How to Crop a Video on iPhone (Best 8 Video Croppers)

Whether you’re recording a vlog, a tutorial, or just a fun clip to share with friends, there are many reasons why you might want to crop a video on your iPhone.

Cropping can help you get rid of any unwanted background distractions or allow you to focus on a specific subject in the frame.

Luckily, cropping a video on an iPhone is super easy. We’ve got you covered in this guide. Let’s dive in.

Can You Crop a Video on iPhone?

Yes, you can crop a video on iPhone to the desired size with a video cropper. There are a lot of video croppers available for iOS, and most of them are free to use.

What is a Video Cropper?

A video cropper allows you to effortlessly adjust the edges of any clip and cut it down to whatever size you like. Plus, there’s no need for guesswork – predefined aspect ratios such as square, landscape, and portrait are already available. A video cropper has multiple advantages:

• Purge your video frame of undesired components.
• Concentrate the entire clip’s attention on a particular section for maximum impact.
• Help you crop your video into any aspect ratio that perfectly aligns with the standards of your favorite social media platform.
• Simple and convenient with various predefined aspect ratios.

  

List of Best Video Croppers for iPhone

No matter which video cropper you choose, cropping a video on your iPhone is simple and straightforward. With just a few taps and drags, you can have your videos cropped to the desired size.

1. Built-in Photos App

Did you know that the pre-installed iPhone photo app not only lets you cut a video down to your desired length and add a filter but also crops from many different orientations?

There Is a Range of Ratios for Cropping on iPhone Photo App:

• Original: Crop with the video’s original aspect ratio.
• Freeform: A custom freeform crop.
• Landscape：Square (1:1) ; 16:9; 10:8; 7:5; 4:3; 5:3; 3:2.
• Portrait: Square (1:1) ; 9:16; 8:10; 5:7; 3:4; 3:5; 2:3.

How to Crop a Video on iPhone using built-in Photos App

1. Open Photos App on your iPhone.

   

2. Choose the video you’d like to crop from your Albums.
3. Tap Edit in the upper-right corner.

   

4. Select the cropping tool by tapping the rightmost icon in the horizontal strip of adjustment tools at the bottom of your screen. This will reveal a grid overlay.

   

5. Quick freeform cropping is as easy as dragging the corners of the grid and letting go of the selection rectangle. Your video will appear shortly after you release it. If you want to crop your video to a preset size, tap the Landscape or Portrait icon below the video, and select an aspect ratio that you would like to crop from.

   

6. Tap Done to save your cropped video.

   

That’s all there is to it! Now you can crop your videos to perfection using your iPhone.

Pros:

• Free and easy to use.
• You don’t need to download another app.
• You can crop videos to many different shapes.

Cons:

• You will need to cut off the whole video, not just a particular part of it.
• You cannot combine your cropped video with any other clips.
• The cropped clip will take up more storage space.
• It’s hard to edit the clip further.

2. CapCut App

If you are looking for a free and user-friendly video cropper, the CapCut app is a perfect choice. Developed by the same company that owns TikTok, this app enables users to crop their videos from within since it’s impossible on TikTok itself!

Moreover, removing watermarks also comes at absolutely no charge – what more can one ask for? Therefore I highly recommend the CapCut app to all those who edit or intend to edit videos for TikTok.

Aspect Ratios for Cropping Available on CapCut App:

• Original: Retain the video’s original aspect ratio when cropping.
• Free: A tailored, user-defined crop.
• Preset size：9:16; 16:9; 1:1 ; 4:3; 2:1; 5:8.

Here’s How to Crop a Video on an iPhone With CapCut:

1. Open CapCut app on your iPhone, tap the new project.

   

2. Choose your desired clip and click the ‘Add‘ button to crop it.

   

3. To rid your project of the CapCut watermark, simply tap the delete icon before you start editing.

   

4. Tap Edit or press your video timeline to access the edit menu
5. Tap Edit again to access the second menu.

   

6. Tap Crop.

   

7. Choose an aspect ratio to crop your video.

   

8. Resize your video to perfection by simply dragging the white lines around the preview frame.

   

9. Once you’ve finished cropping, hit the tick button to save your changes.

   

10. Tap the Upload icon > Export to save your video on iPhone.

    

    

11. Don’t forget the power of CapCut! You can also quickly and easily share your cropped video directly from the app to TikTok.

