3 Easy Ways to Crop Video in Camtasia [Step-by-Step]

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Are you looking for a way to crop your video in Camtasia?

In this guide, we’ll show you how to crop your video in Camtasia so it looks great on social media or your website. We’ll also show you how to adjust the aspect ratio of your video so it conforms to standard aspect ratios.

Whether you’re looking to create a professional-looking video or just want to crop out an unwanted part of the frame, follow these steps and you’ll be able to do it in no time!

Why Crop Videos

Cropping your video can add interest, change the dynamics and improve the overall look of your video. It can also be used to eliminate distractions, focus attention on a particular subject or increase the sense of motion.

Cropping videos is an easy way to fit them into different spaces, remove unwanted parts, and isolate certain elements.

There are a few things to consider when deciding whether or not to crop your video:

  • Think about the purpose of the video. Is it for social media? A website? For a presentation? The size and aspect ratio of the final video will likely be different depending on where you upload it.
  • Consider the content of the video. What are the most important parts that you want to focus on? Cropping can be used to draw attention to a specific element in the frame or to remove distractions.
  • Think about the composition of the shot. Is there a certain way you want the viewer to experience the video? Crop video can be used to create a sense of motion or change the dynamics of the shot.

Cropping is useful when you want to fit a video into a certain area. It’s also an easy way to clean up messy recordings. Was someone standing a little too close at times? Just crop them out. Is there a weird shadow near the edge of your video? Crop that shadow right out.

Screenshot of camtasia while cropping a video

How is Cropping Different from Zooming and Trimming?

Cropping and zooming are both ways of adjusting the frame of a photo, but they produce different results.

Zooming in on a photo will make the subject appear larger, but will also reduce the amount of background that is visible. Zooming is useful for showing details about a UI element or demonstrating how something works.

Trimming generally refers to taking away small parts of the video at the beginning or the end. For instance, you may start up your video recording and not quite be ready to perform. In that case, the very beginning of your recording will need to be trimmed.

Trimming and zooming are both ways to adjust the playback of an existing video clip. Cropping affects the overall size of the video frame while trimming and zooming affect the way the video frame looks.

Cropping involves cutting away parts of the photo to change the composition. This can be used to remove unwanted elements or to focus on a specific area.

Methods for Cropping a Video with Camtasia

There are a few different ways that you can crop your video in Camtasia.

  • You can use the cropping tool, which allows you to manually select the area of the frame that you want to keep.
  • You can use the trim tool, which lets you cut away parts of the beginning or end of a clip.
  • Alternatively, you can use the zoom tool to change the level of detail that is visible in the frame.

1. Cropping Your Video Using the Cropping Tool

Select the clip you want to edit. Then, click on the “crop” icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen. This will open the cropping tool.

Use the mouse to click and drag the cropping tool around the frame. The part of the frame that is inside the cropping tool will be kept, while the rest will be cut away. Once you are satisfied with the crop, press the “OK” button.

Screenshot of Camtasia cropping.

2. Using the Trim Tool

Select the clip that you want to edit. Then, click on the “scissors” icon in the toolbar (it is also called the “cut” tool). Click on it and the part of the frame that is selected will be cut away. Note that this doesn’t really crop your video image, but takes away part of the video so that it is now missing.

Camtasia screenshot where the user is trimming the beginning of a video.

3. Cropping Your Video Using the Zoom Tool

Select the clip that you want to edit. Then, click on the “zoom” icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen. This will open up the zoom tool. Use the mouse to click and drag the zoom tool around the frame. The part of the frame that is inside the zoom tool will be magnified, while the rest will be cut away.

Screenshot of Camtasia zoom tool in action.

You can also crop an entire video in Camtasia. Just go to the Edit tab and scroll down to the Crop section. There you can specify the width and height of the crop area.

You can export the cropped video to other formats like MP4, MOV, etc.

How to Un-Crop a Clip

When you crop a video, you don’t actually delete or destroy anything. Camtasia allows you to easily adjust the crop area via its interface.

