How to Print a Mirror Image for Iron-On, Sublimation and DTF

Quick answer: the method that works on every printer is to flip the image in whatever program you designed it in before you print. In Word or PowerPoint, select the picture and choose Rotate > Flip Horizontal. In Canva, select it and click Flip > Flip horizontal. On a Mac, any app can do it at print time: in the print window, open Layout and tick Flip horizontally. Many Windows printer drivers also have a Mirror Image checkbox in Printing Preferences, usually on the Advanced or More Options tab. Print one test copy on plain paper, hold it up to a mirror, and if the text reads correctly in the mirror, you're good.

Mirroring trips people up because the right answer depends on what you're making. Iron-on transfers for white shirts need it. Iron-on transfers for dark shirts don't. Sublimation almost always does. Getting it wrong costs a sheet of transfer paper and a blank shirt or mug, so it's worth a minute to get straight. Below: when to mirror, how to do it in every common app and printer, and how to check before you press.

Why Some Prints Need to Be Mirrored

With any transfer process, the printed side of the paper or film ends up pressed face-down against the shirt, mug or tile. Putting something face-down reverses it left to right, just like a rubber stamp. If you print "GO TEAM" normally, the shirt will read "MAET OG" backwards. Mirror it before printing and the two flips cancel out.

When to Mirror (and When Not To)

A few of these deserve a little more explanation:

• Iron-on transfer paper for light vs. dark fabric. Light-fabric paper is clear-ish and goes face-down, so mirror it. Dark-fabric paper has an opaque white backing that you peel off, then lay the print face-up on the shirt, so don't mirror. Check the packet, because it always says. Our step-by-step iron-on transfer guide covers the whole process, including heat and pressing time.
• Sublimation. The paper gets pressed or taped ink-side against the blank, so almost everything is mirrored: shirts, mugs, tumblers, mousepads, coasters, slate. It's easy to forget for designs with no text, where a backwards logo or an arrow pointing the wrong way is the giveaway. New to sublimation? Start with sublimation printing explained.
• DTF (direct-to-film). DTF transfers are applied ink-side down, so the print is mirrored. Most DTF RIP software handles this automatically. Check whether it's already enabled before you also flip the artwork yourself, or you'll mirror it twice and end up back where you started. See how to make DTF transfers at home.
• Heat transfer vinyl (HTV). Not printed, but it's the same principle. You cut it with the shiny carrier sheet face-down, so mirror the design in your cutting software.
• Window decals. If the decal goes on the inside of a window with the printed side against the glass, to be read from outside, mirror it. If it's printed on the outer face, don't.

How to Mirror an Image in Popular Apps

Flipping in the design app is the most reliable method. It works on any printer, and the preview shows you exactly what will print.

Microsoft Word and PowerPoint

1. Click the picture, shape or text box to select it.
2. Go to Picture Format (or Shape Format) > Rotate > Flip Horizontal.

Mirroring text in Word is fiddlier. Normal typed text can't be flipped. Put the text in a text box, right-click the box > Format Shape > Effects > 3-D Rotation, and set X Rotation to 180°. The easier route is to type your text in PowerPoint or Canva, save it as an image, insert that into Word, and flip it.

Canva

1. Select the element (or select everything with Ctrl + A / Cmd + A and group it).
2. Click Flip in the top toolbar > Flip horizontal.

Canva can't flip a whole page at once, so group everything first. Then download as PDF Print or PNG. More in our guide to printing from Canva.

Google Docs

Docs can't flip an inserted image directly. Use Insert > Drawing > New, paste or upload the image into the drawing, then Actions > Rotate > Flip horizontally, and click Save and close. For anything detailed, flip it in Canva or a photo editor instead. Our Google Docs printing guide covers the rest of the print settings.

Photos and image editors

• Mac Preview: Tools > Flip Horizontal.
• Windows Paint: Image > Rotate > Flip horizontal.
• Photoshop / Photopea: Image > Image Rotation > Flip Canvas Horizontal.
• Cricut Design Space: for iron-on vinyl, toggle Mirror on each mat in the Prepare screen. For Print Then Cut, mirror the image itself with the Flip tool before sending it.

How to Mirror at Print Time (Printer Settings)

If you'd rather not change the file, your printer driver may flip it for you:

• Mac (any printer): in the print window, click Show Details if needed, open the Layout section, and tick Flip horizontally.
• Epson (Windows): Printing Preferences > More Options tab > tick Mirror Image. This is the usual route for Epson EcoTank sublimation conversions.
• Brother (Windows): Printing Preferences > Advanced tab > Mirror Printing (on some models it's under Other Print Options).
• HP (Windows): Printing Preferences > Advanced > Printer Features > Mirror Image on many inkjet models. Newer HP drivers sometimes leave it out, in which case flip it in the app.
• Canon (Windows): depends heavily on the model. Choosing a T-shirt transfer media type can enable mirroring on some PIXMA drivers. If you don't see a mirror option, flip it in your app.

Never do both. If you flip the design in the app and tick mirror in the driver, the two cancel out and it prints normally. Pick one method and stick with it.

The 10-Second Check Before You Use Transfer Paper

1. Print one copy on plain paper with the same settings.
2. Look at it: text should read backwards.
3. Hold it up to a mirror, or up to a light with the printed side facing away from you. If it reads correctly, the real transfer will too.
4. Check the size against the shirt or mug while you're at it.

Transfer paper and sublimation blanks cost far more than a sheet of copy paper, so this check pays for itself.

Getting Better Transfers

• Use the right ink for the job. Iron-on transfer paper works with normal inkjet ink. Sublimation needs dedicated sublimation ink in a printer that has never had regular ink in it. You can't switch back and forth.
• Print at the highest quality and set the media type to match the paper (Photo, Matte or a transfer-specific setting if your driver has one).
• Fix streaks first. A clogged nozzle shows up as stripes across a shirt design. Run a nozzle check or print our printer test page before using expensive paper.
• Colors come out wrong on sublimation? Sublimation prints look dull on paper and only brighten when pressed. That's normal. If they're still off after pressing, check your time, temperature and ICC profile.

Shopping for supplies? We carry sublimation ink for Epson EcoTank and SureColor conversions, and you can find standard inkjet cartridges for iron-on work in our find ink by printer directory. For transfer paper, iron-on transfer paper and sublimation paper are easy to find on Amazon. Deciding which printer to use for sublimation? See the best sublimation printers for small businesses or for tumblers and mugs.

As an Amazon Associate, Castle Ink earns from qualifying purchases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I mirror sublimation prints for mugs?

Yes. The paper is wrapped around the mug ink-side in, so the design must be mirrored to read correctly.

Do you mirror DTF transfers?

Yes, the film is printed mirrored because it's applied ink-side down. Most DTF software does this for you, so check before flipping the artwork as well.

Why did my transfer come out backwards even though I mirrored it?

Almost always because it got mirrored twice, once in the app and once in the printer driver, or because the paper was for dark fabrics, which aren't mirrored. Do the plain-paper test before the next attempt.

How do I print a mirror image from my iPhone?

iOS printing has no mirror option. Flip the image first. In the Photos app, tap Edit > the crop icon > the flip icon (top left), then save and print. Or flip it in the Canva app.

Does mirroring affect print quality?

No. It just reverses the image left to right. Quality depends on your paper, ink, and print settings.