    

And that’s it! Now you know how to crop a video on iPhone using the CapCut app. Give it a try now and make your editing process easier than ever before!

Pros:

• It’s free.
• Merged with TikTok and has multiple popular features.
• Instantly post the cropped clip on your social networks for all to see.

Cons:

• You have to download this third-party app from the Apple store.
• Has a watermark, although you can delete it.
• Unlike desktop software, it is less stable.

3. iMovie App

iMovie might already be included on your iPhone, so no need to download it. But if not, you can easily get it from the App Store. This free app owned by Apple lets you crop your videos and retain the original aspect ratio.

Cropping videos on an iPhone can be a pain, and iMovie has a slight edge over the Photos app because you have more control over what parts of your clip to cut off rather than all of them – plus, you can merge two clips together.

How to Use iMovie to Crop a Video on iPhone

1. Open the iMovie app on your iPhone.

   

2. Tap Create Project to create a new project.

   

3. Tap Movie mode.

   

4. Choose your desired clip to crop and press Create Movie.

   

5. Press the video timeline, then tap the small Zoom icon at the top-right.

   

6. Pinch the video in or out to zoom in or out until you’re satisfied with the crop.

   

7. When you have finished, press Done.

   

8. Tap the Share icon > Save Video to save your changes.

   

That’s it. Keep in mind that after cropping your video clip, the aspect ratio will be maintained.

Pros:

• Free app owned by Apple
• Maintains your video’s original aspect ratio.
• Allows you to merge multiple videos.

Cons:

• Unable to crop in other formats.
• Fewer features than desktop software.

4. Video Crop – Resize Video App

If you’re looking for a user-friendly and convenient way to crop your videos, Video Crop is the answer! With this powerful tool, cropping and resizing your videos has never been easier. Forget about complex video editors – all you need is Video Crop at your fingertips to get stunning results quickly and effortlessly.

Video Crop App’s Variety of Cropping Shapes:

• Original: Maintain the video’s original aspect ratio when cropping for optimal results.
• Free: A personalized crop suited to your needs.
• Preset size：1:1; 4:3; 3:2; 5:4; 7:5;16:9; 9:16.

Steps to Crop a Video on iPhone with Video Crop App:

1. Open the Video Crop app and choose the video you want to crop.
2. Choose the aspect ratio at the bottom of your screen. Drag and adjust the edges of your grid to resize your video.
3. Tap the ‘Save‘ icon in the upper right corner and decide which way you would like to share or store it.

   

Pros:

• Free app.
• Friendly for beginners.
• Support multiple preset sizes.
• With an outstanding 4.4/5 score from over 31k users.

Cons:

• $1.99 to remove ads.
• Basic editing.
• Limited video effects.

5. Crop Video – Video Cropper App

If you’re searching for a reliable and easy app to help crop your videos on iPhone, look no further than Crop Video – Video Cropper App! This user-friendly application is the perfect solution for all of your video editing needs.

Cropping Shapes Supported by Video Cropper App:

• Original: Keep your video’s aspect ratio unchanged when cropping.
• Free: A personalized crop suited to your needs.
• Preset size：1:1; 4:5; 9:16, 1.91:1(Facebook); 16:9.

Steps to Use Video Cropper App:

1. Install and launch the Video Cropper app.
2. Select a video to crop.
3. Tap Canvas at the bottom of your screen.
4. Select a cropping contour and modify the edges of your grid to customize the size of your video.
5. Tap the ‘Export‘ button in the top right-hand corner and decide if you’d like to share it with others or save it directly into your gallery.

   

Pros:

• Easy video cropping.
• Basic video editing supported.
• Allows you to resize and share videos to your social media.
• A near-perfect 4.6/5 score from over 3,200 users.

