As creative professionals, we know that bringing a vision to life requires mastering your tools.
One of the most fundamental skills in video editing is knowing how to properly frame your shot.
This often means cropping a video file to focus on the main subject, remove unwanted objects, or change the aspect ratio for different platforms. In a powerful video editor like DaVinci Resolve, there are many ways to do this.
This guide provides a clear path for anyone looking to master the DaVinci Resolve crop video function. We will walk through several methods, from basic adjustments to more advanced features, ensuring you have the knowledge to perfectly compose your video clips.
Here, we aim to give you the confidence to handle any cropping task, whether you’re creating cinematic scenes or viral social media content.
Getting Started: How to DaVinci Resolve Crop Video?
Before you can begin cropping, you need to set up your project and get your footage into the software.
These first simple steps are the foundation for all your video editing work.
Importing Your Footage
The first step is to bring your media files into DaVinci Resolve.
When you open the software, you’ll see a space called the Media Pool. This is where all the video clips, audio, and images for your project live.
You can drag and drop your video file directly from a folder on your computer into the Media Pool.
Alternatively, you can go to the top menu, select ‘File,’ then ‘Import,’ and choose ‘Media‘ to browse for your files. Once your clip is in the Media Pool, drag it onto your timeline in the Edit Page.
Understanding the Workspace
DaVinci Resolve is organized into different “Pages,” each for a specific task like color grading or audio mixing.
For cropping, you will spend most of your time in the Edit Page. This page is designed for arranging and trimming your video clips on a timeline. The timeline is where you build your story, a sequence of video clips that play one after another.
Above the timeline, you will see a viewer that shows you the video frame you are currently working on. On the right side of the screen, you will find the Inspector, which is where the main crop controls are located.
Navigating to the Edit Page
If you are not already there, look at the bottom of the DaVinci Resolve window. You will see several icons for the different pages.
Click on the one that says “Edit.” This will bring up the main video editing workspace. Here, your selected video clip on the timeline will be highlighted, and the Inspector panel on the right side will show all the settings you can change for that specific clip.
This is your starting point for almost any adjustment, including a DaVinci Resolve crop video task.
How Do You Crop A Video In DaVinci Resolve?
There are several ways to crop your video in DaVinci Resolve, each suited for different needs. You can make a simple cut, create a moving crop effect, or format your video for social media.
Method 1: Using the Inspector
This is the most direct way to crop a video clip. The Inspector panel gives you precise numerical control over the crop.
Selecting the Clip
First, check that you picked the right video clip. Click on the clip in your timeline to choose it.
When the clip is chosen, you will see a red or white edge around it. This shows DaVinci Resolve that this is the clip you want to change.
Accessing Transform Controls
With the clip selected, look to the Inspector panel on the top-right of the screen.
If you don’t see it, click the “Inspector” button in the top-right corner to open it. Inside the Inspector, ensure you are on the Video tab.
You will see a section called “Transform,” and right below it, a section called “Cropping“.
Adjusting Crop Parameters (Left, Right, Top, Bottom)
In the “Cropping” section, you will find sliders for “Crop Left,” “Crop Right,” “Crop Top,” and “Crop Bottom“. You can adjust these to cut off parts of the video frame.
- Crop Left/Right: Increasing these values will add black bars to the sides of your video, effectively narrowing the visible entire image.
- Crop Top/Bottom: Increasing these will add black bars to the top and bottom.
You can either drag the sliders, or for more precision, type a number directly into the box next to each parameter.
As you make changes, you’ll see the result immediately on the viewer, allowing you to see how much of the entire frame you are removing. This method is great for cleaning up the edges of your video frame or creating a specific frame size.
Using the On-Screen Controls For Cropping
For a more hands-on approach, you can use the on-screen controls.
Below the viewer on the left, there is a rectangular button that opens a dropdown menu.
Select “Crop” from this menu. Your video frame in the viewer will now have an outline with white dots at the corners and on the sides.
You can click and drag these white dots to visually adjust the crop. This is a fast way to get the framing you want without worrying about numbers.
It allows you to focus on the composition of the entire image directly on the screen.
Method 2: Dynamic Zoom and Cropping
Sometimes, you may want the crop to change over time. This is where Dynamic Zoom comes in handy, allowing you to create movement within your shot.
Applying the Dynamic Zoom Effect
Select your video clip in the timeline and go to the Inspector.
Above the “Cropping” section, you will see a toggle for “Dynamic Zoom.” When you turn this on, you will see two rectangles on your viewer: a green one showing the starting frame size and a red one showing the ending frame size.
DaVinci Resolve will automatically and smoothly transition from the green frame to the red frame over the duration of the clip. You can resize and reposition these rectangles on the screen to control the zoom and pan.
Keyframing Crop Adjustments Over Time
For complete control over a moving crop, you can use keyframes. A keyframe marks a point in time where a setting has a specific value. Next to each crop parameter (Crop Left, Right, Top, Bottom) in the Inspector, there is a small diamond icon. This is the keyframe button.
- Move the playhead on your timeline to where you want the crop to start.
- Click the diamond icon for the crop parameters you want to animate. It will turn red, setting the first keyframe.
- Move the playhead to a later point in the video clip.
- Change the crop values. A new keyframe will automatically be added.
DaVinci Resolve will now smoothly animate the crop between these two points. You can add as many keyframes as you need to create complex crop animations, giving you precise control over the video frame throughout the clip.
This is one of the more advanced features that sets a professional video editor apart.
Creating A “Ken Burns” Effect With Cropping
The “Ken Burns” effect is a slow zoom and pan across a photo or video. You can make this look with keyframes and by changing the crop and where the shot sits on screen. For example, you can begin with the whole image showing. Then, you slowly crop at the top and bottom of the frame.
