How to fix the problem when iMovie crops my videos on iPhone – WP Reset

If you edit videos with iMovie on your iPhone, it can be frustrating to discover that your videos are being automatically cropped. This can result in important visual elements being cut off or entire portions of the frame being removed without your instruction. Fortunately, this is a common problem with iMovie’s default settings and is easy to fix once you know where to look.

TLDR: iMovie on iPhone may crop your videos due to its automatic video adjustment feature, especially if you use clips with different aspect ratios. The most common solution is to disable “Ken Burns” or manually set the crop setting to “Fit”. You may also consider rotating or adjusting your source video before importing it. Knowing how iMovie handles video orientation and frame size is essential to avoid this problem in the future.

Understand why iMovie crops your videos

iMovie tends to crop videos by default when this is attempted fill the screen with the music video. This is usually done to match the aspect ratio of your project, typically 16:9 (landscape). When you import a video shot in portrait mode (for example: vertical smartphone videos), iMovie crops the top and bottom edges to fill the screen horizontally, resulting in a cropped video.

Additionally, iMovie may fit a Ken Burns effecta pan and zoom feature that adds motion to still images and video clips. While useful in some cases, this effect can cause your video to automatically crop and zoom in, giving the appearance of cutting off the edges.

Step by Step: Fix Cropped Video in iMovie on iPhone

Follow these methods to prevent iMovie from cropping your videos:

1. Use the “Adjust” option instead of “Crop to Fill”

1. Open your iMovie project.
2. Tap the video clip in the timeline.
3. Above the preview screen, tap the magnifying glass icon (known as the video viewer controls).
4. Once the zoom/panning interface appears, use two fingers to pinch out or in until the clip fits in the frame.
5. You should see two options on the screen: “Cut to Fill” And “Fit”. Select “Fit” to avoid cropping.

This keeps the video in its original aspect ratio. Please note that since the aspect ratio may not exactly match the screen, black bars may appear on the sides or top and bottom. This is preferable to losing parts of your footage.

2. Turn off the Ken Burns effect

1. Tap the clip you want to edit in the timeline.
2. Search for the Ken Burns switch when it appears. If it is enabled, disable it.
3. Alternatively, you can manually adjust the movement between the start and end frames if you want to use the effect more precisely.

The Ken Burns effect is subtle, but can still cause the viewport to unintentionally zoom in on your footage. Turning this off will restore your clip to its intended framing.

3. Rotate your video before importing (if necessary)

If iMovie mistakenly thinks your footage is in a different orientation, it may try to crop it to adjust. To prevent this:

• Open the Photos app and rotate the video to the desired direction.
• Save the changes and re-import the clip into iMovie.

This strategy ensures that iMovie processes the clip correctly from the start.

Advanced tips to prevent future cropping in iMovie

Once you have solved the immediate cropping problem, there are some good practices you should keep in mind to avoid facing similar problems again.

1. Make videos in the right direction

Make sure you record your videos in the same orientation (portrait or landscape) that matches the size of your final project. Because iMovie typically uses aspect ratio by default, recording in landscape orientation helps prevent automatic cropping.

2. Stick to consistent aspect ratios

Mixing footage with different aspect ratios (such as 4:3, 16:9, or vertical formats) can result in unpredictable cropping. Try to keep your clips consistent in size and shape to reduce problems during the editing process.

3. Consider editing in iMovie for Mac

If you need more detailed controls, consider transferring your project to iMovie on a Mac. The desktop version offers more editing flexibility, such as better cropping options and export settings.

When cropping can actually be useful

It is worth noting that cropping is not always undesirable. iMovie crops to help fill the frame for cinematic presentations. If you’re creating a trailer or showcasing a product, filling the entire screen can improve visual engagement. But it’s best if the cropping is intentional and user-controlled, and not automatic.

Other video editing apps that offer more control

If you find iMovie’s interface too restrictive, consider trying alternative video editing apps that give you more control over cropping and resolution:

• InShot: Popular among social media users, it allows you to precisely control aspect ratio and cropping.
• Cinematic professional: Improved camera and editor app with better resolution and orientation settings.
• Luma Fusion: A powerful professional editing app for iOS, giving full control over frame and crop settings.

These apps offer more advanced editing capabilities if you consistently encounter iMovie limitations.

Final thoughts

While cropping your videos in iMovie may seem like a bug, this is mainly due to the way the app interprets aspect ratios and automatically tries to optimize framing. The key to preventing unwanted cropping is understanding this default behavior and manually adjusting the settings. Whether you turn off Ken Burns, use the Adjust button, or shoot in the right direction, there are simple and effective methods to ensure your videos look exactly the way you want on your iPhone.

Frequently asked questions

• Question: Why does iMovie crop my video when I import it?
  A: iMovie will automatically try to fit your footage into the 16:9 aspect ratio of the project timeline, cropping portions of the video if your footage is a different size.
• Q: What is the Ken Burns Effect and how does it affect cropping?
  A: The Ken Burns effect moves and zooms across your video clip. If this is enabled, iMovie may zoom in on your footage, causing unintentional cropping. You can disable this effect through the video viewer settings.
• Question: Can I change the aspect ratio of the project to stop cropping?
  A: Unfortunately, iMovie on iPhone doesn’t let you change the aspect ratio of the project. You’ll need to adjust individual clips using the “Adjust” option or use software like iMovie on Mac or LumaFusion for more control.
• Question: Why do I see black bars in my clip after I select Fit?
  A: This happens because the aspect ratio of the original video does not match the project size. “Fit” preserves the entire frame of your clip, but adds black bars to compensate for the empty space.
• Question: Is there a way to batch change all clips to ‘Fit’ in iMovie?
  A: Unfortunately, each clip requires manual adjustment. iMovie on iPhone currently does not support batch editing crop settings.