AutoCAD · Mirror · System Variable
You’ve probably run into this at least once: you Mirror an object in AutoCAD, and suddenly all the text and dimensions that came with it are flipped backwards — completely unreadable.
“Keep the text readable, flip the geometry — one system variable is all it takes.”
If you want mirrored objects to look right while keeping all your text facing the correct direction, the fix is simple: set the MIRRTEXT system variable to 0. Here’s how.
How to Set MIRRTEXT
Type MIRRTEXT in the command line and press Enter. When prompted for a new value, enter either 0 or 1 depending on what you need.
| Value | Behavior |
|---|---|
| 1 (default) | Text is fully mirrored along with the geometry — ends up backwards and unreadable |
| 0 (recommended) | Geometry mirrors normally, but text stays upright and readable |
In virtually any real drawing, mirrored text that reads backwards is useless. Setting MIRRTEXT to 0 should be your default — it’s one of those settings you configure once and never think about again.
If text suddenly starts flipping after you receive a drawing from someone else, or after a settings reset, MIRRTEXT is the first thing to check. Nine times out of ten, that’s your culprit.