In today's digital world, video editing is essential for creating engaging content. Whether you need to crop video online for social media or edit and crop video for professional projects, having the right tools and knowledge is crucial. This guide provides comprehensive steps for cropping and cutting videos both online and offline, ensuring you achieve perfect results every time.
In this article
Part 1: How to Crop and Cut Videos Online: A Quick and Easy Guide
Cropping your videos to the perfect size doesn't have to be complicated. With easy-to-use tools available, you can now crop video online free in just a few clicks. Check out these top online tools for fast, effective video editing.
1. Clipchamp
Clipchamp allows users to edit and crop video online directly in their browser without the need for downloads. It provides a user-friendly interface with pre-made templates, making it ideal for quick social media content edits. The tool also features a stock library and direct social media sharing, streamlining the content creation process.
Features
- Freeform Cropping: Allows precise cropping to any aspect ratio, ensuring flexibility for various video formats.
- Trim and Cut Tool: Enables users to easily remove unwanted segments, streamlining video content.
- Pre-Set Aspect Ratios: Offers quick cropping options for social media platforms, saving time and effort.
- Rotate and Flip: Provides tools to adjust video orientation, enhancing creative control.
- Preview Window: Shows real-time edits, allowing users to fine-tune cropping and cutting before exporting.
User Reviews
- Great for quick social media edits. The templates save so much time!
- Easy to use, even for beginners. The stock library is a nice bonus.
- The free version is powerful enough for basic edits, but the paid features are worth it for more advanced projects.
Steps to Cut and Crop Videos with Clipchamp
Step 1: Upload Your Video
Go to the Clipchamp website and log in or create an account. Click "Create a new video" and upload your video file from your computer or cloud storage.
Step 2: Crop and Trim Your Video
Drag your video onto the timeline. Use the cropping tool to adjust the frame and the trimming handles to cut out unwanted sections.
Step 3: Export Your Edited Video
Click the "Export" button in the top right corner. Select your desired resolution and format, then download the edited video.
2. Kapwing
Kapwing is a versatile platform that facilitates cut and crop video online with precision, catering to both simple and complex editing needs. Its collaborative features and advanced tools such as video looping and subtitle editing make it a robust online editor. Kapwing allows for easy resizing and cropping, ensuring videos are optimized for any platform.
Features
- Custom Crop Tool: Offers precise control over cropping dimensions, ensuring accurate video adjustments.
- Resize Canvas: Allows users to change video dimensions without distorting content, ideal for different platforms.
- Trim Timeline: Provides a visual timeline for accurate trimming, facilitating precise video cuts.
- Aspect Ratio Presets: Includes presets for popular social media formats, simplifying video optimization.
- Smart Crop: Automatically detects and crops to focus on the main subject, enhancing visual appeal.
User Reviews
- Love the collaboration features! Makes working with my team so much easier.
- The precise cropping and resizing tools are fantastic. I can always get the exact dimensions I need.
- Kapwing is my go-to for creating GIFs and memes. It's super versatile.
Steps to Cut and Crop Videos with Kapwing
Step 1: Upload Your Video to Kapwing
Navigate to the Kapwing website and click "Start editing." Upload your video file from your device or paste a URL.
Step 2: Adjust Cropping and Trimming
Use the cropping tool to select your desired area. Drag the timeline handles to trim your video.
Step 3: Download Your Edited Video
Click the "Export video" button. Choose your output settings and download the processed video.
3. VEED.IO
VEED.IO simplifies the process to crop a video free online with its intuitive interface and automated features. It's particularly useful for social media content, offering automatic subtitles and progress bar creation. The platform also includes a variety of filters and effects to enhance your video content.
Features
- Drag-and-Drop Cropping: Simplifies the cropping process with intuitive drag-and-drop tools, making edits quick.
- Precision Trimming: Offers frame-by-frame trimming for accurate video cuts, ensuring professional results.
- Lock Aspect Ratio: Maintains the original aspect ratio during cropping, preventing unwanted distortion.
- Free Crop: Enables flexible cropping to any dimension, providing creative freedom.
- Video Looping: Allows you to repeat video segments, which is useful for social media content.
User Reviews
- The automatic subtitles feature is a game-changer. Saves me hours of manual work.
