How to Crop in Paint 3D

Here is how to crop in Paint 3D three different ways, each suited to a different job. The steps were checked in the app on Windows 11.

Method 1: The Crop tool

Use this when you want to trim the edges of the whole picture by eye.

1. Click Crop in the second bar, between Select and Magic select.
2. A frame with round handles appears around the canvas, and everything outside it goes dark. Drag the handles inward until only the part you want is inside.
3. For a fixed shape, pick one under Choose your framing in the right panel: 16:9, 5:3, 3:2, 4:3, 1:1 or 9:16. Pick 1:1 for a square. The last option in that list lets you drag freely.
4. For an exact size, type into Width and Height instead. Tick Lock aspect ratio if the shape should stay the same while you change one number.
5. Click Done. Click Cancel to back out without cropping.

Everything outside the frame is removed. If you cut too much, press Undo right away.

Method 2: Crop to a selection

Use this when you already know the exact area you want, for example one face in a group photo.

1. Click Select in the second bar.
2. Drag a box around the area you want to keep.
3. In the right panel, click Crop. The app's own description says it crops "the picture so it only contains your current selection."

The width and height of your selection show at the top of that panel before you crop. That makes it easy to match a size you need. For a simple square, the 1:1 choice in Method 1 is quicker.

Method 3: Trim the canvas to an exact size

Use this when you need an exact pixel size and the picture should not shrink or stretch.

1. Click the Canvas tab.
2. Untick Resize image with canvas. This keeps the picture at its size while the canvas changes.
3. Leave the unit list on Pixels, or switch it to Percent.
4. Type the new Width and Height. Untick Lock aspect ratio first if the two numbers need to change separately.

Check the result. If the wrong edge was trimmed, press Undo and use Method 1 or 2 instead, which let you choose exactly what stays. Our guide on how to resize an image in Paint 3D explains the difference between resizing the canvas and resizing the picture.

How to crop a circle

Paint 3D has no circle, oval or shape crop. The crop is always a rectangle. For a round crop, use PowerPoint or Word, which have a Crop to Shape option:

1. In PowerPoint, click Insert, then Picture, and add your image.
2. With the picture selected, open the Picture Format tab.
3. Click the arrow under Crop, point to Aspect Ratio, and pick 1:1 for a perfect circle. Skip this for an oval.
4. Click the arrow under Crop again, choose Crop to Shape, and pick the oval.
5. Right-click the picture, choose Save as Picture, and save it as a PNG.

We have not tested whether the corners stay see-through in that PNG, so check it before you use it. You can then open it in Paint 3D with Menu, then Open, if you want to keep working on it.

Crop or cut out?

Cropping always keeps a rectangle. If you want to keep one object and lose everything around it, including the background inside the rectangle, you need a cutout instead. Our guide on how to remove a background in Paint 3D uses Magic select to do exactly that.

Common problems

I kept the wrong part. Use Method 2 instead. A selection box shows you exactly what stays before you crop.

I cropped too much. Press Undo, or open History and slide back.

The crop is not exactly the size I typed. With Lock aspect ratio ticked, changing one number changes the other. Untick it first.

FAQ

Spotted something that does not match your screen? Email [email protected].