How to Flip an Image in Photoshop

This guide will show you how to Flip an Image in Photoshop and then combine the new layer with the old one. Even though it’s not often asked for, Photoshop users should know how to flip an image. It’s important for designers to have this tool because you never know when you might need to flip a portrait in editorial so that it faces the page or mirror an image to make a mandala pattern. But, as with most Adobe programs, there are different ways to use even the most basic effects.

These are the most basic steps you can take in Photoshop to flip an image and blend it with the original. If you want to get even better at Photoshop, you could look at our collection of tutorials or add some free Photoshop brushes or plugins to your skills. You can use Photoshop, save your files in the cloud, and get to more Adobe software if you sign up for Adobe Creative Cloud. There’s a great deal going on right now, read on for more information.

Why Flip an Image in Photoshop?

• To correct a mistake. If you accidentally take a photo backwards, you can flip it to correct the mistake.
• To improve the composition of an image. Flipping an image can sometimes improve the composition of the image by moving the subject to a different position or by making the image more balanced.
• To create a sense of movement. Flipping an image can create a sense of movement in the image. For example, if you flip a photo of a running person, it will look like the person is running in the opposite direction.
• To experiment. Flipping an image can be a fun way to experiment with different looks. You can try flipping an image horizontally, vertically, or both. You can also try flipping different portions of an image.

How to Flip an Image in Photoshop

1. Open Photoshop CC 2020, click “Open”, and select the file to flip.
2. On the top toolbar, select “Image” and scroll to “Image Rotation” to select “Flip Canvas Horizontal.”
3. Save your flipped image. In “File,” select “Save As…” and select the same name to delete the non-flipped version or a new name to save both versions.

How to Mirror an Image Using Photoshop

1. Press Ctrl+O and select the image from file explorer to open it. Click to open. You can also drag and drop the image to Photoshop. Image background should be unlocked. If not, double–click the image layer. It’ll unlock.
2. To fit the mirror image on the canvas, we must increase its size. Select Canvas Size from the Image menu to expand the image canvas.
3. Copy the image using Alt-drag. It duplicates the image on the canvas.
4. Flip an image to your liking. After selecting the image, right-click to open the flip options, or use Edit->Transform.
5. Flip the selected image horizontally or vertically as needed.

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Image Flips

• Transform panel. The Transform panel controls flipping precisely. Window > Transform opens the Transform panel.
• Utilize keyboard shortcuts. Photoshop has keyboard shortcuts for flipping images. Ctrl+T (or Command+T on a Mac) flips an image horizontally, and Ctrl+Shift+T flips it vertically.

• Smart object. The smart object feature lets you flip your image back to its original orientation. Select the image layer and click Layer > Convert to Smart Object. After saving your image as a smart object, double-click the image layer and click Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical in the Transform panel.
• Flip your photo and save it separately. Saving your flipped image separately from the original is smart. Use this to avoid accidentally overwriting the image.

How to Save Your Flipped Image in Photoshop

1. Open your flipped image in Photoshop.
2. Go to File > Save As.
3. In the Save As dialog box, select the location where you want to save your image.
4. In the File name field, type a name for your image.
5. In the Save as type drop-down menu, select the file format in which you want to save your image.
6. Click Save.

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