SizeSpec

How to crop a photo in Canva

Updated · 2 min read

Short answer

Click the photo, click Crop in the toolbar above the editor, drag the handles to cut away the edges, then click Done. To reposition the photo inside a frame, double-click it and drag.

Crop a photo in Canva

  1. 01Click the photo in your design.
  2. 02Click Crop in the toolbar above the editor.
  3. 03Drag the handles on the sides and corners to cut away the parts you do not want.
  4. 04Click Done, or click outside the photo.

Move a photo inside a frame or shape

If the photo sits in a frame, double-click it and drag it until the part you want shows inside the frame. To put a photo into a shape, add a frame from Elements and drag the photo onto it. For a circle, see how to crop a photo into a circle.

If you cannot crop in Canva

  • The element is locked. Click the photo and look for the lock icon. Click it to unlock.
  • The photo is the page background. Right-click it and choose Detach image from background, then crop.
  • The photo is inside a frame or grid. Double-click it to adjust it, or drag it out of the frame.

Download the cropped photo

Click Share, then Download, and choose JPG for photos or PNG when you need transparency. Canva crops inside your design, so the downloaded file has the size of the design, not of the original photo.

Frequently asked questions

How do I crop a photo to an exact size in Canva?
Set the design to the size you need under Resize, then fill it with the photo and crop. For the pixel math, see how to crop a photo to a specific size.
Does Canva delete the part of the photo I crop away?
No. Canva keeps the whole photo behind the frame, so you can double-click it and drag to reposition it later, even after cropping. Only the downloaded file shows just what is inside the frame.
Can I copy a crop frame to use on other photos in Canva?
Yes. Select the frame, copy it with Ctrl+C (Cmd+C on Mac) and paste it with Ctrl+V, then drag a new photo onto the copy. The frame keeps its shape and crop position; Canva still crops one photo at a time.

Selling online? Do a whole batch at once

SizeSpec crops and resizes a batch of product photos to the size each marketplace asks for and gives you one ZIP. It crops from the centre or pads the image on white, and it works in your browser, so your files are never uploaded. It does not offer free-hand cropping of a single picture.

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