What is the difference between cropping and resizing videos

Video editing has become an essential part of our digital lives, allowing us to enhance, transform, and share captivating visual content. Among the myriad techniques available to video editors, cropping and resizing are two fundamental methods used to modify videos. While both cropping and resizing involve altering the dimensions of a video, they serve distinct purposes and yield different results.

In this article, we will delve into the nuances that set cropping and resizing apart. We will explore the intricacies of each technique, examine their effects on the video, and highlight the scenarios in which they are commonly employed. By understanding the differences between cropping and resizing, you will be equipped with the knowledge to make informed decisions when it comes to manipulating videos according to your creative vision.

Join us as we unravel the dissimilarities between cropping vs resizing videos, and discover how each technique can shape the visual impact of your videos. Are you ready to get some tips for video editing? 

What is cropping a video?

Cropping a video refers to the process of removing a portion of the frame or image in order to alter its composition. It involves selecting a specific area of the video and eliminating the surrounding areas, effectively reducing the overall size of the frame. When you crop videos, the purpose is to change the visual focus, remove unwanted elements, or adjust the aspect ratio of the video. 

By cropping a video, you can emphasize specific subjects, eliminate distractions, or create a desired framing effect to enhance the overall visual appeal and storytelling.

How to crop a video with Flixier

Cropping a video allows you to remove unwanted areas, focus on specific elements, or adjust the aspect ratio to fit different platforms or creative needs. With Flixier's intuitive interface and handy crop tool, you can quickly and efficiently crop your videos to achieve the desired composition

These are the steps you need to take:

1. Add your videos to Flixier

Add the video to your Flixier library. You can either drag it over from your computer, bring it over from cloud storage or simply paste the YouTube link to import the clip.

2. Crop the video

If you want to crop and change the Aspect Ratio of the entire clip, just head over to the right side of the screen and choose one of the size presets or type in your own custom one. If you just want to crop one layer of the video but leave the overall Aspect Ratio intact, select your clip on the Timeline, go to Crop and use the sliders to adjust it until it looks just right.

3. Download or publish the video

Click on Export. Give your video a name and choose whether you want to publish it directly to your YouTube or social media accounts. Your video will be ready to download in 3 minutes or less.

What is resizing a video?

Resizing a video refers to the process of changing the dimensions or scale of the entire video frame while maintaining its original aspect ratio. Unlike cropping, which focuses on removing portions of the frame, resizing adjusts the overall size of the video while preserving the entirety of the content within the frame. Resizing can involve increasing or decreasing the video's dimensions, typically measured in terms of width and height, which directly impacts its visual size on the screen. 

This technique is commonly used to adapt videos for different display resolutions, aspect ratios, or to fit specific platforms or devices without altering the content's composition or focal points. To resize videos allows for flexible video optimization while maintaining the integrity of the original footage.

How to resize a video with Flixier

With Flixier's user-friendly interface and handy resize feature, you can easily customize the size of your videos to suit your needs. Here's how to change the file size of video content while preserving image quality:

1. Add videos to Flixier

The first step in resizing a video is to add your videos to Flixier. You can upload them from your computer or, to save time, import directly from Google Drive, Dropbox, YouTube, Zoom and many more sources.

2. Resize your video

Now drag and drop your video on the Flixier timeline and, from the right side of the screen under Aspect Ratio choose the size that you want, you can also input a custom video size in size inputs. Even more, you can drag from the corners of your video to make it fit perfectly with the new size or to focus on a different part of the video.

3. Download or publish

When happy with the result just click the Export button and your video will be processed by our super fast servers. You can publish your video directly to social media or cloud storage services or simply download it to your computer.

Key differences between cropping and resizing videos

When it comes to video editing, understanding the key differences between cropping and resizing is crucial. These techniques offer distinct advantages and serve different purposes in manipulating videos. Let's explore the key differences between video frame cropping and resizing, particularly in terms of preserving content and reusing videos.

Altering Composition

• Cropping: When you crop a video, you selectively remove portions of the frame, which can significantly change the composition and visual focus. It allows you to eliminate unwanted elements, emphasize specific subjects, or create a desired framing effect.
• Resizing: Resizing a video preserves the entire content within the frame while changing its overall dimensions. The aspect ratio remains intact, ensuring that the composition and visual elements remain unaffected. Resizing primarily adjusts the visual size of the video without modifying its content or composition.

Aspect Ratio

• Cropping: By cropping a video, you have the flexibility to modify the aspect ratio. You can create custom aspect ratios to fit specific platforms or artistic preferences, which may result in a narrower or wider frame than the original video.
• Resizing: Resizing maintains the original aspect ratio of the video. It allows for adapting the video to different display resolutions or devices without distorting or stretching the content. The aspect ratio remains consistent to ensure the correct proportions of the video.

Content Preservation

• Cropping: When you crop a video, the eliminated portions are permanently removed. This can be advantageous when you want to eliminate unwanted elements or focus on specific subjects. However, the cropped content cannot be retrieved later, and the video frame is permanently altered.
• Resizing: Resizing retains the entire content of the video within the frame. It ensures that no information is lost, making it suitable for situations where preserving the entire video is crucial. Resized videos can be further adjusted or restored to their original size without losing any content.

Reusing Videos

• Cropping: Cropping can be particularly useful when you repurpose or reuse videos for different projects. By cropping out specific sections of the frame, you can create new compositions and extract smaller clips from the original video, allowing for more flexibility in content reuse.
• Resizing: Resizing videos is beneficial for maintaining consistency across various platforms or devices without altering the content. It enables videos to be adapted to different screen sizes or resolutions while ensuring that the overall visual experience remains intact.

Choosing Between Cropping vs Resizing Videos

When faced with the choice between cropping and resizing videos, consider the following factors to make an informed decision:

• Composition: If you want to modify the visual composition, remove distractions, or emphasize specific elements, cropping is the preferred option. It allows for precise control over the frame and focal points.
• Aspect Ratio: If maintaining the original aspect ratio is crucial, especially for consistency or platform requirements, resizing is the way to go. It preserves the proportions of the video while adjusting its overall size.
• Content Preservation: If preserving the entire content of the video is important, resizing is the better choice. It ensures that no information is lost, making it suitable for repurposing or reusing videos without sacrificing any content.
• Flexibility: If you need flexibility for adapting the video to different platforms or creative purposes, cropping provides more versatility. It enables you to create new compositions or extract smaller clips from the original video.

Consider your specific objectives, the intended platform or audience, and the creative impact you want to achieve when deciding between cropping and resizing.