How do I add a rule of thirds grid overlay to a photo?

Drop the photo onto the upload box or browse for it; the grid is drawn over it automatically. Adjust line color, opacity and width, toggle the power points, then click Download. The image is processed in your browser and, with Full resolution ticked, the download keeps the original pixel size.

A phi grid is a rule-of-thirds variant based on the golden ratio (φ ≈ 1.618). The frame is divided in the ratio 1 : 0.618 : 1, so the lines sit at 38.2% and 61.8% of the width and height instead of 33.3% and 66.7%. The centre box is narrower and the intersections sit closer to the middle of the frame.

How do I crop a photo using the rule of thirds?

Choose an aspect ratio such as 1:1, 4:5 or 16:9, then move the crop position slider until the main subject sits on one of the four power points or the horizon sits on the top or bottom line. Untick "Include grid" to download a clean crop without lines.

Where are the rule of thirds lines on a 1920 × 1080 image?

Vertical lines at x = 640 and 1280 px, horizontal lines at y = 360 and 720 px. The power points are (640, 360), (1280, 360), (640, 720) and (1280, 720). The table below the tool lists other common sizes.

Can I get a blank rule of thirds grid template?

Yes. Pick a background color and click Use Blank Canvas to draw the grid on a plain 1200 × 800 px canvas, crop it to another aspect ratio if needed, then download it as PNG or JPG.

Is my image uploaded to a server?

No. The image is processed entirely in your browser using the HTML5 Canvas API. Nothing is sent to any server.

What are power points?

Power points are the four intersections of the grid lines. Placing the main subject, an eye or a point of contrast on one of them usually gives a more dynamic composition than centring it.

Rule of Thirds Grid Generator

Drop in a photo to overlay a 3 × 3 rule of thirds grid (lines at 1/3 and 2/3) or a phi grid (lines at 0.382 and 0.618), crop it to 1:1, 4:5, 3:2 or 16:9, and download a full-size PNG or JPG.

A rule of thirds grid splits a frame into a 3 × 3 grid with two vertical lines at 1/3 and 2/3 of the width and two horizontal lines at 1/3 and 2/3 of the height.

Image Source

Drop image here or browse

— or use a blank canvas —

Background:

Grid Style

Grid

Diagonals (corner to corner)

Line Color

Line Opacity 80%

Line Width 2 px

Show Power Points

Point Color

Crop

Aspect ratio

Crop position 50%

Slides the crop left–right or top–bottom, whichever side is trimmed.

Format

Full resolution Include grid

Canvas Preview no image

Upload an image or use a blank canvas to see the grid.

Composition tip

Place your main subject at one of the four power points (grid intersections) and align horizons along the top or bottom horizontal line for a naturally balanced photograph.

Rule of thirds and phi grid line positions

Pixel positions measured from the top-left corner. Thirds lines sit at 1/3 and 2/3 of each side; phi lines at 0.382 and 0.618.

Format	Size (px)	Thirds x	Thirds y	Phi x	Phi y
Instagram square	1080 × 1080	360, 720	360, 720	413, 667	413, 667
Instagram portrait 4:5	1080 × 1350	360, 720	450, 900	413, 667	516, 834
Full HD 16:9	1920 × 1080	640, 1,280	360, 720	733, 1,187	413, 667
4K UHD 16:9	3840 × 2160	1,280, 2,560	720, 1,440	1,467, 2,373	825, 1,335
12 MP phone 4:3	4032 × 3024	1,344, 2,688	1,008, 2,016	1,540, 2,492	1,155, 1,869
24 MP camera 3:2	6000 × 4000	2,000, 4,000	1,333, 2,667	2,292, 3,708	1,528, 2,472

Rule of thirds vs phi grid

Rule of thirds: three equal columns and rows (1 : 1 : 1). The lines sit at 33.3% and 66.7%, so on a 1920 px wide frame they fall at 640 and 1280 px.
Phi grid: the golden ratio φ = (1 + √5) ÷ 2 ≈ 1.618 divides each side 1 : 0.618 : 1. The lines sit at 1 ÷ (2 + 0.618) = 38.2% and 61.8%, so on 1920 px they fall at 733 and 1187 px. The centre box is narrower, which keeps the subject a little closer to the middle.
Diagonals: each corner-to-corner line passes through two of the four thirds power points on any frame (at 1/3 and 2/3 of its length), so a leading line along a diagonal ends on a power point.
Which to use: thirds is the standard camera and editor overlay; phi suits subjects that look too far from the centre on a thirds line. Choose "Thirds + phi" to see both on the same photo.

Quick answer

A rule of thirds grid splits a frame into a 3 × 3 grid with two vertical lines at 1/3 and 2/3 of the width and two horizontal lines at 1/3 and 2/3 of the height. Place the subject on a line or on one of the four intersections, called power points. A phi grid uses the golden ratio instead, putting the lines at 38.2% and 61.8%.

Example: On a 6000 × 4000 px photo the thirds lines fall at x = 2000 and 4000 px and y ≈ 1333 and 2667 px; the phi lines fall at x ≈ 2292 and 3708 px and y ≈ 1528 and 2472 px.

Drop in your photo to overlay the grid, then download it as a PNG or JPG.

Summary

The Rule of Thirds Grid Generator overlays a composition grid on any image you choose. Pick the classic 3 × 3 thirds grid, the golden-ratio phi grid, or both, and add corner-to-corner diagonals. Crop to a social or print aspect ratio, slide the crop to reframe the subject, and read the exact pixel position of every line. The download keeps the original resolution, with or without the grid, as PNG or JPG. Everything runs on an HTML canvas in your browser; the image is never uploaded.

How it works

Drop a photo on the upload box or browse for it, or start from a blank canvas.
Choose the grid: rule of thirds (lines at 1/3 and 2/3), phi grid (lines at 0.382 and 0.618 of each side) or both, and turn diagonals and power points on or off.
Pick an aspect ratio to crop, then move the crop position slider to place the subject on a line or power point.
Adjust line color, opacity and width. The panel under the canvas lists the pixel position of every line in the exported image.
Download as PNG or JPG at full resolution or at preview size, with the grid or as a clean crop.

Use cases

Check whether a photo's subject sits on a rule-of-thirds line or power point.
Compare thirds and golden-ratio (phi grid) placement on the same image.
Crop a photo to 1:1 or 4:5 for Instagram, or 16:9 for a thumbnail, while keeping the subject on a third.
Make a blank rule of thirds grid template for sketching or storyboards.
Teach students or clients about photographic composition.
Find the exact pixel coordinates of the thirds lines for a layout or design brief.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-10-10 · Reviewed by Nham Vu