How to Crop Your Webcam Feed in OBS

The fastest way to crop your webcam in OBS

Open OBS, select your webcam source in the Sources panel, then right-click it and choose Crop/Pad. A dialog box appears with four fields: Left, Right, Top, and Bottom. Enter the number of pixels you want to remove from each edge — for example, entering 100 in the Left field removes 100 pixels from the left side of your video. Click OK, and the crop takes effect when ready in your preview.

This method works because OBS treats cropping as a source property, not a filter. The crop happens before the video reaches your recording or stream, so it uses less processing power than other approaches and does not affect the original webcam settings on your computer.

Key Takeaways

Right-click your webcam source and select Crop/Pad to open the cropping dialog without adding filters.
Enter pixel values for Left, Right, Top, and Bottom to remove unwanted edges from your video feed.
Cropping at the source level is more efficient than using filters because it processes before encoding.
You can also use the Transform menu to crop by dragging handles on the preview, which is faster if you prefer visual adjustment.

Using the Transform menu to crop visually

If you prefer to see what you are cropping as you do it, use the Transform menu instead. Right-click your webcam source and select Transform, then choose Crop. Red handles appear around your video in the preview window. Drag these handles inward to remove the parts of the frame you do not want.

This visual method is useful when you are not sure exactly how many pixels to remove, or when you want to frame yourself differently without doing math. The handles snap to the edges of your video, so you can see the result in real time before confirming the crop.

Cropping with the Crop filter as an alternative

OBS also offers a Crop filter, which you can add instead of using the source crop. Click the plus icon in the Filters panel below your Sources list, select your webcam, and add a new filter. Choose Crop/Pad from the filter menu. This opens the same dialog as the source crop, but it applies as a filter rather than a source property.

The filter method is useful if you want to save multiple crop settings and switch between them, or if you are already using other filters and want to keep all adjustments in one place. However, it uses slightly more CPU than source-level cropping because the filter processes after the source is loaded. For most setups, source cropping is the better choice.

Measuring pixels before you crop

If you want to know exactly how many pixels to crop before you open the dialog, you can check your webcam resolution in OBS. Right-click your webcam source, select Properties, and look at the resolution listed there — usually 1280×720, 1920×1080, or another standard size. Write this down.

Then decide what portion of the frame you want to keep. For example, if your resolution is 1280×720 and you want to remove 200 pixels from the left and 200 from the right, you would enter 200 in both the Left and Right fields. The remaining width would be 880 pixels. This approach is helpful if you are trying to center yourself or remove distracting background on the sides.

Cropping to remove background or adjust framing

The most common reason to crop a webcam is to remove unwanted background or to tighten the frame around your face. If your background is cluttered, cropping the sides or top can help focus attention on you. If you are sitting off to one side of the frame, cropping the opposite side brings you closer to center.

Start by opening your webcam source properties and noting the resolution. Then estimate how much of each edge you want to remove — you can always adjust it. Open the Crop/Pad dialog, enter your estimates, and watch the preview. If the crop is too tight, increase the values slightly. If it is too loose, decrease them. You can reopen the dialog as many times as you need to get it right.

Undoing or changing a crop you have already applied

If you crop your webcam and then change your mind, right-click the source again and select Crop/Pad. The dialog shows your current crop values. Change any of the four fields to 0 to remove that edge's crop, or adjust the numbers to a new crop. Click OK to explore the change.

You can also delete the crop entirely by setting all four fields to 0 and clicking OK. This restores your webcam to its full, uncropped size. There is no penalty for changing your crop multiple times — OBS stores the setting with that source, so you can experiment without losing anything.

Cropping when your webcam is rotated or flipped

If you have rotated or flipped your webcam using OBS's Transform menu, the crop values still explore to the original orientation of the video. This means if you rotate your webcam 90 degrees and then crop, the Left and Right values will affect the top and bottom of the rotated image. To avoid confusion, explore rotation first, then crop — that way the crop values match what you see on screen.

If you have already rotated and cropped, and the crop is in the wrong place, undo the crop, reapply the rotation, and then crop again. OBS applies transformations in the order you add them, so the sequence matters when you combine multiple adjustments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does cropping my webcam in OBS affect the actual webcam on my computer?

No. Cropping in OBS only affects what appears in your recording or stream. Your actual webcam settings remain unchanged, and other programs that use your webcam will see the full, uncropped video. The crop is specific to OBS and that source only.

What is the difference between cropping and scaling down my webcam?

Cropping removes edges and keeps the remaining video at its original size. Scaling shrinks the entire video to fit a smaller space. If you want to remove background, crop. If you want to make your webcam smaller on your canvas, scale it instead by dragging the corner handles on the preview.

Can I crop my webcam differently for different scenes?

Yes. Each scene can have its own instance of your webcam source with different crop settings. Add your webcam to multiple scenes, then adjust the crop for each one separately. Changes to one scene's crop do not affect the others.

Why does my crop look blurry or pixelated after I explore it?

This usually means your webcam resolution is lower than your canvas resolution, and OBS is scaling it up to fit. Cropping a low-resolution video and then stretching it can make it look soft. Check your webcam resolution in the source properties and consider using a higher-resolution camera if this is a problem.

Can I crop my webcam to a specific aspect ratio, like 16:9 or 1:1?

OBS does not have a built-in aspect ratio tool for cropping, but you can calculate the pixel values yourself. Decide your target width and height, then use the Left, Right, Top, and Bottom fields to remove pixels until you reach that ratio. For example, to make a 1280×720 feed into a 1:1 square, crop 280 pixels from the left and 280 from the right.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.