• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Behance
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • 0 items$0.00
PTC Logo

Photoshop Training Channel

  • About
    • About The Photoshop Training Channel
    • FAQ’s
  • Tutorials
    • All Tutorials
    • 3D Photoshop Tutorials
    • Compositing Photoshop Tutorials
    • Graphic Design Photoshop Tutorials
    • Retouching Photoshop Tutorials
    • Photoshop Tools & Techniques
    • Photoshop Text Effects
    • Tip Of The Day
    • Amazon.com Tutorials
  • Premium Tutorials
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • PTC Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
  • Resources
    • Events
  • Join The PTC Newsletter
Home » Photoshop Tutorials » Photoshop Portrait Retouching Tutorials » How to Crop in a Circle in Photoshop (Fast & Easy!)

How to Crop in a Circle in Photoshop (Fast & Easy!)

167
SHARES
Share on FacebookPin in Pinterest
Share on TwitterLinkedinWhatsappReddit
Subscribe on YouTube!

Posted In: Compositing Photoshop Tutorials | Watch on YouTube

In today’s tutorial, you will learn how to crop in a circle in Photoshop using the frame tool.

Cropping your photos into a circle will help you generate better social media profile photos or website images.

Doing the crop yourself will ensure that your photos always look the way that you intend.

Table of contents

  • Crop in a Circle in Photoshop with The Frame Tool
  • How to Crop in a Circle in Photoshop
  • Saving the Image

Crop in a Circle in Photoshop with The Frame Tool

Unfortunately, the Crop tool does not allow you to crop your images in a circle. However, you can use other available tools to achieve the same result.

On your Toolbar, you will find the Frame tool, you can enable it by pressing the K key on the keyboard.

The Frame tool allows you to easily mask images. It can turn shapes or text into frames that you can use as placeholders and fill images while automatically scaling them to fit.

On the Options bar, you will see the two available options for framing: the Rectangular and the Elliptical Frame.

Select the Elliptical Frame and go over to your image. 

Click-and-drag to expand the Frame. 

Initially, it appears as a square/rectangular frame because its sides depict the width of the elliptical frame. 

As you click-and-drag, hold the Shift key to constrain the crop into a perfect square.

You will see the Width and Height indicator, which should show equal values of pixels.

You can hold the Spacebar key as you are creating the frame to reposition it around the image. 

When you are happy with the framing of the photo, release your mouse to show the elliptical frame. 

This is how to crop in a circle in Photoshop.

Pro Tip: If you go to the Layers panel, you see how the layer was automatically converted into a Smart Object. When you double-click on a Smart Object thumbnail, it opens it a new document tab where you can edit the original photo. In the video tutorial, you can see some of the adjustments you can apply within the Smart Object.

If you want to learn more about how this works, make sure that you check out the article on the Frame Tool on Adobe helpx.

How to Crop in a Circle in Photoshop

If you go to the working document, the image isn’t actually cropped yet—only framed.

By cropping, it means you have to get rid of the rest of the image and only retain parts of it that are within the elliptical frame.

To crop a circle, create a selection of the elliptical frame by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Command (MacOS) as you click on the Frame tool thumbnail on your Layers panel.

Select the Crop tool for Photoshop to crop the image to the selection immediately. Press on the Enter (Windows) or Return (MacOS) key twice to commit to the change.

Press Ctrl 0 (Windows) or Command 0 (MacOS) to fit the image to the screen.

If you look closely, the area outside the elliptical frame shows a checkerboard pattern which indicates transparency.

On your Layers panel, notice the white outline around your layer thumbnail. The white outline indicates Smart Object is currently active.

If you select the Move tool, you can click-and-drag anywhere on the image to reposition its placement within the frame.

Saving the Image

To save this image with a circular crop, you need to save it in a format that allows transparency.

Also, Remember that images are always square, and we need to create the illusion of a circular crop with transparency.

To crop in a circle in Photoshop you need to use transparent pixel to give the illusion of a circle crop.

To do this, go to File > Export > Export As.

Unfortunately, you cannot use JPEG since it does not allow you to save transparency.

