SocialToolsVideo · 5 min read · 3 March 2026
Video Aspect Ratios Explained
Two videos can share an aspect ratio and have wildly different resolutions. 1280 × 720 and 1920 × 1080 are both 16:9 — same shape, different amount of detail.
How the ratio is calculated
Divide the width and height by their greatest common divisor. 1920 and 1080 both divide by 120, which gives 16:9. 1080 and 1350 both divide by 270, which gives 4:5.
Which ratio for which platform
- 9:16 — TikTok, Reels, Shorts, Stories.
- 4:5 — Instagram portrait feed, the tallest the feed allows.
- 1:1 — square feed posts and profile grids.
- 16:9 — YouTube, LinkedIn, X, and any landscape player.
- 2:3 — Pinterest pins.
What happens when it is wrong
- The platform crops, usually from the centre outward.
- Or it pads, adding bars you did not design for.
- Or it scales, which softens fine detail and text.
A practical workflow
Shoot slightly wider than your final ratio so you have reframing room, edit in the target ratio, and never stretch to fit — crop instead.