diff --git a/config/install/image_widget_crop.settings.yml b/config/install/image_widget_crop.settings.yml
index cd1c6f3..af7486a 100644
--- a/config/install/image_widget_crop.settings.yml
+++ b/config/install/image_widget_crop.settings.yml
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ settings:
   crop_list: []
   warn_multiple_usages: FALSE
   show_default_crop: TRUE
+  crop_required: FALSE
diff --git a/config/schema/image_widget_crop.schema.yml b/config/schema/image_widget_crop.schema.yml
index 3838b64..fc38273 100644
--- a/config/schema/image_widget_crop.schema.yml
+++ b/config/schema/image_widget_crop.schema.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ field.widget.settings.image_widget_crop:
     show_default_crop:
       type: boolean
       label: 'Show default crop area'
+    crop_required:
+      type: boolean
+      label: 'Crops are required to validate file'
 
 image_widget_crop.settings:
   type: config_object
@@ -58,3 +61,6 @@ image_widget_crop.settings:
         show_crop_area:
           type: boolean
           label: 'Always expand crop area'
+        crop_required:
+          type: boolean
+          label: 'Crops are required to validate file'
diff --git a/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.media.image.default.yml b/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.media.image.default.yml
index 5f40014..de758a3 100644
--- a/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.media.image.default.yml
+++ b/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.media.image.default.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ content:
       progress_indicator: throbber
       show_crop_area: false
       warn_multiple_usages: false
+      crop_required: false
     third_party_settings: {  }
     type: image_widget_crop
     region: content
diff --git a/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_file_imce_example.default.yml b/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_file_imce_example.default.yml
index ed53241..d4c4dbf 100644
--- a/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_file_imce_example.default.yml
+++ b/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_file_imce_example.default.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ content:
     settings:
       show_default_crop: true
       warn_multiple_usages: true
+      crop_required: false
       preview_image_style: thumbnail
       crop_preview_image_style: crop_thumbnail
       crop_list:
diff --git a/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_responsive_example.default.yml b/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_responsive_example.default.yml
index dbbbb8e..fd5833c 100644
--- a/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_responsive_example.default.yml
+++ b/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_responsive_example.default.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ content:
     settings:
       show_default_crop: true
       warn_multiple_usages: true
+      crop_required: false
       preview_image_style: thumbnail
       crop_preview_image_style: crop_thumbnail
       crop_list:
diff --git a/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_simple_example.default.yml b/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_simple_example.default.yml
index e033fcb..46ab396 100644
--- a/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_simple_example.default.yml
+++ b/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/config/optional/core.entity_form_display.node.crop_simple_example.default.yml
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ content:
       show_crop_area: true
       show_default_crop: true
       warn_multiple_usages: true
+      crop_required: false
       preview_image_style: thumbnail
       crop_preview_image_style: crop_thumbnail
       crop_list:
diff --git a/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/image_widget_crop_examples.install b/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/image_widget_crop_examples.install
index 70a79de..3135047 100644
--- a/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/image_widget_crop_examples.install
+++ b/modules/image_widget_crop_examples/image_widget_crop_examples.install
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ function image_widget_crop_examples_install() {
     ->set('settings.crop_preview_image_style', 'crop_thumbnail')
     ->set('settings.show_default_crop', TRUE)
     ->set('settings.warn_multiple_usages', FALSE)
+    ->set('settings.crop_required', FALSE)
     ->set('settings.crop_list', [
       'crop_16_9' => 'crop_16_9',
       'crop_4_3' => 'crop_4_3',
diff --git a/src/Element/ImageCrop.php b/src/Element/ImageCrop.php
index 6615519..d1a1116 100644
--- a/src/Element/ImageCrop.php
+++ b/src/Element/ImageCrop.php
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class ImageCrop extends FormElement {
       '#warn_multiple_usages' => FALSE,
       '#show_default_crop' => TRUE,
       '#show_crop_area' => FALSE,
+      '#crop_required' => FALSE,
       '#attached' => [
         'library' => 'image_widget_crop/cropper.integration',
       ],
@@ -181,7 +182,10 @@ class ImageCrop extends FormElement {
           // Element to track whether cropping is applied or not.
           $element['crop_wrapper'][$type]['crop_container']['values']['crop_applied'] = [
             '#type' => 'hidden',
-            '#attributes' => ['data-drupal-iwc-value' => 'applied'],
+            '#attributes' => [
+              'data-drupal-iwc-value' => 'applied',
+              'data-drupal-iwc-id' => $type,
+            ],
             '#default_value' => 0,
           ];
           $edit = FALSE;
@@ -198,6 +202,15 @@ class ImageCrop extends FormElement {
             $properties = $form_state_properties;
           }
 
+          if ($element['#crop_required']) {
+            $element['crop_wrapper'][$type]['crop_container']['values']['crop_applied']['#element_validate'] = [
+              [
+                static::class,
+                'cropRequired',
+              ],
+            ];
+          }
+
           /** @var \Drupal\crop\CropInterface $crop */
           $crop = Crop::findCrop($file->getFileUri(), $type);
           if ($crop) {
@@ -391,6 +404,34 @@ class ImageCrop extends FormElement {
   }
 
