Crop Your Webcam in OBS Using the Crop/Pad Filter

To crop your webcam in OBS, add the Crop/Pad filter to your camera source. Right-click your webcam source in the Sources panel, select Filters, then click the plus icon and choose Crop/Pad. A dialog box opens where you can drag the edges inward to remove unwanted parts of the frame — the left side of your room, the top of your wall, or anything else outside the area you want to show.

The filter works by letting you set pixel values for how much to remove from each side. You can type exact numbers if you know them, or use the preview window to see the crop in real time as you adjust the sliders. Once you are happy with how it looks, click Close and the crop stays applied every time you use that source.

Key Takeaways

  • The Crop/Pad filter is built into OBS and requires no plugins or downloads.
  • You can crop from any side of the frame by entering pixel values or dragging sliders in the filter dialog.
  • The preview window shows you exactly what your audience will see before you save the filter.
  • Cropping happens on the source itself, so the crop applies to every scene that uses that webcam.
  • If you want different crops in different scenes, create a second copy of the same camera source and crop each one separately.

Step-by-Step: Adding and Adjusting the Crop Filter

Start by opening OBS and making sure your webcam source is visible in the Sources panel on the left side of the screen. If you have not added your camera yet, click the plus icon in Sources, select Video Capture Device, and choose your webcam from the list.

Right-click the webcam source name and click Filters. A new window opens showing any filters already on that source. At the bottom left, you will see a plus icon — click it and a menu appears. Scroll down to find Crop/Pad and click it. The Crop/Pad dialog opens when ready.

In the dialog, you see four fields: Left, Right, Top, and Bottom. Each one controls how many pixels to remove from that edge. Type a number into any field, and the preview on the right updates when ready. Start with small numbers — try 50 or 100 — and increase them until the crop looks right. The preview shows you exactly what your stream or recording will show.

Once the crop is set the way you want, click Close. The filter stays active and the crop applies every time you use that source in any scene.

Using Sliders Instead of Typing Numbers

If you prefer not to type, you can drag sliders instead. In the Crop/Pad dialog, look for the small arrow or expand button next to each field name. Click it to reveal a slider underneath. Drag the slider left or right to adjust the crop amount, and watch the preview update as you move it.

Sliders are slower than typing if you know the exact pixel count you want, but they are useful when you are experimenting or when you want to see the effect in real time without typing numbers. Many users find it easier to get the crop right by dragging until it looks good rather than guessing at pixel values.

Cropping Different Amounts in Different Scenes

The crop filter applies to the source itself, which means every scene that uses that webcam source will show the same crop. If you want to crop your camera differently in different scenes — for example, tighter in one scene and looser in another — you need to create a second copy of the same camera source.

Right-click your webcam source and select Duplicate. OBS creates a copy with a new name, like "Video Capture Device 2". Add this duplicate to the scene where you want a different crop. Right-click the duplicate, open Filters, add a Crop/Pad filter, and set it to the crop you want for that scene. Now you have two camera sources with different crops, and you can use whichever one you need in each scene.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake is cropping too much and cutting off your face or the important part of what you are trying to show. Start with small crop values — 20 to 50 pixels — and increase gradually. The preview window is always there to show you what the audience sees, so use it before you close the dialog.

Another mistake is forgetting that the crop applies to the source, not the scene. If you crop your camera in one scene and then add the same source to another scene, both scenes will show the crop. If that is not what you want, duplicate the source first, then crop the duplicate.

Do not confuse the Crop/Pad filter with resizing or scaling. Cropping removes pixels from the edges. If you want to make your camera smaller or larger on screen, use the transform tools in the scene editor instead — click and drag the corners of the source preview in your scene.

Adjusting Crop Without Reopening the Filter

Once you have added the Crop/Pad filter, you can adjust it again without starting over. Right-click the webcam source, click Filters, and you will see the Crop/Pad filter listed. Double-click it or click the settings icon next to it to open the dialog again. Make your changes and click Close.

If you want to remove the crop entirely, open the Filters dialog, right-click the Crop/Pad filter, and click Delete. The crop disappears and your full camera feed shows again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I crop my webcam in OBS without using a filter?

No, the Crop/Pad filter is the standard way to crop a camera source in OBS. You could also use the transform tools to move and resize the source on screen, but that does not actually remove pixels — it just makes the source smaller. The filter is the proper way to crop.

Does cropping reduce the file size of my recording?

No. Cropping only changes what you see on screen. The camera still captures the full resolution, and your recording file size stays the same. If you want to reduce file size, you would need to change the camera resolution itself or adjust your bitrate settings.

What if my webcam resolution is very high and I do not know the pixel values?

Use the sliders instead of typing numbers. Drag them until the crop looks right in the preview. You do not need to know the exact pixel count — the preview shows you what matters, which is how it looks to your audience.

Can I save a crop setting and reuse it on other sources?

OBS does not have a built-in way to save and copy filter settings between sources. You can write down the pixel values (Left, Right, Top, Bottom) and type them into another source's Crop/Pad filter manually, but there is no one-click way to duplicate the settings.

Does cropping work on all types of sources or just webcams?

The Crop/Pad filter works on any source — webcams, window captures, game captures, images, and video files. The steps are the same: right-click the source, open Filters, add Crop/Pad, and adjust the edges.