Clip a Raster with a Polygon in QGIS (Extract by Mask)

This tutorial demonstrates how to use QGIS to clip a raster layer to the shape of a polygon. This operation is also referred to as clip by mask, or extract by mask. QGIS makes clipping a layer to polygon very simple. If you're having trouble with no data values being displayed as zero or in black, this tutorial will show you how to fix it.
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[@sam_ua]

thanks a lot! made a dozen steps in order to achieve the result needed, but then discovered this feature with no data value - exceptionally thanks to your example! all the best

[@geospatialschool]

Glad it helped!

[@krishnendupolley6100]

Thanks for the tutorial, but my clipped layer appears with a black rectangle around it, how can I get rid of it? I think you have explained it at the last part of your tutorial, but if you can explain it in a bit detail, it will be helpful for me.

[@Pipi108]

3 years later and its still helping out people like me! Thank you for taking your time to make this video

[@hsahil_10]

Thank you for the nice explanation. I had difficulty with that black area around my clipped raster.

[@guodingchen3350]

interesting shape!

[@pitruchhaya]

Thanks, much needed. I tried this in Q 3.10.4 and it showed the exact output as Extract by Mask in ArcMap. Also, when I exported it to ASCII using the Translate tool, there was no need to set the NoData values and kept it as default, and it worked.

[@geospatialschool]

Nice work!

[@morimori313]

Omg thank you. I didnt know that I need to assign a no data value. I've been so frustrated with that black border.

[@geospatialschool]

You're welcome!

[@jacknguyen5063]

Thanks for clearly explanation! it is so helpful to me

[@sittietidong2094]

Why you did not include how you put the polygon and what is the purpose

[@anuragverma-by8ww]

THANK YOU!!!

[@blissmelody1873]

My qgis is not showing extractions option in raster. What to do for that

[@saeidshamsaliei2536]

Thank you very much. very helpful

[@geospatialschool]

Glad it was helpful!

[@youhasful]

really great, works nicely. Thanks!

[@geospatialschool]

You're welcome!

[@kikilriki]

i get "ERROR 1: Cannot compute bounding box of cutline. Cannot find source SRS" and don't knwo what to do, nothing works!

[@keithbjohnson1]

I had the same error message. I entered the "Source CRS" value... even though it displays the CRS for the input layer, I copied that into the Source CRS field, and the clipping extraction worked. In my case this meant entering EPSG:4326, becuase that was the CRS of the input raster.

[@rathaiahyv3469]

very nice explanation. thanks

[@geospatialschool]

You are welcome

[@benhall2680]

Nice tutorial! What if I want to reverse the clip, that is, only keep that part of the raster that is outside of the polygon?

[@colbygeary2313]

You ever find a solution?

[@kopicaptupai]

me too im looking for this kind solution

[@VHenrik007]

Same, is there a way to do that?

[@RobertThomson]

Bump...I'm keen to know if this is possible too.

[@VHenrik007]

@@RobertThomson So I found a way in the end, however it's not exactly what I hoped it'd be. You have to create another shape layer, which covers the whole original raster. And then you have to subtract the mask from that huge shape layer, making a third one. This was the only option I found.

[@kerwinkencunanan35]

HELP The Following Layers Were Not Correctly Generated always pops up!

[@godwin.k]

Indredible ! I'm now find a solution! Thanks ! I have another question. After doing a clip action , I have a very bad resolution for my output. I try everything , but I still have it

[@geospatialschool]

You should be able to adjust the resolution when running the tool.

[@godwin.k]

@@geospatialschool Thanks for your response but how to do it ?

[@JulienSavidge]

Hello, I am trying to the exact opposite of this. Basically I would want to cut that shape out the raster and keep the rectangular raster and leave the polygone blank. What is the best way to do this?

[@geospatialschool]

You'll do it the exactly the same. You just need to make a polygon for the area you want to keep. To do that you might need to create a larger polygon, then difference it from the area you want to remove.

[@alexgabriel5650]

Thank you very much!

[@geospatialschool]

You're welcome!

[@joshuah.9687]

Following this, I get the correct clipped raster, but the resolution has drastically dropped. I tried checking "Keep resolution of input raster", but nothing changed. Resolution still dropped.

[@joshuah.9687]

Checking the pixel size on both layers, the original states: 9.25,-9.25, but the clipped raster also has the same pixel #, but what is on screen is a lot different...

[@veeranjaneyulukale2602]

Why does the clipped raster doesn't match with the polygon when zoom in to pixel level?

[@rashmiyadav987]

Did u got any solution for this problem sir? I am facing the same issue...

[@Inscissorr]

@@rashmiyadav987 it might just be a rendering issue, have you tried setting the color gradient values as the original layer?

[@karensalisbury2289]

On some clips, the colouration alters, I have one with thick red lines on the raster. when I do a clip the result is with very thin, dashed lines. Is there a setting I need?

[@geospatialschool]

It sounds like after the clip your raster may be overlapping a vector layer? Rasters are not going to be displayed as lines.

[@karensalisbury2289]

@@geospatialschool the original image has clear thick red bourndary in the image but the clip is "washed out" I was hoping to paste an image of both, but cant see an option

[@dreamquarter]

Why is it ok to clip using input layers with different CRS?

[@geospatialschool]

QGIS will reproject layers so they match. Sometimes this can cause problems. If results aren't turning out correctly it is often because of different CRS

[@dreamquarter]

@@geospatialschool Ok. I'm working on a project where I use rasters with different CRS. Before I clip them with a country-vector, I use the Warp tool to have them all in WGS 84.

[@25924637]

Can I use this method to clip an area from the Google Satelite base map?

[@geospatialschool]

Nope. You can't clip basemaps

[@25924637]

@@geospatialschool Thanks.

[@Chicojls]

hey, so my main raster has unique value symbology, and a bunch of named classes and colors i chose by hand. Is it possible to clip the main raster and keep the information like symbology and so on? Because i clipped and it changed the colors and the values to default.

[@Chicojls]

Nevermind, figured it out. I notice we can save a color map file and that did the job. Thanks anyway

[@priyankapriyadarshinisahoo7582]

How do I save the masked portion so as to use it as a DEM for other new projects?? PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!

[@geospatialschool]

Select the option to save to a file then enter the file name to save it.

[@행복한준희의하루-d8o]

Can't you name the file with polygon name?

[@breeneco]

Thankyou!! This stuff isnt intuitive

[@geospatialschool]

You're welcome!

[@locrogin]

Thanks very much for showing me how to do this!

[@geospatialschool]

No problem!

[@seaterrai8735]

Cutline polygon is invalid why???

[@mbtnc]

Hello, What is the difference between a "normal" view and a materialized view? Why can a materialized view make more sense with raster data?

[@42Pursuit]

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

[@geospatialschool]

Glad I could help!

[@bukumun]

thanks, very helpful

[@geospatialschool]

You're welcome!

[@alialsakkaf4799]

that is great ! many thanks

[@geospatialschool]

You are welcome!