How to Crop Video in DaVinci Resolve with Professional Skills

In DaVinci Resolve, a widely used video cropping process involves removing unwanted edges, highlighting details, or adjusting framing for different platforms. Fine-tuning footage, creating dynamic effects, or preparing clips for social media? Whatever your need, DaVinci Resolve offers you a range of tried and tested methods for accomplishing them. In this guide, we'll explore different ways to crop your videos in DaVinci, from basic cropping tools to dynamic zoom and Instagram-specific adjustments, along with an easy alternative for quick cropping.

Part 1: How to Crop Video in DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve is a powerful video editing program designed for both beginners and professionals. It provides advanced tools for video editing, color grading, and visual effects. With the cropping tools in DaVinci Resolve, you can easily adjust the video frame, remove unwanted areas, or change the aspect ratio. These adjustments can be made on the Edit or Color page with simple controls.

DaVinci Resolve also supports fixed and keyframed crops, allowing you to create smooth transitions and dynamic framing effects. With real-time previews and high-quality output, you can crop videos efficiently while keeping the final results clear and professional. Now, check how to crop a video in DaVinci Resolve using the guide below.

Steps to Do Standard Cropping in DaVinci Resolve

Step 1 First, import the video you want to crop into DaVinci Resolve. Go to File > Import > Media, then select the video file from your local folder.

Step 2 Put the video in the timeline and select it. Then, open the Inspector in the top right corner. Then, select Cropping from the dropdown menu. Here, you can adjust the sliders of Cropping Left, Cropping Right, Cropping Top, and Cropping Bottom. Each one controls the crop from the respective edge. You should control the sliders to crop the video on DaVinci Resolve. You can also use the Softness to add some feathering to the edges.

Step 3 After you have finished cropping, you can finally export the cropped video. Click File > Export. Then, you can select Timeline. Then, you can select your desired output format, resolution, and other parameters. Finally, scroll down to click the Add to Render Queue button to export the cropped video from DaVinci Resolve.

How to Crop Video with Keyframes in DaVinci Resolve:

DaVinci Resolve allows you to create dynamic crop effects by adding keyframes to the Crop settings. Instead of applying a fixed crop to the entire video, you can make the crop settings change over time, creating smooth zoom-in, zoom-out, or camera movement effects.

Step 1 Open DaVinci Resolve and import the video you want to crop. Drag the video clip to the timeline, then select it to prepare for editing.

Step 2 Still, go to Inspector > Cropping. Then, locate a desired time point of your video in the timeline and click the diamond-shaped keyframe button next to a crop setting to create the first keyframe. Then, you can set another keyframe at another time point and adjust the crop settings for each keyframe to create the desired dynamic effect. The software will generate a smooth transition between the two keyframes.

Step 3 Finally, you can preview and get ready to export the video. Play the timeline to check the crop animation. Adjust the keyframe positions or crop values if needed, then export the final cropped video in DaVinci Resolve from the Export menu or Deliver page.

The Fastest Way to Crop a Video in DaVinci Resolve

If you don't need to use the keyframe feature, there's also a very simple and fast way to crop your video in DaVinci Resolve. You can use the standard cropping tools available in the Inspector panel to adjust the video frame directly:

Step 1 Import and add your video to timeline and select it. This time, you don't need to use the Inspector. Go ahead to the bottom left part of the preview window. Click the dropdown button right there and select Crop.

Step 2 Now, you can drag the eight controllers to crop the video directly on video frame in the preview window.

Part 2: How to Crop Video in DaVinci Using Dynamic Zoom

In this part, we will show you how to use the Dynamic feature in DaVinci Resolve. Make sure you follow the steps below. This part will help you crop your video using the built-in tool.

Step 1 Assuming that you have launched the software, the first step you would want to take is to import the video. Do that by clicking CTRL + I or navigating to File > Import > Media.

Step 2 After you have imported the video, the next step is to select the video you have imported by double-clicking it. After you have selected the video, click on Dynamic Zoom. This will enable a new set of editing tools where you will be able to crop in and out of the video smoothly. Set the green outline where you want the dynamic zoom to start cropping in your video.

Step 3 After you have applied the dynamic zoom to your video, you can now start exporting the video. Simply click on File > Quick Export, and your edited video will be available in the folder you have chosen before exporting.

Part 3: How to Crop Video in DaVinci Resolve for Instagram

In this part, we will show you how to crop your video for your Instagram post or story. Make sure you follow the steps carefully. This part will help you pick the right resolution for your Instagram video.

Step 1 Assuming that you have launched the application, the first thing you need to do is import the videos you are going to crop. You can click on File > Import > Media or click Ctrl + I on your keyboard.

Step 2 After you have imported your video, select it. Do that by double-clicking the video on your app interface. After you have selected the video, go into the Master Settings tab and set the format to 1080x1920 resolution.

Step 3 After you have set the right resolution for the video, we can now crop the video. Cropping your Instagram video can be done by toggling the sliders on the selected video.

Step 4 After you have applied the said changes, you can now start exporting your video. Navigate to File > Quick Export. Your Instagram video will be saved in the set directory of the application.

Part 4: The Easiest DaVinci Alternative to Crop Videos

As you can see, while DaVinci Resolve offers powerful tools for cropping and resizing videos, these features can be a little complicated for beginners. If you only need to crop a video without using advanced editing options, Tipard Video Converter Ultimate is a simple and reliable alternative. It allows you to crop videos in just a few clicks, adjust the aspect ratio with preset templates, and keep high video quality after cropping, making it a convenient choice for users of all levels.

Step 1 Download and Launch Software

The first step you would want to do is to download it by clicking the download button that is available below. After you have downloaded the app, launch it. Do that by clicking the shortcut icon of the app on your desktop.

Step 2 Select Tool and Import File

After you have launched the app, navigate to More Tools > Video Cropper. This will take you into another interface where you will be able to search through your local directory and import your video.

Step 3 Crop Video

After you have imported your video, you can now start the cropping process. You will be able to see a yellow outline and adjust the yellow outline to your liking. You can also utilize the aspect ratio tool that is available in the application.

Step 4 Export Video

After setting the desired aspect ratio and crop, we can now start exporting the video. Simply click the Export button in the bottom right corner of the app interface.

Part 5: FAQs of Cropping Video in DaVinci Resolve