Video cropping is one of the most important editing tools for any content maker. In this article we will explain how it works, when you need it, and how to crop videos on different operating systems.

What is cropping

To crop means to frame a clip to the desired area you want to be shown. Some visual parts are removed and aspect ratio can also be altered. The video length remains the same.

This process is not a synonym to trimming and cutting, as believed by some beginners. When you trim or cut clips, you just make them shorter and nothing happens to the image on the screen. Read this post to discover more about all three tools.

The most common use case is to remove the unwanted parts from a footage. Poor-looking surroundings, embarrassing situations, and just things you do not want to go public — the list can go on forever.

Popular social media may have their own standards, when it comes to the aspect ratio or resolution. Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and similar services usually provide native tools to crop the borders of a video free.

Sometimes you want to make a vertically-oriented clip fit a horizontal aspect ratio. Vertical recordings have annoying black bars on the sides that ruin the harmonious view of the overall project.

But no worries — let us see how to crop a video screen easily on any platform!

Crop videos on Windows

AVS Video Editor lets you crop clips on Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista. Just follow these simple steps below.
 
In this example we‘ll get rid of the black bars in the vertically-oriented footage.

1. Import a vertically-oriented recording and add it to the timeline.

2. Select a horizontal aspect ratio (16 x 9).

3. Right-click the file, choose Crop Scale, and set 100 as the value.

Done! Now the sides, but also some top and bottom lines are beyond the video borders. Add the clip to your project and save it as usual.

See each step in this guide on our official YouTube channel:

Need to fix vertically-oriented recordings? Get AVS Video Editor with all necessary filmmaking tools:

Crop videos on Mac

Apple provides users with a free editing software iMovie. Usually you have it pre-installed on any iMac and Macbook. Here is how to crop a video in iMovie.

1. Select a clip and drop it to the timeline.

2. Click the Cropping button and choose Crop to Fill.

3. Choose the area you want to preserve in the finalized version.

4. Click Apply to save the parameters.

Easy, right? Now proceed with editing or share the project with your friends!

Crop videos on iPhone

There are two common ways to crop a video on iPhone or iPad free — iMovie and the Photos app. Let us try iMovie first.

1. Upload a file to the app and click on Create Movie.

2. Tap the video on the timeline and the Zoom icon.

3. Choose the suitable cropping settings and save the file.

This approach below uses the pre-installed Photos app.

1. Select a video in Photos.

2. Click on Edit -> Crop-Rotate. Drag one of the video borders in the desired direction.

3. Save the changes.

Also, numerous third-party apps in App Store offer video cropping free.

Note: Use iMovie to crop images and videos without losing actual aspect ratio.

Crop videos on Android

Unlike iPhones, Android devices have no integrated cropping tools in the Gallery. You will need a third-party app, such as Crop & Trim Video editor. This is just an example, you can choose among dozens apps in Google Play.

Here is how to crop a video on Android phones.

1. Upload a file to Crop & Trim Video editor.

2. Click on Crop and move the borders of your footage in the desired direction.

3. Save the changes.

Manufacturers of Android devices can pre-install editing software with cropping. Check the list of default apps before searching one on the marketplace.

Want to crop mobile videos on your PC? Convert them with free AVS Video Converter and proceed to editing!

Useful links

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