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A photo of a bicycle shows on the left with crop tools in position. On the left, the cropped photo appears in a design.
Photo cropping makes your images better

Crop lets you remove parts of your image to change its shape or focal point. Hone in on an area or change the dimensions, say, from a square to a rectangle. Just drag the crop tool handles, or set your crop to a specific size.

How to crop images

Open your image in Shutterstock Create

Go to Shutterstock Create, and click "Start now." Click "Images" and choose a stock image or upload your own.

Crop with precise dimensions

Click "Canvas" then "Crop Canvas." Choose a fixed size or type the dimensions. Drag to place the crop frame where you want it. Click "Apply."

Crop with relative dimensions

Alternatively, you can crop by eyeballing it. Just drag the corner handles to place the crop where you want it. Click "Apply."

Multiple versions of the same image, a photo of a man in a suit, appear. A resize icon appears to the left.
It's easy to resize images, too

When you want to keep what's inside the perimeter of the border the same—but just go bigger or smaller—Resize is your tool. Create makes it a breeze, with simple controls.

Make every image dazzle

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3 social posts, each with a different photo size, are shown next to each other. Instagram size, Facebook size, and Twitter size are shown.
Crop sizes for social media? You bet

We've got sizes for social — YouTube thumbnails, banner ads, Facebook covers, Instagram posts, and more. Smart Resizer makes it even easier. Just click all the sizes you need, and the elements in your design re-arrange perfectly to fit every dimension.

Why Shutterstock for design and photo editing

Edit your images where you get your images

Shutterstock’s your go-to for quality images — now you can edit them in the same place, with the same log-in.

Start with a template or DIY it from scratch

Quickly swap out text and photos in a design template, or just add design elements to a blank canvas. Easy.

Lush looks you can’t get anywhere else

Fill text with photos; paint effects in specific spots; add outlines & watercolor swoops — dial up the drama.

Powerful tools that maximize your effort

Rotate and crop. Resize your designs fast. Text layouts. Time savers like these let you focus on strategy.

Data-backed creative insights

Find the best-performing visuals with our AI-powered creative recommendations. When you know, you go!

An end-to-end creative platform

Shutterstock’s got what you need to discover, plan, design, and organize your most successful creative work.

Get tips and tricks about cropping and more

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How to Get the Perfect Crop Every Time

There’s an art and science to great photo cropping. Fortunately, it’s not hard to master! Learn how to skillfully crop images online for your website, social media, or print.

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Frequently asked questions about photo cropping


How do I crop an image without a background?

Crop it to me! Got an image without a background? No problem! You can still crop that particular layer by highlighting it, then selecting Crop layer inside Create. That way, you can still add unique background colors, textures, and effects. If you want to crop the entire canvas size, click Canvas, then, Crop canvas to adjust the specs. Note that you can always undo your edits if you make a mistake, craft away, Creator!


What's the difference between cropping and resizing?

Cropping lets you remove parts of your image to change its shape or focal point. You can hone in on an area or change it from, say, a square to a rectangle. You can never make an image larger using a crop feature. Resizing scales your image up or down without changing what's inside its perimeter. When you want to keep the framing the same, but just go bigger or smaller, use the resize tool.


What is aspect ratio?

Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between an image or video's width and height. For example, a 1920 x 1080 px canvas has an aspect ratio of 16:9, whereas a 6 x 4 in image has an aspect ratio of 3:2. Thankfully, you don't have to know the aspect ratio prior to selecting a blank canvas or template. It's merely something to consider to ensure your proportions are balanced in design.

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