The best format that allows transparency is the PNG format, so select this in the Format drop-down menu.

Also, check the Transparency box to ensure that you save the transparent pixels to give the illusion of a circular crop.

To finalize everything, click on the Export button to save the file into your computer!


Now that you know how to crop in a circle in Photoshop, you can easily get the perfect profile photo every time!

If you enjoy this tutorial, you might also enjoy learning how to type in a circle in Photoshop!

Diggin' these tutorials? Sign up for updates and subscriber-only tutorials…It's FREE!

Other Photoshop Tutorials You Might Like:

  • Zombie Photoshop Tutorial
  • Amazingly Realistic Transparent Alien Egg
  • Perspective and Vanishing Points in PhotoshopThe Secret To Creating Amazing Composites: Perspective And Vanishing Points

About Jesus Ramirez

Jesús Ramirez is a digital graphics expert, speaker, and educator specializing in Adobe Photoshop. Jesús is best known as the founder of the Photoshop Training Channel, one of the most popular Photoshop YouTube channels in the world. More.

Follow: Instagram / YouTube / Twitter

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
guest
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

1 Comment
Oldest
Newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Tony Cannan
Tony Cannan
5 months ago

Great video’s Jesus, I have a question I am hoping you can answer for me. My Grade 3 grandson has some minor learning difficulties but absolutely loves drawing & art. I want to encourage him and buy him a drawing tablet as he loves computers games as well and I think that by getting him a tablet while he is young we can help him with his future education. What would you recommend as the correct tablet to get someone so young & maybe an easy first drawing program. I have a Wacom tablet & Photoshop but they are too advanced I think, if you can help that would be great, if you cant due to commercial constraints I understand. Thanks for the great tutorials they really do help me with Photoshop & stay safe.

Reply

Primary Sidebar

Join Over 52,000

Photoshop users who subscribe to receive tutorials straight into their inbox!

About Me:

Profile Image

Follow

Jesús Ramirez is the founder of the Photoshop Training Channel, a top Photoshop training YouTube channel with more than 1,300,000 subscribers. More.

Click The Buttons Below!

  • Follow
  • Instagram

Photoshop Tip Of The Day:

August 7, 2018

To activate multiple layers using your keyboard, press Shift Alt [ (Mac: Shift Option [) to activate the layer below the currently selected layer (or the ] key to activate the layer above).

You can keep adding to the selection one layer at a time by tapping on either of the bracket keys while holding down Shift and Alt (Mac: Option).

Get more Photoshop tips →

Tutorial Flashback

  • scripst-event-manager-photoshop
    Using The Script Events Manager In Adobe Photoshop CS6

Search

Upcoming Events

Jesús Ramirez will be presenting at the following conferences or events:

June 10, 2019
CreativePro Week 2019
CreativePro
Seattle, WA

See Previous Events

PTC’s Most Shared Tutorials This Month

  •  
    Photoshop 2021 All The Best NEW Features EXPLAINED!...
    P
    117 Shares
  •  
    How To Remove a Background In Photoshop [For Beginners!]...
    L
    58 Shares
  •  
    NEW FILTER To Auto-Colorize Black & White Photos! Photoshop 2021...
    I
    51 Shares
  •  
    How To Remove a GREEN SCREEN in Photoshop!...
    L
    49 Shares
  •  
    How to Make Someone Look Younger – Photoshop Tutorial...
    I
    45 Shares

My Tutorials in Spanish – Mis Tutoriales en Español

videosptc.com

Footer

About PTC

The Photoshop Training Channel is a Photoshop resource site for beginners. PTC was founded in July 2012 by Jesús Ramirez. The main goal of this site is to provide quality tips, tricks, hacks, and other Photoshop resources that allows beginners to improve their skills. More.

Connect with Us

Questions? If you have any questions, please feel free to Contact Us!
  • Behance
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Every week we'll send you Photoshop in-depth tutorials!
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY OF 52,000+ Photoshop Users!

Privacy Policy | Sitemap
Copyright © 2012 - 2021 Photoshop Training Channel.
Adobe, the Adobe Logo, Photoshop and Lightroom are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
wpDiscuz