Does a video’s aspect ratio matter? At a time when people have access to multiple device displays, each varying in size, very much.

Another factor that should make you consider aspect ratios seriously is the sheer amount of content uploaded daily on the internet. Nowadays, what really matters is how you present your content. Are people able to access it in their preferred format?

Once you lose out on this, everything else goes downhill. You won’t be able to entice as many viewers to watch your videos in their entirety, and for the few who do, the experience won’t be as ideal. This may also negatively affect how your content is ranked on most social media and video-sharing platforms, effectively limiting your audience reach.

But what is video aspect ratio, and how does it relate to video resolution? To give you a taste, video aspect ratio and resolution mirror each other in many ways, but they’re not exactly the same.

Dive in to understand what video aspect ratio is, which aspect ratios are commonly used, and how you can resize your videos to the most appropriate aspect ratio using Wave.video.

What is Video Aspect Ratio?

For starters, video aspect ratio is the same as image aspect ratio. That out of the way, the aspect ratio is a common attribute or measure used to describe how an image or video renders on a screen.

This ratio correlates a video’s width to its height. So, a video with an aspect ratio of 16:9 means the video’s dimensions are 16 units (width) by nine units(height).

To clarify, a video’s aspect ratio is only a descriptive attribute. It would be impractical to have a video measuring 16 by 9 pixels since it would be too small.

Aspect Ratio and Video Resolution

Although they might seem different, aspect ratio and video resolution kind of mirror each other; it also gets interesting in that several video resolutions can have the same aspect ratio, but not the other way around.

A video’s aspect ratio is only that, a ratio that speaks to how a video’s width dimensions are compared to its height.

Common Aspect Ratios and Where They’re Used

In all respects, most used aspect ratios today borrow essentially from and are a product of filmmaking. Back then, films were made with one audience in mind, usually in large cinema setups. Slowly, there was a shift to smaller television screens and computer monitors, and now we access videos on much smaller mobile device displays. Mobile device displays are smaller but have longer vertical dimensions compared to frame width.

Here’s a quick look at the most used aspect ratios:

16:9

This is the most common aspect ratio with most videos today, whether it’s on Netflix, YouTube, or Hulu. It’s popular since it renders the best visuals on television, computer monitors, and smartphone displays.

The wider screen allows for more visual information to be displayed, making it ideal for watching movies and television shows and for mild gaming and browsing the internet. 16:9 balances the amount of content in a frame without being too scoped or extremely wide.

1:1

Also referred to as square format, this ratio is perfect for creating balanced and symmetrical compositions. Its unique format means easy image cropping and resizing without quality degradation.

4:3

This is another common aspect ratio. It’s also known as the standard television format, with its origins stretching as far back as 1892.

Prior to its use in early forms of television, it was a standard measure of camera films. It’s still used in older television sets and is still prevalent in some digital cameras and camcorders.

It offers a balanced composition; hence it’s some type of middle-ground between landscape and portrait photography.

4:5

Often used in portrait photography and printing photos, the 4:5 ratio is slowly gaining popularity among social media users.

The best thing about it is that it allows more vertical space for photos but not too much to ruin that perfect Instagram snap.

3:2

With an origin that’s tied to film cameras, it’s still regularly used in 35mm film cameras. As a full-frame format, it offers balanced composition. This makes shooting a wide range of subjects a breeze, whether in landscape or portrait.

21:9

This aspect ratio is the new must-have for gamers and immersive film enthusiasts. The term 21:9 aspect ratio is also a name coined by marketers to push ultra-wide screen displays. 64:27 aspect ratio is the most correct term.

As an ultrawide format, it allows more visual information to be packed into the frame. Some notable videos/films developed with this aspect ratio include The Dark Knight Rises – 2012 and Interstellar -2014.

9:16

The 9:16 usage is growing, and the main cause is the dramatic rise of short videos on social media. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and the likes favor videos with more height compared to frame width.

This is because most users primarily access social media on mobile devices, which usually have smaller but vertically longer screens.

How to Change the Video Aspect Ratio with Wave.video

In case you’ve never tried it, Wave.video has the most powerful web-based video editor that’s easy to use and, best of all, free.

Here’s how you can change a video’s aspect ratio with Wave.video:

• Load Wave.video on your browser. Go straight to Free Video online resizer

• Upload the video you want to resize by clicking the “Upload” button. Then Select the video from your device and click open. Once the upload is complete, click once on the video.

• If you’ve done everything right up to this point, this is what you should see on your screen:

• Select “Resize” from the menu on your left and choose an appropriate aspect ratio. In this example, we’ll go with 9:16, which works for Instagram, Facebook stories, and reels. Look for the option that best suits the occasion.

