Contents
Why use this free video cropperHow to crop a video in 3 stepsA vertical crop from a horizontal videoCrop to any shapeUse the video cropper on any deviceSafe, private and freeCropping vs other ways to change a video's shapePopular uses for the video cropperHow the video cropper worksVideo cropper features at a glanceFor developers: the ffmpeg commandFrequently asked questionsCropping cuts away the edges of the picture so the video fills a new shape: a horizontal clip becomes a vertical TikTok, a wide shot becomes a square post, a screen recording loses the cluttered sidebar.
Rekreate's free video cropper does it in one step. Pick the shape, pick which part of the frame to keep, and download the cropped MP4.
Why use this free video cropper
Crop video to 9:16 for TikTok and Reels
Turn horizontal footage into a full-screen vertical video.
Crop video to a square
Make a 1:1 video for feed posts and profile videos.
Choose which side to keep
If the person is on the left, keep the left. Center, left, right, top and bottom are all available.
No stretching or squashing
The picture is cut, never distorted.
Crop MP4 and MOV online
Works with MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV and AVI — nothing to install.
No watermark
The cropped video downloads clean.
How to crop a video in 3 steps
Upload the video
Drop it into the box at the top or tap to choose it.
Choose shape and position
Pick 9:16, 1:1, 4:5, 16:9 or 4:3, then the part of the frame to keep.
Download the cropped video
Press Start and save the MP4.
A vertical crop from a horizontal video
Crop to any shape
9:16 vertical
TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and Stories.
1:1 square
Instagram and Facebook feed posts, LinkedIn.
4:5 portrait
The tallest shape most feeds show without cropping.
16:9 widescreen
YouTube, presentations and websites.
4:3 classic
Older displays and a retro look.
Remove black bars
Crop to the shape of the actual picture to lose bars that were baked into the video.
Use the video cropper on any device
On Windows PC and Mac
Crop videos in any browser on Windows or Mac.
On iPhone and Android
On iPhone or Android, choose a video from your gallery and save the cropped version back to your phone.
In any modern browser
Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox all work. There is no app, plugin or extension to install — the processing happens on our servers, so an old laptop is as fast as a new one.
Safe, private and free
No account, no sign-up
Open the page and use it. There is nothing to register and no email address to hand over.
Files deleted automatically
Your upload is deleted the moment processing finishes, and the result 60 minutes later. Files are not shared, published or used for anything else.
Encrypted in transit
Uploads and downloads go over HTTPS, the same encryption your bank uses in the browser.
No watermark, ever
The file you download is clean. No logo in the corner, no intro card, no "made with" frame at the end.
Cropping vs other ways to change a video's shape
vs. adding a blurred background
Cropping fills the screen but loses the edges. To keep the whole picture, use change aspect ratio with a blurred background.
vs. the phone editor
Phone editors crop by dragging, which makes exact ratios hard. Here you choose the ratio.
vs. other online croppers
Many add a watermark or need an account. This one needs neither.
Popular uses for the video cropper
Turn a YouTube clip into a TikTok
Crop a horizontal highlight to vertical.
Make a square video for Instagram
Crop to 1:1 for the feed.
Crop out a distracting background
Keep the subject and lose what is around it.
Remove black bars
Lose the bars around a video exported in the wrong shape.
Focus on one person in a group shot
Keep the left or right side of the frame.
How the video cropper works
Your video is uploaded over HTTPS and processed on Rekreate's servers with FFmpeg. The cropper takes the largest area of your chosen shape that fits inside the frame, positions it where you chose, and removes the rest. The cropped video is encoded as high-quality H.264 MP4 with the original sound.
A crop keeps the original pixel detail — it does not enlarge the picture. Uploads are deleted after processing and results after 60 minutes.
Video cropper features at a glance
| Shapes | 9:16, 1:1, 4:5, 16:9, 4:3 |
|---|---|
| Position | Center, left, right, top, bottom |
| Input formats | MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV, AVI, M4V |
| Output | MP4 (H.264), original sound |
| Price | Free |
| Sign-up | Not needed |
| Watermark | None |
| File size | Up to 95 MB per file |
| Video length | Up to 10 minutes |
| Files kept | Upload deleted after processing, result after 60 minutes |
For developers: the ffmpeg command
A centered 9:16 crop on your own machine.
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "crop=ih*9/16:ih" -c:v libx264 -crf 19 -c:a copy output.mp4crop=w:h:x:y- Width, height, and the top-left corner of the area to keep. Without x:y it is centered.
Frequently asked questions
How do I crop a video for free?
Upload it above, choose the shape and the part to keep, and press Start. Download the cropped MP4.
How do I crop a video to 9:16 for TikTok?
Choose 9:16. Pick center, left or right depending on where the subject is in the frame.
How do I crop a video to a square?
Choose 1:1.
Will cropping stretch my video?
No. Cropping removes the edges; the picture is never stretched.
What if cropping cuts off the person?
Choose left or right to keep their side, or use change aspect ratio with a blurred background to keep the whole frame.
Does cropping reduce quality?
The kept area has the same detail as before, encoded at high quality. The video has fewer pixels because the edges are gone.
Can I crop a video on my iPhone?
Yes. Open this page in Safari, choose the video from Photos and download the cropped result.
How do I remove black bars from a video?
Crop to the shape of the picture inside the bars — usually 16:9 or 4:3.
Can I choose an exact crop area?
The free cropper uses standard shapes and five positions. For a custom area, use the ffmpeg command at the bottom of this page.
Is there a watermark?
No.
What is the maximum size?
Up to 95 MB and 10 minutes.
Does the sound change?
No. The original sound is kept.
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