Various Ways to Crop Animated GIFs to Highlight the Subject

You have a GIF full of extra edges, distracting backgrounds, or unwanted parts. To remove all those, you need a GIF cropper!

You are lucky, because this post will show you the best tools to crop GIFs on Windows and Mac, online, and mobile. Plus, you will get step-by-step guides and the pros and cons of each tool. Everything you need is right here!

Part 1: Why Do You Need to Crop a GIF

GIFs sometimes have extra space or unwanted parts. Cropping helps fix this and makes the GIF look better. Here is why you might need to crop a GIF:

• Focus on the important part - Removes distractions and shows only what matters.
• Fit the screen or platform - Makes the GIF the right size for social media or websites.
• Reduce file size - Cutting extra parts makes it load faster and saves data.
• Highlight a moment - Zoom in on funny or key details to grab attention.

If you are ready to do it yourself, GIF croppers are waiting for you below, complete with simple steps to guide you.

Part 2: Top 3 GIF Croppers on Windows and Mac

1. AVAide Video Converter

When it comes to cropping GIFs on Windows and Mac, AVAide Video Converter offers the best way. It allows you to crop GIFs simply and accurately by letting you drag controllers to shape your GIF into any rectangle size you want.

You can also pick from many standard aspect ratios like 16:9, 4:3, 16:10, 5:4, or 9:16. In addition, it lets you rotate and flip your GIFs to match your style. It works smoothly on both Windows and Mac, giving you full control over your animated image edits.

Step 1Download and install AVAide Video Converter on your Windows or Mac computer. Once the setup is done, open the program and let it load the main interface.

Step 2Go to the Toolbox tab and select Video Cropper from the list of tools. Then, click Add to import the GIF you want to crop.

Step 3You can crop it in three ways: set the crop size in the Crop Area, choose a preset Aspect Ratio, or freely crop it by dragging the edges of the Adjustable Frame on the preview screen.

Step 4Once satisfied, click the Output tab to modify the settings. After making all changes, press Export to save your newly cropped GIF.

2. Photoshop

Photoshop lets you crop animated GIFs and fine-tune every frame of your animation. You can use its crop or rectangular marquee tool to remove unwanted parts while keeping the motion smooth. You can also use it to remove the GIF background. With all these capabilities, it is perfect for users who want full control of their project edits.

Step 1Open Photoshop on your computer. Go to the top menu, click Window, then Workspace, and choose Motion. Next, click File, select Open, and upload the GIF you want to crop.

Step 2On the left-hand side, find and click the Crop tool. You will see an adjustable frame appear around your GIF. You can drag the edges of this frame to select the part of the GIF you want to keep.

Step 3Once you are happy with the cropped area, go to File, choose Save for Web & Devices, then click Save.

3. Preview

Every Mac comes with Preview, a built-in program that does more than open images. You can crop, resize, and even fine-tune the color of GIFs without installing any extra applications. The best part about it is that it is super simple, fast, and recommended for users who just need basic edits.

Step 1Find the GIF in your files, then double-click it to open it in Preview.

Step 2At the top, click Tools, then Annotate, and choose a shape like Arrow, Oval, or Rectangle.

Step 3Drag the shape over the GIF to mark the area you want to crop or focus on. Once done, go to File and click Save.

Part 3: Top 3 GIF Croppers Free Online

1. Ezgif

Ezgif lets you crop GIFs online, and also resize, and create an animated image. You can use ready-made aspect ratios like the square or golden ratio, or freely crop any part you want. Its clean, old-style interface makes cropping fast and easy for everyone.

Step 1Go to the Ezgif official website using your browser. Then, click Choose Files to upload your GIF.

Step 2Once loaded, set the height and width based on your preference. You can also pick an aspect ratio for a more accurate crop.

Step 3Once you are ready, click Crop Image to apply the changes. The cropped GIF will be processed, and you can preview or save it directly.

2. Gifgit

For those who do not want a fully-fledged online editor but a simple GIF crop platform, Gifgit is one of the best options. All you need to do with this online GIF crop tool is import a GIF, set the crop rectangle, press a button, and download the file. It does not get easier than that.

Step 1Visit Gifgit's website and click Choose File to upload your GIF from your device.

Step 2The crop rectangle will appear on your looping image. You can adjust it by moving the edges or corners, or enter exact numbers in the width, height, top, and left boxes for precise cropping.

Step 3Hit Crop GIF to generate your cropped file, then press Download to save it to your folder.

3. Flixier

Another excellent option for users who want to crop animated GIFs online is Flixier. This fully-fledged online video editor integrates with a wide range of services. These include Google Drive and Photos, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc. It allows you to upload files from any source and crop GIFs in a few clicks.

Step 1Head to Flixier's website and click Start Editing to open the editor. Then, import a GIF from your device or import one from Google Drive, Google Photos, or GIPHY.

Step 2Drag your GIF to the timeline at the bottom of the screen. Click it once, then open the Crop menu from the right panel.

Step 3Use the sliders to crop your GIF to the size you like. You can choose a rectangular or round crop shape, depending on your style.

Step 4After cropping, click Export and Download in the top-right corner, and your cropped GIF will be saved on your device.

Part 4: Top 2 GIF Croppers on iPhone and Android

1. Quick GIF Editor

Quick GIF Editor works like a photo editor on iPhone, where you can crop GIF images, resize, or fine-tune the animation speed with a real-time preview. In addition, it supports various aspect ratios and gives you full control to edit and organize your project easily.

Step 1Get Quick GIF Editor from the App Store. Once it is ready, open the app and tap the Crop button on the main screen.

Step 2Choose the GIF you want to edit, then use the aspect ratio options or drag the frame to crop it by hand.

Step 3After setting your crop, tap Save to apply the changes. After that, your cropped GIF will be stored in your Photos.

2. GIF Maker, GIF Editor

What about how to crop a GIF on Android? Do not worry; this app offers the solution! It allows cropping GIFs without losing color or sharpness. It also supports many file formats, making it flexible for both creating and editing animated images while keeping storage use light and performance smooth.

Step 1Open the Google Play Store, download GIF Maker, GIF Editor, and launch it once installed. After that, press the GIF Editor from the main tools shown.

Step 2Pick the GIF you want to crop, then press Adjustment, followed by the Draw button to open the crop screen.

Step 3Crop the GIF manually or pick an aspect ratio, then press the Check button on the top-right to save your cropped GIF to your phone.

By Jane Pineda on Nov 18, 2025