   /**
+   * Form element validation handler for crop widget elements.
+   *
+   * @param array $element
+   *   All form elements without crop properties.
+   * @param \Drupal\Core\Form\FormStateInterface $form_state
+   *   The current state of the form.
+   *
+   * @see ImageCrop::getCropFormElement()
+   */
+  public static function cropRequired(array $element, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
+    /** @var \Drupal\crop\Entity\CropType $crop_type */
+    $crop_type = \Drupal::entityTypeManager()
+      ->getStorage('crop_type')
+      ->load($element['#attributes']['data-drupal-iwc-id']);
+    $crop_applied = $form_state->getValue($element['#parents']);
+    $action_button = $form_state->getTriggeringElement()['#value'];
+    $operation = ($action_button instanceof TranslatableMarkup) ? $action_button->getUntranslatedString() : $action_button;
+
+    if ((int) $crop_applied === 0 && $operation !== 'Remove') {
+      $form_state->setError($element, t('Crop @crop_name is required.',
+        [
+          '@crop_name' => $crop_type->label(),
+        ]
+      ));
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
    * Set All sizes properties of the crops.
    *
    * @return array<string,array>
diff --git a/src/Form/CropWidgetForm.php b/src/Form/CropWidgetForm.php
index 70454fe..d163d44 100644
--- a/src/Form/CropWidgetForm.php
+++ b/src/Form/CropWidgetForm.php
@@ -157,6 +157,12 @@ class CropWidgetForm extends ConfigFormBase {
       '#default_value' => $this->settings->get('settings.show_default_crop'),
     ];
 
+    $form['image_crop']['crop_required'] = [
+      '#title' => $this->t('Crops are required to validate file'),
+      '#type' => 'checkbox',
+      '#default_value' => $this->settings->get('settings.crop_required'),
+    ];
+
     return parent::buildForm($form, $form_state);
   }
 
@@ -221,7 +227,8 @@ class CropWidgetForm extends ConfigFormBase {
       ->set("settings.show_default_crop", $form_state->getValue('show_default_crop'))
       ->set("settings.show_crop_area", $form_state->getValue('show_crop_area'))
       ->set("settings.warn_multiple_usages", $form_state->getValue('warn_multiple_usages'))
-      ->set("settings.crop_list", $form_state->getValue('crop_list'));
+      ->set("settings.crop_list", $form_state->getValue('crop_list'))
+      ->set("settings.crop_required", $form_state->getValue('crop_required'));
     $this->settings->save();
   }
 
diff --git a/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/ImageCropWidget.php b/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/ImageCropWidget.php
index 8dfa223..200d6d4 100644
--- a/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/ImageCropWidget.php
+++ b/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/ImageCropWidget.php
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ class ImageCropWidget extends ImageWidget {
       'show_crop_area' => FALSE,
       'show_default_crop' => TRUE,
       'warn_multiple_usages' => TRUE,
+      'crop_required' => FALSE,
     ] + parent::defaultSettings();
   }
 
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ class ImageCropWidget extends ImageWidget {
           '#show_default_crop' => $element['#show_default_crop'],
           '#show_crop_area' => $element['#show_crop_area'],
           '#warn_multiple_usages' => $element['#warn_multiple_usages'],
+          '#crop_required' => $element['#crop_required'],
         ];
       }
     }
@@ -210,6 +212,12 @@ class ImageCropWidget extends ImageWidget {
       '#default_value' => $this->getSetting('warn_multiple_usages'),
     ];
 
+    $element['crop_required'] = [
+      '#title' => $this->t('Crops are required to validate file.'),
+      '#type' => 'checkbox',
+      '#default_value' => $this->getSetting('crop_required'),
+    ];
+
     return $element;
   }
 
@@ -234,10 +242,12 @@ class ImageCropWidget extends ImageWidget {
     $crop_show_button = $this->getSetting('show_crop_area');
     $show_default_crop = $this->getSetting('show_default_crop');
     $warn_multiple_usages = $this->getSetting('warn_multiple_usages');
+    $crop_required = $this->getSetting('crop_required');
 
     $preview[] = $this->t('Always expand crop area: @bool', ['@bool' => ($crop_show_button) ? 'Yes' : 'No']);
     $preview[] = $this->t('Show default crop area: @bool', ['@bool' => ($show_default_crop) ? 'Yes' : 'No']);
     $preview[] = $this->t('Warn the user if the crop is used more than once: @bool', ['@bool' => ($warn_multiple_usages) ? 'Yes' : 'No']);
+    $preview[] = $this->t('Crops are required to validate file: @bool', ['@bool' => ($crop_required) ? 'Yes' : 'No']);
 
     if (isset($image_styles[$image_style_setting])) {
       $preview[] = $this->t('Preview image style: @style', ['@style' => $image_style_setting]);
@@ -270,6 +280,7 @@ class ImageCropWidget extends ImageWidget {
     $element['#show_crop_area'] = $this->getSetting('show_crop_area');
     $element['#show_default_crop'] = $this->getSetting('show_default_crop');
     $element['#warn_multiple_usages'] = $this->getSetting('warn_multiple_usages');
+    $element['#crop_required'] = $this->getSetting('crop_required');
 
     return parent::formElement($items, $delta, $element, $form, $form_state);
   }