To turn off the "inverted camera" on Microsoft Teams, which is officially known as the Mirror my video setting, you need to disable this option in your device settings before or during a call. This setting controls whether you see your video feed as a mirror image of yourself (default) or as others see you.
Understanding the "Inverted Camera" in Microsoft Teams
The term "inverted camera" typically refers to the mirroring effect in video calls, where your own video feed shows you as if you're looking into a mirror. While this is helpful for adjusting your appearance, it can make text or objects behind you appear backward to you, even though they look correct to other participants. Disabling this setting will show you what others see, which can be more intuitive for presentations or showing physical items.
How to Turn Off Mirroring Before Joining a Meeting
This is the most common way to adjust your video settings before you fully enter a call.
- Initiate or Join a Meeting: When you click on a meeting link or select "Meet now," you'll first enter the pre-join screen.
- Access Device Settings: On the pre-join screen, locate the Device settings panel, which typically appears on the right side of your screen.
- Locate "Mirror my video": Scroll down within the Device settings panel if necessary. You will find the Mirror my video setting. By default, this setting is usually turned on.
- Disable the Setting: Click or tap Mirror my video so the switch turns off. This action will immediately update your video preview to show you how others will see you.
- Join the Meeting: Once adjusted, proceed to join the meeting.
How to Turn Off Mirroring During a Meeting
If you've already joined a meeting and realize you want to change your video mirroring setting, you can do so on the fly.
- Access More Actions: During your meeting, hover your mouse over the meeting controls toolbar at the top or bottom of your screen. Click on the More actions icon, represented by three dots (
...). - Go to Device Settings: From the dropdown menu, select Device settings.
- Adjust Video Settings: A panel will open, likely on the right side of your screen. Under the "Video" section, locate the Mirror my video toggle.
- Toggle Off: Click on the toggle to turn the Mirror my video setting off. Your video feed will instantly update to reflect this change.
- Close Panel: You can then close the device settings panel.
Why Disable Mirroring?
Disabling the mirror effect can be beneficial in several scenarios:
- Presenting Text or Objects: If you are holding up a physical document, a whiteboard, or showing any item with text, turning off mirroring ensures that the text appears correctly oriented to you, just as it does to your audience.
- Spatial Awareness: It helps you get a true sense of how others are seeing your background and your physical orientation in the frame.
- Consistency: For some, it might simply feel more natural to see their video feed from the perspective of others.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Check Updates: Ensure your Microsoft Teams application is updated to the latest version. Sometimes, interface elements or settings can change slightly with updates.
- Application Restart: If the setting doesn't seem to take effect immediately, try restarting your Teams application.
- Web Version: If you're experiencing persistent issues with the desktop app, try using Microsoft Teams via a web browser (e.g., Edge or Chrome) to see if the setting behaves differently. You can access Teams on the web at teams.microsoft.com.
Understanding and managing the "Mirror my video" setting gives you better control over your presentation and how you appear to others in your Microsoft Teams meetings.
