Video processing methods comprise receiving input data of a current block, checking whether the current block is a root block by considering one or more predefined criteria, applying a mode constraint, a chroma split constraint, or both the mode and chroma split constraints to the current block if the current block is set to be a root block, and encoding or decoding the current block. The mode constraint restricts all blocks split from the current block to be processed by a same prediction mode and the chroma split constraints prohibits chroma components of the current block to be further partitioned while allowing a luma component of the current block to be partitioned into smaller blocks.