How to Crop a Photo Into a Circle: Round Profile Pictures and Rounded Corners
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Short answer: open Imgovo’s Round Image tool, add your photo, choose Circle, move and zoom so the face is in the middle, and download the result as PNG. The area outside the circle is transparent. The photo is processed in your browser and is never uploaded.
Two shapes
The tool offers two options:
- Rounded corners for logos, cards, thumbnails and app-style pictures. The corner radius is adjustable (default 12%).
- Circle for a profile picture or avatar. The output is a square, sized to the area of the photo you chose, with the outside of the circle made transparent.
Step by step
- Open the Round Image tool and add a photo by dragging it in, choosing a file or pasting from the clipboard. JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, TIFF and more are accepted.
- Choose Circle.
- Use the zoom and position sliders to centre the subject. Keep the face in the middle with a little space around the head.
- Optionally add a border: set its width and pick a colour. The default width is 0%.
- Choose the output format: PNG, WebP or JPG.
- Click Download image.
Undo and Redo (Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Shift+Z) step back through the shape, radius, zoom, position, border and format.
Which format should you choose?
| Format | Transparent outside? | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| PNG | Yes | Websites, email signatures, presentations; lossless |
| WebP | Yes | Websites where a small file matters |
| JPG | No (uses a background colour) | Places that do not accept transparency |
If you save as JPG, the area outside the circle takes the background colour you choose. If you want to see the transparency everywhere, use PNG or WebP. For more on formats, see JPG vs PNG vs WebP vs AVIF.
Do you need a circle for social networks?
Often not. Most networks display a profile picture as a circle themselves, so you can upload a square with the face in the centre. In that case, Crop Image is the quicker tool, with exact square presets:
| Platform | Preset |
|---|---|
| Instagram profile picture | 320 × 320 px |
| YouTube profile picture | 800 × 800 px |
| Facebook profile picture | 800 × 800 px |
| X profile picture | 400 × 400 px |
Platforms change their requirements, so check the current size before you upload. For other formats and sizes, see the social media image sizes cheat sheet.
Use the circle crop when you want a round picture for your own website, an email signature, a slide, a team page or a chat bot, where nothing rounds the corners for you.
Tips for a good circular picture
- Centre the face. A circle cuts the corners, so the head should be in the middle, not near an edge.
- Leave space. Do not crop so tightly that the chin and hair touch the edge.
- Use a clear background. A busy background becomes noisy in a small circle. If needed, remove it first with Remove Background, then circle-crop the result.
- Use a border for contrast. A white or brand-coloured border helps the avatar stand out.
- Start with a large photo. The tool keeps the full resolution, so a large source gives a sharper small avatar.
Quality and privacy
- The full resolution is kept.
- PNG is lossless. WebP and JPG are saved at 92% quality.
- The new file contains only pixel data, so camera details and GPS location are not included.
- Everything runs in your browser.
Turn a round picture into an icon
A circular image is also a good start for a website icon. See How to make a favicon for the sizes browsers and phones expect.
Try it now
Open the Round Image tool and make your circular picture in a minute.
Frequently asked questions
How do I crop a photo into a circle?
Open the Round Image tool, add your photo, choose Circle, centre the face with the zoom and position sliders and download the result as PNG so the area outside the circle stays transparent.
Do I need a circular image for Instagram, YouTube or Facebook?
Usually not. Most social networks show profile pictures as circles themselves, so a square photo with a centred face works. Imgovo's Crop Image has square presets for Instagram (320 × 320), YouTube (800 × 800), Facebook (800 × 800) and X (400 × 400).
Which format keeps the corners transparent?
PNG and WebP. JPG cannot be transparent, so the outside takes the background colour you choose.
Does the photo lose quality?
The full resolution is kept. PNG is lossless. WebP and JPG are saved at 92% quality, a lossy setting where the loss is very hard to see.
Can I add a border around the circle?
Yes. Choose a border width and a colour. A white or brand-coloured border helps an avatar stand out on busy backgrounds.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The photo is processed in your browser and never leaves your device.