About this tool
Cropping is the single most-used edit in photography - it removes distracting edges, tightens composition, and forces the viewer's eye to the subject. This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your photo never leaves your device, never gets uploaded, never has a watermark stamped on it.
You can crop two ways: drag a rectangle on the preview, or type exact X / Y / Width / Height in pixels. The result downloads as a PNG (no quality loss) regardless of the source format. Most social platforms have specific aspect ratios - Instagram square is 1:1 (1080x1080), YouTube thumbnail is 16:9 (1280x720), and TikTok / Reels expect 9:16 (1080x1920). The tool shows the live source resolution and crop box dimensions so you can match a target spec without trial and error.
How it works
Open your image
Drop a JPG, PNG, WebP, or GIF onto the dropzone, or click to pick from your device. The image renders into a preview canvas; nothing is uploaded.
Pick the area to keep
Drag on the preview to draw a selection rectangle, or type the exact X / Y / Width / Height in pixels. The dimmed area outside the rectangle is what will be removed.
Match an aspect ratio if needed
For Instagram square keep Width = Height. For YouTube thumbnail set Width:Height = 16:9 (e.g. 1600x900). For Reels / TikTok use 9:16 (e.g. 1080x1920).
Crop and download
Click "Crop & Download". The result is saved as a PNG to keep transparency and avoid a second JPEG re-compression. Reset to start over with a different image.
Use cases
Profile pictures and avatars
LinkedIn, GitHub, Twitter and most platforms expect a square (1:1) image. Crop a portrait photo to a tight square around the face for a professional headshot.
Social media posts
Instagram feed: 1:1 or 4:5. Stories / Reels / TikTok: 9:16. YouTube thumbnails: 16:9. Pinterest: 2:3 vertical. Cropping to the right ratio prevents the platform from auto-cropping where you don't want.
Removing distractions
A photo where the subject is offset can be tightened to recompose - put the subject on a thirds intersection, drop a busy background, or remove an unwanted edge.
Print and document layouts
A4 photo collage, ID-card photos (35x45mm at 300 DPI = 413x531 px), passport photos, and CV headshots all have rigid size requirements. Type the exact pixel dimensions and crop once.
Web performance
Cropping to the displayed size before serving is the cheapest CDN optimization. A hero image displayed at 1600px wide does not need a 6000px source.
Format and spec details
| Common social aspect ratios | Square 1:1, Landscape 16:9, Portrait 4:5, Stories/Reels 9:16, Pinterest 2:3 |
|---|---|
| LinkedIn profile photo | 400x400 px minimum, up to 7680x4320 |
| YouTube thumbnail | 1280x720 (16:9), under 2 MB |
| Instagram feed | 1080x1080 (1:1) or 1080x1350 (4:5) |
| Passport photo (US) | 600x600 px (2x2 inch at 300 DPI), white background |
| Output format | PNG (preserves transparency, no re-compression) |
| Max source size | Limited only by your browser's memory; tested up to 60 MP |
Tips and best practices
- Rule of thirds: drop the subject on one of the four intersections of an imaginary 3x3 grid for a stronger composition.
- Crop tightly for social: phone screens are small. Faces fill more of the frame than you think.
- Keep the original. Cropping is destructive - save the source file separately so you can re-crop later.
- For text-heavy images (screenshots, infographics), keep the same aspect ratio your audience views in. Stretching to a 16:9 placeholder distorts text.
- Remove EXIF rotation first if your image looks rotated only on certain devices. Use Image Rotate to bake the orientation into pixels before cropping.
Why convert images to PNG
PNG is the right choice when you need lossless quality, transparency (alpha channel), or sharp lines that JPG smears - logos, screenshots, UI mockups, diagrams. PNG files are larger than JPG but the quality is pixel-perfect.
Image format comparison
| Format | Compression | Transparency | Animation | Color depth | Browser support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPG / JPEG | Lossy | No | No | 8-bit | Universal (since 1992) |
| PNG | Lossless | Yes (alpha) | No (APNG ext.) | 8/16-bit + alpha | Universal (since 1996) |
| WebP | Both | Yes | Yes | 8-bit + alpha | All modern (96% global) |
| AVIF | Lossy (AV1) | Yes | Yes | 10/12-bit HDR | Chrome, Firefox, Safari 16+ |
| GIF | Lossless palette | 1-bit | Yes | 256 colors | Universal |
| HEIC / HEIF | Lossy (HEVC) | Yes | Yes | 10-bit HDR | iOS, macOS, Win10+ |
File size comparison (same 1920x1080 photo)
WebP is ~40% smaller than JPG for the same visible quality. AVIF is ~60% smaller, but still has slower encoders and limited compatibility with older Windows tools.
When NOT to convert
- To JPG, if you have transparency: JPG drops alpha. The transparent pixels render as your chosen background colour.
- To JPG repeatedly: every save loses quality (generation loss). Re-edit from the original whenever possible.
- To PNG, if you need small files: PNG can be 5-10x larger than JPG. Use only when transparency or lossless quality is required.
