. Edit again and check.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I flip a photo in the Photos app without losing quality?

Yes, flipping is lossless – it doesn’t degrade the image quality.

How do I flip a photo vertically?

Use the rotate tool twice (180°) and then flip horizontally. This results in a vertical mirror.

Is there a way to invert colors permanently on a photo?

Yes, use the accessibility invert feature and then take a screenshot to save the inverted version.

Can I undo a flip after saving?

Yes, open the photo in Edit mode and tap the flip icon again – it will revert to the original.

Does Smart Invert work on all photos?

No, Smart Invert tries to keep photos and media looking natural, so some colors may not invert.

Can I flip a photo in iMessage or WhatsApp?

No, you need to edit the photo in the Photos app first, then send the edited version.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →