How to Mirror Custom Designs in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
Mirroring a custom design in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH) isn’t as straightforward as pressing a button, unfortunately. There is no direct in-game mirror tool that allows you to flip your designs horizontally or vertically after you’ve created them. This means that you can’t simply take an existing pattern and create a mirrored version within the design interface. This can be frustrating, especially when working on symmetrical designs or trying to match elements across a space. Therefore, mirroring in ACNH requires a more manual approach. Essentially, if you need a mirrored version of a custom design, you must recreate it manually or take advantage of existing workarounds.
Why Can’t We Directly Mirror Custom Designs?
The design process in ACNH, while charming and versatile, is intentionally structured to encourage individual creativity. The lack of a direct mirror tool means you must actively think about symmetry and orientation during the design process. This limitation, though sometimes frustrating, is what gives many ACNH islands their unique and handcrafted feel.
When you are creating a design with the Custom Design app, you do have access to a tool that can assist with mirroring as you create. If you are drawing a design and would like it to be symmetrical, you may use the mirror tool, activated by pressing ZR. The mirror tool will essentially copy whatever you are drawing onto the other side. However, this tool can only be used while you are designing and cannot be applied to designs once they are saved. Therefore, any changes made after a design is finished will require the re-drawing or re-creation of the design, rather than just hitting “mirror.”
Workarounds for Mirroring
Despite the lack of a direct mirror feature, there are a few techniques and strategies you can use to achieve a mirrored effect:
- The Manual Re-creation: This is the most common and reliable method. You essentially need to take your original design as a reference and redraw it in reverse on a new design grid. This involves carefully copying every pixel but in the opposite order from right-to-left or top-to-bottom, depending on the direction you wish to mirror. It’s meticulous work, but provides the most precise results.
- Start with Symmetry: When initially designing something you know you’ll want to mirror later, try to create one half of the design with the built-in mirror tool (ZR). This will make the later duplication process much easier as the other half is already drawn, and you can copy it over to a new design and manually change that half to be the desired mirrored version.
- External Tools and Apps: While ACNH itself doesn’t offer a mirror tool, there are third-party tools and apps available online. These can vary in terms of how they work, but some will allow you to upload your design, mirror it, and then give you a new pixel-by-pixel grid for you to manually recreate within ACNH. Be cautious about the reliability and safety of such tools, as they are created by external parties.
- Collaborate with Others: If you’re struggling to mirror a design, you could consider asking a friend to help. This is not a true ‘mirror,’ but having someone who can easily reproduce your designs will help with re-creating mirrored versions and also can be helpful in general if you tend to create your designs in the game as opposed to with external applications.
Tips for Redesigning Mirrored Patterns
Here are a few helpful tips to make the process of manually creating mirrored designs a little easier:
- Use the Grid: The pixel grid in the Custom Design app is your friend. Use it as a precise guide when replicating your design.
- Start with Key Elements: Begin with the most prominent features of your design. Align those key pixels, and then build from there.
- Take Screenshots: Take screenshots of your original design for reference while you are recreating the mirrored version. This will save you from having to switch back and forth between designs constantly.
- Be Patient: Re-creating mirrored designs takes time and patience. Don’t rush the process, and focus on accuracy. The slower you go the less likely you are to make a mistake you’ll have to go back and fix.
- Practice: The more you practice mirroring designs, the easier it will become. Over time, you will also get a feel for what design elements are going to be easier to mirror or not.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions that you might find helpful when dealing with custom designs and their limitations:
1. Can I flip a custom design in Animal Crossing?
No, you cannot directly flip or mirror a custom design in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. You will have to manually recreate the mirrored version.
2. Can I edit a custom design made by someone else?
No, you cannot edit any designs that you didn’t make yourself. This also includes pro designs. This is designed to protect the intellectual property of other players.
3. How do I get more custom design slots?
You can get more custom design slots by purchasing the Custom Design Pro Editor+ from the Nook Stop Terminal at Resident Services.
4. What is Custom Design Pro Editor+?
The Custom Design Pro Editor+ expands your design slots, allowing you to save a larger variety of patterns and designs. It also allows the player to use the patterns learned from Sable as custom designs.
5. Can villagers wear my custom pro designs?
Yes, villagers can wear your custom designs, but it is not guaranteed and can be rare. They typically will choose to wear custom designs that you have either displayed or sent to them.
6. How do I display custom designs in ACNH?
Open the Custom Designs app on your Nook Phone and press R to toggle over to “Pro Designs.” From here, you can wear, display, or erase custom designs.
7. Can I display custom designs made by someone else?
No, you cannot display custom designs made by other players. Villagers can only wear designs that were created by someone that has visited your town.
8. How do I scan QR codes for custom designs?
Use the Nintendo Switch Online app on your smartphone and select Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Then, use the in-app camera to scan the QR code.
9. How do I stack custom design patterns?
To stack custom designs, lay down an island builder path and then place your custom design path on top of the existing path.
10. What is the mirror tool for?
The mirror tool, activated by pressing ZR, allows you to create symmetrical designs as you are drawing them. This tool cannot be used after designs are saved, and is solely used when drawing.
11. Is NookLink free?
NookLink is not free. You need a Nintendo Switch Online membership to use NookLink, which is necessary for accessing some multiplayer features as well as for transferring custom designs from other games.
12. What does the pro decorating license do?
The Pro Decorating License allows you to unlock new design techniques for your home, such as accent walls and hanging items.
13. Can you get Animal Crossing on a phone?
Yes, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is available on iOS and Android devices, but it is a separate game from ACNH.
14. How do you unlock Able Sisters?
You need to help build the Museum and Nook’s Cranny, by donating various insects and fish to Blathers, and wood and iron to Timmy and Tommy. Then, after Mabel has started to visit your town, continue to purchase from her to get her to settle into your town.
15. What is the point of sleeping in Animal Crossing?
In ACNH, sleeping does not advance the in-game clock. It is primarily useful for moving through the tutorial at the very beginning of the game, and also to utilize the dream feature.
Conclusion
While a direct mirror tool would be a welcome addition to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the absence of one encourages more intentional and creative design practices. While recreating mirrored versions of custom designs may be tedious, taking the time to manually re-create them also gives players better control over the result. Be patient, plan ahead, and enjoy the unique possibilities that come with designing in the game. With a little effort, you can achieve the mirrored designs you envision.