Cropping versus resizing
Cropping removes pixels from the edges and changes the visible composition. Resizing keeps the whole composition but changes its pixel dimensions. A crop can also change aspect ratio—for example, turning a 4:3 photograph into a square.
Composition tipPlace the main subject away from the extreme edges. Social interfaces frequently add rounded corners, captions or UI overlays.
Common aspect ratios
- 1:1: square thumbnails, avatars and product grids.
- 4:3: traditional photography and presentations.
- 3:2: common camera photographs and prints.
- 16:9: video thumbnails, banners and widescreen displays.
- 9:16: vertical stories and short-form video covers.
How to make a precise crop
Choose an aspect ratio or free mode, then set the X and Y origin with crop width and height. Centering is useful for symmetrical subjects. Preview the result, check that important details remain inside the frame, and export in the format that fits your destination.
Prevent accidental quality loss
Cropping alone does not require heavy compression. If you save to JPG, choose a suitable quality level. For screenshots, logos or transparent assets, PNG may preserve edges better.