Cons:

• Can’t preview before cropping.
• You may need to pay $3.99 to unlock cropping features.
• Many ads.

Although it may seem convenient to crop a video on your iPhone, this could ultimately prove troublesome due to the small size of the screen and added storage strain.

In search of the ultimate video editing experience? Look no further than desktop software — why settle for an app when you can have a powerful, versatile program that is tailored to your exact needs? Desktop video editors offer top-notch features such as high-quality output and interactive tutorials, so let go of those apps and enjoy the full potential of the world-class software below, all available on Windows and Mac!

6. Movavi Video Editor

Movavi Video Editor is the perfect choice if you’re searching for a paid video editor with unlimited usage and professional cropping capabilities on both Mac and Windows. It comes packed with features that will let you edit your videos like a pro, no prior experience or training required.

With its wide array of tools, this powerful program offers multiple dimensions such as 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 9:16 and freeform.

How to Crop a Video via Movavi:

1. Download and launch Movavi Video Editor on your computer.
2. Upload and add your video to the timeline.

   

3. Click on the video clip and then hit the Crop button.

   

4. A resizing frame appears in the player, allowing you to crop your video.
5. Choose a cropping shape and adjust the corners of the frame to cut off a video that will show only what you want.
6. Click the Export button to save the cropped video.

   

With Movavi, you’ll be able to create beautiful videos that will impress your friends and family members!

Pros:

• Perfect for novices, it offers a user-friendly experience.
• Supports cropping with further editing.
• It features crop presets to match any aspect ratio.
• Supports MP4, AVI, WMV, FLV, and MPEG formats.
• Available for Windows and Mac.

Cons:

• 7-day free trial only.

7. Vegas Movie Studio

Vegas Movie Studio is a powerful video editing tool created by Sony before it was transferred to Magix. Whether you’re on PC or Mac, this amazing video editor can precisely crop clips and movies with ease. Although this is the scaled-down version compared to Vegas Pro, don’t let that deceive you – it still packs a huge punch!

Steps to Crop Videos via Vegas Movie Studio:

1. Launch Vegas Movie Studio and import your video.

   

2. To access the crop effect, you can either click on the Effects button at the end of your video timeline or go to the upper left side of your interface and select Video Effects > Section.

   

3. You will be presented with two choices – predefined crops or the Default crop – to select from.
4. Select one and drag it down onto your clip.
5. If you select the Default crop, a video event panel will appear. Click on Crop To apply the cropping effect to your video.

   

6. For precise video cropping, head over to the preview window and use the control handles. You can also resize your clip by using the X-Crop and Y-Crop sliders on the video event panel.

   

Pros:

• Intuitive interface.
• Precise video cropping
• Has multiple preset sizes to choose from.
• Supports a variety of video formats, including MP4, AVI, FLV, WMV and MPEG.

Cons:

• Limited pro audio editing feature.

8. Vegas Pro

Many YouTubers prefer to use Vegas Pro because it gives them more control over their projects. Vegas Pro has more powerful tools and the ability to cut your videos with ease, as well as create masks that give users an unprecedented level of control over their projects.

With these specialized tools, editors can easily adjust parameters such as color range, intensity, feathering, and more to achieve complex results with minimal effort.

Steps to Use Basic Video Cropping:

1. Import your video to Vegas Pro.
2. Click the Crop icon on the video timeline.

   

3. Navigate to the Preview Window and use the control handles to adjust your selection area or move it freely around your clip for precise placement.

   

4. You can also right click and choose a video cropping mode to edit the shape of your video.

   

5. Preview the cropped video on Vegas Pro and download it onto your device.

   

Vegas Pro Advanced Video Cropping – Free-hand Masking:

Video free-hand masking allows you to draw a shape around the desired area for cropping and apply a blur or pixelate effect. To further customize the effect, editors can adjust various settings such as intensity, feathering, and opacity.

Motion tracking can also be combined with free-hand masking to track an object’s movement throughout a scene and apply the same effect to it.

Additionally, Vegas Pro makes it easier for those less experienced with free-hand masking techniques. Here’s how to use it.

