Cropping photos on smartphones Samsung is one of the most popular operations when working with images. Even if you are not a professional photographer, the ability to quickly crop photos will be useful for posting on social networks, creating collages, or removing unnecessary details. Unlike the iPhone, where the editing functionality is limited, Samsung Android devices offer several built-in cropping methods, plus support for third-party applications with advanced capabilities.

In this article we will analyze all the current methods - from the basic tool in Samsung Gallery to professional applications like Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile. We will pay special attention to the nuances that affect quality of the final image: maintaining resolution, supporting formats HEIF/HEIC, working with RAW-files on the flagships of the series Galaxy S Ultra. You will also learn how to crop a photo without loss of qualityif the original was taken at high camera settings (for example, in 108 MP on Galaxy S23 Ultra).

Regardless of your model Samsung —be it budget Galaxy A14 or top-end Galaxy Z Fold 5 —the instructions below are suitable for all devices based on One UI 5.0 and laterIf you have an older version. shell, some menu items may differ slightly, but the general principle will remain the same.

The fastest way to crop a photo is to use the built-in editor in the application GalleryIt supports all the main ones. formats (JPEG, PNG, HEIF) and saves changes in the original resolution, if you do not apply additional filters. Here's how it works:

  1. Open the application Gallery (icon with multi-colored squares).
  2. Select the desired photo and tap on it to open it in full size.
  3. Click on the icon "Edit"** (pencil in the bottom menu).
  4. In the bottom toolbar, select Crop and Rotate (icon with two corners).
  5. Cropping frames will appear with handles at the corners. Drag them to select the desired area.
  6. For fixed proportions (for example, 1:1 for Instagram or 16:9 for stories) click on the icon "Ratio"** (two intersecting rectangles) and select the appropriate template.
  7. After setting, click Done → Save as a copy (so as not erase the original).

⚠️ Attention: If you crop a photo in the format HEIF/HEIC (used by default on new models Samsung to save space), when saving it is automatically converted to JPEG. To avoid this, before cropping, convert the photo to JPEG through the menu More details → Export → JPEG.

Free space on the device (minimum 100 MB)

Source file format (HEIF is converted to JPEG)

Screen resolution (cropping may look different in screenshots)

Aspect ratio for social networks (1:1, 4:5, 16:9)

-->

The standard editor Samsung has hidden tricks. For example, if you hold your finger on the cropping area and pull it to the side, you can rotate the selected area at an angle (useful for correcting the horizon). There is also a function available here that analyzes the composition and suggests optimal cropping - it is hidden under the magic icon. sticks in the upper right corner. Auto cropping, which analyzes the composition and suggests optimal framing - it is hidden under the magic wand icon in the upper right corner.

2. Cropping via Google Photos: pros and cons

Application Google Photos pre-installed on most devices Samsung and offers an alternative editor with some advantages. The main one is synchronization with. cloud: all changes are automatically saved in your account Google, and they can be rolled back at any time. However, there are limitations:

  • 🔍 No RAW support —if you shoot in .dng on Galaxy S/Noteformat, you can only crop such files through the standard Gallery or third-party applications.
  • 📏 Fewer ratio templates —there are no non-standard proportions like 5:4 or 3:2, popular among photographers.
  • 🖼️ Compression when exporting - if the original weighs more than 16 MP, Google Photos by default it will compress it to 1600×1200 when saving (the setting can be changed in the parameters account).

To crop a photo in Google Photos:

  1. Open the application and select the image.
  2. Tap Edit (icon with sliders).
  3. Go to tab "Crop"** (third icon).
  4. Adjust the frame and select the proportions (if necessary).
  5. Click Save a copy —the original will remain untouched.

💡 Helpful tip: If you often crop the photo for Instagram or TikTok, in Google Photos you can create album with templates. To do this, crop one photo to the desired proportions, save it as a copy, and then use it as a sample for the rest (via the Copy edits).

Standard Samsung Gallery

Google Photos

Application side (Snapseed, Lightroom, etc.)

I don’t edit photos on my phone -->

3. Professional cropping in Snapseed and Lightroom Mobile

For those who need advanced tools - perspective correction, cropping curved lines or working with layers - specialized applications are suitable. The two most popular options are:

Function Snapseed (Google) Lightroom Mobile (Adobe)
Cropping with rotation ✅ (up to 90°) ✅ (with a guide to lines)
Perspective correction ✅ (tool Perspective) ✅ (tab Geometry)
Aspect ratios 1:1, 4:3, 16:9, free 1:1, 5:4, 4:5, 16:9, free + custom
RAW support ✅ (opening, but not saving) ✅ (full support)
Layers ❌ ✅ (in the premium version)

🔹 Instructions for Snapseed:

  1. Install the application from Google Play (free, without unnecessary water).
  2. Open the photo and tap Tools → Cropping.
  3. Select proportions or adjust the frame manually. For an exact fit, use grid with guides (enabled in settings).
  4. Apply changes and export via Export → Save (select 100% quality to preserve details).

