You've set up each shot carefully, captured perfect footage, and imported everything into your video editor. But if you've overlooked aspect ratio, all that work might result in videos that look stretched, squished, or awkwardly cropped. It's a frustrating reality that the right aspect ratio isn't just a technical detail—it's a crucial part of the video production process that preserves your creative vision.

Aspect ratio—the width-to-height relationship of your video—affects everything from composition to how your content displays across different platforms. When your video's aspect ratio doesn't match the screen it's playing on, you end up with those annoying black bars, stretched visuals, or important elements getting cut off. Not exactly what you had in mind when crafting your perfect shot.

Choosing the right aspect ratio ensures your audience sees exactly what you intended. No visual compromises, no distractions—just your story, told exactly as you envisioned it.

Here's your straightforward guide to video aspect ratios and how to choose the perfect one for your next project—no unnecessary complexity, just practical knowledge you can actually use.

What is video aspect ratio?

The aspect ratio of a video is the proportion between the width and height of a video frame. For example, a 2:1 ratio would mean the width is two times the height. Understanding video aspect ratios is essential for creating professional-looking content that displays correctly across different platforms and devices.

Why does aspect ratio matter? Consider why you'd film something in portrait (vertical video) or landscape (horizontal video). This choice determines what's included in the frame, which affects composition, storytelling, and how viewers experience your content. The right aspect ratio ensures your video appears as intended on its target platform.

Take this iconic shot from Jurassic Park, for example, which is shot in landscape with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Source: YouTube

This aspect ratio makes the dinosaur look humongous and magnificent as we watch it meander through the sweeping landscape.

When you see the same scene in portrait format with a 9:16 ratio, the dinosaur still looks big, but also cramped. You don't get to see the subject in context against the beautiful backdrop—not quite the same awe-inspiring image as the first. This is how aspect ratios can change the look and feel of a movie, dramatically affecting the emotional impact and visual storytelling.

Common video aspect ratios

The aspect ratio you use will depend on the content of your video and the platform you want to show it on. Let's cover the six most common video aspect ratios used for filmmaking and online videos, alongside the pros and cons of each. Choosing the right ratio is crucial for ensuring your content displays properly and creates the intended visual impact.

• 1:1 (Square)
• 4:3 (Fullscreen)
• 16:9 (Widescreen)
• 9:16 (Vertical)
• 21:9 (Cinematic)
• 2:1 (Univisium)

1:1 (Square)

A 1:1 aspect ratio creates a square video. It's mostly used in photography for artistic reasons and isn't a very popular aspect ratio for filmmakers or long-form videos. Even when moving pictures were first invented (before CinemaScope and "talkies"), the 35mm film created a 1.33:1 or 1.37:1 aspect ratio—not a perfect 1:1. The square format has gained new popularity with the rise of social media platforms.

If you want to use a 1:1 aspect ratio, most video playback programs will add vertical black bars next to your footage—a technique known as pillarboxing.

Source: YouTube

These days, the 1:1 aspect ratio is mostly used on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. It's perfect for short-form videos with simple framing and straightforward content. The square format can help to focus a viewer's attention on singular subjects, making it ideal for product demonstrations, portraits, and concise storytelling.

**Pros of 1:1 aspect ratio:** - Perfect for social media platforms like Instagram - Focuses viewer attention on central subjects - Works well on both mobile and desktop views - No cropping issues when sharing across platforms that support square format

• Visually pleasing for Instagram feed format.
• Good for creating short-form videos.
• Easy to capture simple content on mobile devices in a 1:1 ratio.

**Cons of 1:1 aspect ratio:** - Limited horizontal space for landscape shots - Not ideal for cinematic or widescreen content - Can feel constrained for complex scenes - Requires different framing techniques than traditional video

• Not commonly used on modern video platforms.
• If your video platform isn't designed for a 1:1 aspect ratio, your content will most likely have pillarboxing during playback—which could distract from the aesthetic of your video.

4:3 (Fullscreen)

Before high definition, 4:3 was the standard aspect ratio for TVs and computer monitors, which is why it's also called fullscreen. Filmmakers now use a 4:3 aspect ratio for artistic reasons because the modern standard is the 16:9 aspect ratio. The 4:3 ratio creates a distinct visual style that can evoke nostalgia or create a specific mood.

A fullscreen aspect ratio is often considered portrait framing because all the focus goes to the protagonists in the shot. On the other hand, the boxy nature of this aspect ratio can make the frame feel cramped—or as if the subjects are trapped.

In his movie The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson used this aspect ratio for many scenes. In this scene, he uses the 4:3 aspect ratio to show how Monsieur Gustave and the Lobby Boy feel trapped when the police arrive at the hotel to question them.

