Ever had your camera suddenly flip upside down during a video call or selfie? It’s pretty annoying, especially if you’re not sure where the settings are or if the app just refuses to cooperate. Sometimes, it’s simply a driver glitch, or maybe the app’s default settings are messed up. Making sure your camera shows the right way isn’t always obvious, but a few tweaks can usually fix it. The tricky part is that Windows doesn’t offer a universal flip option in all its built-in tools, so you might need to dig a bit or try third-party software if the basic settings fall short.
How to Flip Camera on Laptop Windows 10
Here’s a do-it-yourself rundown to get that camera video stream right-side up. Think of it as troubleshooting. If your camera feed is upside down or mirrored, these steps might help, especially if it’s happening across multiple apps like Zoom, Teams, or Skype. The goal is to get your camera’s orientation sorted out, so everything looks natural again. Sometimes, it’s a driver issue, other times, it’s just the app’s settings or a weird Windows quirk.
Access the camera settings through the device driver software
- Many webcams or integrated cameras come with their own control panel—check in Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers. Right-click your camera device and select Properties.
- Look for a tab or button related to settings or configuration. Sometimes, you’ll see options to flip, rotate, or mirror the image directly here. This is more common with dedicated camera drivers from the manufacturer.
- If you find flip options, toggle them, then test your camera in different apps to confirm. Often, updating the driver via the manufacturer’s website or Device Manager can add new controls or fix existing ones. To do that, open PowerShell or Command Prompt as admin and run:
devmgmt.msc or pnputil /update-driver "your-device-ID" (replace “your-device-ID” with your specific camera’s driver info)
Use the built-in Camera app, but be aware it’s limited
- Open the Camera app from the Start menu. Check if the image is upside down here. If yes, explore Settings in the app (click the gear icon).Some cameras / apps may have a toggle for flipping or rotating the feed, but often, they don’t.
- If you don’t see any options, don’t get discouraged. The app probably isn’t designed for flipping. That’s where third-party tools come in, like OBS Studio or ManyCam, which can mirror or rotate webcam feeds.
Try third-party software designed for camera adjustments
One of the more reliable options is to install software like Winhance or OBS Studio. These let you apply transformations to your video feed, including flipping or mirroring. On some setups, the flip only applies within that app, but it’s a solid workaround when Windows options are lacking.
In OBS, for example, you add your camera as a video source, then right-click the source, go to Transform, and select Flip Horizontally or Flip Vertically. Works without messing with driver settings, but you’ll need to pick the right software based on what you use daily.
Reboot your PC after making changes
This one’s kind of weird, but Windows loves to hold onto old settings or cache configurations. After updating drivers or tweaking third-party settings, give the system a quick reboot. It can clear out weird glitches and make sure all dedicated camera controls are properly applied.
Check your Microsoft or device manufacturer support pages
Sometimes, the camera’s own software or drivers from the manufacturer (like Logitech, Dell, or HP) offer special control panels or utilities. Installing and updating those tools can unlock flip or rotation options that Windows doesn’t expose by default. If you can’t find any software, search your device model on the manufacturer’s website for the latest drivers or control apps.
It’s kind of frustrating that Windows doesn’t always make flipping a camera straightforward, especially with built-in apps. But with driver tweaks, third-party options, and a little patience, it’s usually fixable. If these steps don’t help, it might also be worth trying another camera or checking if the hardware itself has flips—sometimes, physically reversing or rotating the camera setup can do the trick if all else fails.