Crop video to square (1:1) for Instagram
Short answer: open Millwards Studio, upload your own video, trim the moment you want, click 1:1 Feed, pick Fill (crop edge to edge) or Fit (keep everything on a blurred or solid background), then export. It runs in your browser and the 720p export is free.
A square video has the same width and height, for example 1080 × 1080 pixels. It is a common choice for Instagram and other feeds because, at the same width, a square takes up more of a phone screen than a landscape video. The hard part is deciding what to cut, and that is what the steps below cover.
How to crop a video to square in 4 steps
- Upload your video. Open Millwards Studio and start a new project. MP4, MOV or WebM files up to 1 GB from your device are supported.
- Trim the moment. Drag the handles on the clip timeline, or type exact In and Out times, to keep only the part worth posting. Starting on the point, rather than on a long intro, gives viewers a reason to keep watching.
- Choose 1:1 Feed. In the ratio buttons, click 1:1 Feed. Then choose Fill or Fit, and for Fit choose a Blurred or Solid background.
- Export. Free exports are 720p WebM files made in your browser, with a Millwards Studio watermark. Pro (£12 per month) gives 1080p MP4 files with no watermark.
Fill or Fit: which to pick
| Option | What happens | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Fill | Scales the video until the square is full. From a 16:9 source the left and right edges are cut; from a 9:16 source the top and bottom are cut. | The subject (a face, a product, a speaker) stays near the centre for the whole clip. |
| Fit | Keeps the whole frame and fills the empty space with a blurred copy of the video or a solid colour. | Something important sits at the edges, such as on-screen text, a scoreboard or two people side by side. |
If the subject moves across the frame, Pro accounts can run AI analysis and review a suggested subject-aware reframe instead of a fixed centre crop.
Checks before you post
- Watch the cut edges. With Fill, play the whole clip once and look for text, hands or faces that slip out of the square.
- Keep captions inside the square. Captions placed for a vertical or landscape version may sit outside a square crop. Re-check them after switching to 1:1.
- Mind the platform's own overlays. Feeds and Reels place buttons and captions over the video. For vertical posts, the safe zone checker shows which areas to keep clear.
- Need other shapes? The same project can export 9:16 and 16:9 too. See landscape to vertical and the video size guide.
Open Millwards Studio and choose 1:1 Feed
Millwards Studio is for video you own or have the rights to use. It does not download videos from other people's TikTok, Instagram or YouTube accounts.
FAQ
Is cropping a video to square free?
Yes. Trimming, choosing 1:1 and exporting a 720p WebM in your browser are free. Free exports include a Millwards Studio watermark. Pro costs £12 per month and adds 1080p MP4 exports with no watermark.
Does my video get uploaded to a server?
Not for free exports. Editing and the 720p export run in your browser. Pro 1080p exports are rendered on the server from a temporary copy that is removed afterwards.
Should I use Fill or Fit?
Use Fill when the subject is near the centre and you want the square filled edge to edge; the sides (or top and bottom) of the original are cut off. Use Fit when nothing may be cut; the whole frame is kept and the empty space is filled with a blurred or solid background.
Can I crop a vertical 9:16 video to square too?
Yes. The 1:1 Feed option works on any source shape. With Fill on a vertical video, the top and bottom are cut instead of the sides.
Can I use this on videos downloaded from someone else's account?
No. Millwards Studio is for video you own or have the rights to use.