How to Crop a Video on iPhone Without Losing Quality

If you are thinking how can I crop a video on an iPhone without losing quality?

You’re in the right place!

Whether you want to focus on important parts of your footage or create a square aspect ratio for social media, cropping videos on your iPhone is easier.

You can trim and adjust your videos with the right tools and techniques while maintaining resolution and high-quality output.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through different methods to crop video on iPhone. You’ll learn to use the built-in Photos app for quick edits, explore iMovie for more advanced options, and discover third-party apps that offer additional video editing tools. We’ll also share tips to help you crop without sacrificing quality so you can create perfectly framed videos that look great on any screen.

Using the Built-in Photos App to Crop Videos

You can use the built-in Photos app to crop a video on your iPhone without losing quality.

This powerful tool allows you to adjust your videos easily and maintain their resolution. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Opening the video in Photos

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
2. Find the video you want to crop.
3. Tap on the video to open it.

Step 2: Accessing the crop tool

1. Tap the “Edit” button at the top right corner of the screen.
2. Look for the “Crop” tool at the bottom of the screen and tap it.

Step 3: Adjusting the crop area

You have two options for cropping your video:

1. Manual crop: Drag the edges of the video to focus on the area you want. You can also pinch to zoom in or out.
2. Preset ratios: Tap the aspect ratio icon to choose from standard presets like square, 5:4, or 16:9.

To rotate or flip your video:

• There is a rotate icon to turn your video 90 degrees.
• Use the flip icons to mirror your video horizontally or vertically.

Step : 4 Applying and saving changes

1. Once you’re happy with the crop, tap “Done” in the bottom right corner.
2. Choose “Save Video” to keep your changes.

The Photos app will adjust the video resolution to match the new aspect ratio, helping you maintain quality. You’ll find your cropped video in your iPhone’s camera roll.

Remember, you can always tap “Revert to Original” to undo your changes. This feature makes it easy to experiment with different crops without worrying about losing your original video.

Cropping Videos with iMovie

iMovie is a powerful tool that allows you to crop your videos without losing quality. Here’s how you can use it to adjust your footage:

Step 1: Importing video to iMovie

1. Open iMovie on your device.
2. Tap the “Projects” tab and select the “+” icon.
3. Choose “Movie” from the popup window.
4. Select the video you want to crop from your library.
5. Tap “Create Movie” at the bottom of the screen .

Step 2: Using the zoom and crop features

To start cropping your video:

1. In the timeline at the bottom, tap the video.
2. Look for the “Pinch to zoom video” button with a magnifying glass icon in the top right corner.
3. Tap this button to begin cropping .

You can now use your fingers to adjust the crop:

• Pinch to zoom out or spread your fingers to zoom in.
• Drag the video to reposition it within the frame .

Step 3: Fine-tuning the crop

iMovie offers additional options for precise cropping:

1. Use the “Crop to Fill” tool to fit your video into a typical video box.
2. Move the horizontal rectangle up and down to adjust the crop center.
3. Grab the corners to further refine the crop area .

For more creative effects, try the “Ken Burns” feature. This allows you to create dynamic movement within your frame, similar to the style used in documentaries .

Step 4: Exporting the cropped video

Once you’re satisfied with your crop:

1. Click on “Done” in the top left corner of the app screen .
2. Choose “File” > “Share” > “File” to export your cropped video.
3. Click “Next” and choose where to save your newly cropped video.

Remember, iMovie maintains the video’s quality during the cropping process, ensuring your final product looks great on any screen.

Third-Party Apps for Advanced Video Cropping

When you need more advanced video editing tools, third-party apps can offer powerful cropping features without sacrificing quality. Let’s explore some popular options and their key features.

Popular video cropping apps

1. InShot: This free app is a favorite among social media users. It offers a clean, easy-to-use interface with a variety of video editing tools, including cropping.
2. Adobe Premiere Rush: A professional-grade app that provides advanced editing tools. While it’s subscription-based, you can use it for free for three exports .
3. Descript: An all-in-one audio and video editing hub that allows you to crop videos easily. It also offers AI features for generating speech, adding chapter markers, and creating promotional content .
4. Video Crop: This app is designed for easy video cropping with a straightforward UI. It supports exporting in MPEG-4 and QuickTime formats .
5. CropVideoSquare: Offers quick and easy ways to pinch, zoom, drag, and crop videos to square size in seconds .

Key features to look for

When choosing a video cropping app, consider these features:

• User-Friendly Interface: It should be easy to navigate, allowing you to crop videos quickly and efficiently.
• High-Quality Export Options: The app should offer high-resolution exports to maintain the quality of your videos.
• Multiple Aspect Ratio Choices: The app should support various aspect ratios to fit different platforms and needs.
• Additional Editing Tools: You can opt for apps with extra editing features such as trimming, filters, and effects to enhance your videos.
• Fast Sharing Capabilities: It should share your edited videos directly to social media or other platforms.
• No Watermarks on Free Versions: The app should not add watermarks to your videos, even if you use the free version.

Step-by-step cropping process via Third-party Apps

While the exact process may vary slightly between apps, here’s a general guide:

• Import Your Video: Open the app and upload your video file.
• Select Crop Tool: Navigate to the editing options and choose the crop tool.
• Choose Aspect Ratio: Pick a preset ratio or manually adjust the crop area.
• Preview Changes: Ensure all important elements are within the frame.
• Apply Crop: Finalize the crop and make any other necessary edits.
• Export Video: Save your video in high quality.

Remember, many of these apps offer free versions with basic features, while more advanced tools may require a subscription or one-time purchase.

Also Read: How to Find Your iPhone from Android Device

Tips for Maintaining Video Quality When Cropping

To crop a video on your iPhone without losing quality, you need to pay attention to several key factors. Here are some tips to help you maintain video quality while cropping:

Optimal export settings

When exporting your cropped video, it’s crucial to use the right settings to preserve quality. Always export at the same bitrate as your source video to ensure no loss of quality . Bitrate determines how many data bits are used to encode the resulting video. If you take an 8mbps video, crop it, and export it at 4mbps, the quality will suffer .

Avoiding over-cropping

Be careful not to over-crop your video. Cropping too much can lead to a significant loss in resolution. If you crop a 1280×720 video by 50%, resulting in a 640×360 resolution, it may not be distinguishable from the original quality but could lose some detail depending on the encoder used .

Using aspect ratio presets

Many video editing apps offer preset aspect ratios to help you maintain quality while cropping.

For example, the iPhone Photos app provides options like 1:1 for square videos or 16:9 for widescreen formats . Using these presets can help you avoid distortion and maintain the proper proportions for your intended platform.

Remember, cropping involves re-encoding, which can cause some quality loss. However, with the right tools and settings, you can minimize this loss and create high-quality cropped videos on your iPhone.

Conclusion

Cropping videos on your iPhone is a breeze with the tools and tips we’ve covered. Whether you use the built-in Photos app, iMovie, or a third-party app, you can easily adjust your footage to focus on what matters most. Remember to keep an eye on your export settings and avoid over-cropping to keep your videos looking sharp.

With these tricks up your sleeve, you’re all set to create perfectly framed videos that’ll look great on any screen. So go ahead, get creative with your video edits, and show off your best footage. Happy cropping!

FAQs