Excel has a built-in crop tool, so you can trim unwanted edges from a picture, crop it to a shape such as a circle, or crop to an exact aspect ratio without leaving your workbook. The steps below work in Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, 2019, 2016 and 2013 on Windows, with notes for Excel for Mac and Excel for the web.
Quick Answer
Click the picture, go to the Picture Format tab (called Format under Picture Tools in Excel 2013 and 2016), and click Crop. Drag the black crop handles inward, then click Crop again or press Esc.
How to Crop a Picture in Excel
- Insert a picture with Insert > Pictures if it isn’t already in the sheet.
- Click the picture to select it.
- Open the Picture Format tab and click the top half of the Crop button.
- Drag the black crop handles on the edges or corners toward the center. The area being removed turns gray.
- To reposition the picture inside the crop area, drag the picture itself.
- Click Crop again, press Esc, or click a cell to finish.
Crop Shortcuts While Dragging
- Hold Ctrl while dragging a side handle to crop both opposite sides equally.
- Hold Ctrl while dragging a corner handle to crop all four sides equally.
Crop to a Shape (Circle, Rounded Rectangle, Star)
- Select the picture.
- Click the arrow under Crop and choose Crop to Shape.
- Pick a shape. For a perfect circle, first use Aspect Ratio > 1:1, then choose the Oval.
Crop to an Exact Aspect Ratio or Size
- Aspect ratio: Crop arrow > Aspect Ratio and pick 1:1, 4:3, 16:9 and others.
- Exact measurements: right-click the picture > Format Picture > Picture (mountain icon) > Crop, then type the crop position, width and height.
- Fill and Fit: Fill crops the picture to fill the area; Fit resizes it to fit inside the area.
Excel for Mac and the Web
- Mac: select the picture, then Picture Format > Crop. Crop to Shape and Aspect Ratio are in the Crop menu.
- Web: Excel for the web includes a crop option on the Picture tab when a picture is selected, though some advanced options may be limited compared with the desktop app.
Undo a Crop or Reduce File Size
Cropping hides the cropped area rather than deleting it. To undo, select the picture and click Picture Format > Reset Picture > Reset Picture & Size, or drag the crop handles back out.
To permanently remove the cropped parts and shrink the file, click Picture Format > Compress Pictures and check Delete cropped areas of pictures. This can’t be undone after you save.
Troubleshooting
- Crop is grayed out: you may have selected a chart, shape or icon rather than a picture, or the sheet may be protected. Cropping works on pictures; for shapes, change the shape instead.
- Can’t see the Picture Format tab: click directly on the picture. The tab only appears when a picture is selected.
- Picture moves with cells: right-click > Format Picture > Size & Properties > Properties, and choose Don’t move or size with cells.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I crop a screenshot pasted into Excel?
Yes. Pasted screenshots are pictures, so the same Crop tool works.
Can I crop several pictures at once?
No. Crop each picture separately, although you can apply the same size in Format Picture.
Does cropping reduce image quality?
No, it only hides parts of the image. Resizing the remaining area larger can make it look blurry.
Summary
- Select the picture.
- Picture Format > Crop.
- Drag the crop handles.
- Press Esc to apply.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.