- Simple and intuitive interface. I was able to edit my video in minutes.
- Perfect for creating engaging social media content. The progress bar feature is a great touch.
Steps to Cut and Crop Videos with VEED.IO
Step 1: Upload Your Video
Go to the VEED.IO website and click "Upload a File." Select your video from your computer or paste a YouTube URL.
Step 2: Crop and Trim Your Video
Use the cropping tool to adjust the frame. Drag the timeline handles to trim unwanted sections.
Step 3: Download Your Edited Video
Click the "Export" button. Select your desired settings and download the edited video.
4. Online Video Cutter (123apps)
For those seeking a straightforward solution to free online crop video, Online Video Cutter from 123apps offers simplicity and efficiency. This free tool supports various video formats and allows for easy cropping, trimming, and rotation. It's ideal for users who need quick edits without complex features.
Features
- Simple Crop Area Selection: Provides an easy-to-use interface for selecting the crop area, making edits straightforward.
- Trim by Time: Allows users to trim videos by specifying start and end times, ensuring accuracy.
- Rotate Video: Provides the option to rotate the video 90 degrees or 180 degrees, allowing for video orientation adjustments.
- Format Conversion: Allows users to convert their video into different file formats after the editing process.
- Free and Fast Processing: Provides a free and quick way to crop and trim videos, saving time and resources.
User Reviews
- So easy to use! Perfect for quick trims and crops. No fuss, just get the job done.
- I appreciate that it's completely free and supports so many video formats.
- Ideal for basic editing needs. I use it when I just need to make a quick cut or crop.
Steps to Cut and Crop Videos with Online Video Cutter
Step 1: Upload Your Video
Go to the Online Video Cutter website. Click "Open file" and select your video from your computer.
Step 2: Adjust Crop and Trim
Use the cropping tool to select the desired area. Drag the timeline handles to trim the video.
Step 3: Download the Edited Video
Click the "Save" button. Choose your output format if needed, then download the edited video.
5. Clideo
Clideo is an online video cropper with its clean interface and mobile compatibility. It offers a range of tools, including video merging and compression, making it a versatile option for various editing tasks. Clideo's user-friendly platform simplifies video cropping and resizing, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.
Features
- Adjustable Crop Frames: Allows users to easily adjust the crop frames to the desired dimensions, providing flexibility.
- Precise Timeline Trimming: Provides a timeline for accurate trimming, allowing for precise video cuts.
- Resize Video: Enables users to resize the video to fit different platforms, ensuring compatibility.
- Merge and Combine: Allows users to combine multiple video clips, which is useful for creating longer videos.
- Mobile Compatibility: Works seamlessly on mobile devices, providing flexibility for editing on the go.
User Reviews
- Works great on my phone! I love being able to edit videos on the go.
- The interface is clean and straightforward. I had no trouble figuring out how to use it.
- The merging and compression tools are really useful. Clideo is a great all-in-one editor.
Steps to Cut and Crop Videos with Clideo
Step 1: Upload Your Video
Go to the Clideo website and click "Choose file." Select your video from your computer or upload from Google Drive or Dropbox.
Step 2: Adjust Crop and Trim
Use the cropping tool to select the desired area. Drag the timeline handles to trim the video.
Step 3: Download the Edited Video
Click the "Export" button. Choose your output format and download the edited video.
Part 2: How to Crop and Cut Videos Offline: A Fast and Easy Method
For those who need robust and reliable video editing capabilities without relying on an internet connection, offline tools are the ideal solution. These applications offer advanced features and ensure your video data remains secure. Here are five powerful offline tools for cropping and cutting videos.
1. UniConverter
UniConverter is a comprehensive video editing suite that provides precise frame-by-frame cropping and trimming, ensuring detailed control over your edits. It also boasts a wide range of other editing and conversion tools, designed to streamline the video editing process with AI-powered features and batch processing capabilities.

Best Video Cutter
Features
- Precise Frame-by-Frame Cropping and Trimming: Enables highly accurate edits by selecting exact frames, crucial for detailed footage. This ensures professional-quality results by eliminating unwanted sections.
- Batch Processing: Allows simultaneous cropping and trimming of multiple files, significantly reducing editing time. This streamlines workflows by automating tasks, efficiently processing numerous videos.