Source: YouTube

**Pros of 4:3 aspect ratio:** - Creates a vintage or nostalgic feel - Excellent for portrait-style framing and close-ups - Focuses attention on characters rather than environment - Works well for content that doesn't require wide landscapes

• Can focus the audience's attention on the main elements of a shot.
• Great for evoking emotion.
• Can set your videos apart from modern widescreen videos.

**Cons of 4:3 aspect ratio:** - Limited horizontal space compared to widescreen formats - Not ideal for landscape shots or action sequences - May appear outdated to some viewers - Often displays with black bars (pillarboxing) on modern screens

• Hard to show scenes in great detail.
• Busy shots can look overwhelming.
• Makes your video look old-fashioned.

16:9 (Widescreen)

The 16:9 widescreen format is the international standard for all television, cinema, mobile devices, and online streaming platforms. It's also the default setting for most video recording devices and DSLRs. This aspect ratio offers the most versatile viewing experience across modern devices, making it the most commonly used video aspect ratio today.

The widescreen aspect ratio is popular because it can show much more information horizontally than the 4:3. This can make scenes in film look more epic or solitary—everything just feels heightened.

However, for close-ups, the widescreen will still include some background, which can be distracting. Likewise, if you want to get a close-up of a person's eyes, you won't be able to see the top of their head.

Take a look at the scene in Gladiator where Maximus reveals who he really is to Emperor Commodus. This close-up of Russell Crowe's face is intense, but the top of his head is cut off and you can see a fellow gladiator in the background. These are all things that could take focus away from the intensity of the scene.

**Pros of 16:9 aspect ratio:** - Industry standard compatible with most devices and platforms - Provides good balance between vertical and horizontal space - Ideal for most YouTube, streaming, and broadcast content - No letterboxing on most modern displays

• The international standard, so you don't need to worry about reformatting for different screen sizes.
• Can include more information in a shot.
• Makes the viewing experience feel more epic.

**Cons of 16:9 aspect ratio:** - Not optimized for vertical mobile viewing - Less cinematic than wider formats like 21:9 - Can include distracting elements in close-up shots - Less effective for social media platforms that favor square or vertical content

• Showing the background of a subject can be distracting.
• Can take up a lot more storage space.

9:16 (Vertical)

If you post any social media videos on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok, you're likely using a 9:16 aspect ratio.

Vertical videos are ideal for smartphone screens. This aspect ratio is also great for short continuous videos without many cuts or edits—like this one from @myroslavaboikivart, who shares a 20-second sped-up time-lapse Instagram reel of her painting a fuzzy bumblebee.

**Pros of 9:16 aspect ratio:** - Optimized for mobile viewing on smartphones - Perfect for TikTok, Instagram Stories, and Snapchat - Takes advantage of how people naturally hold their phones - Creates an immersive vertical viewing experience

• Great for social media since many platforms use this aspect ratio.
• Perfect for an audience who are watching your video on their smartphone.
• No need to resize videos you shoot on your phone.

**Cons of 9:16 aspect ratio:** - Severely limited horizontal space - Poor viewing experience on desktop or TV screens - Not suitable for landscape shots or wide scenes - Requires specialized framing techniques

• Not great for long-form videos.
• Vertical videos can feel hectic if there are a lot of cuts or different angles.

21:9 (Cinematic)

Also known as ultra-widescreen, the 21:9 aspect ratio is usually used for high-definition videos. It's also used when shooting anamorphic format videos, like 360-degree.

Videos with this aspect ratio type need special monitors/screens to view at home (which are expensive). You can also see these videos in specialized theaters or venues with wraparound screens—like the Barco Theater at L.A. Live.

The cinematic format allows the audience to feel more immersed in the environment of the scene before them. But it can be difficult to tell a nuanced story if the audience can only see part of the screen at a time.

**Pros of 21:9 aspect ratio:** - Creates a cinematic, theater-like experience - Provides maximum horizontal space for landscapes and wide scenes - Reduces the need for panning in expansive environments - Popular for high-budget films and immersive gaming

• Immerses audience in the environment of the video.
• Super high definition with gorgeous picture.

**Cons of 21:9 aspect ratio:** - Requires specialized display equipment - Heavy letterboxing on standard screens - Not suitable for most social media or mobile viewing - More expensive to produce and display properly

• Ultra-wide screens are rare and expensive.
• Your audience won't be able to see the entire screen at the same time.
• Cinematic videos take up a lot of storage space.