  1. In the timeline, double-click on the cropped video to open the editing window.
  2. Click on the “crop” icon in the toolbar.
  3. In the “Crop” dialog box, make sure the “Lock Aspect Ratio” checkbox is unchecked. You can now change the width, height, and other parameters of the crop.
  4. When you’re done, click on the “OK” button to close the dialog box.

How to Export a Cropped Video

Once you’ve cropped your video, you can export it in any format you want. The most common format is MP4, but you can also export or share it in MOV, AVI, WMV, and other formats.

To export your video, go to the “File” menu and choose “Export”. In the “Export” dialog box, choose the format you want to export your video in. You can also choose the resolution, quality, and other settings.

When you’re done, click on the “Export” button to export your video.

If you want to share it, then click on “Share” …

Screenshot of Camtasia sharing.

Once you’ve made any adjustments, you can simply save the new version of the file.

FAQs for Cropping Videos with Camtasia

Is there a way to repeat or extend a crop area across multiple content elements in Camtasia?

In order to match the next piece of video, you must manually move the crop line to match the new position. This is very tedious. There isn’t an easy way to repeat the crop area.

How do I cut part of a video in Camtasia?

To cut part of a video in Camtasia, first select the portion of the clip that you want to remove. Then, click the scissors icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen. This will open the cut dialog box. In the cut dialog box, you can specify exactly where you want to cut the video clip. Once you’ve specified the cut points, click the cut button. This will remove the selected portion of the video from your project.

Is Camtasia the best screen recorder?

Camtasia is one of the most popular screen recording software programs available. It offers a wide range of features and is relatively easy to use, making it a good choice for both beginners and experienced users.

However, there are other screen recording software programs available that offer similar features that you may want to try. For example, Screencast-O-Matic offers a free basic version with many of the same features as Camtasia. Some say it has a more user-friendly interface. So it may be worth it for you to try out a few screen recorders before you decide on Camtasia.

How do I save videos from Camtasia?

Click on the ‘File’ menu and then select ‘Save As.’ You’ll be prompted to choose a location to save the file and a format for the file. Camtasia can save videos in MOV, AVI, or MP4 format. Once you’ve selected a location and format, click ‘Save’ and your video will be saved!

How do I export a video from Camtasia?

Exporting a video from Camtasia is easy. Simply go to File > Export > Movie and select the file format you want to export to. You can export to various formats, including MP4, MOV, and AVI. Once you’ve selected the file format you want to export to, simply click on the “Export” button and choose a location to save the file. Your video will now be exported from Camtasia and ready for use.

Is Camtasia good for editing?

Camtasia has a lot of features that make it easy to edit videos. It also has a big community of users who can help you if you have any questions. However, there are some things to keep in mind before you decide to use Camtasia for your video editing needs. For one, Camtasia is not free. You will need to pay for it if you want to use it. Also, Camtasia can be a bit tricky to learn at first. But once you get the hang of it, it’s easy to use for editing and recording.

Can you crop someone out of a video?

Cropping someone out of a video can be useful if you want to remove an unwanted person from the footage or if you simply want to focus on a particular subject.  One method is to use a video editing program like Adobe Premiere Pro Pro or Final Cut Pro. Simply open the video in the program and then use the crop tool to select the portion of the video that you want to keep.

You can then export the cropped video and save it as a new file. Another option is to use an online video cropping tool like Clideo or Kapwing. Simply upload the video file and then select the area that you want to crop. Once you’re happy with the selection, download the file and save it to your computer. The next time you need to crop someone out of a video, don’t panic – it’s actually very easy to do!

Wrapping Up

Cropping your videos can be a great way to focus the viewer’s attention on the most important part of the video.

In this guide, we showed you how to crop your videos using Camtasia. We also shared some tips for cropping your videos effectively.

Now it’s time for you to go out and try cropping your own videos!

Lisa Parmley
Lisa Parmley

Lisa Parmley is the founder of coursemethod.com. After gaining a Master's degree, she worked in research for about seven years. She started a training company in 2001, offering a course helping people pass a professional exam. That course has earned multiple 7 figures. She created SEO and authority site building training around 2007 which went on to earn well into the 6-figure mark.

She has 22+ years of experience in the trenches creating and selling online courses. Get help starting and growing your online course business here.

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