Crop for every platform
A good crop removes distractions, straightens your composition and fits the shape each platform expects. Upload a landscape photo to Instagram and it gets cut to fit; use the wrong shape for a YouTube thumbnail and you get black bars. This crop image tool includes the ratios people actually need:
| Ratio | Use |
|---|---|
| Free | Any shape – remove edges, isolate a detail |
| 1:1 square | Instagram and Facebook posts, profile pictures, product photos |
| 4:5 portrait (Instagram) | Portrait posts that take up more of the feed |
| 16:9 | YouTube thumbnails, presentations, desktop wallpapers |
| 4:3 | Classic photo and tablet shape |
| 3:2 | Standard camera and print ratio (4 × 6 in prints) |
| 9:16 story | Instagram and Facebook Stories, Reels, TikTok, Shorts |
| 3:1 banner (X/Twitter header) | Profile headers and website banners |
| 1.91:1 (link preview) | Open Graph images for Facebook, LinkedIn and link previews |
How to crop
- Add an image.
- Choose the Aspect ratio.
- Drag the crop box to move it and drag its handles to resize. The box stays locked to the ratio you chose.
- For precision, type Crop width (px) and Crop height (px).
- Use rotate and flip buttons if the photo is sideways or mirrored.
- Choose the Format and press Crop & download.
Rotate and flip
Photos from phones sometimes appear sideways in apps that ignore orientation data. Rotate left and Rotate right turn the image by 90°. Flip horizontal mirrors it – useful for selfies, where front cameras produce a mirror image and text looks backwards. Flip vertical turns it upside down, for reflections or scans fed in the wrong way.
Format options
- Same as original keeps the input format.
- JPG gives small files for photos.
- PNG is lossless and keeps transparency – best for logos and screenshots.
- WebP is small and supports transparency, ideal for websites.
Composition tips
- Rule of thirds: place the subject or horizon about a third of the way in, not dead centre, for a more natural look.
- Leave space in front of a face or moving subject.
- Mind safe zones: Stories and Reels overlay buttons at the top and bottom, so keep key content in the middle of 9:16 crops.
- Profile pictures are often shown as circles – keep the face centred in a 1:1 crop with margin around it.
- Don’t over-crop small images; cropping keeps fewer pixels, and enlarging later makes them soft.
Crop, then resize and compress
Cropping sets the shape; Resize Image sets the exact pixel size (for example 1080 × 1350 for a 4:5 post); Compress Image gets the file under a size limit. For passport and visa photos, Passport Photo Maker crops to official head sizes automatically.
Privacy
Cropping happens on your device. The image is never uploaded, and the output does not keep the original EXIF location data.
Frequently asked questions
How do I crop a photo to a square for Instagram?
Choose the 1:1 square ratio, drag the box over the part you want and press Crop & download. For a portrait post choose 4:5.
Can I crop to exact pixel dimensions?
Yes. Type the Crop width and Crop height in pixels. If you need a specific final size, crop to the right ratio here and then use Resize Image.
Can I rotate or flip the image?
Yes. Use rotate left, rotate right, flip horizontally and flip vertically before cropping – useful for sideways phone photos and mirrored selfies.
Does cropping reduce quality?
No resampling happens to the kept area; the pixels are just cut out. JPG output is re-saved at high quality; choose PNG for a lossless result.
Which ratio is best for YouTube thumbnails?
16:9. Crop with 16:9, then resize to 1280 × 720 pixels.
Is my image uploaded?
No. Cropping is done in your browser.