How to crop video on a Mac: A guide for beginners

I must admit — I’m pretty helpless with video editing. Yet, after starting my YouTube channel, I have to be hands-on with most editing tasks, including video cropping. Without user-friendly editing apps, I would be hopelessly lost. But thankfully, I found some that compensate for my lack of editing skills. In this guide, I will share the video croppers I’ve tried. 

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How to crop videos like a pro

You don’t need to be a pro on a Mac to crop videos. What you need is an app that lets you crop them like one. I found Filmage Editor to be a super helpful video cropper. Filmage Editor is a powerful app that allows Mac users access to professional editing tools.

Cropping a video with Filmage Editor is easy. It only takes a few clicks. Here’s how.

1. Install and open Filmage Editor.
2. Import a video file into the app.
3. Drag the video clip to the timeline below. You will see the preview interface loaded with your video.
4. Click the crop icon, 
5. Drag the frame to the area you want to keep.
6. Click crop again to remove the unwanted area.

That’s exactly how I zoomed into specific parts of the presentation materials I screen-recorded. The process is not as intimidating as I imagined. But that’s not all. The best thing about Filmage Editor is that I can easily merge different parts of the videos. The app lets me easily resize them for YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok.  Explore more best video editing software for Mac.

Unlike some professional video editors I’ve tried, Filmage Editor has a very shallow learning curve. For example, I spent hours figuring out how to use Adobe Premiere Pro, but I can edit my videos almost immediately with Fimage Editor. I like how the app is designed with a user-friendly interface. Although they do provide an extensive guide, I rarely need it, especially for basic tasks like cropping, trimming, or merging.

How to crop screen recordings on Mac (CleanShot x method)

Ever had trouble cropping a portion of your recording in an exact ratio, such as 16:9 or 7:5? To get around this problem, I record my screen in the ratio I need right from the start. These days, I use CleanShot X for the task. 

Here’s how I crop screen recordings for Mac:

1. Download and install CleanShot X.
2. Click the CleanShot X icon in the menu bar.
3. Drag any part of your screen. You will see an app’s menu that prompts you for further action.
4. Click the Crop icon to further resize the area you want to crop.

   

5. Then, choose whether to include the computer audio, mic, or camera feed in the recording.
6. Select Record GIF or Record Video to record in the respective format.
7. Click Save at the bottom left of the screen after you’ve captured the desired footage. 

Before saving the clip, you can trim the video, adjust the volume, and choose the resolution. You can also save the recordings to the cloud to share them with others. 

How to crop a video in iMovie on Mac

Chances are, you’ve come across iMovie on your Mac. It’s a pretty nice movie editor. If you need to crop a video, for example, after a screen recording, you can do it with the iMovie app. 

Here’s how to crop video in iMovie on Mac:

1. Open iMovie.
2. Click File > New Movie.
3. Then, click on the Import Media button.
4. Select the movie you want to crop from your drive.
5. Click and drag the loaded movie to the timeline below.
6. Once loaded, you will see the movie in the editing panel.
7. Click on the Crop icon. You will see a frame appearing over the video clip.
8. Drag the frame to the area you want to keep.
9. Click the Apply button at the top right.

iMovie has a special cropping option called Ken Burns. It lets you set a start and end area where the video clip gradually transitions. If you’re not satisfied with the outcome, you can easily undo the changes by clicking the Reset button. 

On top of that, you can also make other basic edits before exporting the movie. For example, I can cut my video in iMovie to trim down the duration. But if I want extensive features like filters and text effects, Filmage Editor is my go-to option. 

Crop a video on Mac without iMovie

Not a fan of iMovie? Not an issue. In fact, you can find many macOS apps that let you crop and trim your videos. 

How to crop a video on Mac using Capto

A favorite of mine is Capto, particularly when I’m creating tutorial videos for fellow freelancers. Capto lets me record my screen, annotate it, and perform basic edits before publishing them. (If you need a comprehensive guide on how to record your screen, check out our guide here.)

Of course, I can also easily crop the recorded video with the app. These are the steps on how to crop a video on a Mac:

1. Install and open Capto.
2. Open a video file.
3. On the left panel, click the scissor icon to access the editing tools.
4. Choose Crop.
5. Drag and resize the yellow rectangle to the desired crop area.
6. Click the Crop button on the left.

