Practice a 600 × 600 square: Add the 1200 × 800 practice PNG. Choose Square, then add Resize, choose Pixels and set 600 × 600. Place the frame before exporting. Check the downloaded dimensions: 600 × 600. Compare with a whole-image resize to see why a square crop removes the sides instead of stretching the picture.
Practice file and tool: Download the synthetic practice file · Open the tool
Shape first: set the aspect ratio
Every exact size implies a ratio: 600 × 600 is 1:1, 1200 × 630 is about 1.9:1. If the crop frame has that ratio, scaling the crop to the target numbers changes nothing but size. In the cropper, choose a matching preset, pick a ratio from the list, or type a custom ratio such as 1584:396. The frame keeps that shape however you drag it.
Presets set both the frame shape and a target size. The cropper has separate 3840 × 2160 and 1280 × 720 thumbnail presets; check which you selected and whether your source is large enough.
Position with numbers when precision matters
Dragging is fine for photos; for template work you may need the frame at an exact offset — a document scan where the signature must start 40 pixels from the left, or a sprite cut from a larger sheet. The Left, Top, Width and Height fields accept exact pixel values, and each frame handle can be nudged with the arrow keys one pixel at a time. Values are in the coordinates of the rotated image, so rotate first, then position.
Then scale to the exact numbers
Add Resize and choose Pixels. The fields start from the crop’s own size, and with Keep the frame's proportions on you can type either the width or the height and the other follows. Because the crop already has the right shape, the export lands on the exact size.
If the source is smaller than the target, the tool keeps the ratio and exports at the largest size available rather than blurring the picture by enlarging it. Tick Allow enlargement if a minimum size is non-negotiable, and expect some softness.
When the shape cannot match
Sometimes the subject will not fit the required shape — a tall bottle in a square product slot, a wide group photo in a portrait frame. Under Resize → Pixels, turn off Keep crop ratio and choose Pad under If aspect ratio differs: the whole crop is placed inside the exact size and the remaining space is filled with a background colour, a solid colour such as white (#ffffff), including PNG output. Fill does the opposite and trims the overflow; Stretch distorts and is almost never the right answer for photographs.
Worked examples
- Square profile image, 600 × 600: choose Square, position the subject, set Pixels 600 × 600 and export JPG. Official identity-photo rules vary; a square crop alone does not establish compliance.
- Marketplace product image, 2000 × 2000 on white: Square ratio around the product, then Pixels 2000 × 2000; if the product is tall, turn off Keep crop ratio under Resize → Pixels, choose Pad, background #ffffff.
- Website hero, 1920 × 800: custom ratio 1920:800 (or 12:5), drag the frame to keep the horizon where you want, Pixels 1920 × 800.
- Twenty photos to the same shape: set the crop on one, click Apply this crop & settings to all, check each picture’s “→ size” label in the strip, then Export all.
Checking the result
Each exported image lists its final width, height, file size and format. Open the file’s properties on your computer if the destination is strict; and if a size limit in kilobytes is also involved, send the export to the compressor rather than lowering the pixel count.