Video aspect ratios explained: How to create content for every platform
If you choose to create and post content for multiple social media platforms it can sometimes feel like a balancing act. This is particularly the case when it comes to screen aspect ratio’s. YouTube favours widescreen videos, while TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are designed for vertical viewing, with some offering a square format.
Fortunately, you don’t need to film separate videos for every platform. With the right workflow, you can edit once and quickly adapt your content for different aspect ratios.
In this guide we show you how to make the process as efficient as possible.
Choosing your primary platform
The first thing you will need to decide is where your content will primarily be published. This decision should be driven by the subject matter and theme of the video as well as the platform you get most engagement on. The aspect ratio of the chosen platform should become the one used for the primary video edit.
For example, if you’re creating long-form YouTube content, you’ll most likely want to film and edit in a 16:9 landscape format. If your focus is TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts, editing in a 9:16 vertical format will make more sense.
Choosing a primary platform helps streamline your workflow, allowing you to focus fully on creating the best content while still considering how it may be repurposed into secondary ratios.
Know your ratios
Different platforms favour different video dimensions. Understanding these formats ahead of time is important and will make repurposing your content much easier. Here are the most common formats used by creators today:
YouTube
- 16:9 (1920 x 1080)
YouTube Shorts
- 9:16 (1080 x 1920)
TikTok
- 9:16 (1080 x 1920)
Instagram Reels
- 9:16 (1080 x 1920)
Instagram Feed and Stories
- 1:1 Square (1080 x 1080)
- 4:5 Portrait (1080 x 1350)
Facebook Reels
- 9:16 (1080 x 1920)
- 16:9 Landscape
- 1:1 Square
X (formerly Twitter)
- 16:9 Landscape
- 1:1 Square
Shoot with multiple formats and ratios in mind
Creating a successful multi-plafform workflow starts with the filming. A great way to future-proof your content is to film slightly wider than you think you’ll need in 4K. This will give you significantly more flexibility when cropping footage later. Do be aware though that editing 4K footage can be a lot more demanding on your computer hardware. This approach is best for those with adequately powerful machines to edit on.
Here are some great pointers to help you capture more adaptable footage. When filming, try to:
- Keep important subjects close to the centre of the frame
- Avoid placing key information near the edges
- Leave extra space around presenters or products
- Consider how the shot will look when cropped to an alternative ratio
A little planning during filming can save hours of editing later.
Create your primary edit first
Once you have decided on your primary ratio the next step is to decide on your editing workflow. It is possible with modern editing software to edit landscape and portrait versions at the same time. While working with multiple aspect ratios may seem efficient, most editors find it quicker and less complex to complete one master version first.
Start by editing for your primary platform and finalising your cuts, transitions, graphics, music, and sound effects. Once you’re happy with the finished video save it making sure to mark it as the primary ratio. Then duplicate the timeline and create a second version using the new aspect ratio.
This approach allows you to focus entirely on the creative decisions for your primary edit first. Once that’s complete, you can concentrate on adapting the framing and layout for other formats rather than rebuilding the video from scratch.
Secondary ratio edit from primary edit workflow
For most creators, the ideal workflow looks like this:
- Create the primary edit
- Save this version
- Duplicate the timeline
- Change the aspect ratio
- Reframe clips and graphics
- Export platform-specific versions
The reason this method works so well is the raw footage and any visual overlays remain editable. This approach offers far more options than simply cropping a finished exported video. For example you can pull shots wider that have been cropped, reposition footage, adjust captions, and move graphics for each platform while maintaining the highest possible quality.
Most modern editing software, including Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut Pro, offer tools that make the process of repurposing your edit for an alternative ratio, straightforward. Some even include AI-powered auto-reframe tools that can track subjects and automatically reposition footage.
These powerful features can dramatically speed up the process. While these are fast and convenient tools it’s still always worth reviewing the results manually before exporting.
Using letterboxing and pillarboxing
When repurposing content across different aspect ratios, letterboxing and pillarboxing are often the only way to get your content to work effectively. If you are unaware of these terms Letterboxing refers to the horizontal bars above and below the footage, while pillarboxing creates vertical bars on either side.
In general, converting widescreen footage into a portrait format is often easier and may only require minimal letterboxing. When adapting content between aspect ratios, you’ll need to decide how much letterboxing or pillarboxing to use. It’s usually a balance between preserving important visual information and maximising the size of the footage on screen. Reducing the video too much can make it harder to view on smaller devices, while excessive cropping may remove key elements from the frame. Finding the right compromise helps maintain both clarity and impact, ensuring your content remains engaging and competitive alongside other videos in a user’s feed.
Rather than seeing these blackened areas as wasted space, many creators utilse them as useful real estate. A happy medium between formats. This is because they can be used for branding, subtitles, logos, social handles, calls to action, or additional graphical elements. They don’t even need to be kept to the traditional black colour so associated with letterboxing. Why not use a colour aligned with your brand? You could even add a texture. Think old distressed urban wall texture for a skateboard video.
blur fill
Some editing programs offer automatic reframing tools that can create a blurred background fill using the footage itself. By extending and blurring the original image into the letterboxed or pillarboxed areas, the video fills more of the screen while maintaining the original framing. This approach often looks more cohesive than plain black bars and can add subtle movement and visual interest to the surrounding space without distracting from the main content.
Summary
Creating content for multiple platforms doesn’t have to mean producing multiple videos from scratch. With a little planning, you can develop a workflow that allows a single piece of content to be repurposed and reach new audiences across different platforms.
In today’s content landscape, visibility is everything, and making your content suitable for a variety of formats is a key part of that. Whether you’re clipping highlights from a long-form YouTube video for TikTok, or compiling vertical clips into a longer “best of” landscape edit, resizing and reframing are essential skills.
By giving this process the same care and attention as the original edit, you can maximise the value of your content and significantly extend its reach.
And once your visuals are ready, don’t forget the soundtrack. High-quality music and sound effects can make content more engaging across every platform. RouteNote Licensing gives creators access to unlimited royalty-free music from just $4.99 per month and unlimited sound effects from just $3.99 per month, making it one of the most affordable ways to enhance your videos wherever they’re published.