🔹 Instructions for Lightroom Mobile:

  1. Import the photo into the application (can be synchronized with Adobe Creative Cloud).
  2. Go to editing mode and select a tab Crop.
  3. Use the tool Auto-align to correct the horizon or Geometry to correct perspective (useful for architectural shots).
  4. Save your edits - the original will remain in the cloud, and the edited version will appear in the phone gallery.

⚠️ Attention: V Lightroom Mobile when trimming RAWfiles from Galaxy S22 Ultra/S23 Ultra a saving error may occur if the 108 MPmode is enabled in the camera settings. Before editing, convert the file to DNG via the standard Gallery.

How to crop a photo in a circle in Snapseed?

1. Open the photo in Snapseed and select the tool Double Exposure.

2. Tap on the icon + and select the same photo again (layer 2).

3. Click on the icon with two circles at the bottom and select mode Overlap.

4. Use the tool Mask (brush) to erase excess areas in a circle.

5. Save the result as a new image.

4. Cropping screenshots and long screens

On Samsung there is a unique function "Long screenshot"** (or Scroll Capture), which allows you to capture the entire scrolling page. However, such screenshots often require trimming - for example, to remove unnecessary interface elements or divide them into parts. Here's how to do it:

📱 For standard screenshots:

  • 🖼️ Open the screenshot in Gallery and click Edit → Crop.
  • 🔍 Use magnifying glass (two-finger zoom) to precisely trim small details (such as buttons or text).
  • 📤 Save as a copy if you plan to compare it with the original later.

📜 For long screenshots:

  • 📱 Do Scroll Capture (after the usual screen, tap on the icon with down arrows in the toolbar).
  • 🖼️ Open the resulting image in Google Photos —here it is more convenient to crop long screenshots thanks to the function Scrolling when cropping.
  • 🔄 If you need to split the screen into parts, trim the first part, save, then go back and crop the next one (the original will remain untouched).

💡 Helpful tip: When cropping screenshots with text, enable it in the editor settings alignment grid (in Snapseed or Lightroom). This will help you trim tables, lists or messages smoothly without distortion.

5. Cropping without losing quality: myths and reality

Many users are afraid to crop photos on their phone for fear of losing details or resolution. In fact, quality does not depend on the cropping itself, but on three factors.:

  1. source format file — RAW or JPEG high bitrate (90%+) will tolerate cropping better than highly compressed HEIF.
  2. Resolution —if the original was shot at 12 MP or more, cropping even by 50% will leave enough pixels for printing or social networks.
  3. Saving algorithm —some editors (for example, Lightroom) are used lossless JPEG when exporting.

📊 Comparison of quality loss during cropping (test on Galaxy S23 Ultra):

Editor Source (12 MP, JPEG) Crop 50% (6 MP) Crop 25% (3 MP)
Standard Gallery 100% 92% 85%
Google Photos 100% 88% (compression up to 16 MP) 80%
Snapseed (100% quality) 100% 95% 89%
Lightroom (DNG) 100% 98% 94%

⚠️ Attention: On models Galaxy A-series (for example, A54 or A34) when cropping through the standard Gallery can be automatically applied noise reductionif the source was shot in a dark room. This results in blurring of fine details. To avoid the effect, crop such photos by Snapseed or disable the option Improved editing in the Gallery settings.

💡

To preserve maximum quality, crop the photo in RAW (if shot in this format) or use Snapseed/Lightroom with the export setting "100% quality".

6. Automatic cropping using AI

Modern Samsung based One UI 5.1+ support AI functions for photo editing, including automatic cropping. The algorithm analyzes the composition and suggests optimal framing, removing unnecessary elements at the edges. Here's how it works:

🤖 Method 1: Built-in AI in the Gallery

  • 🖼️ Open the photo in Gallery and click Edit.
  • 🔍 Select Crop and rotate, then tap on the icon magic sticks (Auto cropping).
  • 📏 The system will offer 2-3 cropping options. Select the appropriate one or edit it manually.
  • 💾 Save the result (better as a copy to compare with the original).

