How to Crop, Rotate, and Resize Photos in PhotoDirector
Crop a photo into a square for Instagram, straighten a tilted shot, and reduce its file size.
Updated Oct. 25, 2026 · 4 min read
In a hurry? Use the crop and resize quick guide instead.
PhotoDirector's Crop/Rotate/Flip and Resize tools change a photo's shape, angle, and pixel size. The crop presets cover common aspect ratios and social media sizes, and Resize shows the estimated file size as you scale down. Use them when a photo has to fit a social media post, cover, or thumbnail, or when an upload needs a smaller file.
- In PhotoDirector, open Guided & GenAI, click Edit, and choose Crop/Rotate/Flip under Tools. Then import a photo.
- Rotate, flip, or straighten the photo with the buttons and the dial.
- Pick an Aspect Ratio or a Social Media size, such as Post for Instagram, and click Done.
- Click Resize under Tools, and set the size By percentage or By pixels.
- Click Apply, then Export at the top to save the photo.
Steps to Crop, Rotate, or Flip a Photo
Step 1: Open Crop/Rotate/Flip
From the PhotoDirector launcher, choose Guided & GenAI.
Click Edit in the rail on the left. Then click Crop/Rotate/Flip, the first entry under Tools.
Step 2: Import a Photo
The Crop/Rotate/Flip window opens. Drag your photo into it, or click Import Photo.
Step 3: Rotate, Flip, or Straighten
The four buttons at the top of the panel turn and mirror the photo. To level a crooked shot, use the dial under the photo, which runs from -45° to 45°. As you turn it, the crop frame shrinks to stay inside the tilted photo, so no blank corners are left. The Width and Height values drop to match.
| Control | What it does and when to use it |
|---|---|
| Left / Right | Turns the photo to the left or right. Use it on a shot that was taken sideways. |
| Horizontal | Mirrors the photo from left to right. Use it to make the subject face the other way in a layout. |
| Vertical | Flips the photo upside down. Use it for reflections or a design effect. |
| Straighten dial | Tilts the photo by up to 45° either way. Use it to level a horizon or a leaning building. |
Step 4: Choose an Aspect Ratio or Social Media Size
Under Aspect Ratio, pick a shape. Or, under Social Media, pick the preset for the platform the photo is going to. The crop frame on the photo changes to match.
| Option | What it does and when to use it |
|---|---|
| Original | Keeps the photo's own shape. Use it to trim the edges only. |
| Custom | Frees the frame from a set shape. Use it when no preset fits. |
| 1:1 | A square. Use it for profile pictures and square posts. |
| 4:5 / 5:4 | Slightly tall or slightly wide. Use 4:5 for portrait posts in a feed. |
| 9:16 | Tall and full screen on a phone. Use it for stories and reels. |
| 16:9 / 21:9 | Widescreen and ultrawide. Use them for slides, banners, and wide scenic crops. |
| Instagram Post | A 1080 x 1080 square. Use it for an Instagram feed post. |
| Facebook Cover | Sets the frame for a Facebook cover photo. |
| YouTube Thumbnail | Sets the frame for a video thumbnail. |
| X Cover / LinkedIn Cover | Sets the frame for the header image on those profiles. |
| Pinterest Post | Sets the frame for a Pin. |
Step 5: Frame the Shot and Click Done
With Instagram Post selected, the frame turns square, and Width and Height both read 1080. Drag inside the frame to move it over your subject, then click Done at the bottom of the panel.
To change the frame's size, drag its corners or sides. Or type your own size in Width and Height. The lock keeps the two in proportion, and the arrows between them swap the values. To start over, click Reset.
Step 6: Export the Photo
The photo is now cropped to the frame. Click Export at the top of the window to save it. Or keep it open and resize it next.
Steps to Resize a Photo
Step 1: Open Resize
On the Guided & GenAI tab, click Edit in the rail on the left, then Resize under Tools. A photo you just cropped stays open. If no photo is open, drag one onto the canvas or click Import Photo.
Step 2: Choose a Resize Option
Under Resize Options, pick how you want to set the new size. Each option shows an estimated file size.
| Option | What it does and when to use it |
|---|---|
| By percentage | Scales the photo with a slider, where 100 is the current size. Use it to shrink a photo without calculating pixel dimensions. |
| By pixels | Sets an exact Width and Height. Use it when a site or form asks for a set size. |
Step 3: Set the New Size
With By percentage selected, drag the slider. At 48, the 1080 x 1080 photo becomes 518 x 518, and the estimated file size drops from 5.6 MB to 1.4 MB. Resolution shows the size before and after.
Or select By pixels and type a Width. Height follows to keep the proportions, so 800 gives 800 x 800, with an estimated file size of 3.3 MB.
Step 4: Click Apply, Then Export
Click Apply. The panel goes back to the Edit tool list, with the photo at its new size. Then click Export at the top of the window to save it.
To crop or resize a whole set of photos at once, use Batch Editor, the last tab at the top of the window. Its Crop/Rotate/Flip and Resize tools apply the same change to every photo, as the Batch Editor tutorial shows.
We tested these steps in PhotoDirector 365 version 18.0.10 on Windows.
Don't have PhotoDirector yet? Crop photos to Instagram, YouTube, and other social media sizes, straighten them, and shrink them for upload.
Download PhotoDirector Free →FAQ About Cropping and Resizing Photos
It's a 1080 x 1080 pixel square. Click Post with the Instagram icon under Social Media, and Width and Height both read 1080.
Check the estimated file size under each option before you click Apply. In this example, 48 percent took a 1080 x 1080 photo from 5.6 MB to 1.4 MB. At 800 x 800 pixels, the estimate was 3.3 MB.
Use AI Image Upscaler instead. It enlarges a photo up to 4 times its size and fills in the detail, as the AI Image Upscaler tutorial shows.
