Video Aspect Ratio Calculator
Calculate aspect ratios and find missing video dimensions.
Understanding Video Aspect Ratios
Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between a video's width and height, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon (e.g., 16:9). It determines the shape of your video frame and how it displays on different screens and platforms.
Common Aspect Ratios
| Aspect Ratio | Common Resolutions | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| 16:9 | 1920×1080, 3840×2160, 1280×720 | HD TV, YouTube, most modern video |
| 4:3 | 640×480, 800×600, 1024×768 | Old TV, classic video, some presentations |
| 21:9 | 2560×1080, 3440×1440 | Ultrawide monitors, cinematic video |
| 1:1 | 1080×1080, 1200×1200 | Instagram posts, profile pictures |
| 9:16 | 1080×1920, 720×1280 | Instagram Stories, TikTok, vertical video |
| 2.39:1 | 4096×1716, 2048×858 | Cinematic films, theatrical releases |
| 4:5 | 1080×1350, 864×1080 | Instagram portrait posts |
Social Media Aspect Ratio Requirements
Instagram
- Feed (Square): 1:1 (1080×1080)
- Feed (Landscape): 1.91:1 (1080×566)
- Feed (Portrait): 4:5 (1080×1350)
- Stories: 9:16 (1080×1920)
- IGTV: 9:16 (1080×1920)
- Reels: 9:16 (1080×1920)
YouTube
- Standard: 16:9 (1920×1080)
- Shorts: 9:16 (1080×1920)
- Thumbnails: 16:9 (1280×720)
- Banner: 16:9 (2560×1440)
TikTok
- Full Screen: 9:16 (1080×1920)
- Also supports: 1:1 and 16:9
Facebook
- Feed: 1:1 or 4:5 (1080×1080)
- Stories: 9:16 (1080×1920)
- In-stream: 16:9 (1920×1080)
Cinematic Aspect Ratios
Film and television use various aspect ratios to achieve different aesthetic effects:
| Format | Ratio | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Academy Standard | 1.37:1 (4:3) | Classic Hollywood films pre-1950s |
| HDTV | 1.78:1 (16:9) | Modern TV shows, streaming content |
| Widescreen | 1.85:1 | Common theatrical format in North America |
| Anamorphic | 2.39:1 (2.40:1) | Cinematic widescreen, epic films |
| Ultra Panavision | 2.76:1 | Super wide, rare (The Hateful Eight) |
Aspect Ratio Conversion
When converting between aspect ratios, you have three main options:
- Letterboxing: Add black bars to top/bottom to preserve full image
- Pillarboxing: Add black bars to left/right to preserve full image
- Cropping: Remove parts of the image to fill the frame
- Stretching: Distort the image to fit (not recommended)
Important: When changing aspect ratios, always consider what content might be lost. Cropping can remove important visual elements, while letterboxing reduces the effective viewing area.
Calculating Aspect Ratios
Find Aspect Ratio: Divide width by height and simplify
Example: 1920 ÷ 1080 = 1.777... ≈ 16:9
Find Height: Height = Width ÷ (Ratio Width ÷ Ratio Height)
Example: Height = 1920 ÷ (16 ÷ 9) = 1080
Choosing the Right Aspect Ratio
Consider these factors when selecting an aspect ratio:
- Platform: Match the requirements of your target platform
- Content: Landscape for scenery, portrait for people
- Audience: Mobile users prefer vertical, desktop users prefer horizontal
- Purpose: Cinematic feel vs. documentary style
- Delivery: Theatrical, streaming, social media, or broadcast
Pro Tip: For maximum flexibility, shoot in the widest aspect ratio you'll need (e.g., 16:9), then crop to different ratios in post-production. This approach gives you multiple deliverable formats from one source.
Quick Reference
Popular Ratios:
- 16:9 = 1.78:1
- 4:3 = 1.33:1
- 21:9 = 2.33:1
- 2.39:1 (Cinematic)
- 1:1 (Square)
- 9:16 (Vertical)
Common Resolutions
16:9 Format:
- 720p: 1280×720
- 1080p: 1920×1080
- 1440p: 2560×1440
- 4K: 3840×2160
- 8K: 7680×4320