Abstract: An apparatus and method is presented enabling a visual display, for example a handheld wireless communications device such as a cell phone, to become a mirror when the display is in an off mode. The method may be used with a variety of visual displays, including electroluminescent devices (ELD), liquid crystals devices (LCD), and thin film transistors (TFT), and may provide good mirror properties with a small loss of light transmission efficiency of the display device. The method adds a half silvered surface to form a one way mirror of the front surface of the visual display.