Your picture is facing the wrong way, and rotating it doesn't create the mirror image you need. On a computer, you can flip an image in Google Docs using its embedded Drawing editor. On Android, iPhone or iPad, flip the photo in an image editor first, then insert the saved result. Choose a horizontal flip to swap left and right, or a vertical flip to swap top and bottom.
Flip your image with the Drawing editor
In an editable Google Docs document on your computer, select the picture you want to flip. Copy it with Ctrl+C on Windows or Chromebook, or Command+C on Mac. Choose Insert > Drawing > New to open the drawing canvas, then paste the copied picture into the drawing.
Select the picture inside the canvas. Choose Actions > Rotate > Flip horizontally for a left-to-right mirror image, or Flip vertically to exchange the top and bottom. Click Save and close to put the drawing into your document.
Delete the original unflipped image if copying it left a duplicate. For a new picture, use the drawing toolbar’s Image button to import it instead of copying an existing image.
Edit a picture that's already in a drawing
If your picture is already inside an embedded drawing, open that drawing to change it. An already-flipped Google Drawing saved in Drive has a separate insertion path.
Select the embedded drawing in your document and click Edit to open it. Select the picture within the drawing. Choose Actions > Rotate > Flip horizontally or Flip vertically, then click Save and close to save the change.
To insert an already-flipped Google Drawing stored in Drive, choose Insert > Drawing > From Drive in the destination document. This inserts a drawing file; it does not flip an ordinary photo. Choose your prepared drawing, then click Select to insert it.
After a linked source drawing changes, select its embedded copy. Click Update to bring those changes into the document.
Use Google Slides as an alternative
In the desktop Slides editor, you can flip the picture and transfer it to Docs.
- 1.Paste the picture into Google Slides.
- 2.Select the picture.
- 3.Choose Arrange > Rotate > Flip horizontally or Flip vertically.
- 4.Copy the flipped picture.
- 5.Paste it into your Google Docs document.
Mirror a photo on Android
Open the picture in Google Photos on your Android phone. Tap Edit > Crop > Mirror. Tap the Checkmark control to confirm the edit, then tap Save to save the mirrored picture.
Open the destination document in the Google Docs app. Tap Insert > Image. Choose the source containing your saved picture, then select the edited image to insert it.
Remove the old picture if it is still in the document. If you edit the photo after inserting it, insert the edited file again. Google documents an Update control for a drawing linked from Drive, but no equivalent refresh for an inserted photo.
Prepare a flipped picture on iPhone or iPad
For a horizontal mirror image on iPhone, use Apple Photos before inserting the result into Docs. For either horizontal or vertical flipping, use the Preview app on your iPhone or iPad.
Open your picture in Photos on iPhone. Tap Edit > Crop, then tap the Flip button to mirror the photo horizontally. Tap Done to save the edit.
To use Preview instead, open the image in Preview on your iPhone or iPad. Tap More > Flip Horizontally or Flip Vertically. Save the edited image.
With either editor's saved result, open your destination document in Google Docs. Tap Insert > Image. Choose the image source containing the edited picture, then select the saved result to insert it into the document.
Upload a flipped file from your computer
Your computer’s photo editor gives you another route. Save a flipped file, then upload it as a new picture or use it to replace the one already in Docs.
On Mac, open the image in Preview. Choose Tools > Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical. Save the edited file.
On Windows, open the picture in Microsoft Photos. Select Edit image, or press Ctrl+E to open the editor. Select Crop, then use the horizontal or vertical Flip image icon. Save the edited result.
To replace an existing Docs picture, right-click it. Choose Replace image > Upload from computer, then select the edited file.
For a new picture, choose Insert > Image > Upload from computer. Open the saved file to insert it. If this route fails, try the embedded Drawing method at the start to apply the flip inside your document on a computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a keyboard shortcut to flip an image in Google Docs?
Google does not document a dedicated Docs flip shortcut. Rotation shortcuts do not produce a mirror image. In Microsoft Photos, Ctrl+E opens the editor; it does not flip the picture.
Why does exporting a flipped image from Slides add a background or extra space?
Using File > Download to export a slide as PNG or JPEG exports the current slide, so the saved image includes the slide background and any empty space around your picture. Copying the flipped picture and pasting it into Docs transfers the picture itself.
Can I flip several pictures at once on Mac?
Yes. Open the pictures together in Preview. Choose View > Thumbnails. Select the thumbnails you want to change. Apply Tools > Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical.