Image cropper & background remover
Crop to a square or circle, optionally remove the background. No upload
Click to choose or drag & drop an image
PNG, JPG, WEBP
About background removal
Background removal runs an AI model entirely in your browser — your image is never uploaded. The first run downloads the model (tens of MB), so it takes a moment; after that it's cached for next time.
How to use the image cropper
- Drop in a PNG, JPG or WebP — the editor opens with your image scaled to fill the crop frame.
- Pick the crop shape (square or circle) and the output size, anywhere from 32 to 2048 px (512 is the default).
- Drag the image to reposition it and use the zoom slider (100–400%) to move in closer. The image is clamped so the frame is always fully covered — no accidental empty edges. Reset starts the framing over.
- Optionally hit ✂ Remove background. The first use downloads the AI model (tens of MB, cached afterwards), then the subject is cut out onto a transparent background — and you can keep cropping the cutout.
- Click Download PNG to save the result as
cropped.png.
Common uses
- Make a clean avatar: crop yourself to a square, or to a circle with transparent corners for sites that don't round images automatically.
- Cut a product out of a cluttered photo for a marketplace listing or catalog — remove the background, then crop tight around the item.
- Prepare a profile headshot: strip a distracting background, zoom in on the face, and export a crisp 512 px square.
- Turn a photo into a sticker-style cutout with transparency for slides, docs or memes.
Tips & limitations
- Output is always PNG — that's what keeps circle corners and removed backgrounds transparent. If you need a smaller JPG or WebP afterwards, run the result through the image compressor.
- Background removal is strongest on clear, well-lit subjects — people, products, pets. Fine details like wispy hair, fur or semi-transparent objects can come out with rough edges, and there's no manual touch-up brush.
- The first background removal involves a real download (the model is tens of megabytes), so it takes a moment on slow connections; after that it's cached and much quicker.
- Zoom tops out at 4×, so cropping a tiny detail out of a very large photo has limits — start from a closer shot if you need extreme crops.
How it's built & why it's safe
The editor is an HTML Canvas: pointer events handle drag-to-pan (mouse and touch alike), a circular clip() path produces the round crop, and toBlob exports the PNG. Background removal lazy-loads @imgly/background-removal — an open-source ML model compiled to WebAssembly — only when you click the button; the model is fetched once, cached, and runs entirely on your device. Your photo is never uploaded, not even for the AI step.
Related tools: Image Resizer · EXIF Remover · Image Converter
Further reading: Why Toolkit runs entirely in your browser (and why that matters)
Frequently asked questions
Does the background remover upload my image?
No. The AI model is downloaded to your browser and runs on your device, so the photo itself never leaves your machine. That's the reverse of most online background removers, which process your image on their servers.
Why is the first background removal slow?
The model weighs tens of megabytes and has to be fetched on first use. Your browser caches it, so later removals skip the download and run much faster.
What sizes and shapes can I export?
A square or a circle, anywhere from 32 to 2048 px. Drag to position, zoom up to 4x, and the output is always a PNG so circular crops keep their transparent corners.
Can I crop after removing the background?
Yes — the cutout is loaded straight back into the editor, so you can re-frame it, zoom, and then download. Removing first and cropping second usually gives the cleanest final image.
How accurate is the background removal?
Very good on distinct subjects against contrasting backgrounds; less perfect on fine hair, fur, glass or busy scenes. If an edge looks rough, try a photo with more contrast between subject and background — there are no manual correction tools here.
Why does it only save PNG?
PNG supports transparency, which both the circle crop and background removal depend on. If you need a smaller file, convert the PNG to WebP or JPG afterwards — just remember JPG will fill transparent areas with a solid color.