The shapes you will meet
| Ratio | Common sizes | Where it plays |
|---|---|---|
| 16:9 | 1280×720, 1920×1080, 3840×2160 | TVs, monitors, landscape online video |
| 9:16 | 1080×1920 | Short-form vertical video and stories |
| 1:1 | 1080×1080 | Square feed video |
| 4:5 | 1080×1350 | Portrait feed video |
| 4:3 | 640×480, 1440×1080 | Standard-definition TV, archive footage |
| 1.85:1 | 1998×1080 (DCI flat) | Cinema "flat" releases |
| 2.39:1 | 2048×858 (DCI scope) | Cinema "scope" widescreen releases |
Why black bars appear
Black bars appear when the video's shape doesn't match the screen or player's shape. The player has two honest options: crop the picture, or show all of it and fill the leftover space. Most players fill the space with black.
Letterboxing (bars top and bottom)
The video is wider than the screen. A 2.39:1 film on a 16:9 TV gets bars above and below.
Pillarboxing (bars left and right)
The video is narrower than the screen. A 4:3 clip or a 9:16 phone video on a 16:9 player gets bars on the sides.
Windowboxing (bars on all sides)
Both happen at once, usually because something was letterboxed and then pillarboxed again during a conversion. It's a sign the export settings didn't match the source.
Divide the video's width by its height, then do the same for the player. If the video's number is larger, you get letterboxing. If it is smaller, you get pillarboxing. If they match, there are no bars.
Choosing a shape before you edit
- Start from the main destination. If most viewers watch on phones in a vertical feed, edit in 9:16. For TV or desktop, edit in 16:9.
- Shoot wider than you need if you'll deliver several shapes. A 4K 16:9 frame can be cropped to a sharp 1080 × 1920 vertical.
- Keep a "safe area". Put titles and key action where every crop will keep them, usually near the centre.
- Set the sequence size first. Changing the timeline shape late usually means reframing every shot.
Converting between shapes
- 16:9 → 9:16: a centre crop keeps about 32% of the width. Reframe shot by shot to follow the subject.
- 16:9 → 1:1: keeps about 56% of the width.
- 4:3 → 16:9: either pillarbox it (keep everything), or crop 25% of the height to fill the screen.
To see what a crop would keep, drop a still frame into the image ratio finder. Its format-fit list estimates how much of the frame each common shape removes.
Pixel aspect ratio: a rare gotcha
Some older or broadcast formats use non-square pixels. Video stored as 1440 × 1080 may be meant for display at 1920 × 1080. If a file looks squashed in one player but fine in another, check the pixel aspect ratio (PAR) setting in your editor or encoder.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove black bars from a video?
Either crop or scale the video to the player's shape (you lose the edges), or re-export in the shape of the destination. Stretching removes bars too, but it distorts the picture.
Why does my vertical video have bars on a TV?
A 9:16 video is much narrower than a 16:9 TV, so the TV pillarboxes it. Nothing is wrong with the file; the shapes are different.
What is the best aspect ratio for video?
The one that matches where it will be watched: 16:9 for landscape players and screens, 9:16 for full-screen phone viewing, 4:5 or 1:1 for feeds.