How can I crop a large image within the Webflow editor without stretching or distorting the image?

To crop a large image in Webflow without stretching or distorting it, use CSS styling techniques instead of resizing the image itself.

1. Set the Image as a Background

• Instead of inserting the image directly as an Image element, place it as a background image on a Div block.
• This allows you to control cropping and positioning without affecting the image’s aspect ratio.

2. Create a Wrapper Div

• Drag a Div block into the canvas where you want the cropped image.
• Set fixed dimensions (e.g., width: 400px, height: 300px) for the Div to define the cropped view area.

3. Apply the Background Image Style

• Select the Div and go to the Style panel.
• Under Backgrounds, click the + button to add your image.
• Set Background Size to Cover — this preserves the image aspect ratio and fills the entire area, cropping excess.
• Set Background Position to Center (or adjust as needed).
• Set Background Repeat to No Repeat.

4. Optional: Adjust Positioning for Specific Crop

• Use the Background Position setting to focus on specific parts of the image (e.g., Top Left, Bottom Center).
• Fine-tune with padding or manual percentage values for custom focal points.

5. Use Object-Fit on Images (Alternative Method)

• If you prefer using an Image element inside a Div:
• Place the image inside a parent Div with Overflow: Hidden.
• Set the image’s Width and Height to 100%.
• Apply object-fit: cover in the Style panel under Layout → Custom settings.
• This keeps the image contained and cropped without distortion.

Summary

To crop images in Webflow without distortion, either use a Div with a background image set to Cover, or place an Image element inside a hidden-overflow container and apply object-fit: cover. This preserves aspect ratio and ensures a clean crop.