2:1 (Univisium)

Univisium was proposed in the late 90s by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro as a compromise between cinematic aspect ratios like 1.85:1 or 2.39:1 used by filmmakers and the 16:9 aspect ratios of then-new HDTVs.

Storaro knew that films would have a much longer life on people's home TVs than in the theater, and he also knew that when films went to TV, they had to change their aspect ratio—thereby messing with the filmmaker's vision. Instead of making two versions of every film, why not find an aspect ratio that could work with both?

Storaro was ahead of his time: 2:1 didn't get popular until the devices people used to watch media exploded in variety—smartphones, laptops, tablets, the list goes on. At that point, having an aspect ratio that worked with multiple screens became essential. Today, streaming companies like Netflix practically require their media to be in a 2:1 aspect ratio, which is why you'll see it with series like House of Cards and Stranger Things.

The 2:1 ratio is great for most things: intimate dialogue-heavy scenes, big and scary monsters, or sweeping landscapes. The only downside is that an aspect ratio made for all screens is rarely perfect for any. Most of the time, you'll get either letterboxing, distortion, or stretching of videos shot in this aspect ratio.

**Pros of 2:1 aspect ratio:** - Versatile format that works across multiple platforms - Provides a cinematic feel without extreme width - Standard for many streaming services like Netflix - Good balance between modern and traditional aspect ratios

• The format is becoming more popular.
• Univisium displays the best parts of cinematic and TV aspect ratios.

**Cons of 2:1 aspect ratio:** - Not perfectly optimized for any specific platform - May still require letterboxing or pillarboxing - Less common in consumer recording equipment - Not ideal for vertical-oriented social media platforms

• Not many devices use 2:1, so you can get distortion or stretching of videos.

Adaptive AI-based aspect ratio technologies

Adaptive AI-based aspect ratio technologies are transforming how creators prepare content for different screens. By leveraging advanced algorithms, these tools automatically detect and resize videos to fit everything from smartphones to ultra-wide monitors. This reduces the need for manual cropping and keeps the integrity of the original composition intact. According to one industry source, AI-powered solutions minimize black bars and awkward framing, making videos more engaging to watch. The result is consistent branding, enhanced viewer experience, and minimal loss of video quality for audiences across diverse devices.

Video resolution and aspect ratios

The aspect ratio of your video is the shape of the frame. Video resolution refers to the number of pixels in that frame. The more pixels you have in a frame, the clearer the image becomes. While aspect ratio defines the shape, resolution defines the quality through pixel count. For example, multiple resolutions (like 1280×720, 1920×1080, and 3840×2160) can all have the same 16:9 aspect ratio.

Different aspect ratios have an ideal or default video resolution, but it's not set in stone. The ideal resolution for a 16:9 aspect ratio is 1080p and above.

Mobile-first best practices

Mobile-first best practices focus on optimizing videos for a vertical or portrait layout. With more viewers consuming media on smartphones, prioritizing a 9:16 aspect ratio can significantly boost engagement. According to research, it’s also helpful to account for lower resolutions like 480p for those with limited bandwidth or older devices. By keeping scenes uncluttered and storytelling concise, creators can capture mobile viewers’ attention quickly. A mobile-first approach ensures that your content looks and feels right at home in users’ hands, no matter where they’re watching.

Best video aspect ratios for social media

Different platforms offer different viewing experiences, so you need to choose the correct aspect ratio for each platform. After all, you don't want to shoot something in ultra-widescreen only to find it's going to be posted on TikTok. With mobile video consumption continuing to rise, understanding how to optimize for vertical viewing has become essential for content creators.

Thankfully, each social media platform offers a recommended aspect ratio and resolution that works best for their platform. YouTube supports multiple aspect ratios but recommends 16:9 for most content. TikTok and Instagram Reels optimize for 9:16 vertical videos, while Instagram feed posts work best at 1:1 square or 4:5 vertical formats.

• Facebook: Facebook is a social media app, so it has a few recommendations depending on different video formats and placements. It recommends a 16:9 ratio for in-stream Facebook videos, a 4:5 ratio for feed placements, a 1:1 ratio for videos in a carousel, and a 9:16 ratio for Facebook Stories and Reels.
• YouTube: YouTube allows creators to upload longer videos, so its recommended aspect ratio is 16:9. That said, YouTube Shorts, the platform's equivalent to Reels or TikTok videos, are shown in a 9:16 ratio.
• TikTok: TikTok was made for smartphones, so the ideal aspect ratio for its videos is 9:16.
• Instagram: Instagram is also mobile phone-friendly, so the ideal aspect ratio for Instagram Stories and Reels is 9:16.
• LinkedIn: LinkedIn recommends a 16:9 aspect ratio with a minimum resolution of 640 x 360 pixels and a maximum of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

How to change video aspect ratios

If you're a content creator or filmmaker looking to post your work on multiple platforms, you'll inevitably have to adjust your aspect ratio (and size of your video) to fit the platform. Here's a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process.