At the same time, you zoom in a bit on your main person or thing. This makes still shots feel like they move.
It can be a strong tool for telling stories in your videos. The effect helps move the viewer’s eyes over all parts of the picture.
Method 3: Cropping For Different Aspect Ratios
Often, you need to change the shape of your video to fit different platforms. This involves changing the aspect ratio of your video, such as making a wide video into a square or vertical one for social media.
Setting Up Your Timeline Resolution
The first step is to set the correct timeline resolution for your project.
Before you start editing, click the gear icon in the bottom-right corner to open Project Settings. Under the Master Settings tab, you will find “Timeline Resolution“. Here, you can set the frame size for your final video. For example:
- For Instagram posts, you might use 1080×1080 (a 1:1 aspect ratio).
- For vertical videos like TikToks or Reels, you would use 1080×1920 (a 9:16 video aspect ratio).
Changing the timeline resolution here will affect the entire project, creating a new screen aspect ratio for your edit.
Using Output Blanking For Cinematic Black Bars
If you want to create a widescreen, cinematic look, you don’t always have to crop the clip itself. Instead, you can add permanent black bars.
Go to the top menu and click on “Timeline,” then “Output Blanking.” Here you can select a common cinematic aspect ratio, like 2.39.
This will add black bars to the top and bottom of your entire video output without actually cutting away any of your original video frames.
This is a non-destructive way to achieve a different aspect ratio change. It’s a quick way to give your video clips a professional feel.
Smart Reframe For Vertical Video (Studio Version)
If you have the paid Studio version of DaVinci Resolve, you have access to a powerful tool called “Smart Reframe.”
This feature uses AI to automatically reframe your horizontal video for a vertical format.
When you have a mismatched resolution (e.g., a wide video on a vertical timeline), right-click the video clip and select “Smart Reframe.”
The software will analyze the video and try to keep the main subject in the center of the new, taller video frame.
This saves a huge amount of time when repurposing content for social media. It intelligently handles the aspect ratio change for you.
Advanced Cropping Techniques
Once you are comfortable with the basics, you can start combining cropping with other tools to create more polished and creative effects. These advanced features can significantly improve the quality of your video editing.
Feathering and Softening Crop Edges
When you crop a video, the edge is usually a hard line. DaVinci Resolve allows you to soften this edge.
In the “Cropping” section of the Inspector, there is a “Softness” slider.
Increasing this value will blur the edges of your crop, creating a gentle gradient. This is useful for blending a cropped clip on top of another one or for creating a vignette effect. It helps the cropped video frame sit more naturally within the screen size.
Combining Cropping With Other Effects
Cropping becomes even more powerful when used with other effects.
For instance, you can crop a video clip and then use the “Transform” controls to create a picture-in-picture effect, placing one clip in the corner of another. You could also apply color grading only to a cropped section of your video by using masks on the Color Page.
The possibilities are endless and allow for great creativity in your projects.
By adjusting image scaling and position after cropping, you can place your subject anywhere on the screen.
Exporting Your Cropped Video
Once your video editing is complete and you are happy with the crop and frame rate, it is time to export.
Go to the “Deliver” page at the bottom of the window.
Here, you can choose your export settings. Make sure your resolution and aspect ratio match what you set in your Project Settings.
If you set a timeline resolution for vertical videos, ensure your export settings match (e.g., 1080×1920). This ensures your final video file has the correct video resolution and frame size for its intended platform.
FAQ’s:
How Do I Crop A Video to Fit Instagram Or TikTok Formats In DaVinci Resolve?
To crop for social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok, you should first set your timeline resolution to a vertical aspect ratio, such as 1080×1920.
Go to Project Settings > Master Settings > Timeline Resolution and enter these dimensions. This will create a vertical video frame.
Then, use the “Cropping” and “Transform” controls in the Inspector to reposition and scale your horizontal video clip to fit the new frame size, making sure the main subject is visible. The Smart Reframe feature in the Studio version is excellent for this.
Can I Crop A Video Without Losing Quality Or Changing Its Aspect Ratio?
When you crop a video, you are essentially zooming into a part of the entire image, which can cause a loss of quality if your source video file is not a high enough resolution. For example, if you crop heavily into a 1080p video, it may look blurry.
To avoid this, it’s best to shoot in a higher video resolution, like 4K, if you plan to crop. You can crop without changing the aspect ratio of your video by making sure you crop equal or proportional amounts from opposite sides.
Where Are the Crop Controls Located in DaVinci Resolve?
The main crop controls are in the Edit Page. Select a video clip on your timeline, and then go to the Inspector panel on the right side of the screen. Under the Video tab, you will find the “Cropping” section with sliders for Top, Bottom, Left, and Right.
How Do I Fix Accidental Or Unwanted Cropping In DaVinci Resolve?
If you have accidentally cropped a video, you can easily undo it.
Go to the “Cropping” section in the Inspector for the affected video clip. You will see small circular arrow icons next to each crop parameter. Clicking this icon will reset that specific value back to zero.
You can do this for all the crop settings to return the clip to its original, full frame state.
Conclusion
Mastering the DaVinci Resolve crop video function is a key skill for any video editor. From simple adjustments in the Inspector to dynamic, keyframed movements and preparing files for social media, the software offers a complete set of tools.
Ensuring your final video aligns with your creative vision can be achieved through various cropping techniques, including modifying the crop at the top and bottom, altering timeline resolution, and handling multiple aspect ratios.
Whether you are cleaning up a shot, adding cinematic black bars, or creating engaging social media content, you now have the knowledge to control the video frame with precision and confidence in DaVinci Resolve.
