Step-by-step guide: How to Crop a Photo to a Square, 4:5 or 16:9
How to use the Image Cropper
- Choose an image or drag it onto the box. It appears with a crop selection over it.
- Pick an aspect ratio if you need a specific shape, or leave it on Free.
- Drag the selection to move it and drag the corner handles to resize it. For precision, type exact X, Y, width and height values in pixels of the original image.
- If the photo is sideways, use Rotate left or Rotate right.
- Choose the output format and select Crop and download.
Example: a square profile picture from a group photo
From a 4032 × 3024 px group photo, choose 1:1 square. The selection becomes a square; drag it over the person’s face and shoulders and resize it with a corner handle. The fields show, for example, X 1650, Y 420, width 900, height 900. Download as JPEG, then use the Image Resizer to bring it down to the size the platform recommends, such as 400 × 400 px.
Why crop
Cropping removes distractions, improves composition and fits images to the shapes different places require: square avatars, tall 4:5 posts, wide 16:9 thumbnails and 1.91:1 link previews. Cropping before resizing also reduces file size, because pixels outside the crop are discarded entirely.
How the cropper works
The image is shown scaled to fit your screen, but every value you see refers to the original pixels, so the crop is exact at full resolution. When you drag the selection, its screen position is converted back to original-image coordinates. With a fixed ratio, the selection keeps that ratio while you resize it, and typed widths automatically adjust the height.
Rotation is applied first, then the crop, then the image is encoded in the format you choose. The selection can be moved with the keyboard: arrow keys move it by one pixel, Shift+arrow by ten, and Alt+arrow changes its size.
Limitations to keep in mind
- Rotation is limited to 90° steps; free-angle straightening is not available.
- Animated GIFs are cropped using their first frame only.
- Metadata such as EXIF data is not copied into the cropped image.
How your data is handled
Cropping happens on a canvas in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Does cropping reduce image quality?
No. Cropping keeps the original pixels inside the selection. Quality only changes if you save as JPEG or WebP, which re-compresses the image at the quality you set.
What aspect ratio should I use for social media?
Common choices are 1:1 for square posts and profile pictures, 4:5 for portrait feed posts, 9:16 for stories and short videos, 16:9 for video thumbnails and 1.91:1 for link previews. Platforms change their recommendations, so check their current guidance.
Can I crop to an exact pixel size?
Yes. Set the ratio to Free and type the width and height. To end up with a specific size at a different scale, crop to the right ratio and then resize.