- To WebP, if your audience is on very old systems: IE11 and pre-2020 email clients (Outlook 2019, etc.) don't render WebP.
How browser-based conversion works
This tool uses the HTML5 Canvas API. When you drop a file:
- FileReader reads the image into a binary blob that stays in your browser memory.
- An <img> element decodes the blob to a bitmap.
- A <canvas> of matching dimensions is created, and the bitmap is drawn onto it.
- canvas.toBlob() re-encodes the bitmap to your target format at your chosen quality.
- URL.createObjectURL produces a download link to that blob.
The original file never uploads anywhere - all of the above happens in your tab. The encoded output exists only in your browser until you download it.
Quality settings demystified
JPG and WebP quality is a 0-100 scale. It's not linear - quality 85 keeps ~95% of perceived detail at ~25% of the file size compared to quality 100. The sweet spot for photos is quality 80-85. Drop to 70-75 for thumbnails, raise to 95+ for archival masters.
Privacy and offline operation
Every operation in this tool runs client-side using your browser's built-in APIs (Canvas, Web Audio, WebAssembly). No data is uploaded. After the initial page load you can disconnect from the internet and the tool keeps working.
We use Google Analytics and AdSense for the page itself, but neither sees the content of the files you process.
Frequently asked questions
Is the cropped image stored anywhere?
No. All processing runs in your browser using the HTML Canvas API. The file is never uploaded to a server. After the page loads you can disconnect from the internet and the tool keeps working.
Why does the download come back as PNG even if I upload a JPG?
PNG is lossless and preserves transparency. Re-saving a JPG would force a second round of lossy compression. If you need a JPG specifically, use Image to JPG after cropping.
Can I crop a GIF and keep it animated?
Cropping flattens the frame to a still image. To crop an animated GIF while preserving the animation, you would need a server-side tool that processes each frame.
What is the maximum image size I can crop?
There is no hard limit, but very large images (60+ megapixels) may run out of browser memory on low-end devices. The tool downscales the preview canvas for display performance, but always crops from the full-resolution source.
Does the crop change the file size?
Yes - both fewer pixels and PNG re-encoding affect file size. A 4000x3000 photo cropped to 1080x1080 will typically be 4-10x smaller. Run Image Compressor afterward if you need a tighter target file size.
Can I crop with a fixed aspect ratio?
Hold the W and H values in a fixed ratio (e.g. 1080 and 1080 for 1:1) and drag - the rectangle locks to your target ratio. For automated ratio locks, type the dimensions manually.
Are uploaded images sent to a server?
No. All conversion happens in your browser using the Canvas API. The file never leaves your device. You can disconnect from the internet after the page loads and the tool still works.
Will the converted file have the same dimensions?
Yes by default. The canvas is sized to match the source image's intrinsic width and height. EXIF orientation is automatically applied so phone photos won't appear rotated.
What happens to EXIF and metadata?
Most converters (including this one) strip EXIF on re-encode for privacy. GPS coordinates, camera serial number, and timestamps are all removed unless explicitly preserved by an option.
Can I convert in bulk?
Yes - drop multiple files at once. Each is converted independently and produces its own download link. Large batches may slow your browser; convert 20-50 at a time.
Why is my converted file larger than the original?
Usually because the original used a more efficient algorithm. Converting a JPG to PNG always makes the file larger (PNG is lossless). Converting an AVIF to JPG also typically grows the file.
Does HEIC work in this browser?
Safari 13+ and Chrome 119+ (with flag) decode HEIC natively. Other browsers fall back to JavaScript decoders that work but are slower. The tool will tell you if your browser cannot read your file.
What's the best image format for 2026?
Depends on the use case. For new web content: WebP for most images, AVIF if you can serve format negotiation, PNG for transparency, SVG for vectors. JPG remains the safe universal fallback. Phone screenshots: PNG or WebP lossless.
Does converting reduce quality?
Lossy-to-lossy (JPG to WebP) introduces a small additional loss. Lossless-to-lossy (PNG to JPG) introduces visible loss but smaller files. Lossless-to-lossless (PNG to WebP lossless) is pixel-perfect.
Why does PNG support vary by browser?
Different browsers adopted different formats at different times. WebP: universal as of 2020. AVIF: Chrome 85+, Firefox 93+, Safari 16+. HEIC: native to iOS/macOS, limited elsewhere. Modern best practice is multi-format
Should I use AVIF for everything?
Not yet. AVIF is ~30% smaller than WebP at the same quality but takes 10-100x longer to encode and isn't supported in older browsers. Use AVIF for hero images where bandwidth matters; WebP everywhere else.
How do I batch-convert hundreds of images?
This tool processes one at a time in the browser. For large batches, use desktop tools: ImageMagick (cross-platform CLI), Squoosh CLI (per-file), or build-time pipelines like sharp (Node), Pillow (Python), or imgix/Cloudinary (managed).
Are my images uploaded to a server when I convert here?
No. All conversion happens in your browser using the HTML5 Canvas API. The image stays in your tab's memory; nothing is sent. Verify by opening browser DevTools, Network tab - no upload requests fire.