What is 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. 

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 and story. 

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. 

Common aspect ratios for video

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 aspect ratios used for filmmaking and online videos, alongside the pros and cons of each. 

• 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. 

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. It’s perfect for short-form videos with simple framing and simple content. The square format can help to focus a viewer’s attention on singular subjects. 

Pros of 1:1 aspect ratio:

• 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:

• 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. 

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:

• 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:

• 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. 

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:

• 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:

• 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:

• 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:

• 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:

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

Cons of 21:9 aspect ratio:

• 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:

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

Cons of 2:1 aspect ratio:

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

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. And the higher the resolution is for a video, the more data is embedded into that video file, and the more memory it takes to store the file in a digital storage device. 

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.

Best 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. 

Thankfully, each social media platform offers a recommended aspect ratio and resolution that works best for their platform. 

• 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 the aspect ratio of a video

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. 

The best video editing app and software

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.

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:

• 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.