Share via

Cropping with Microsoft Paint

Anonymous
2019-01-21T05:52:24+00:00

I wanted to ask if there is a way to maintain a portrait aspect ratio when initially cropping a picture. I've seen software from earlier times that maintained ratios as I was framing a portion of a picture I wanted to crop. I cannot find any way to do that with Paint. Am I missing something?

Craig Pierce

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Settings

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

5 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Vijay A. Verma 104.8K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-01-22T06:49:57+00:00

    Personally I use GIMP which is free alternative to Photoshop and is open source. This is a full blown application and is not entry level.

    https://www.gimp.org/downloads/

    For basic needs, I use Irfan view which can be downloaded from Microsoft Store.

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/irfanvi...

    Disclaimer 1 - Using Third Party Software is completely at your own risk. This advice is in my personal capacity as a volunteer.

    Disclaimer 2 - This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Vijay A. Verma 104.8K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-01-21T06:04:15+00:00

    Hi CraigPierce1,

    I am Vijay, an Independent Advisor. I am here to work with you on this problem.

    Paint is an entry level photo editor and doesn't provide this functionality. But there is a work around. When you select the region, right click on the dotted lines or within the area enclosed by those dotted lines > Resize > You can resize the selection as per your need

    In File > Properties, you can see the existing size to work out your aspect ratio.

    Do let me know if you require any further help on this. Will be glad to help you.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Vijay A. Verma 104.8K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-01-22T19:31:37+00:00

    Welcome

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2019-01-22T15:35:57+00:00

    Thank you Vijay.

    I will look into them, approaching with the caution you recommended.

    Craig

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2019-01-22T04:46:43+00:00

    Hi Vijay,

    First off, I appreciate your time helping me. AND your quick response. Thank you.

    I find it amusing that you describe Paint as an entry level photo editor even though it does not provide basic functionality to easily portrait (or landscape) crop photos. I am NOT disagreeing with your assessment. I just think that somewhere along the way, Microsoft gave up a nice feature that was very useful for us neophytes.

    In times past, it was easy to find software with a movable box with the proper portrait dimensions that I could frame the portion of a picture I wanted to crop and save. That seems like a feature an "entry level photo editor" would have. Are you aware of a basic framing software that I could buy to install on my PC, bypassing all the ad loaded "free" (seemingly mostly cloud based) software out there. 

    All I want to do is to crop pictures of faces for my contact software and placing in a club directory.

    Again Vijay, thank you for your help.

    Craig Pierce

    0 comments