BrowserTools

Image Cropper

Crop images to any ratio or freeform area

By Guga — BrowserTools maintainer, Tbilisi, Georgia Updated 2026-09-21
Free Private No uploads
What is Image Cropper?

Cropping is a geometric operation: name a rectangle, get the pixels inside it and nothing else. Drag the selection to position it, pull any of the four corner handles to resize it, and the output is exactly the region you framed. When you need a specific shape, the ratio presets lock the selection for you — 1:1 for a profile photo, 16:9 for a video thumbnail, 9:16 for a story, 3:2 for a print, 4:3 and 3:4 for older screen sizes. Choose Free and the selection follows your hand with no constraint. A rule-of-thirds grid is drawn inside the box to help place a face or a horizon. Output is always PNG, which keeps any transparency the cropped region had.

Crop images directly in your browser with preset ratios (1:1, 16:9, 4:3, and more) or freeform selection. Drag, adjust, and download — no upload required.

Private Image Cropper In Your Browser

Image Cropper is processed locally with client-side JavaScript. Your files never touch a server, and there is no queue to wait in.

Step-by-Step

How to use Image Cropper

1

Start by feeding a picture into the Drop an image to crop target, which takes any browser-displayable format.

2

Pick a ratio from the preset row — Free, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16, 3:2, or 2:3 — to lock the selection's shape.

3

Drag the box itself to move it, or drag a corner handle to resize it, using the grid to line up your subject.

4

Press Download cropped image; the selected region is written out as a PNG straight to your downloads.

Key Capabilities
  • Eight ratio choices including a Free mode with no constraint
  • Drag-to-move selection plus four corner handles for resizing
  • A rule-of-thirds grid renders inside the selection to help compose the crop
  • Outputs a PNG, so a cropped region keeps any transparency it contained
Common Use Cases
  • A photographer preparing a square profile crop from a portrait with room to spare.
  • A social media manager producing a 16:9 thumbnail from a wider source image for a video embed.
  • A designer trimming a screenshot down to just the panel they want to document.
Clear Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Does cropping change the image's dimensions or just the visible part?
Both, in effect. The output file contains only the framed region, so the pixel dimensions shrink to match the selection — the area outside it is discarded rather than hidden.
Can I undo a crop and try another?
Yes. The original file is untouched, so simply drop it again and start a new selection. Nothing is written until you press the download button.
Why did my cropped image come out as a PNG?
PNG is the fixed output format here. It is the safer choice for a crop because it preserves the alpha channel of whatever region you selected, and it does not add a second generation of lossy compression on top of your source.
Is my photo uploaded for cropping?
No — the selection and the pixel copy both happen in the browser, with no network request made.