Vertical videos are IN right now, and many users crop horizontal videos to make their content more accessible and viewer-friendly. You should do it too!
Ever since Snapchat launched the Stories format in 2013 and Instagram followed it in 2016, phone users started vastly preferring vertical videos to horizontal ones. And now that you can access everything you need through the phone, it’s even more evident.
If you mostly film horizontally and want to share your stuff with others, this may pose a problem. But fret not, as it’s very solvable, and we will walk you through everything you have to know to familiarize yourself with the process.
The main reason for the popularity of vertical content is the simplicity of viewing – they usually take up the entire smartphone screen without having to rotate the device. However, this is far from the only reason.
The other one is their effectiveness, established by the incredible popularity in social media. For example, TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat were designed with the vertical format in mind, and they are the go-to platforms for entertainment and communication. And the YouTube’s algorithm often promotes vertical videos, giving them greater reach.
In addition, vertical video takes up 30-40% more screen space than horizontal video, which keeps attention better.
For content creators, this is an ideal solution, because such videos are just simpler and cheaper to make. No need for a costly camera and accessories – you can shoot on a smartphone, and many modern options offer high-quality results. It also doesn’t require complex editing, unlike the footage that uses a movie theater format.
With all these features, making horizontal video vertical seems even more enticing. And given the right tools and their proper use, anyone can change the aspect ratio easily.
Understanding vertical and horizontal aspect ratio
This term refers to the proportion of the width and height of a video relative to each other. This proportion determines the shape of the shot – e.g., whether it would be a square video, vertical or horizontal rectangle, etc. Common ratios include 16:9 for horizontal videos and 9:16 for vertical videos. The latter one is perfect for phone users, as it covers the whole frame on most mobile devices.
Why is this important? Making horizontal videos vertical may affect the quality and appearance of the footage. As such, it may get empty space on some sides of the shot, and depending on how you will customize it, if at all, the video will look drastically different.
Apect ratio is also critical when you upload a video to any website. Different platforms have different requirements, and if the video clip doesn’t fulfill them, it will get cropped, which may ruin the vertical viewing experience. Hence, you should always keep the aspect ratio in mind to avoid compromising quality.
Social media platform requirements for vertical videos
As stated earlier, social media websites have different requirements and practices for comfortable viewing of vertical video content. So, it’s essential to consider these when converting your horizontal videos.
As such, Instagram Stories and YouTube Shorts require a 9:16 aspect ratio, while Facebook and Twitter have different requirements. And actually, those may differ even within one website or app – for instance, Instagram Feed favors a 4:5 ratio, and ordinary YouTube videos require the 16:9 one. You may need to resize or reformat a YouTube video to suit different social media platforms and vertical formats, ensuring the video maintains its quality across each platform.
It may not seem like a big deal if your video does not match the favored ratio perfectly. However, compliance with the requirements is not just a "formality" but a guarantee of reach, views, and sales (for business accounts). Without proper optimization, your content will simply get lost in the feed.
Think about using platform-specific presets and tools in video editors – with those, the final video clip will surely meet any requirements and look its best on each platform.
Ways to make horizontal videos vertical
There are several methods of converting a horizontal video to a vertical one. Let’s cover the main ones and their pros and cons.
Cropping involves removing bits of the shot so the clip fits the portrait aspect ratio. A lot of software provides the feature that lets you specify the area to crop video manually, pick the cropping preset, or both.
Advantages
Quick and easy
Good for static shots (e.g., talking head)
Disadvantages
Automatic options may cut out important details
Doesn’t work well with dynamic shots
Rotating is self-explanatory: it changes a video's orientation by turning it 90 degrees. Phones have this function built-in and rotate the image based on the position of the device.
Advantages
Takes one click to apply or none at all
Disadvantages
You may still have to rotate your device to comfortably watch the clip
Resizing adjusts the resolution so it fits the vertical format, which can help keep the quality and avoid pixelation.
Advantages
Keeps the original image intact
Disadvantages
Adds empty bars to the sides, which may be distracting depending on their size
No matter which option you choose, editing software simplifies the process of transforming horizontal videos into vertical format. Many programs also offer automated tools and presets for common platforms to further simplify the process of editing your file.
Cropping horizontal videos to vertical
This is quite a popular method of converting. The reason is simple – when you crop videos, you remove anything you don’t want to keep in the frame and place focus on the main thing or person in the shot. With it, you can easily adapt your video to vertical orientation and also bring attention to the most important part of the frame.
