How to include complete portrait image in video using iMovie on iPad

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How to include complete portrait image in video using iMovie on iPad

I’m trying to edit an existing iMovie project where every portrait image/photo is automatically cropped and the Ken Burns effect added. I want that effect left intact on most of the imported images, but in some cases, I just want the complete portrait image to be used (black filler side bars are ok). As I search, I find references to a magnifying glass icon (after the clip is selected) which offers a ”fit” option, but I can’t find it on the iPad screen. That appears to be relevant to iMovie on the Mac, not on an iPad. How do I accomplish this task on the iPad?

iPad Pro

Posted on Jul 29, 2025 12:28 AM

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Answer 1

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Rich839

Level 8

48,156 points

Jul 29, 2025 8:13 AM in response to GrampsBacon

Hi,

iOS iMovie automatically applies a crop to photos. The + function to allow pinch cropping only applies to videos, not photos. I don't see any iMovie controls that can cure that. However, you can outsmart the app by changing your photo to a video. One way to do that is to open the photo in the Photos app and make a screen recording of it. That will deposit a video file into the Photos app library. Then import the video file into iOS iMovie. The + pinch function will then be available.

-- Rich

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Answer 2

GrampsBacon Author

Level 1

15 points

Jul 30, 2025 11:05 AM in response to Rich839

I couldn’t figure it out on the iPad how to open the photo in Photos and do what you suggested. However, I did end up using Adobe Photoshop Elements to resize the image size of the photo (made note of the height of the image — they come from many different sources) and then resize the width to the proper screen ratio for the video and filled the blank sides with either white or black depending on the desired background color. Then I was able to import the image into iMovie and it kept the entire image visible rather than automatically cropping it to a horizontal image.

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Answer 3

Rich839

Level 8

48,156 points

Jul 30, 2025 11:18 AM in response to GrampsBacon

Great. Glad you got it to work.

-- Rich

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