- Lossless Cropping and Trimming: Maintains original video quality without re-encoding, preserving clarity and detail. This ensures the final output retains the same high quality as the source.
- AI Smart Cropping: Automatically crops to focus on key subjects, enhancing visual appeal with intelligent framing. AI analyzes content, keeping important elements within the cropped area.
- Customizable Aspect Ratios: Sets specific aspect ratios for various platforms, ensuring perfect formatting. This optimizes content for social media, widescreen displays, and mobile devices.
User Reviews
- UniConverter has made my video editing workflow so much faster. The batch processing is a lifesaver!
- I love how easy it is to use, even with all the advanced features. The AI smart cropping is surprisingly accurate.
- The lossless cropping and trimming ensure my videos look professional, and the customizable presets help me maintain consistency.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crop Videos with UniConverter
Step 1: Launch UniConverter and Access the Video Editor
Open Wondershare UniConverter on your computer. From the Home tab, navigate to the Video Editor tool under the Hot section. Click on it to access video editing features like trimming, cropping, adjusting speed, and adding watermarks.
Step 2:Import Video
Click the + button in the center or drag and drop your video files into the Video Editor window. You can add up to 20 videos at a time for editing. This allows you to work on multiple clips simultaneously, making it easier to trim, merge, or adjust them as needed.
Step 3: Crop the Video
Once the video is imported, enable the Crop option from the Video section on the right panel. Select a preset aspect ratio such as (Original, 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, or 4:3), or choose Custom to manually adjust the crop area. Drag the edges of the cropping frame to remove unwanted parts of the video and focus on the desired section.
Step 4: Export the Edited Video
After making the necessary edits, go to the Export Settings panel on the right. Select the desired format (e.g., MP4), set the file size option, and choose how you want to rename the file. Once everything is set, click the Export button to save the edited video to your selected destination folder.
2. Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is the industry-standard video editing software, offering professional-grade cropping and trimming tools within a multi-track timeline environment, making complex projects manageable. It provides advanced color correction, visual effects, and support for high-resolution video formats, catering to professional video editors.
Features
- Advanced Cropping Tools: Provides precise control over crop boundaries and aspect ratios, allowing detailed adjustments. This enables fine-tuning compositions, ensuring only desired content is visible.
- Multi-Track Timeline Trimming: Allows detailed trimming across multiple layers, facilitating complex edits with precision. This synchronizes cuts across elements, creating seamless transitions.
- Masking and Shape Cropping: Enables creative, non-rectangular cropping, allowing unique visual effects. This provides tools to create custom shapes and masks beyond basic crops.
- Responsive Cropping: Automatically adjusts crops based on sequence settings, ensuring consistent framing. This simplifies adapting videos for various output sizes and resolutions.
- Keyframe Cropping: Animates cropping changes over time, allowing for dynamic visual effects. This creates engaging transitions by gradually revealing or concealing parts of the video.
User Reviews
- Premiere Pro is the industry standard for a reason. The level of control it gives me is unmatched.
- The multi-track timeline allows for incredibly precise edits, and the masking and shape cropping tools are fantastic for creative projects.
- It takes time to learn, but once you do, the possibilities are endless. Keyframe cropping is a game-changer.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crop and Trim Videos with Adobe Premiere Pro
Step 1: Import Your Video
Open Premiere Pro and create a new project. Import your file into the project panel. This sets up your workspace and adds your video to the project.
Step 2: Crop and Trim on the Timeline
Drag the video to the timeline. Use cropping and trimming tools for adjustments. This provides a visual workspace for detailed edits.
Step 3: Export the Edited Video
Go to "File" > "Export" > "Media" to export. Configure and save your edited video. This ensures your video is saved in the correct format and location.
3. DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve is a powerful video editing, color grading, and audio post-production software, integrating all stages of video creation. It offers advanced cropping and trimming features, along with robust color grading and audio editing tools, in both free and paid versions, suitable for a range of users from beginners to professionals.
Features
- Power Window Cropping: Enables precise cropping within specific frame areas, providing localized adjustments. This targets cropping, affecting only desired portions of the frame.