How to Use Free-hand Masking to Crop a Video in Vegas Pro

1. Import your video.
2. Go to your editing window, and right-click on Properties > Disable Resample.

   

3. Click the Event Pan/Crop button.

   

4. Tick the mask layer at the bottom of the Pan/Crop window.

   

5. Click on the first frame, then enable the sync cursor in the mask layer.

   

6. Press the normal edit tool icon and zoom in on the area you want to crop.

   

7. Click the anchor creation tool icon on the left upper side of the Pan/Crop window.

   

8. Use your cursor to carefully draw a line around the area you want to crop. To correct any errors, simply press CTRL on your keyboard and click on each anchor point (the tiny white boxes) along the drawn line until you reach where you made a mistake, then adjust it. Once finished, re-click the last anchor to preserve what’s already been established, so continue drawing accordingly.

   

9. Tie your line together from start to finish, and you’ll be rewarded with a highlighted region and yellow anchor points.
10. Click on the cropped part. It will appear in the preview window.

    

11. Go back to the mask layer, and select the next frame.
12. After you change frames, the previous frame’s mask area (line and anchor points) that was cropped will still be visible. To get rid of this masked area, simply click on any anchor point then hit Delete.

    

13. Click on the normal edit tool icon and select an area around each frame. Keep doing this until you have completed cropping all of your footage.

    

14. After finishing, select the entire footage from your mask layer timeline and press Shift + B on your keyboard. Doing this will render the frames of your cropped footage consecutively, enabling it to play out seamlessly.
15. Press the play button beneath the preview window to check your cropped clip.

    

16. Once you are done, export your video.

You can also follow the steps in the tutorial video:

Overall, video free-hand masking is an invaluable tool for any editor looking to increase their creative potential when working with videos. By understanding how this technique works and having access to Vegas Pro‘s powerful tools that enable quick results, even novice editors can create compelling visuals with ease and precision.

Pros:

• Cropping with advanced editing.
• Crop videos without losing qualities.
• Supports almost all video formats, such as MP4, AVI, WMV, FLV, and MPEG.
• Runs smoothly on both Windows and Mac.
• Multiple tutorials online.

Cons:

• Complex interface.
• Long learning curve.

Why Should You Use a Desktop Video Editor Instead of an App?

Using a desktop video editor instead of an app for creating and editing videos is a decision that many YouTubers prefer to make. A desktop video editor offers many advantages over an app for creating and editing videos:

• You can access a much more comprehensive range of features and control than an app can offer, like chroma keying, special effects, color correction, audio equalization, or editing tracks.
• Much more reliable than apps. With a desktop editor, users can be confident that their projects will not suffer from any technical glitches or compatibility issues.
• Many desktop video editors come with support from their developers, which can be useful should users experience any problems while working on their videos.

Overall, using a desktop video editor instead of an app is really the best choice for those who want the highest quality results for their projects. The extra features and control offered by these programs offer far more options for creativity than what is available via an app, allowing for much higher quality end-products. Not only that, but users also get better reliability through robust software design and dedicated customer support from the developers themselves.

Best 5 Creative Ideas for Video Cropping

• Beauty & Product Reviews

Reviews are designed to emphasize the product’s specifics and sometimes even zoom in on a particular body part to showcase how it works when used. Cropping is your go-to tool here: with simple editing, you can cut footage that brings attention directly to the object or its effects. With this technique, viewers will see exactly what they need from every angle!

• Vlog

Vlogging with video cropping is highly effective and comes in handy when you have neglected to tidy up your house, or someone undesired appears on camera. Through the art of cropping out these elements, you can still create a stunning vlog without any distractions – giving it that clean look and feel.

• Entertainment Video

If you’re looking for a way to make your entertainment clips more captivating, then cropping is the answer! By only displaying your head and face in the cropped frames—which usually takes up less space than regular shots—you can produce strong contrasts with other scenes. Furthermore, by adding humorous sound effects during that scene, you can create an even stronger dramatic effect that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats.

