Custom Crop Shapes: Beyond The Square With Ms Paint

Cropping an image is a basic step in photo editing, and while we usually crop in square or rectangular shapes, sometimes we want a different shape, like a circle. Microsoft Paint does not easily allow for non-rectangular cropping, but there are workarounds. In Paint 3D, you can use the Crop tool to crop an image in a square shape, then adjust the selection so that it touches the inner edges of the circle. You can then use the eraser to remove the existing background on the four edges of your circle. Alternatively, you can use the Magic Select tool to crop to a circle shape. In Microsoft 365 applications like PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, or Excel, you can use the Crop to Shape feature to crop an image to a specific shape.

Use Paint 3D to crop images into a circle shape

To crop an image into a circle shape in Paint 3D, follow these steps:

• Open the image file in Paint 3D by going to Menu > Open.
• Use the 2D shapes function to draw a circle around the area you want to crop. Ensure that "Fill" is set to "None" and "Line type" is set to "Solid" with sufficient thickness (e.g., 50px).
• Adjust the circle to cover the desired area fully. You can adjust the edges individually if needed.
• Click on the tick mark on the right edge once you're satisfied with the circle.
• Crop the image using a 1:1 aspect ratio, up to the outer edge of the circle.
• Use the Magic Select tool to remove the background outside the circle and make it transparent. Click on the image, then hit "Make sticker" from the sidebar.
• Open the image in Paint 3D where you want to add the circular image. Go to Stickers at the top and click on the third icon on the right sidebar to find your cropped image.
• Adjust the position and size of the circular image, then save the final image.

While Paint 3D does not have a native circle crop feature, this workaround can help you achieve the desired result.

Use the Magic Select tool to crop images into a circle shape

While cropping tools are not available for shapes in Microsoft 365 applications, you can use the Magic Select tool in Paint 3D to crop images into a circle shape. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Step 1: Use the Magic Select Tool

Click on the Magic Select icon at the top of the Paint 3D toolbar. This tool will allow you to select the circular area you want to crop. If your background is white or distinct, no further adjustments are needed. Simply click "Next" on the right. Paint should then detect the exact circle shape you want to crop.

Step 2: Refine the Selection

If Paint 3D has not selected the exact area you want, you can refine the selection using the "Add" or "Remove" buttons. Ensure that the Autofill background option is selected, then click "Done". The size of the cropped image may increase slightly at this point.

Step 3: Enable Transparent Canvas

To remove the white background, select the Canvas icon at the top and enable Transparent canvas. Most of the white background should now disappear. If there are still areas with a white background, you can remove them by increasing the size of the box while holding the Shift key.

Step 4: Adjust the Cropped Image

Click on the cropped image, and a new selection box will appear. Increase the size of the box by dragging it from any of the corners. This will allow you to adjust the cropped image to your desired size and ensure that the circular shape is maintained.

Alternative Methods

In addition to using Paint 3D, there are other methods to crop images into a circle shape. Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and Excel offer the Crop to Shape feature, which allows you to crop images into specific shapes while maintaining their proportions. Alternatively, you can use the Edit Points tool to customize a shape by dragging the black dots (vertex points) until you achieve the desired circular shape.

Crop images to fit into a specific shape in Microsoft 365 applications

Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel allow you to crop images to fit into a specific shape. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Step 1: Insert the Image and Shape

To begin, open your Microsoft 365 application and insert the image and shape you want to work with. To insert an image, go to the Insert tab on the ribbon and select "Picture." You can then browse for the image file you want to use. To insert a shape, go to the Insert tab again and select "Shapes." Choose the shape you want from the gallery.

Step 2: Add the Image to the Shape

Once you have inserted both the image and the shape, you need to add the image to the shape. To do this, select the shape, then go to the Shape Format tab on the ribbon. From here, select Shape Fill and then "Picture." The image you previously inserted should appear automatically inside the shape.

Step 3: Crop the Image to Fit the Shape

With the image now inside the shape, you can crop it to fit perfectly. To do this, go to the Picture Format tab and select "Crop." You will see black crop handles appear on the edges and corners of the picture. Drag these handles to adjust the crop area. If you want the entire image to fill the shape, select "Crop" and then "Fill." If you want the image to keep its original proportions within the shape, select "Crop" and then "Fit."

