Social video aspect ratios: 9:16, 1:1, or 16:9?
There is no single export that is ideal everywhere. Use 9:16 for immersive vertical feeds, 16:9 for standard YouTube, and 1:1 only when a square placement or reusable compromise is genuinely the goal.
Last verified against Meta, TikTok, and YouTube documentation on July 21, 2026
Quick decision table
The export sizes below are practical 1080p targets. Platform acceptance can be broader than the preferred composition, so the final column separates what is allowed from what best fills the intended feed.
| Destination | Best working ratio | Practical export | Official behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram Reels | 9:16 | 1080×1920px | Accepts ratios from 1.91:1 through 9:16 |
| TikTok | 9:16 | 1080×1920px | TikTok placements can use 9:16, 1:1, or 16:9 |
| YouTube standard video | 16:9 | 1920×1080px | Player adapts to other native ratios |
| YouTube Shorts | 9:16 | 1080×1920px | Square or vertical videos can qualify as Shorts |
Choose 9:16 for vertical-first viewing
A 9:16 frame fills a phone screen in Reels, TikTok, and Shorts. Compose the subject near the center and leave breathing room around text and calls to action, because platform controls occupy the edges and lower portion of the interface.
- Do not bake black bars into the video. YouTube explicitly recommends uploading the native ratio so its player can adapt.
- Keep important text inside a conservative center area and preview the exported file in the destination app.
- For Instagram Reels, the file should be at least 720px resolution and 30fps according to Meta's help page.
Choose 16:9 for standard YouTube
YouTube's standard computer player is 16:9. At 1080p, that means 1920×1080. The player adapts to square and vertical footage, so preserving the native frame is better than adding padding just to force a widescreen file.
When a square 1:1 export is useful
Square can be a practical reusable asset for mixed placements and is accepted by TikTok ad placements and YouTube Shorts classification. It is still a compromise: it gives up screen area in vertical feeds and does not match the standard YouTube player. If a campaign matters, make separate 9:16 and 16:9 crops from the same master instead.
Make each crop from the same source video
FrameDrop lets you trim once, choose 9:16, 1:1, or 16:9, reposition the crop, and export a compatible MP4 locally in your browser.
Open Video Crop & Convert →