Crop Video
Drag a crop frame over the preview, pick an aspect preset, and export. The browser chooses among its available software or hardware codec paths; performance varies by browser, codec, device, resolution, and clip length.
Visual crop frame
Move and resize the crop box over the preview with rule-of-thirds guides, then inspect the encoded result after processing.
Aspect presets
Use a custom crop or lock the frame to 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, or 4:3 presets.
Browser encoder pipeline
WebCodecs uses an available browser decoder and encoder around the canvas crop. Hardware or software selection is browser-controlled; supported video contents are not uploaded for processing.
How to crop a video
- Open the tool and add your video Select a compatible file for Crop Video.
- Review and adjust Drag the crop frame over the preview and pick an aspect ratio: 16:9, 9:16, 1:1 or 4:3.
- Export and download Review the exported result from Crop Video, then download it.
Frequently asked questions
Does cropping re-encode the video?
Yes: changing pixels requires re-encoding. Pixlane uses an available browser encoder; the browser may choose hardware or software, and performance varies by codec, device, resolution, and clip length.
What resolution does the output keep?
The cropped area's native resolution (rounded to even numbers for the encoder).
Is audio kept?
When the compatible workflow supports audio passthrough, the source audio track is copied without audio re-encoding. Check the exported file for your input.
Can I crop to a custom aspect ratio?
Yes: use the adjustable crop box for a custom ratio, or lock it to 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, or 4:3.
Does it work on vertical phone videos?
Compatible portrait MP4 and MOV inputs keep their original orientation. Decoder support varies by browser and device.
How to verify a Crop Video export
Treat the page preview and the downloaded file as separate evidence. Use a representative clip, keep the untouched source, and record the result that the task actually requires before changing any control.
- Before processing, note the source container, video and audio codecs when known, duration, dimensions, frame rate, orientation, audio-track count, and intended destination. Also record the exact cut, crop, timing, visual correction, or extraction you expect. These observations create a baseline for comparing the export instead of relying on memory.
- Run a short representative sample first and change one setting at a time. Browser codec support, available memory, hardware acceleration, and input structure can affect which processing path is available. A successful preview for one sample shows only that observed case; it does not establish compatibility for every file with the same extension.
- Inspect the preview around the portions most likely to expose defects: the beginning and final frame, cut boundaries, rapid motion, fine text, faces, object edges, gradients, orientation changes, and any section where sound should align with a visible event. For model-assisted tools, look for missed regions, unstable masks, invented detail, or frame-to-frame drift.
- Open the downloaded file in a separate current player rather than reviewing only the in-page preview. Confirm that it starts and ends where expected, plays through without an unexpected stall, and has the intended duration, dimensions, orientation, frame rate, audio presence, and synchronization. Check the file again in the platform or editor that will consume it.
- Compare the exported clip with the untouched source at the same viewing scale and, when useful, matched playback volume. Look for unexpected crops, padding, stretch, softness, banding, halos, color shifts, temporal jumps, repeated or missing frames, and changes in file size or codec that matter to the destination. Decide whether any difference is acceptable for the stated task.
- If the result is missing, fails to play, or differs from the preview, first confirm that the source opens independently. Reload the page, retry with a small controlled sample, reset optional controls, and preserve the exact on-page message. Testing one controlled change at a time makes browser, input, setting, and destination failures distinguishable.
- Record the Crop Video URL, relevant settings, browser and device, date, source identity, output filename, and observed checks. Keep before-and-after files when the result matters. This record supports a reproducible comparison later and avoids treating a changed input, capability, or destination requirement as the same run.