How to change the aspect ratio of a video

Most social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok all require different aspect ratios for sharing video clips. However, you don’t need to create a new video for each platform, simply change the aspect ratio..

What is a video aspect ratio? It’s the proportion of a video’s dimensions, written in numerical form as width:height. The aspect ratio sets how high and wide your video will appear on different screens and hosting platforms.

The Clipchamp video editor includes an online video resizer with preset aspect ratios for social media. Learn how to resize video online without losing quality in this beginner-friendly tutorial. 

How to change the aspect ratio of a video in Clipchamp

Step 1. Click on the aspect ratio changer

Click on the import media button in the your media tab to select stock footage, or upload a video from your computer or OneDrive. 

The default size for all new videos in Clipchamp is the 16:9 ratio, but you can easily change video dimensions before or during editing. Click on the size button in the floating toolbar above the video preview. Ensure no items in the timeline have been selected in order to reveal the list of aspect ratio presets.

Step 2. Preview aspect ratios

After you’ve clicked the size button, the preset options will display below: 9:16, 16:9, 1:1, 4:3, 4:5, 2:3, and 21:9. Hover your cursor over an aspect ratio to preview.

Step 3. Change the aspect ratio of your video

Adjust your aspect ratio by clicking on the option that best suits your social media video needs. The following example showcases the classic full-screen 4:3 ratio.

Step 4. Remove borders and black bars around your media

If your imported media has a different aspect ratio to your video, it will be framed by black bars. This border effect is called letterboxing and is sometimes used so no visuals are lost due to cropping or changing video dimensions.

If you would like to remove the black bars, click on your video in the timeline so it’s highlighted. Next, click on the fill button on the floating toolbar in the stage.

Your frame will now automatically adjust to the selected aspect ratio.

The automatic adjustment may cut off some of your video. Simply relocate the frame by clicking the video inside the stage, then drag the video to a new position.

If you want to restore the video asset’s original dimensions so it isn’t cropped, just click the fit button, it's in the same position as the fill button in the center of the floating toolbar.

Clicking the fit button will restore the letterbox effect. You can simply toggle each button for your preferred aesthetic. 

If your video has multiple video assets, you will need to select fit or fill for each clip individually.

Step 5. Export your video

Click on the export button then choose your video quality. 

After you’ve saved your video, you can share it directly to your preferred social media accounts like YouTube or TikTok with the in-app integrations.

Popular social media aspect ratios for videos

Different aspect ratios work better for different social media platforms. YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn all have different preferences for video size and dimensions. Here’s how to change video dimensions by social media type.

• YouTube videos: 4:3 and 16:9 ratio.

• YouTube Shorts: 9:16 aspect ratio.

• Instagram Reels and Stories: 9:16 aspect ratio.

• Instagram feed and carousel posts: 4:5 or 1:1 ratio. 

• TikTok: 9:16 aspect ratio

• Facebook Stories: 9:16 aspect ratio

• Facebook feed posts: 4:3, 4:5, 9:16, 1:1, or 16:9 ratio. 

• Pinterest: 2:3, 9:16, or 1:1 ratio. 

• LinkedIn: 9:16, 1:1, or 16:9 ratio. 

Video repurposing will save you time and help you fill up your content calendar across multiple platforms. Edit your videos or create new clips in any aspect ratio for free with the Clipchamp video resizer.

Get started with Clipchamp or download the Microsoft Clipchamp Windows app.