However, it also requires attention to detail and knowing what you want to keep or leave out. When used properly, cropping helps to improve the overall quality and appearance of the video. Which, in turn, makes it more appealing and eye-catching for a general audience, positively affecting click-through rates.
But easy as it is, when cropping a landscape video, it’s essential to consider the vertical layout and adjust the frame size accordingly. The presets for common social media platforms we mentioned before will help you with it, or you can do it manually if you have to be very precise.
You can also use images to fill the background or enhance the visual appeal when cropping horizontal videos to vertical, especially for platforms like TikTok or Instagram Reels.
Moreover, it would be useful to try different crop options for the same video to see how the results differ and remember which one looks the best for your type of videos.
Avoiding quality loss during conversion
When cropping from 16:9 to 9:16, quality may degrade due to lost pixels or incorrect export settings. But there are a few things to consider that will give the video a professional and appealing look without sacrificing quality.
The first one is having high-resolution footage. Minimum is 1080p (1920×1080), but ideally try going for 4K (3840×2160) – even after cropping, the quality will remain excellent.
Crop correctly. Do not reduce the resolution – crop only the unnecessary parts, keeping the vertical part in the original size.
Avoid over-compression. Try using H.265 (HEVC) codecs with a high bitrate for better quality at a smaller size while keeping the frame rate steady.
When exporting, choose the correct format and resolution. Do a pre-upload check: see if there is no pixelation or blurriness; text/faces remain sharp; resolution remains high. And remember to check if the video looks good on different devices and platforms.
Using Clideo Video Editor to crop videos
With all of that said, you may not be sure which method will be better for your video content. So why not try them all? Our online video editing software offers various features, including an adjustable crop tool, rotation, etc., to help you achieve the desired vertical format!
Let’s walk through the process together.
Upload your horizontal video
Open Clideo’s Video Editor and click "Get started", then "+" to pick a horizontal video to upload. Or, select it from your preferred cloud storage from the "Media" tab.
Crop the horizontal video
Your horizontal video will be added to the timeline and the preview area automatically so that you can start editing.
Open the "Canvas" tab and choose an aspect ratio option. There are multiple options available, so you can find a perfect one for you. To remove black bars that might appear you can change the color of the canvas background.
After that, click the video on the timeline or in the player to open the options tab. There are a few settings that affect the size and position of the video. When using "Fill", the video will be zoomed in to fill the vertical frame, cropping out anything that doesn’t fit. But you can manually drag the frame to perfectly adjust it.
If you want to additionally adjust the cropping area to have a specific part of the video only, you can select the "Crop" mode.
In "Crop", there are presets that will keep the required aspect ratio, or the freeform option to manually set which parts will be cropped. If you need, you can also rotate the video here. To apply changes, simply use "✓".
Want to edit your new vertical video in other ways, like tweaking audio and adding a blur effect? These and plenty of other features are available here as well: resize, select custom colors, and create new layers with text, stickers, shapes, and emojis.
Export new video ready for vertical viewing
When you finish editing, click "Export" and select a suitable option.
After export, you can check the final clip by watching the preview. Click "Download" to save it, or "Edit" to return to the editor and make changes.
Frequently asked questions
How to convert a horizontal video to vertical?
You can convert a horizontal video to vertical by using video editing software that allows cropping or by simply rotating the video 90 degrees to change its orientation.
Can I crop horizontal video to vertical on iPhone?
Yes, the iPhone's built-in Photos app includes editing tools that let you crop and adjust videos to vertical format. Alternatively, you can use online video editors for more advanced options.
When should I crop a horizontal video into vertical?
Cropping is ideal when you want your video to fit specific social media platforms that favor vertical formats, especially if the main subject is centered and the background is not crucial.
How do I maintain quality when converting horizontal videos to vertical?
To preserve quality, start with high-resolution footage, carefully crop without reducing resolution, and use proper export settings. The choice of editing software also impacts the final video quality.
What is the typical aspect ratio for vertical videos?
The standard aspect ratio for vertical videos is 9:16, though some platforms or formats might require slight variations.
Conclusion
Vertical video is not just a trend, but a new standard of content consumption. Without it, it is difficult to compete in social networks, attract an audience, and monetize content.
Changing horizontal format to vertical is vital when working with Instagram Stories and YouTube Shorts. That’s because their native aspect ratio, 9:16, is ideal for vertical videos, and many content makers strive to make new projects that provide a full-screen experience and keep the viewers’ attention.
Editing software, such as Clideo's Video Editor, provides an easy process of making horizontal video vertical.
