How to use the online mirror
Press Turn on mirror and allow camera access when your browser asks. Phones use the front (selfie) camera; computers use the webcam. Once you have allowed it, the mirror turns on as soon as you open the page next time.
- Zoom: use the slider or pinch with two fingers to zoom up to 4×. While zoomed, drag the picture to look at a different spot.
- Ring light: fills the screen border with bright white light to illuminate your face — handy for touching up makeup or putting in contact lenses in a dim room. Choose the thickness, color temperature and brightness.
- Flip: by default the image is mirrored like a real mirror. Turn it off to see yourself the way others and photos see you.
- Freeze: pause the picture to look closely, for example at your teeth or the corner of your eye.
- Snapshot: saves exactly what you see (zoom, flip and brightness included) as a JPG on this device.
- Full screen: use the whole screen as a mirror. Tap the screen in full screen to show the controls.
Mirror image vs. how others see you
A mirror shows you flipped left to right. Because we're used to our mirror image, an unflipped photo of ourselves often looks slightly "off" — but the unflipped view is what other people actually see.
Video call apps usually mirror your self-view for the same reason. Zoom, for example, mirrors your own video by default while sending the un-mirrored image to everyone else. Turn off Flip here to preview what others see. If text on your shirt or a poster behind you reads backwards, you are looking at a mirrored view.
Getting the most from the ring light
Light from a small source fades quickly with distance (roughly with the square of the distance), so a screen light works best close to your face. With a phone, about a hand-span away is ideal.
- Turn your device brightness all the way up — a web page can't change the backlight.
- Switch to Full screen and choose a Thick ring for the largest glowing area.
- For checking makeup colors, use neutral light around 5000–5500K; for a gentle light at night, try a warm 3000K or so.
- Night modes (Night Shift, Night Light, blue light filters) tint the light yellow and change how your skin looks.
- Video brightness only brightens the image on screen; it does not add light to your face.
Handy ways to use an online mirror
No hand mirror around, or want a bigger view? Your phone or laptop becomes a mirror in one tap.
- Quick check before heading out: hair, collar, something in your teeth. Freeze the picture to look at spots that are hard to see up close.
- Makeup and shaving: combine zoom and the ring light for detailed brows and eyeliner in dim light, and use the symmetry guides to keep both sides even.
- Contact lenses: at the office or while traveling, hold the screen close and zoom in.
- Before a video call or interview: turn off Flip to preview exactly what others will see — lighting, background and expression.
- Back of your head: switch to the rear camera, hold the phone behind you and press Freeze, then bring the screen around to take a look.
Privacy and security
The mirror uses your browser's camera API (getUserMedia) and shows the video on this device only. Nothing is uploaded or recorded. A file appears in your downloads only when you press Snapshot.
While the camera is on, your browser or device shows a camera-in-use indicator. Press Turn off or close the tab to switch the camera off. To revoke access, remove the camera permission in your browser’s site settings.
Keyboard shortcuts
Available while the mirror is on.
- F: full screen on/off
- M: flip
- P: freeze / resume
- S: snapshot
- + −: zoom, 0: reset zoom
- L: cycle ring light thickness, G: symmetry guides
FAQ
I blocked the camera. How do I turn it back on?
Click the lock (or settings) icon at the left of the address bar, set Camera to Allow and reload the page. On iPhone, check the Camera option under Safari in the Settings app; in Chrome on Android, use Site settings → Camera.
Why does the mirror look reversed compared with my photos?
Use the Flip button. Flipped looks like a real mirror; unflipped matches photos and what others see. Switching to a rear camera turns flipping off automatically.
Is my video recorded or uploaded?
No. The video is displayed only on this device and never sent to a server. Only when you press Snapshot is a single photo saved as a file on your device.
It says another app is using the camera.
A video call app, the camera app or another browser tab may be holding the camera. Close it and press Turn on mirror again.
Why does the picture get blurry when I zoom?
Zoom here is digital — it enlarges the video the camera sends, so the more you zoom, the softer it gets. For a sharper close-up, move a little closer to the camera.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes, in recent versions of Safari, Chrome, Edge and Samsung Internet. Allow camera access the first time. If the camera won’t start inside an in-app browser (for example in a social media app), open the page in your regular browser.
Can I use my laptop webcam as a mirror?
Yes. On a computer the connected webcam turns on, and a Switch camera button appears if you have more than one. Full screen plus the ring light turns a laptop into a lighted mirror.
Where are my snapshots saved?
In your browser’s download location, named mirror-date-time.jpg. On phones they may land in the Files or Downloads app rather than your photo gallery. The snapshot matches what you see on screen, including zoom, flip and brightness.
Can I check my webcam resolution here?
This page is kept simple for mirror use. To check resolution, frame rate and other camera details, use a dedicated webcam test.