Crop images and photos in Paint.NET

Cropping an image is a simple but effective way edit to a photograph. It can be used to remove things from an image that you don't want or centre important people in the image. It is also helpful because digital cameras take photos in a slightly different shape to the traditional 6 by 4 inch photo. Cropping an image yourself makes sure that you get the photo you want.

Open the image and click on the Rectangle select button in the Tools window. It is the top right icon or you can press S.

Look for the option in the toolbar at the top that says 'Normal'. Click on the arrow on this button and select Fixed Ratio. Set the width as 6 and the height as 4.

Click and draw a rectangle on the photo to show the area that you want to keep. You can select beyond the edges of the photo so be careful not to, otherwise the proportions will still be wrong.

When you are happy with the selection, click on the Image menu and then Crop to Selection.

If you want to crop the image in the portrait orientation rather than landscape, click on the double-headed arrow between the height and width settings to switch them around.

As this edit removes information from the photograph, it is a good idea to save it with a different name before you start just in case you decide that you want the full photo again for something else.