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You can change the outline of a photo to make it a shape (e.g., a circle or rounded rectangle) in Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, or Excel. This is done using the Crop to Shape option via the cropping tool on the ribbon: 
Cropping tool. 

You can crop an image to a shape or start with a shape and add an image to it. 

Crop an image to a shape

You can easily change the shape of a picture by cropping it to a specific shape. When you do this, the picture is automatically trimmed to fill the geometry of the selected shape while maintaining its proportions. 

Tip: If you want to crop the same picture to more than one shape, make copies of the picture then crop each to the desired shape individually. 

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  1. Use Insert > Picture to add the image to a Microsoft 365 file (such as a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, or an Outlook email message).

  2. Select the picture(s). You can multi-select and crop multiple pictures at once, but you must crop them all to the same shape.

    Caution: Multi-cropping in Word can be difficult, because you cannot multi-select pictures that have the default In Line with Text layout option.  

  3. In the ribbon, go to Picture Tools > Format. Then, in the Size group, select the arrow under Crop to open the menu of options. 

    Crop button found on the Picture Tools Format tab

  4. Select Crop to Shape, then select the intended crop shape. 

    The shape is immediately applied to the image. 

  5. To change how much of the picture fits within the shape, use either Crop>Fill or Crop>Fit.  

    • Fill    Fills the entire shape with the picture. Some outer edges of the picture may be cropped away. There won't be any empty space at the margins of the shape. 

    • Fit    Makes the entire picture fit within the shape while maintaining the picture's original aspect ratio. There may be some empty space at the margins of the shape.

      When you select either of these options, black crop handles appear on the edges and corners of the picture. 

  6. To adjust the position of the picture within the frame, selecting the picture and drag it as needed. If needed, this can help you center the most important part of the picture within the shape.

  7. To crop the margins of the image, drag a black crop handle as follows:

    Description

    Action

    Crop one side

    Drag inward on the side cropping handle. 

    Crop two adjacent sides at the same time

    Drag inward on the corner cropping handle. 

    Crop equally on two parallel sides at once

    Press and hold Ctrl while dragging inward on the side cropping handle. 

  8. When done, click the Crop button. 

Start with a shape and add an image to it

You can add a picture as fill for a shape and then optionally edit or crop the shape.

Add a picture to a shape

  1. Add a shape to your document (see Add shapes for instructions)

  2. Click/select the shape. 

  3. In the ribbon, go to Drawing Tools > Format. In the Shape Styles group, select Shape Fill > Picture

    Adding a picture as a shape fill

  4. Select the type of picture you want (e.g., From a File or Online Pictures).

  5. Navigate to the picture you want and insert it. 

Resize the shape

To change the filled shape's dimensions while maintaining its basic format, select it and drag any of the sizing handles.

Choose how the picture fits in the shape

Perhaps your picture is skewed, cut off, or doesn't fill the shape the way you want. You fine-tune the picture with the Fit and Fill tools on the Crop menu. 

  1. Click a shape created using Shape Fill > Picture.

  2. Click Picture Tools > Format, and in the Size group, click the arrow under Crop. A menu appears showing cropping options.

    Crop button found on the Picture Tools Format tab

    • Choose Fit if you want as much of the picture as possible to fit within the shape; the original picture aspect ratio will be maintained, but you may have empty space inside your shape. 

    • Choose Fill to have the shape fit within the bounds of the picture, cropping away everything outside the shape. You can drag the picture to change what part of it shows within the shape.

  3. If you want, you can adjust the crop area by using the cropping handles, as described under Crop a picture.

  4. When you're finished, press Esc or click anywhere outside the picture within the document.

Use edit points to edit or crop the shape

Although cropping tools are not available for shapes, you can use the Edit Points tool to customize a shape.

  1. Select the shape that you want to edit.

  2. Click Shape Format, and in the Insert Shapes group, select Edit Shape Edit shape button image > Edit Points.

  3. Drag the shape's vertex points (which appear as black dots around the shape's perimeter) until the shape looks the way you want. 

  4. To delete a vertex point, hold Ctrl and click it. To add a vertex point, hold Ctrl while clicking anywhere on the shape's perimeter that does not already have a vertex point.

See Also

Crop a picture in Microsoft 365

Cut out or cover part of a picture

If you want to change the outline of a photo to make it a shape (like a circle or rounded rectangle), use the cropping tool on the ribbon Cropping tool..

You can crop to a shape in Word, PowerPoint, or Excel.

Crop to a specific shape

Quickly change the shape of a picture by cropping it to a specific shape. The picture is automatically trimmed to fill the geometry of the selected shape while maintaining its proportions.

If you want to crop the same picture to more than one shape, make copies of the picture and crop each to the desired shape individually.

  1. Use Insert > Picture to add the image to an Office file (such as a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, or an Excel workbook).

  2. In your file, select the picture that you want to crop.

  3. On the Picture Format tab, click the arrow next to Crop.

    Crop button on the Picture Format tab

    (If you don't see the Picture Format tab, make sure that you've selected a picture (not a shape).)

  4. Point to Crop to Shape and then click the shape you want to crop to.

    PPT for Mac Crop Menu

    The shape is immediately applied to the image.

  5. If you want to adjust the shape, click the Crop button again on the ribbon.

    Black crop handles appear on the edges and corners of the picture.

    Cropped Image
  6. Crop the image by dragging any crop handle inward. If you drag one of the corner handles, it crops two adjacent sides at the same time.

Crop to fit or fill a shape

After you have added a picture to a shape, you can choose how the picture fits in the shape by using the Fit and Fill tools for fine tuning.

  1. In your file, select the picture that you want within the shape.

  2. On the Picture Format tab, click the arrow next to Crop.

    Crop button on the Picture Format tab

    If you don't see the Picture Format tab, make sure that you've selected a picture (and not a shape).

  3. Click Fill or Fit, and then click outside the picture.

    PPT for Mac Crop Menu

    Option

    Description

    Fill

    This will remove (or "crop") part of the picture. The picture will fill the entire shape.

    Fit

    This makes the entire picture fit within the shape. The original picture aspect ratio is maintained, but you may have empty space inside your shape.

Which app are you using?
Word | PowerPoint

Word: Fit a picture inside a shape

Word for the web doesn't have the "crop-to-shape" feature that the desktop app has. However, you can still use quick Picture Styles to apply some basic shapes to a picture. 

  1. Insert the image in your document. (Select Insert>Picture, then navigate to the picture you want to use.)

  2. With the image selected on the canvas, select the Picture tab on the ribbon, then go to the Picture Styles gallery. 

    The Picture Styles gallery of options includes three oval shapes and many rectangles.

  3. Select a shape to apply it to your picture. 

  4. Once the shape is applied, you can resize it as needed. 

PowerPoint: Crop a picture to a shape

  1. Select a picture on a slide to crop to a shape.

  2. On the Picture tab, on the right end, select the arrow next to Crop.

    Tip: If you don't see the Picture tab, make sure you have selected a picture. 

  3. Select Crop to Shape, then choose a shape to apply to the border of the picture. 

  4. To optionally trim the margins of the picture, select Crop again, then drag a handle Crop handles on an image inward as needed. Drag other handles as needed. 

  5. To save your changes, select the Crop button again, or press Esc.

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