Step 4: Fine-tune and Finalize

You can fine-tune the positioning of the image within the shape by selecting the picture and dragging it to adjust its position. To submit the changes, click anywhere outside the picture.

Note on Cropping Tools and Vertex Points:

While cropping tools are not available for shapes, you can use the Edit Points tool to customize a shape. You can drag the black dots (vertex points) to modify the shape until it looks the way you want. To add or delete vertex points, use the Ctrl key along with the selection.

By following these steps, you can easily crop images to fit into specific shapes in Microsoft 365 applications, giving you more flexibility and creativity in your image editing.

Crop images to a specific shape in Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, or Excel

Microsoft 365 applications like Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel allow you to crop images to specific shapes. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Adding an Image:

To add an image to your Microsoft 365 file, go to the Insert tab in the ribbon and select "Pictures" or "Picture" from the menu. You can then choose the desired image from your device or online sources.

Accessing the Crop Feature:

Once the image is inserted, go to the Picture Format tab on the toolbar ribbon. From there, you can find the Crop button. Clicking on it will display black crop handles on the edges and corners of the image.

Cropping the Image:

To crop the image, simply drag the crop handles inward. You can adjust the crop area by dragging the edges or corners of the crop rectangle. If you drag one of the corner handles, it will crop the two adjacent sides simultaneously.

Crop to Shape:

If you want to crop the image to a specific shape, such as a circle or a rounded rectangle, use the "Crop to Shape" feature. After inserting the image, go to the Picture Format tab and select the arrow under "Crop." Choose "Crop to Shape," and then select the desired shape from the available options. The shape will be immediately applied to your image.

Fitting the Image to the Shape:

If you want the entire image to fill the shape, select "Crop" and then "Fill." This may crop away some outer edges of the picture, leaving no empty space at the margins of the shape. If you prefer to keep the entire picture within the shape, select "Crop" and then "Fit." This option may leave some empty space at the margins.

Adjusting the Image Position:

After selecting "Fill" or "Fit," you can fine-tune the image's position within the shape. Black crop handles will appear on the edges and corners of the picture. Select the image and drag it to adjust its position, ensuring that the most important parts are centred within the shape.

Cropping Multiple Shapes:

If you want to crop the same image into multiple shapes, it is recommended to create copies of the original image first. Then, apply the "Crop to Shape" feature to each copy individually.

Editing the Shape:

While cropping tools are not available for shapes, you can use the "Edit Points" tool to customize a shape. Select the shape you want to edit, and then drag the black dots (vertex points) to modify its appearance. To delete a vertex point, hold Ctrl and select the point. To add a new vertex point, hold Ctrl and click anywhere on the shape's perimeter that doesn't already have one.

By following these steps, you can easily crop images to specific shapes in Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, or Excel, enhancing your visual presentations and documents.

Use the Crop command in MS Paint to crop images into shapes other than squares or rectangles

MS Paint includes a "Crop" command that allows you to create a new image based on the selected area of an original picture. To use the Crop command to crop images into shapes other than squares or rectangles, you can follow these steps:

First, load the image you want to manipulate into MS Paint. You can do this by searching for MS Paint in the Windows search box and loading your chosen image into the program.

Next, select the "Crop" tool from the toolbar. By default, the crop tool will create a square or rectangular selection. However, you can create a custom selection by choosing the "Free-form selection" tool from the dropdown arrow under the "Select" button in the "Home" tab. This will allow you to select the exact area you want to crop by surrounding it with an irregular shape.

Once you have made your selection, right-click inside the selected area and choose "Invert selection" from the context menu. This will ensure that only the area you want to keep is selected.

Now, you can start shaping your image. If you want to crop your image into a circle, for example, you can use the "Shapes" toolbar in MS Paint. Choose the "Oval" option and load it onto your cursor. Then, go to your image and drag the cursor around to cover the area you want to include within the circular crop. You can reshape the oval into a circle by dragging the corners of the rectangle that appears on the cropped image.

After you have created your desired shape, you can bold the edges of the shape and choose your colour. Finally, erase the extra parts of the image outside of your shape and save your newly cropped image.

While MS Paint does not have a specific tool for cropping images into shapes, this workaround can help you achieve the desired result. Keep in mind that all picture files are square or rectangular, so the portion of the image not selected will become a solid colour.

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