• K-pop Idol Video

Are you a Kpop fan? Then why not cut out your favorite idol’s solo singing and dancing scenes, even if they’re performing on stage with other members or dancers? With simple cropping tricks, like horizontal-to-vertical cropping, you can easily remove the extras in no time! So don’t let others hinder your love for Kpop – crop away all those distractions.

• Change YouTube Video to TikTok Video

Need to know how to transfer a YouTube video over for use on TikTok? Here’s your step-by-step guide:

1. Create a project in Vegas Movie Studio featuring the 9:16 aspect ratio.
2. Upload the YouTube video from your media library.
3. Drag and drop your video onto the timeline. You’ll find that it is strategically placed in the center with a black border on top and bottom.
4. Enhance the visual appeal of your video by adding a captivating image or overlay to fill out those black borders.
5. You may also add some text or favorite effects.
6. Click the Export button to save the TikTok clip.

The cropped clip looks incredibly captivating and alluring. If you are on TikTok, this is a useful trick that should be in your editing toolbox!

Hot FAQs

What is the Difference between Trimming, Cropping, and Splitting?

• Cropping: This involves removing components from your video’s four peripherals – top, bottom, left and right.
• Trimming: By utilizing trimming, you can seamlessly eliminate unnecessary content from both the start and end of your video. Doing so will help to reduce its overall length while still preserving all pertinent information.
• Splitting: Dividing your clip into sections is a process known as splitting. It does not delete any parts of the video; rather, it allows you to separate the footage into smaller pieces that can be altered separately.

What’s the Aspect Ratio of an iPhone Video?

With the standard aspect ratio of 16:9, iPhone videos are typically categorized as widescreen. In contrast, iPad portrait videos possess a more traditional 4:3 shape. Additionally, pictures often seen on social media have distinctive square borders to them.

What is the Aspect Ratio for Social Media?

• TikTok: 9:16
• YouTube: 16:9
• Twitter: 1:1
• Facebook: square (1:1) or vertical (4:5, 9:16, and 16:9).
• Instagram: Stories & IGTV – 9:16; Posts – square (1:1), landscape (16:9), or portrait (9:16).

How to Crop a Video from a Particular Shape?

The crop function allows you to select a preset size, an original size or a custom size. You can then quickly move and adjust the area you intend to crop.

Why Do Black Borders Appear on a Video After Cropping?

If you only want to crop one part of the entire clip, maintain the same aspect ratio throughout your video. Else, it will leave black parts in the video to fit and suit the project. Fortunately, you can blur these black parts or create overlays to cover them.

Can I Use Online Video Cropper on iPhone?

Yes, you can! With the help of online video croppers like VEED and Adobe Express, you can now edit on-the-go with ease. These remarkable tools offer a simple user interface that allows you to resize clips into any social media format quickly (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter – just pick one!) This is an unbeatable opportunity to optimize your video without sacrificing valuable hours!

How to Crop a Video without Losing the Quality?

• For a high-quality product, it is essential to begin filming with an elevated frame rate. For the best results, aim for a frame rate of at least 30 FPS or higher.
• Avoid shrinking your image to an excessively small size — doing so can create a blurry, pixelated appearance that will detract from the overall look of your project.
• Use desktop software like Vegas Movie Studio and Vegas Pro instead of a mobile app. These programs are available for both Mac OS and Windows, plus they offer support for editing 4K videos!

Summary

And there you have it—a quick and easy tutorial on how to crop a video on iPhone using the best video croppers.

If you are looking to create professional-level video edits, a desktop is undoubtedly preferable over using a mobile phone.

Additionally, for the best possible cropping capabilities when creating videos, Vegas Movie Studio and Movavi offer advanced tools that can help you produce high-quality content. For an even more enhanced experience in your creative endeavors, try out Vegas Pro as well. Now go forth and crop those videos like a pro!

Read More:

• How to Crop a Video on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, and Online
• 8 Best Green Screen Apps for Android/iPhone/Windows/Mac
• How to Add Music to iMovie – An Ultimate Guide
• How to Make a Video to Slow Motion – The Essential Guide
• How to Combine Videos into One on iPhone
• How to Make a Live Photo a Video [Full Guide]