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You can crop a photo on any Mac in seconds: open it in Preview or Photos, drag to select the area you want to keep, then click Crop. Your Mac comes with everything you need built right in.
If you've ever assumed you need something like Adobe Photoshop just to crop a photo on your Mac, you're not alone — I used to think the same thing. The good news is that your Mac's built-in tools handle cropping and rotating images just fine, no expensive software required.
Here's a summary of the main ways to crop photos on Mac, with detailed instructions following below:
| Method | Best for | Key feature | Speed |
| Preview | Quick single edits | Built-in, no setup needed | Fast |
| Photos | iCloud-synced images | Non-destructive editing | Fast |
| PhotoBulk | Batch processing | Resize multiple images at once | Very fast |
| TouchRetouch | Precision cropping | Remove unwanted objects while cropping | Moderat |
Or get PhotoBulk as a standalone app for $4.99 USD/mo.
Before you start cropping, keep these tips in mind:
Following these tips will help you get a cleaner result with far less back-and-forth.
Mac has two built-in options for cropping: Preview and Photos. If you sync images from your iPhone or iPad via iCloud, they may already be waiting in Photos.
Preview comes built into every Mac and is a solid starting point for basic image edits. It also includes markup tools if you need to annotate.
Here's how to crop an image in Preview:
5. Click the Markup (pencil) icon in the toolbar.
6. Drag to highlight the portion you want to keep.
7. Click Crop or use a Mac keyboard shortcut Command + K.
8. Save and close Preview.
That's all it takes. Just remember that clicking the Crop button is non-reversible in Preview.
Before editing an image using the Photos app, remember two things. First, the image must be in your Photos library — drag it from Finder into either Library or Imports. Second, when you add an image to Photos, it creates a copy, so your original in Finder stays unchanged.
Here's how to crop an image using Photos on Mac:
1. Open the Photos app on your Mac.
2. Choose the image you'd like to crop.
3. Click Edit at the top-right corner of the Photos window.
4. Choose Crop at the top of the Photos window.
5. Drag the corners or edges of the crop frame to suit your needs.
6. Use the Aspect menu to choose preset ratios like Square or 16:9.
7. Click Auto to straighten the image if it's tilted.
8. When you're done cropping the image, click Done in the top-right corner.
Photos lets you reverse any crop by dragging the edges back out, even after saving. This non-destructive editing is one of its best features.
Preview and Photos cover the basics well, but if you find yourself needing more control over your edits, there are some excellent third-party options worth knowing about.
PhotoBulk is built for bulk editing, but it works just as well for individual images. What I like about this app is that you don’t need to spend hours trying to figure out how it works. Its clear feature set makes it fast to crop, watermark, compress, or rotate images. And it's especially handy when you need to process multiple images at once, for example, resizing a batch of product photos before uploading them.
Here's how to crop an image with PhotoBulk:
1. Install and open PhotoBulk on your Mac.
2. Drag and drop an image onto the PhotoBulk window, or click the plus icon at the bottom-left corner.
3. Choose Resize from the left side of the PhotoBulk window.
4. Set the type of crop you'd like to make (width, height, percentage, free size, or max size).
5. Click Start in the bottom-right corner of the window.
Your image will be cropped to your exact specifications in seconds.
TouchRetouch takes a different approach. While it includes standard cropping tools with preset proportions, its real strength is removing unwanted objects from pictures. I always use TouchRetouch to improve photos from my trips, for example, removing strangers who accidentally got into a photo with me. The results are genuinely impressive.
The app supports JPG, TIFF, PNG, and even RAW formats, so you can edit files straight from your camera.
Or get TouchRetouch as a standalone app for $4.99 USD/mo.
Both apps integrate seamlessly with your existing workflow and offer features that go beyond basic cropping when you need them.
Cropping a photo on Mac takes seconds once you know which tool fits your needs. Preview is perfect for a quick trim, Photos keeps your edits reversible, and PhotoBulk and TouchRetouch step in when you need batch processing or precision cleanup. Both apps are available on Setapp alongside 270+ other Mac and iOS tools. Try them free for 7 days, no commitment needed.
If cropping isn't working, check these common issues. First, make sure you've selected an area — Preview and Photos need you to drag a selection box first. Second, verify the Markup toolbar is visible in Preview (View > Show Markup Toolbar). Third, check file permissions — you can't edit images on read-only drives. Finally, in Photos, make sure you've clicked Edit mode before trying to crop.
In Preview, press Command + K to crop after selecting an area. Photos doesn't have a single-key crop shortcut — you need to enter Edit mode first, then click the Crop button. For faster cropping across multiple apps, try PhotoBulk, which lets you set custom keyboard shortcuts.
Press Shift + Command + 4 to capture a specific area of your screen. Your cursor becomes a crosshair — drag to select what you want to capture. The screenshot saves to your desktop automatically. You can then open it in Preview to crop further if needed. For more on capturing and trimming screen grabs, see a full guide on how to crop a screenshot on Mac.
Open the image in Preview, drag to select the area you want, then press Command + K. Remember to save a copy first since this action can't be undone. For even faster workflows, TouchRetouch lets you crop and remove unwanted elements at the same time.
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