How to crop an image in Java

In this article, I will show you how to crop an image in Java using just ImageIO or JDeli. JDeli is a high-performance Java image library designed for enterprise-level use, offering efficient handling of image formats and processing tasks.

Crop an image in Java with:

ImageIO

1. Load the image file using Java ImageIO (which is built into Java)

   BufferedImage image = ImageIO.read(new File("C:\\path\\to\\kitten.jpg"));

2. Get a cropped version (x, y, width, height) (0,0 is top left corner)

   BufferedImage crop = image.getSubimage(0,0, 100, 100);

3. Save the image back to a File

   ImageIO.write(crop, "JPEG", new File("C:\\path\\to\\picture.jpeg"));

Note it is important to save the image before applying any other changes as the BufferedImage object is shared between the original and new crop object.

JDeli

1. Create a Crop ImageOperation in JDeli (here is how to setup JDeli)

   ImageProcessingOperations imageOps = new ImageProcessingOperations();
   
   imageOps.crop(new Rectangle(0, 0, 100, 100)); //you can add other Operations as well

2. Get a cropped version (x, y, width, height) (0,0 is top left corner)

   JDeli.convert(new File("C:\\path\\to\\picture.jpeg"), new File("C:\\path\\to\\crop.jpeg"), imageOps);
   
   

And that is all you need to do!

Below is an example of the cropped and original image

You can also extract GPS data from an image, here is a simple guide to show you, with multiple different tools.

Handling Different Image Formats

JDeli supports numerous modern image formats:

• JPEG, PNG, TIFF
• JPEG2000 (JPX)
• HEIC, AVIF, WebP
• PDF image extraction

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

• Crop area outside image bounds: Ensure your (x, y, width, height) parameters fit within the image dimensions to avoid exceptions.
• Image format support: Native ImageIO may not support newer formats like HEIC or AVIF—consider JDeli for wide format coverage.
• Thread safety: ImageIO operations are usually thread-safe but always test in concurrent environments.

FAQs

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(avifImageFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(dicomImageFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(heicImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "heic", outputStreamOrFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(jpegImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "jpeg", outputStreamOrFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(jpeg2000ImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "jpx", outputStreamOrFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "pdf", outputStreamOrFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(pngImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "png", outputStreamOrFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(tiffImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "tiff", outputStreamOrFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(webpImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "webp", outputStreamOrFile);