How to Choose a Photo Crop Ratio: 1:1, 4:5, 16:9 and 9:16
2026-11-08
When to pick 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 or 9:16 when cropping a photo, and how to set exact pixel values.
What a ratio means
A ratio is the relationship between width and height. 1:1 is square, 16:9 is a wide screen, and 9:16 is a tall screen. The same photo keeps a different part depending on the ratio.
Which ratio for which use
- 1:1: profile pictures and square feed posts.
- 4:3 and 3:2: common for blog images and print.
- 16:9: wide video screens and banners.
- 9:16: tall stories, reels and short-video screens.
- Free: no fixed ratio, crop however you like.
Steps
1. Add the photo to the crop and rotate tool.
2. Under "Crop ratio", choose a ratio from 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 3:2, 2:3, 16:9 or 9:16.
3. Drag the crop area so the subject is centered. Drag a corner to resize while the ratio stays fixed.
4. For exact pixels, type values into the "Width" and "Height" boxes.
5. Check "Result size" for the width and height that will be saved, then press "Crop and save".
Things to watch
- Changing the ratio can cut off the subject, so check the preview after cropping.
- If you post the same photo to several platforms, save each ratio separately.