Selected‐area liquid‐phase epitaxy of garnet films has been achieved through local substrate damage caused by ion implantation before film deposition. Thus, patterning with a geometrical resolution of a few microns of some micron‐thick epitaxial garnet films is possible. Film patterns are defined by ‘‘perfect’’ epitaxial film regions grown on unimplanted substrate areas and defective film regions where the substrate has been implanted before film deposition. The films produced consist either of imperfect monocrystalline film areas, film areas resulting from island growth, or of substrate areas without overgrowth. Application of the method to the growth of epitaxial (Gd,Bi)3(Fe, Ga,Al)5 O12films permits local magnetic switching of the magnetization direction confined to ‘‘perfect’’ film regions without switching of the adjacent imperfect film area.