To crop a video on Windows, open it in Clipchamp, select the clip, click Crop in the floating toolbar, drag the handles, and export. Clipchamp comes with Windows 11 and is a free download on Windows 10. For preset shapes like 9:16 or 4:5 in a couple of clicks, the MobileStudio Crop Video tool works in Edge or Chrome.
The short answer
| Method | Best for |
|---|---|
| Crop Video | Quick crops to 9:16, 1:1, 4:5, 16:9 |
| Clipchamp | Cropping as part of a bigger edit |
| FFmpeg | Exact pixel crops and batches |
How do I crop a video in Clipchamp?
- Open Clipchamp and create a new video.
- Drag your video onto the timeline and select it.
- Click Crop in the floating toolbar on the preview.
- Drag the handles on the sides, top, and bottom to crop.
- Click Export.
Microsoft documents this in How to crop videos in Clipchamp. To change the whole video's shape, set the project's aspect ratio (such as 9:16 or 1:1) from the ratio button next to the preview, then fit the clip.
How do I crop a video on Windows in the browser?
- Open Crop Video in Edge or Chrome.
- Drop in the video.
- Choose 9:16, 1:1, 4:5, 16:9, or Free.
- Drag the box and resize it from the corner.
- Click Crop & download.
The MP4 keeps the original sound. The video is processed on your PC, not uploaded.
How do I crop a video with FFmpeg?
ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -vf "crop=608:1080:656:0" -c:a copy out.mp4
The crop filter takes width, height, and the x and y of the top-left corner. This example cuts a 9:16 strip from the center of a 1920×1080 video. The FFmpeg documentation covers the filter in full.
Which aspect ratio should I crop to?
| Platform | Ratio | Common size |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok, Reels, Shorts | 9:16 | 1080×1920 |
| Instagram feed | 4:5 | 1080×1350 |
| Square posts | 1:1 | 1080×1080 |
| YouTube | 16:9 | 1920×1080 |
Instagram's Reels help page lists the accepted range. Background: video aspect ratios explained.
How do I crop a screen recording on Windows?
Screen recordings often catch the taskbar, browser tabs, or notifications. Crop them out with a Free crop, keeping just the app window. To skip the step next time, record only the window: the Game Bar (Windows + Alt + R) records the active app, and the Snipping Tool lets you drag a recording area on Windows 11. Smaller recordings are also easier to compress or turn into a GIF.
Can the Windows Photos app crop videos?
The video editing that used to be in Photos moved to Clipchamp on Windows 11. Use Clipchamp or the browser tool.
Does cropping a video on Windows reduce quality?
The kept area isn't degraded, but it's fewer pixels than the full frame. A 9:16 crop from a 1080p landscape video is about 608×1080, which can look soft when shown full screen on a phone. Record vertically if the video is meant for vertical platforms. For more framing tips, see how to make a video vertical.
Where MobileStudio fits
Crop Video is one of our free tools. MobileStudio itself turns phone screen recordings into polished app demos in any aspect ratio. Get MobileStudio.
Quick FAQ
How do I crop a video on Windows 10?
Use the browser tool, or download Clipchamp.
Does Windows 11 have a video cropper?
Yes. Clipchamp has a crop tool.
How do I crop a video to vertical on Windows?
Choose 9:16 in the browser tool, or set Clipchamp's project to 9:16.
Can I crop a video without losing quality on Windows?
The kept pixels stay the same, but the frame is smaller.
Does cropping keep the audio?
Yes, the original sound stays in the video.