- Curve Editor Trimming: Provides detailed control over trim points with curve adjustments, facilitating precise transitions. This enables fine-tuning trim points with granular control, creating seamless edits.
- Advanced Color Grading Integration: Combines cropping adjustments with color grading, enabling seamless integration. This synchronizes cropping with color adjustments, creating a cohesive visual style.
- Resolve FX Cropping: Offers effects usable with cropping, expanding creative possibilities. This allows applying various effects to cropped areas, enhancing visual creativity.
- Real-Time Playback Cropping: Allows smooth playback of cropped footage, ensuring accurate adjustments during editing. This enables previewing edits in real-time, ensuring precise cropping and trimming.
User Reviews
- DaVinci Resolve's color grading integration with cropping is amazing. It allows for seamless visual effects.
- The curve editor trimming is so precise, making my transitions look incredibly smooth.
- The free version is already incredibly powerful, and the real-time playback cropping ensures my edits are perfect.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crop and Cut Videos with DaVinci Resolve
Step 1: Import Your Video
Open DaVinci Resolve and import your file into the media pool. This adds your video to the project for editing.
Step 2: Crop and Trim in the Edit Page
Drag the video to the timeline in the edit page. Use cropping and trimming tools. This allows for visual editing on the timeline.
Step 3: Export the Edited Video
Go to the deliver page to export. Choose your settings and save. This finalizes and saves your edited video.
4. VideoProc Converter
VideoProc Converter is designed for fast, hardware-accelerated video processing, significantly reducing editing times, particularly with large files. It offers simple cropping and trimming tools alongside video conversion, compression, and basic editing effects, making it a user-friendly option for efficient video editing.
Features
- Hardware-Accelerated Cropping and Trimming: Enables fast processing of large files, significantly reducing editing times. This leverages hardware acceleration to speed up cropping and trimming.
- Simple Crop Area Selection: Provides an intuitive interface for easy cropping adjustments, making edits straightforward. This simplifies the cropping process, allowing quick adjustments.
- Trim by Time: Allows precise trimming by specifying start and end times, ensuring accuracy in cuts. This enables setting exact trim points, ensuring only desired segments are included.
- Rotate and Flip Cropping: Allows adjusting video orientation during cropping, providing flexibility. This provides flexibility in adjusting video orientation during cropping.
- Preview Window: Shows real-time edits for accurate cropping and trimming, ensuring precise adjustments. This enables previewing edits in real-time, ensuring accurate cropping and trimming.
User Reviews
- The hardware acceleration makes video processing so fast. I can crop and trim large files without any lag.
- It's very user-friendly, especially for basic edits. The trim by time feature is really useful.
- I appreciate the simple interface and the ability to rotate and flip during cropping. It's a great all-around tool.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crop and Cut Videos with VideoProc Converter
Step 1: Import Your Video
Open VideoProc Converter and click "Video," then import your file. This loads your video into the editing interface.
Step 2: Crop and Trim the Video
Click "Crop" or "Cut" to adjust. Use handles and sliders for edits. This provides visual tools for cropping and trimming.
Step 3: Export the Video
Choose the format and destination, then click "Run." This exports your edited video to your chosen location.
5. Final Cut Pro (Mac)
Final Cut Pro is a professional video editing software optimized for macOS, providing high-performance cropping, trimming, and editing tools that leverage Apple's hardware. It features a magnetic timeline and advanced color grading, making it a powerful tool for Mac users who require seamless integration and efficient workflows.
Features
- Precision Cropping Tool: Provides detailed control over crop boundaries and aspect ratios, allowing fine-tuned adjustments. This precisely defines crop areas, ensuring accurate framing.
- Blade Tool Trimming: Enables precise cuts on the timeline for accurate trimming, facilitating seamless edits. This allows making precise cuts, ensuring accurate trimming.
- Transform Tool Cropping: Allows scaling and repositioning within the cropped frame, providing flexibility. This enables manipulating the cropped area, allowing scaling and repositioning.
- Spatial Conform Cropping: Automatically adjusts crops based on sequence settings, ensuring consistent framing. This automates cropping adjustments, ensuring consistent framing across formats.
- Keyframe Cropping: Animates cropping changes over time, allowing dynamic effects. This creates dynamic effects by animating cropping over time.
