Crop a picture to fit in a shape (2024)

If you want to change the outline of a photo to make it a shape (like a circle or rounded rectangle), use the cropping tool on the ribbon with the Crop to Shape option.

You can crop to a shape in Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, or Excel.

Crop an image to a shape, such as a circle

You can quickly change the shape of a picture by cropping it to a specific shape. The picture is automatically trimmed to fill the geometry of the selected shape while maintaining its proportions.

(If you want to crop the same picture to more than one shape, make copies of the picture and crop each to the desired shape individually.)

Use Insert > Picture to add the image to a Microsoft 365 file (such as a Worddocument, PowerPointpresentation, or an Outlookemail message).
Click the picture.

You may crop multiple pictures at once, but you must crop them to the same shape. (But in Word, this is difficult, because you can't multi-select pictures that have the default In Line with Text layout option.)
Click Picture Tools > Format, and in the Size group, click the arrow under Crop.
From the menu that appears, select Crop to Shape, and then click the shape you want to crop to.

The shape is immediately applied to the image.
Next, use Crop > Fit or Crop > Fill to change how much of the picture fits within the shape you've applied:
- FillFills the entire shape with the picture. Some outer edges of the picture may be cropped away. There won't be any empty space at the margins of the shape.
- FitMakes the entire picture fit within the shape while maintaining the picture's original aspect ratio. There may be empty space at the margins of the shape.
  
  (Black crop handles appear on the edges and corners of the picture when you select the Fit or Fill option.)
You can adjustthe position of the picture within the frame by selecting the picture and dragging it where you want. For example, this can help you center the most important part of the picture within the shape you've applied to the picture.

Crop the margins of the image by dragging a black crop handle as follows:

Description	Action
Crop one side	Drag inward on the side cropping handle
Crop two adjacent sides at the same time	Drag inward on the corner cropping handle
Crop equally on two parallel sides at once	Press and hold Ctrl while dragging inward on the side cropping handle

Start with a shape and add an image to it

You can add a picture as fill for a shape and then edit or crop the shape.

Add a picture to a shape

Add a shape to your document (see Add shapes for instructions) and click the shape to select it.
Click Drawing Tools > Format, and in the Shape Styles group, click Shape Fill > Picture.
Select the type of picture you want (such as From a File or Online Pictures) and then navigate to the picture you want and insert it.

Resize the shape

To change the filled shape's dimensions while maintaining its basic format, select it and drag any of the sizing handles.

Choose how the picture fits in the shape

If your picture is skewed, cut off, or doesn't fill the shape the way you want, use the Fit and Fill tools on the Crop menu for fine tuning:

Click a shape created using Shape Fill > Picture.
Click Picture Tools > Format, and in the Size group, click the arrow under Crop. A menu appears showing cropping options.
- Choose Fit if you want as much of the picture as possible to fit within the shape; the original picture aspect ratio will be maintained, but you may have empty space inside your shape.
- Choose Fill to have the shape fit within the bounds of the picture, cropping away everything outside the shape.You can drag the picture to change what part of it shows within the shape.
If you want, you can adjust the crop area by using the cropping handles, as described under Crop a picture.
When you're finished, press Esc or click anywhere outside the picture within the document.

Use edit points to edit or crop the shape

Although cropping tools are not available for shapes, you can use the Edit Points tool to customize a shape.

Select the shape that you want to edit.
Click ShapeFormat, and in the Insert Shapes group, selectEdit Shape > Edit Points.
Drag the shape's vertex points (which appear as black dots around the shape's perimeter) until the shape looks the way you want.
To delete a vertex point, hold Ctrl and click it. To add a vertex point, hold Ctrl while clicking anywhere on the perimeter of the shape that does not already have a vertex point.

Crop to a specific shape

Quickly change the shape of a picture by cropping it to a specific shape. The picture is automatically trimmed to fill the geometry of the selected shape while maintaining its proportions.

If you want to crop the same picture to more than one shape, make copies of the picture and crop each to the desired shape individually.

Use Insert > Picture to add the image to an Office file (such as a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, or an Excel workbook).
In your file, select the picture that you want to crop.
On the Picture Format tab, click the arrow next to Crop.

(If you don't see the Picture Format tab, make sure that you've selected a picture (not a shape).)
Point to Crop to Shape and then click the shape you want to crop to.

The shape is immediately applied to the image.
If you want to adjust the shape, click the Crop button again on the ribbon.

Black crop handles appear on the edges and corners of the picture.
Crop the image by dragging any crop handle inward. If you drag one of the corner handles, it crops two adjacent sides at the same time.

Crop to fit or fill a shape

After you have added a picture to a shape, you can choose how the picture fits in the shape by using the Fit and Fill tools for fine tuning.

In your file, select the picture that you want within the shape.
On the Picture Format tab, click the arrow next to Crop.

If you don't see the Picture Format tab, make sure that you've selected a picture (and not a shape).

Click Fill or Fit, and then click outside the picture.

Option	Description
Fill	Removes (or "crops") part of the picture, but still fills the entire shape.
Fit	Makes the entire picture fit within the shape. The original picture aspect ratio is maintained, but you may have empty space inside your shape.

Which app are you using?
Word | PowerPoint

Word: Fit a picture inside a shape

Word for the web doesn't have the "crop-to-shape" feature that the desktop app has, but you can still use quick picture-styles to apply some basic shapes to a picture, as described here:

Insert the image in your document. (Select Insert > Picture and then navigate to the picture you want to use.)
With the image selected on the canvas, select the Picture tab on the ribbon, and then open the Picture Styles gallery:
Select a shapeto apply it to your picture.
Once the shape is applied, you can resize it as needed.

PowerPoint: Crop a picture to a shape

Select a picture on a slide to crop to a shape.
On thePicturetab, on the right end,select the arrow next toCrop.

Tip:If you don't see thePicture tab, be sure to select a picture.
Select Crop to Shape, then choose a shape to apply to the border of the picture.
If you want to trim the margins of the picture, select Crop again,then drag a handle inward as needed. Drag other handles as needed.
To save your changes, select the Crop button again, or press Esc.