How to fix an inverted MacBook camera

First, identify what “inverted” means: a mirrored image reverses left and right, while an upside-down image puts the top of the scene at the bottom. The next step is to check whether the problem affects only your preview or also the video another person receives. That distinction determines whether you need to change the outgoing video at all.

Check which way the image is reversed

• 1. Place the MacBook upright in its normal working position. If you use an external camera, check its physical orientation too.
• 2. Hold up a piece of paper with a short word and an arrow pointing upward.
• 3. Inspect your camera preview. Backward writing with the arrow still pointing up indicates mirroring. An arrow pointing down indicates an upside-down image.
• 4. In a test call, ask another person whether the writing is readable and the arrow points up. Compare their answer with your preview.

If your preview is reversed but the other person sees readable writing and an upward arrow, the outgoing orientation is correct in that test. Changing the outgoing image could introduce a problem. This check establishes orientation for that call; it does not establish microphone performance or overall call quality.

If your MacBook camera is upside down in Teams

• 1. Check which camera Teams has selected. If several inputs are available, select the camera you intend to use and repeat the paper-and-arrow check.
• 2. Look through the available video settings for an orientation or mirroring control. If one is present, note its original setting before changing it. A mirroring control addresses left–right reversal; it does not correct an upside-down image.
• 3. If you use camera effects or software that processes the camera image, temporarily disable that processing where possible. Retest after each change so you can identify which change affects the result.
• 4. Fully quit Teams, reopen it and check again. If the symptom remains, restart the MacBook and repeat the test.
• 5. Close Teams and test the same camera in another camera-capable app. Keep the camera and its physical position unchanged so the comparison is useful.

Use the comparison to choose your next step

• Only your local preview is reversed: use the other participant’s view to confirm whether the outgoing image needs correction.
• The received image is upside down only in Teams: focus further troubleshooting on Teams and any processing used with it. This result makes an app-specific issue more plausible, but does not identify the cause.
• The image is upside down in multiple apps: investigate settings or processing shared by those apps, along with the physical orientation of an external camera. This result alone does not prove a hardware fault.
• One camera is affected but another is upright: focus on the affected camera and its associated software. Record that difference when requesting support.

Retest before your next call

After making a change, repeat the paper-and-arrow test in the app you plan to use and confirm the received image with another participant. Success means they see readable writing and an upward arrow. If the problem persists, report the MacBook model, macOS version, Teams version, selected camera, whether other apps are affected, and whether the issue appears in the preview, received video or both.

The supplied information does not establish a cause or document orientation controls for a particular Teams or macOS version. Exact menu paths and a guaranteed software fix therefore cannot be confirmed. If these checks do not isolate a reversible setting, use the affected app’s support or device support to investigate further.