• You’ll be redirected back to the editor, where you can customize your video further to match your brand and suit the target audience. For instance, if the video is educational, you might want to hardcode subtitles using the captions feature. It’s simple, really.
• To hardcode subtitles, scroll down the menu to your left and select “Captions.” Next, click on the plus sign on the right side of the screen and select “Auto’ to generate captions automatically.

• Toggle the “Source language” and “Translate to” options to get better results, especially if the audio isn’t in English. Choose between 1 and 2-line captions and hit “Create captions.”
• Enrich your video further with the editing options like custom watermarks, overlays, stickers, or even change the audio.
• Once you’re done, hit “Publish” to render the resized and better-optimized video.

Choose the highest resolution available on your plan and download or post your video directly to your social media platform.

How to Determine Aspect Ratio?

Divide the video’s frame width by its height. So, if, for instance, you have a video that measures 1920 by 1080 pixels, divide the figures as you would any number. However, remember, width comes first, so 1920 is the width and height 1080.

But when you finalize the division, you’ll end up with 1.78 rather than 16:9. In the real Mathematical sense, the ratio 16:9 translates to 1.78:1.

When you divide the numerator (1920) by the denominator (1080), the denominator cancels out as one while the numerator or frame width becomes 1.78.

FAQs:

What aspect ratios are Instagram and TikTok videos?

They vary, but 9:16 is the recommended aspect ratio on both platforms. The reason for this is that the two social media platforms are mostly accessed by users on mobile devices, and the 9:16 aspect ratio provides the best viewing experience for vertically longer screens.

However, this doesn’t mean you won’t be able to post videos with other aspect ratios like, say, 16:9. If you do, though, the video will be cropped automatically and extra padding added to it to fit the vertical screen orientation. Users may not like this much, so try to stick to the recommended aspect ratio if you want to keep your audience engaged and happy with your content.

What is YouTube videos’ aspect ratio?

16:9 is the recommended aspect ratio for YouTube videos. This goes back to when the platform was formed, and computer monitors were the most common and preferred displays at the time. Capable mobile device displays were either still at a developmental stage or were being offered at a steep price point.

Years later, 16:9 is still the recommended aspect ratio, but the fact that it supports the minimum resolution for High Definition (HD) content delivery may hold some weight. To make sense of this, understand that YouTube’s users are spread all across the globe.

A significant number of these users are not able to access strong or reliable internet connections. Therefore, the platform had to find a compromise. A spot that would guarantee exceptional video quality without straining users’ unreliable or weak internet connections. 16:9 aspect ratio does this job superbly; hence, it’s highly preferred by the platform.

What aspect ratios are Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter?

Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter all have their ideal recommended video aspect ratios. However, they share a few commonalities. For instance, a 4:5 aspect ratio is recommended on all three platforms.

Similarly, Facebook and Twitter recommend the 1:1 aspect ratio on their platforms, while Facebook and LinkedIn recommend the 16:9 aspect ratio.

As you may have noticed, aspect ratios are primarily influenced by the desired output, i.e., the platform user’s preferred mode of accessing content on these platforms. A user base that’s mostly on mobile means the content’s platform will prefer aspect ratios with more height compared to frame width. The reverse is true.

Still, it’s worth noting that there may be some overlap in terms of recommended aspect ratios on a platform. A mix suggesting a significant number use both mobile and larger display screens could prompt the need for a variety of aspect ratios to accommodate all users.

What is the best aspect ratio for a video?

You can never go wrong with the 16:9 aspect ratio. It’s accepted and supported widely due to its ability to deliver superior viewing without being excessively taxing on resources. This means it’s easier to stream and render content in this aspect ratio.

Still, this is a generalization, and a more logical answer would be as follows. The best aspect ratio for a video is one that addresses the needs of the production team and the end user. 16:9 may be common, but 9:16 rocks with TikTok or Instagram reels type of content.

Objectively determine what works for you and your target audience, and use those insights to infer the best aspect ratio for your video.

Final Thoughts

Aspect ratio is that one less talked about ingredient that’s just as crucial if not more important than other elements. It’s a component that spans photography, videography, graphic design, and editing.

One way to get it right with aspect ratios is to understand the end consumer’s needs first. How are they likely to prefer the content to be styled? What are the most common displays they’ll use? Once you’ve established this, you can nail the perfect aspect ratio for your next creation.

Fortunately, all is not lost even if you’re past the production stage. There are capable video editing tools that can resize your video to the ideal aspect ratio for the occasion. Wave.video has such functionality, and it’s not just free but simple to work with.

Resize your videos to the ideal aspect ratio today. Sign up for a free Wave.video account.