Flipping a group in Canva reverses everything inside it at once

When you group objects together in Canva — text, images, shapes, anything — you can flip the entire group horizontally or vertically without ungrouping first. This saves time when you're working with multiple elements that need to move as one unit. The flip happens around the group's center point, so all the objects inside rotate together and stay in the same relationship to each other.

You'll find the flip options in the toolbar at the top of the canvas, or by right-clicking the group itself. Canva offers two directions: flip horizontally (mirror left to right) and flip vertically (mirror top to bottom). Both work the same way and take effect when ready.

Key Takeaways

  • Select a group on your canvas, then use the flip buttons in the top toolbar or right-click menu to reverse it horizontally or vertically.
  • Flipping a group reverses all objects inside it together, keeping their positions relative to each other unchanged.
  • Horizontal flip mirrors the group left to right; vertical flip mirrors it top to bottom.
  • You can flip a group as many times as you want — flipping twice returns it to the original orientation.
  • Grouped text will reverse letter by letter when flipped horizontally, so you may need to ungroup and flip only the image or shape instead.

How to select and flip a group

First, make sure the objects you want to flip are already grouped together. If they're not, select all of them by clicking the first object, then holding Shift and clicking each additional object. Once they're all selected, right-click and choose "Group" from the menu, or press Ctrl+G (Windows) or Cmd+G (Mac).

Now click the group once to select it. You'll see a blue outline around the entire group and selection handles at the corners and edges. Look at the top toolbar — you should see two flip icons that look like arrows pointing in opposite directions. The left-pointing arrow flips horizontally; the right-pointing arrow flips vertically. Click whichever direction you need.

If you don't see the flip buttons in your toolbar, right-click the group instead. A menu will appear with options including "Flip horizontal" and "Flip vertical." Click the one you want.

When flipping groups with text causes problems

Text inside a group will flip along with everything else, but the letters themselves reverse. A word like "HELLO" becomes "OLLƎH" when flipped horizontally — readable only in a mirror. This is usually not what you want.

If your group contains both text and images or shapes, ungroup it first by selecting the group and pressing Ctrl+Shift+G (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+G (Mac). Then select only the image or shape you want to flip, and flip that alone. Leave the text unflipped. When you're done, you can group them again if needed.

If you need the text to stay readable but want the overall design flipped, consider recreating the text on the other side of the design instead of flipping it.

Flipping groups with images and photos

Images and photos flip cleanly — a photo of a person facing left becomes a person facing right. This is useful when you're building a symmetrical design or need an image to face a different direction without rotating it.

Keep in mind that flipping changes the direction of any text, logos, or readable elements in the image itself. A photo of a storefront with a visible sign will have the sign reversed after flipping. If that matters for your design, you may want to flip only the image, not the entire group.

Undoing and redoing flips

If you flip a group and change your mind, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Z (Mac) to undo. You can undo multiple times to go back through your recent changes. Press Ctrl+Y (Windows) or Cmd+Y (Mac) to redo a flip you just undid.

Flipping a group twice returns it to its original orientation, so you can also just flip it again if you want to reverse the flip without using undo.

Flipping nested groups

If you have a group inside another group (called a nested group), flipping the outer group flips everything inside it, including the inner groups. All objects move and reverse together as one unit.

If you want to flip only the inner group, ungroup the outer group first, then select and flip the inner group alone. After flipping, you can regroup everything if you need to keep them together.

Common reasons to flip groups in design work

Designers flip groups to create symmetrical layouts — for example, flipping a decorative shape on one side of a poster to match the other side. You might also flip a group to reverse the direction an image faces, or to create a mirror-image effect for visual balance.

Flipping is faster than manually repositioning each object, especially when a group has many elements. It's also useful when you're working with templates or designs you've already built and need to adapt them for a different layout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I flip just one object inside a group without ungrouping?

No. When you flip a group, everything inside it flips together. To flip a single object, you must ungroup first by selecting the group and pressing Ctrl+Shift+G (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+G (Mac). Then select the object you want to flip and use the flip buttons.

What's the difference between flipping and rotating?

Flipping mirrors an object or group in one direction — left to right (horizontal) or top to bottom (vertical). Rotating turns it around a center point by any angle you choose. Flipping is when ready; rotating lets you pick the exact degree of turn.

Does flipping a group change its position on the canvas?

No. Flipping reverses the group around its center point but doesn't move it to a different location on the canvas. The group stays where it is; only its direction changes.

Can I flip a group in Canva on a phone or tablet?

Yes. On mobile, select the group, then tap the three dots menu icon. Look for flip options in the menu that appears. The process is the same as on desktop, though the menu layout differs slightly.

What happens if I flip a group with a gradient or pattern fill?

The gradient or pattern flips along with the group. If the gradient goes from left to right, flipping horizontally reverses its direction. This is usually the intended behavior, but if you don't want the fill to flip, ungroup and flip only the objects you need.