User Reviews
- Final Cut Pro's precision cropping tool is perfect for fine-tuning my edits. The integration with macOS is seamless.
- The blade tool trimming is incredibly accurate, and the spatial conform cropping saves me a lot of time.
- Keyframe cropping allows for dynamic and engaging effects. It's a powerful tool for any Mac user.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crop and Cut Videos with Final Cut Pro
Step 1: Import Your Video
Open Final Cut Pro and import your video file. This brings your media into the project for editing.
Step 2: Crop and Trim on the Timeline
Drag the video to the timeline. Use the crop and blade tools. This allows for visual adjustments directly on the timeline.
Step 3: Export the Video
Share the file to export it. Choose export settings and save. This saves your edited video to the desired location.
Part 3: How to crop a video on Mac using iMovie
iMovie, pre-installed on most Macs, offers a straightforward way to crop videos without needing additional software. This makes it a convenient option for users looking to quickly adjust their video's composition. Whether you need to remove unwanted edges or focus on a specific part of your footage, iMovie provides the tools to get the job done efficiently.
Steps to Crop Video on Mac Using iMovie
Step 1: Import Your Video into iMovie
Launch iMovie and create a new project. Import the video you want to crop by dragging it into the "My Media" section or by selecting "File" > "Import Media."
Step 2: Add the Video to the Timeline and Access the Cropping Tool
Drag the imported video from "My Media" to the timeline at the bottom of the iMovie window. Select the video clip on the timeline, then click the "Cropping" button located in the viewer toolbar above the timeline. It looks like two overlapping squares.
Step 3: Adjust the Crop and Apply Changes
In the viewer, use the yellow crop handles to adjust the frame, dragging them to the desired edges. Choose between "Crop to Fill" or "Fit" depending on your preference. Click the "Apply" button (the checkmark) to finalize the cropping.
Part 4: Pro Tip: How to Crop Videos for Social Media Marketing
Cropping videos effectively boosts your brand's visibility and engagement, especially on social media platforms. Here are five expert tips to help you professionally crop and trim videos for maximum impact online:
- Choose the right aspect ratio: Use square (1:1) for Instagram feeds and vertical (9:16) for Stories and TikTok.
- Focus on the subject: Ensure your subject remains clearly visible after cropping by centering the most important action.
- Avoid cropping critical information: Keep key visual elements and text within safe zones to avoid cropping vital details.
- Keep consistency: Maintain uniform cropping dimensions across similar videos for brand consistency.
- Preview before finalizing: Always preview your cropped video before exporting to confirm optimal framing and content visibility.
Conclusion
In this guide, you've explored how to effortlessly crop video online and offline using various user-friendly tools. While online tools provide convenience, UniConverter excels with precise cropping, batch processing, and lossless video quality retention. Additionally, UniConverter's advanced features like AI Video Enhancer significantly improve your video's clarity and resolution, and the Watermark Remover helps produce clean, professional-looking videos without distractions. Try UniConverter today for seamless editing, enhancing your video's overall appeal and professionalism.
FAQs
1. Can I crop a video online for free without any software downloads?
Yes, many online tools like Clipchamp and Kapwing allow you to crop video online free directly in your browser. These platforms offer basic to advanced cropping features without needing to install any software. Just upload your video, make your edits, and download the result.
2. What is the best way to crop and trim videos for Instagram?
For Instagram, it's best to use a square (1:1) aspect ratio for feed posts and vertical (9:16) for Stories. Tools like VEED.IO provide aspect ratio presets specifically for social media. Ensure your main subject remains centered in the frame.
3. How can I crop videos offline if I don't have an internet connection?
You can use offline video editing software like UniConverter or Adobe Premiere Pro. These applications offer robust offline cropping tools with precise control over frame adjustments. Just import your video, make the necessary edits, and export the cropped file.
4. What features should I look for in a free online video cropper?
Look for tools that offer custom crop area selection, aspect ratio presets, and precision trimming. A good free video cropper should also support various video formats and provide a preview window to see your edits in real-time.
5. Can I crop multiple videos at once?
Yes, some offline software like UniConverter offers batch processing, allowing you to crop and trim videos simultaneously. This feature saves time and streamlines your workflow, especially when working on multiple projects.