The Flip camera is the heart of Flip. The camera features help you creatively share your voice, ideas, and more. Learn about the different ways and tools you can use to create your video below.
Important: Some camera features and their location may differ depending on the device you use for Flip.
Get started with the camera
After you open the camera, you can record yourself, record a video with only sound or images, and record your device’s screen.
To record a video, select Record 
. To let you know you're recording, Record changes to Stop record 
. To stop recording, select Stop record . If you want to record more, select Record again.
Note: In the Flip app, to open the camera, tap Record . After the camera is open, tap Record again.
Important: Some camera features and their location may differ depending on whether you’re on a phone or tablet and if your device is iOS or Android.
Before you record, you’re able to choose your video’s orientation. To create a video in portrait or landscape mode, rotate your device.
Hardware dock
The hardware dock is only available on the Flip app. This dock is located at the top right of the camera. It lets you choose whether you want to use your selfie camera or back-facing camera, if you want to use flash for your back camera, and your mute options.
Note: If you use Flip on your phone and your phone is rotated to landscape, the Hardware dock shows up at the top left.
- Switch camera
: Choose whether to use your selfie camera or back camera. - Flash
: Turn the back camera’s flash on or off.
You can find additional camera options to help you create your video.
To find your camera options:
- Web: At the top right. To find some of these options, you may have to click Options
. - Devices
- iPhones and Android phones: To open the drawer, go to the Effects dock, tap Options and the drawer opens at the bottom.
- iPads and other tablets: At the top right.
- iPhones and Android phones: To open the drawer, go to the Effects dock, tap Options
Note: Depending on the type of device you use, the options and their location may differ.
- Mic only
: Turn off the camera to only record sound with your microphone. - Notes
: Take on-screen notes while you record or as you watch your video back. These notes don’t show up in your video. On Flip on web you can find this at the top right, next to options. - Record screen
: Share your screen (available on Edge and Chrome) and present your Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, a news article, and more. - Mirror video
: You can flip the camera to make sure that any text you record isn't backwards. - Mute
: Turn off the microphone to only record video with your camera. - Device Settings
: Flip on web only. You can select the camera and microphone input you want to use to record your video. You can also make sure the volume detected by your selected microphone isn't too loud or soft.
Make your videos stand out
Flip lets you do a lot more than just record yourself. You can add a camera color filter, background, draw on the screen, upload a video you already made in another video creation app, and a lot more. Show off just how informative, creative, and unique you are.
Use the different effects to make your video more informative and fun. You can find all the effects at the right of the screen, in the Effects dock. To display all the effects, select the down arrow 
. You can add all effects before or while you record.
- Text
: Add on-screen text to your video with various fonts and colors you can choose. - Pen
: Draw on the video while you record. You’re able to choose the color and thickness of the line. - Stickers
: Add one or multiple stickers to the recording. Browse the library or search for a specific one. - Backdrop
: Add a backdrop to hide what’s going on in the background of your video. - Filter
: Apply a filter to the camera to change the color and style of the image in your video. Filters include rainbow, pixel, black and white, and more. - GIF
: Search for and add a gif or animation to express how you're feeling. - Board
: Split your screen with a whiteboard, chalkboard, graph paper, or other image. Use this area to add other effects and showcase your ideas. - Photo
: Add a custom image from your device to the camera.
Note: You're able to resize emojis, text, pen lines, and images. Select the effect and use on-screen controls, the mouse, or touch to adjust.
In the camera next to Record you can choose to upload a video you already created in a different video creation app. To upload a video:
- Flip on web: At the top right, click Upload video
. Then, choose the video file from your computer you want to upload. - The Flip app: At the bottom, tap Upload video . Then, from your photo library, choose the video you want to upload.
You can add a lens to your camera on both Flip on web and the Flip app. These lenses add images and animations in the foreground and background of your camera. Some even interact with what you’re recording, such as the American Sign Language lens that spells out words on-screen as you sign them with your hands. Learn more about lenses.
After you record a video, you can edit it. To make your videos flow better, you can split and trim your video clips. You can also rotate and mirror your video after you record it. Learn more about how to edit your video.
After you record your video, you’re able to add music before you submit it. Under your recorded video, select Add music 
. On the Flip app, Add music is at the top of your screen. Add instrumental music tracks from Flip directly to make sure your video represents exactly what you want. Learn more about how to add music.