🤖 Method 2: Application Photo Lab or Remini

These applications use AI for smart cropping with the addition of missing details (for example, if you need to expand the background). However, Samsung they are unstable due to optimization for Exynos/Snapdragon. Before use:

  • 📱 Check compatibility in the application description (some AI functions are only available on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2+).
  • 🔋 Close background applications - AI cropping requires a lot of RAM.
  • 📁 Save results in a separate folder (AI may distort colors on HEIFphoto).

⚠️ Attention: Automatic cropping with AI can remove important detailsif the photo has a complex composition (for example, group shots or landscapes with small objects). Always check the result at 100% scale before saving.

7. Cropping for social networks: optimal sizes

If you are cropping a photo for publication in Instagram, TikTok or VK, it is important to consider the recommended aspect ratios. avoid automatic cropping by the platform. Here are the current requirements for 2026:

Platform Content type Ratio Recommended size (pixel)
Instagram Post in the feed 4:5 or 1:1 1080×1350 or 1080×1080
Instagram Stories/Reels 9:16 1080×1920
TikTok Video/photo 9:16 1080×1920
VK Post in feed 16:9 or 1:1 1200×675 or 1000×1000
Twitter (X) Image in a tweet 16:9 1200×675

🎯 How to crop for social networks without distortion:

  1. In any editor (Gallery, Snapseed, Lightroom), select the desired ratio from the templates.
  2. Enable grid (in the cropping settings) for precise positioning of the object.
  3. For Instagram Stories leave padding at the top and bottom - part of the image may be covered by the interface.
  4. Export with resolution 1080p (to Snapseed: Export → Size → 1080).

💡 Useful advice: If you need to publish one photo on several social networks, first crop it to the most “strict” format (for example, Instagram with it 4:5), and then modify the copy for other platforms. This way you will save time and avoid. errors.

8. Solving problems when cropping

Sometimes when cropping photographs on Samsung errors or unexpected results occur. Here are the most common problems and their solutions:

  • ❌ The photo is not saved after trimming
    Cause: There is not enough space on your device or the Gallery cache has failed.
    Solution: Clear the application cache Gallery in the settings (Applications → Gallery → Memory → Clear cache) or save the photo to a memory card.
  • ❌ Cropped photo is blurry
    Cause: The source was in format HEIF with strong compression or cropping was done in preview rather than at full resolution.
    Solution: Convert the photo to JPEG before cropping or use Lightroom to work with a full-size copy.
  • ❌ You cannot crop RAW files
    Reason: Standard Gallery does not support editing DNG.
    Solution: Install Lightroom Mobile or Darkroom (there is a free version).
  • ❌ Cropping is applied to the original
    Reason: The option is enabled in the Gallery settings Save changes to the original.
    Solution: Disable it in Gallery Settings → Editing → Save a copy when editing.

⚠️ Attention: On some models Samsung (for example, Galaxy M-series) when cropping through Google Photos EXIF information (date, camera model, geotags) may disappear. If this is critical, use the standard Gallery or Snapseed.

💡

If the colors change after cropping the photo, try manually adjusting color profile in the camera settings (Advanced settings → Saving settings → Color profile → Saturated).

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about cropping photos on Samsung

Is it possible to cancel cropping after saving?

If you saved the cropped photo as copy, the original will remain intact in the folder DCIM/Camera. If you overwrote the original, try restoring it via Trash in the Gallery (the files are stored there). 15 days) or using applications like DiskDigger (requires root access for deep scanning).

Why, after cropping, does the photo weigh more than the original?

This happens if you saved it in PNG (lossless) format instead of JPEG. In the export settings (Snapseed, Lightroom), select JPEG with a quality of 80-90% - this is enough for social networks, and the weight of the file will decrease by 2-3 times.

How to crop a photo to a shape (circle, heart, etc.)?

Standard tools Samsung do not support cropping to arbitrary shapes. Use:

  • PicsArt (tool Cutting → Shapes).
  • Canva (templates with masks).
  • PhotoLayers (for overlaying shapes on the photo).

After cropping, export the result with a transparent background (PNG), if you need to overlay it on another image.

Is it possible to crop Live Photos on Samsung?

Yes, but with limitations:

  1. Open live photo in the Gallery and click Edit.
  2. Crop the frame as usual, but save as still image (the option will appear during export).
  3. If you need to save animation, use Google Photos: crop the photo, then export as Video (will be saved in MP4 with a duration of 3 seconds).
How to crop a photo on Samsung using voice commands?

On models with Bixby (for example, Galaxy S22+ or newer):

  1. Activate Bixby long press on side button.
  2. Say: "Open the Gallery and show the last photo".
  3. Then: "Crop this photo in a 1 to 1 ratio".
  4. Voice confirmation to save: "Save as a copy".

⚠️ Works only in English/Korean (in the Russian version Bixby photo editing support is limited).