How to adjust your car’s mirrors

Illustration showing a woman adjusting her car's rearview mirror
By - Sahaj Palla
April 5, 2021

Mirrors on a car are equivalent to eyes on the back of your head. Rear view mirrors give you visual information about your surroundings and help you to be on the safe side. Mirrors play a pivotal role in parking and keeping you and your car safe from harm.

Proper adjustment of mirrors is very necessary to get the full advantage of the field of vision they have to offer, and it should be the first thing to do before you start the vehicle. So, how to get the best out of your mirrors? We’ve got a few tips on adjusting your car’s hind eyes.

Be comfortable

Illustration showing a woman sitting comfortably in her car

While adjusting mirrors it’s not just about mirrors, how you sit is equally important. Get into a comfortable position, preferably the position you would be driving in, adjust the seat accordingly. Place your hands on the wheel and assume a driving position. This is how you will be driving.

Adjusting the rear view mirror

Illustration of how to adjust car's rearview mirror

From the position you are sitting in simply take your hand and adjust the rear view mirror in such a way that you see the whole rear window. Assume the driving position, you should get a full view of the rear window with a quick glance, your head or neck needn’t move. If you don’t, adjust a bit more. Modern cars come with highly technical IVRMs that auto dim the glaze at night giving less strain on the eyes. If you have the old mirror system then there should be a tab under the mirror, toggle it and driving at night should be a glare free driving experience.

Setting the side view or the wing mirrors

Illustration depicting the view in an adjusted side view mirror

These two mirrors give you a full view of what is going on outside on the two sides of the vehicle. Here’s how to adjust them properly. To set the driver side mirror lean towards the window and adjust the mirrors so as to get a full view of the field outside, no part of the car should be seen. Assume your driving position and check the mirror, now, only a small part of the car side should be seen. You should be able to get the full view of the side with just the movement of your eyes.

To set the passenger side mirror, lean a bit towards the passenger seat and again set the mirror to get a full view of the side. Get into the driving position, you should be able to see just a small part of the side of the car. If not, make minor adjustments to get the view.

Cars nowadays come equipped with electronic side mirror adjustment features, and if you don’t have one it will take a few tries before getting the perfect view.


Getting clean and well set mirrors is the first step in safety, as a car has many blind spots which are dangerous. The mirrors try to reduce these blind spots and give a much better and safer ride.

Happy Driving!

FAQs about Car Mirrors

How do I lessen the reflection of lights on my mirrors at night?

Most modern mirrors have a button which when pressed activates night mode, through these kinds of mirrors the glare of the incoming light reduces significantly and you would be able to drive comfortably. If your car doesn’t have this kind of mirror, a tab below the mirror activates or deactivates night glare reduction but if you don’t have it, it would be a good idea to have it installed.

How to clean my car’s mirrors?

Use a glass cleaner with a lint free cloth, water, multipurpose cleaners or newspaper and napkins and won’t do the job. Make sure you spray on the cloth and not on the mirror and clean in a circular motion.

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