Capto will automatically remove the area outside of the rectangle and fill the editing panel with the cropped video. 

How to crop videos with CameraBag Pro

If you’re looking to crop video on Mac after a screen recording or a camera shoot, CameraBag Pro is a powerful option. It’s especially handy for creators working with lots of videos and photos, offering professional tools to enhance and refine your content.

Here’s how you can use it:

• Open your video in CameraBag Pro: The app supports batch editing, so you can apply adjustments to multiple files at once.

• Crop and resize your frame: Simply adjust the frame to remove unwanted areas, reframe your subject, or fit specific platforms. CameraBag Pro includes a selection of built-in aspect ratios, making it easy to crop for cinematic videos, vlogs, or social media formats.

• Apply professional filters: Enhance your footage with dozens of filters and visual adjustments to give your videos a polished, professional look.

• Straighten and fine-tune: If your video is slightly tilted, use the straightening tools to perfect your shot.

• Save your edited video: Click File > Save As, choose the output format (MOV, MP4, or M4V), name your file, and select the location.

The app has a selection of standard aspect ratios so you can easily pick the one that fits your needs. It can also help you straighten your video if it’s a little crooked.

Whether you want to crop screen recordings on Mac or want ot know how to trim a video on Mac for a tighter story, CameraBag Pro makes the process fast, professional, and visually impactful.

Crop video on Mac with Photos

If your Mac is running on macOS 11 and later, you can also use Apple’s Photos app to crop your videos on a Mac. Here's how:. 

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Double-click on a video.
3. Click Edit in the upper right corner > Crop. Then, drag the rectangle frame to the area you want to keep. 
4. Click Done.

   

You can find the cropped video saved on your Mac. 

How to crop a video on Mac online (EZGif & Video Candy)

Sometimes, you’re using another device that doesn’t have your video editing apps installed. Worry not because there are several online video and MP4 croppers that you can use. 

For example, EZGif is a simple online tool that lets you crop video online on a Mac and save MP4 and WebM video files. The caveat is that it limits the file size to 200 MB. 

Video Candy is another similar tool. You can use it to crop videos to any size. It also has preset screen ratios that you can instantly apply to the video clip. Like EZGif, there is a limit to the file size. 

While online video croppers are convenient, they have very limited features. Many such tools can perform basic editing, such as trim mp3, merge video and sound files, and crop. However, most don’t have advanced features such as layers, transitions, and filters that professional editing needs.

Another concern is security. When you upload your videos online, they’re stored on an external server. Not all online video editors provide strict security measures to safeguard your photos from hacking attempts. Besides, some free online video editors might infect your Mac with malware. 

Why crop a video on a Mac 

Knowing how to crop a video on Mac can be incredibly useful in a variety of situations. Cropping helps you focus attention, remove distractions, and adapt your content for different platforms — all without affecting the overall video length.

Here are some practical scenarios where cropping comes in handy:

• Remove unwanted areas or objects: For instance, you might accidentally capture a copyrighted logo, a messy background, or sensitive information at the edge of your frame.

• Reframe for social media platforms: Videos recorded for Mac might have black bars on mobile devices. Cropping allows you to resize and fit formats like TikTok (vertical) or YouTube Shorts.

• Refine screen recordings: When creating tutorials, courses, or demos, you can exclude unnecessary parts like menu bars, notifications, or Zoom controls.

• Repurpose content: Crop different sections of a single recording to create multiple clips for various purposes, like social posts, highlights, or promotional materials.

It’s also important to understand the difference between cropping and trimming:

• Cropping removes unwanted areas from the video frame while keeping the full duration intact.

• Trimming cuts sections of your video, reducing its length.

So whether you want to knwo how to crop screen recording on Mac to focus on the key part of a tutorial or resize your video for a social feed, cropping is a simple way to make your content cleaner, more engaging, and platform-ready. 

Final thoughts: Choosing the best way to crop videos on Mac

When it comes to how to crop video on Mac, the right tool depends on your goals. CleanShot X is perfect for quickly capturing, cropping, and sharing screen recordings. Capto and Filmage Editor are ideal for instructional videos or more detailed edits, while CameraBag Pro shines for cinematic footage or batch enhancements with professional filters.

All these apps, along with many others that boost productivity and creativity, are available on Setapp. You can try them free for 7 days and find the best fit for your video editing needs: Start your Setapp trial.