Adobe After Effects is one of the most popular choices for editing and creating visual effects you can implement in your content. The tool can serve numerous purposes, such as editing your videos and delivering professional results. It also provides various features you can play with and discover the world of editing.
You're probably here because you're struggling to crop a video using After Effects, so we're here to help. We'll present all available methods on the platform and discuss alternative solutions to boost your journey and help you create better videos.
In this article
Two Methods for Cropping Footage in After Effects
Adobe After Effects currently offers two methods for cropping videos; detailed guides for each are below.
1. How to Crop Videos in After Effects (Pen Tool)？
The Pen Tool allows you to completely customize the cropping experience and draw around specific objects you want to preserve. It requires precision, and we only recommend it for those with specific cropping requests.
You can follow this guide to learn how to use the Pen Tool to crop videos in Adobe After Effects:
- Open your project and select the layer you want to crop.
- Next, choose the Pen Tool from the top left bar in Adobe After Effects.
- Once you do, draw around the object you want to crop.
- Press Enter to save the changes.
As you can see, activating this tool is easy, but you may need some time to get the desired cropping results.
2. How to Crop Videos in After Effects (Region of Interest Tool)？
The next method is similar to traditional cropping tools you can find anywhere. You can choose the ratio and crop your videos in a rectangular shape. Here's how to activate and use the Region of Interest tool to crop in Adobe After Effects:
- Open your project and click on the Region of Interest icon at the bottom of the preview window.
- Next, select the area you want to crop, as presented in the image below.
- Head to Composition from the top bar.
- Choose Crop Comp to Region of Interest from the drop-down menu.
Once you complete these steps, you'll have a cropped video in Adobe After Effects.
Is Cropping Videos By After Effects Good for All Users?
Using Adobe After Effects to crop videos is only recommended for professional videographers and users. The user interface may be confusing, and you may not get the desired results. Aside from this, the tool may be time-consuming, and you will lose time and nerves in the process.
Thus, if you're a beginner or simply searching for ways to crop personal videos, we advise you to opt for other solutions. You will get the desired results without going through an extensive cropping process. The best part is that most other solutions provide preset templates you can use according to your needs. In our article today, we are going to show you an easier way to crop videos on any device - Wondershare Filmora.
An Easier Way for Cropping Videos - Wondershare Filmora
As the most universal video editing tool on the market, Wondershare Filmora provides dozens of easy-to-use features to make your content look professional. When it comes to crop videos, you can crop by the preset aspect ratios and finish it with a simple click, customize the rectangular bar according to your needs, or use auto-reframe to resize your video automatically. Except for that, the tool has automated features that color-correct and edit your videos.
Unlike After Effects, Filmora's user interface is quite easy to navigate. It's perfect for personal and professional use since you can completely customize your experience.
How to Crop Videos in Filmora?
Wondershare Filmora is easy to use, even though it has numerous features. We'll present a detailed guide on how to crop videos.
The first step is to head to the official Wondershare Filmora website and download the tool to your desktop device. Then, you can follow these steps for your video cropping journey:
- Open Wondershare Filmora and click the New Project option from the main menu.
- Next, import your video by dragging and dropping it to the timeline.
- After this, click on the Crop icon from the top bar.
- Select Crop and Zoom from the drop-down menu.
- Choose the desired ratio according to your needs.
- Now, select the area you want to crop, as presented below.
- Click Apply to save the changes.
Once you complete these steps, click the Export button to save your work and share your creations.
Conclusion
Cropping your videos can be useful if you plan to share your creations with someone but want to get rid of the distractions in the background. You may have heard about Adobe After Effects, and are wondering how to crop on the platform. We've presented all possible methods with step-by-step guides to help you navigate the journey.
However, using this tool isn't for everyone – it's a professional and overwhelming solution that may be stressful in the long run, so check out Wondershare Filmora. This professional editing solution is easy to use, and you can crop your recordings in seconds without ruining the original quality.
