The right aspect ratio can make your video content look its best. But every platform has slightly different display sizes, requiring different ratios. This complete video aspect ratio guide includes all the recommended ratios for everything from an OTT commercial to your favorite social media platform.
Make sure the video you worked so hard to create looks the way you intended. This guide will show you how. Plus, we’ll explain a little bit about why these video tech specs matter so much.
Aspect Ratio Explained
Simply put, aspect ratio is the relation between the width of an image and its height. You’ll see this written as two numbers separated by a colon, like this: 16:9. If the first number is the largest, you’re dealing with a horizontal image. If the second number is larger, your image is vertical.
Don’t confuse aspect ratio with image size. Image size is the width and height of an image, but aspect ratio is the relationship between those numbers.
Why Are There So Many Aspect Ratios?
Back in the days before flat-screen televisions, 4:3 was the most common aspect ratio. This was based on the shape of a standard strip of 35mm film.
In the 1950s, widescreen travel films showed audiences a panoramic view in 2:35 for the first time. Soon, 20th Century Fox developed a special lens, called a Cinemascope to deliver ultra widescreen. It stretched the image to achieve an even wider view. Widescreen aspect ratios were spectacular, but the resolution wasn’t great.
Aspect Ratio and Resolution
When you stretch a 4:3 image, the grain of the film gets bigger. It’s just like blowing up a photo to hang on your wall, you’ll start to see pixels. So unless you’re okay with distortion, you need to increase resolution to make up for the broader ratio. The switch to digital media and HD mostly solved this problem in the late 1980’s.
Starting around 1997, television transitioned from the 4:3 NTSC standard to a new 16:9 high resolution ATSC standard. The last NTSC transmitters shut down in 2018.
Standard Aspect Ratios for Broadcast, Cable and OTT
A commercial for airing on broadcast, cable, or OTT uses a 1920 x 1080 pixel format. That’s a 16:9 aspect ratio. The same is true if you’re uploading video to YouTube, Vimeo, or another online video sharing site.
But why is 16:9 video the standard aspect ratio for so many platforms?
It turns out 16:9 is the mathematical middle ground between traditional 4:3 and the 2:35 cinematic widescreen format. Modern TV screens are optimized for 16:9 and so are most computer monitors. Today, 16:9 is considered HD aspect ratio.
That’s why YouTube and other video sites use it as their baseline. They want their content to look good whether it’s on your computer screen or streamed to your television.
But people don’t just watch videos on their televisions anymore. In fact, about 70% of viewers who watch digital video do so on mobile devices.
Common Aspect Ratios For Social Media Videos
Most people hold their phone vertically, so the 16:9 screen becomes a 9:16 screen. Social media platforms and other sites that rely on mobile users generally prefer this new aspect ratio. Some also accept a 1:1 ratio. This square format fits whether viewers hold the screen vertically or horizontally.
Best Video Aspect Ratios for Facebook
Facebook accepts aspect ratios of 16:9 to 9:16 however, certain ratios look better in certain placements.
In-Feed – 9:16, 1:1
Stories – 9:16
In-Stream (ads during other videos) – 9:16
Facebook Search – 1:1
Audience Network – 16:9
Common Video Aspect Ratios for Instagram
Hootsuite, the social media post scheduling company, has a handy guide to Instagram video. Instagram allows several aspect ratios, but these will give you the best results.
In-Feed – 4:5 (or 1:1)
In-Feed Ads – 4:5
Stories – 9:16
Reels – 9:16
Live – 9:16
Aspect Ratios for Video on X (formerly Twitter)
X recommends just one standard aspect ratio for all of its different ad types. sticks to three basic aspect ratios although the way they list them on their site can get a little confusing.
Video Ads – 16:9
In most settings, you can use 1:1 as well, but those videos may sometimes be trimmed on mobile. It’s worth sticking to 16:9 if you can.
Aspect Ratios on Pinterest
Pinterest accepts an unusual aspect ratio 2:3 in many places on its site.
Standard width video ads – 1:1, 2:3 or 9:16
Max Width Ads – 1:1
Video Hero Creative – 1:1, 2:3 or 9:16
Idea Ads – 9:16
Showcase Ads – 2:3 (but feature is 1:1)
Quiz Ads – 2:3
Choosing Aspect Ratios for TikTok
TikTok is the newest platform to include ad options. They keep things simple with three basic aspect ratios
News Feed App – 1:1 or 16:9
TikTok Feed: 9:16, 1:1, or 16:9
One Standard Aspect Ratio for Snapchat
Snapchat has the simplest guidelines of all, with 9:16 across all ad and organic placements.
As you may have noticed, vertical video is increasingly popular on social media platforms. Dig deeper into how to use vertical video on social media with our Vertical Video Guide.
How Video Sizes Might Change in the Future
Aspect ratio standards take their cues from technology. They change when the technology does. New display and recording technology leads to new aspect ratios to fit those formats.
Right now 16:9 and 9:16 are the most common aspect ratios. They seem like the obvious solution in a world full of smartphones. But if virtual reality becomes commonplace, aspect ratios may change to fit that format.
In the future people may experiment with wrap-around screens or vertical format televisions. Folding screens could become commonplace. Basically, anything could happen. To stay prepared, keep an eye on the latest display technology and create videos to fit it.
How To Get The Right Size Every Time
To make sure your video is perfectly sized every time, first, think about where you’ll be placing it. Then, create your video in that aspect ratio. This is easier, and more professional-looking, than making a video and modifying it to fit.
For help planning videos that fit any platform, work with the experts at IdeaRocket. We create videos in 2d and 3d animation, whiteboard animation, and live action. Our clients use their videos to explain tech products and services, to support healthcare, to communicate with employees or to advertise on television, and more. Contact us today to learn more.