1. Choose video editing software

First, you have to choose the video editing software you want to use. The aspect ratio options you have are going to rely on that choice. Descript, for example, allows you to change videos into the following aspect ratios:

• 16:9
• 1:1
• 9:16

2. Import your video

Next, create a new project and import your video into your chosen editing software. The software should present your video in the aspect ratio it was shot in.

3. Set the new aspect ratio

Some video editing tools prevent you from changing a video's aspect ratio until you're ready to export the edited video. This makes it challenging to edit your video. If you're switching from 16:9 to a 1:1 aspect ratio, for example, you might cut the subject out of frame.

Descript solves that problem by allowing you to choose a new aspect ratio any time during the editing process. Simply select the box icon in the top left corner of the editor and choose your desired video resolution from the dropdown menu.

4. Adjust the video position or crop

After you've adjusted your video's aspect ratio, you may find some distortion or stretching—or maybe you just don't like how big the letterbox and pillar boxes appear. This is your chance to crop your video to better fit the aspect ratio or position it differently in the playback frame.

Double-click the image of your video in Descript and drag the edge of the video frame until you get the desired size.

5. Check and preview

Before exporting your finished product, it's important to check the playback in preview mode. This way you can ensure the aspect ratio fits the look and feel you want.

6. Export the video in your new aspect ratio

Finally, it's time to decide how to export your video and set the right format and resolution. Some editing tools may even allow you to export straight to a social media platform.

Descript has a library of templates to adjust your videos for different social media platforms automatically. You can also publish new content directly to your connected accounts.

Best software for changing video aspect ratios

The aspect ratio you choose for your videos will affect how they play on different platforms. But things like aspect ratio, video resolution, and file formats can be very technical and confusing, which is why it's a good idea to get video editing software that makes things easy for you. Think of aspect ratio like a picture frame: you can put the same photo in a wide panoramic frame or a narrow vertical frame, and while it's the same image, the frame dramatically changes how you see it and what parts get emphasized.

Descript is a free video editor that takes the guesswork out of a lot of the technical aspects of editing so you can focus on your creativity. With it, you can: - Easily change video aspect ratios for different platforms - Export in multiple resolutions without quality loss - Create social media-ready videos with appropriate dimensions - Use templates optimized for specific platforms

• Use AI-generated green screens to replace the background of your video.
• Rely on templates to auto adjust the aspect ratio and resolution.
• Publish your videos directly to social media platforms and YouTube.
• Fix scenes where you aren't addressing the camera with AI video effects.
• Create social media snippets of your video in premade templates.

Take a tour today and see why thousands of creators love Descript.

Video aspect ratios FAQs

What aspect ratio is 1920 x 1080?

1920 x 1080 pixels is a 16:9 aspect ratio. This is also known as widescreen or high definition format.

Should I use a 4:3 or 16:10 aspect ratio?

That depends on what you want out of your video and where it will be posted. The 4:3 aspect ratio is better for filmmakers who want to create emotion in their scene, whereas the 16:10 aspect ratio is most commonly used for films with wide landscapes.

What is the difference between 16:9 and 4:3 video ratio?

The width of a 16:9 aspect ratio is 78% wider than its height. The width of a 4:3 aspect ratio is only 33% wider than its height. In other words, you get a lot more horizontally in a 16:9 aspect ratio video than in a 4:3.

Is 4:5 a common video aspect ratio?

The 4:5 video aspect ratio is more popular for printed photographs, but Instagram and Facebook do support videos with a 4:5 aspect ratio.

How do I keep video quality when changing aspect ratios?

Use professional editing tools that support aspect ratio conversion with minimal pixel loss. According to one study, adding subtle black bars or carefully cropping the edges helps preserve critical visual elements. Keeping the original video resolution as high as possible ensures you don’t lose fine details. It’s also wise to watch for unintended stretching or distortion in preview mode. This approach lets you maintain your content’s integrity across different aspect ratios.

Are vertical videos suitable for long-form content?

While short, vertical videos thrive on platforms like TikTok, some creators experiment with longer 9:16 formats. According to industry research, extended vertical viewing can feel less natural than widescreen. However, it may resonate with mobile-first audiences accustomed to scrolling in portrait mode. Ultimately, the key is to deliver compelling storytelling that keeps viewers engaged. Testing a snippet of your longer vertical video can help you gauge how well it performs before going all in.