What is 9:16 aspect ratio?

9:16 is the inverse of 16:9. It means:

• For every 9 units of width
• There are 16 units of height
• Creates a tall, narrow rectangle
• Also called "vertical" or "portrait" format

9:16 calculation:

• 9 ÷ 16 = 0.56 (or 0.56:1)
• Much taller than it is wide
• 1.78 times taller than it is wide
• Perfect for phone screens

9:16 is extremely tall:

• Height is 1.78 times the width
• Vertical rectangle
• Phone-optimized
• Mobile-first design

Social Media Platforms:

• ✅TikTok (native format)
• ✅Instagram Reels (native format)
• ✅YouTube Shorts (native format)
• ✅Snapchat (native format)
• ✅BeReal (native format)

Mobile Content:

• Vertical videos on phones
• Phone-captured videos
• Mobile app videos
• Streaming vertical content

1. Phone-Native Format

• Matches phone screen orientation
• No black bars needed
• Fills entire phone screen
• Optimized viewing experience

2. Social Media Preference

• TikTok requires it
• Instagram Reels optimized for it
• YouTube Shorts prefer it
• Snapchat designed around it

3. Mobile-First World

• More people watch video on phones
• Phone vertical is natural
• Faster to consume
• Better for quick watching

4. Higher Engagement

• Takes up full mobile screen
• More immersive on phones
• Better for mobile viewing
• Easier to watch while scrolling

At 1080p width:

• 9:16 height: 1920 pixels
• 16:9 height: 608 pixels
• Difference: 3x taller!

If you have a phone:

• Hold it vertically
• Record normally
• Video automatically in 9:16
• Perfect for TikTok/Reels

If using camera/software:

1. Set orientation to portrait
2. Frame content vertically
3. Export as 1080×1920 (or similar)
4. Upload to platform

1. Frame Vertically

• Fill entire height
• Use vertical composition
• Don't shoot horizontally and rotate
• Frame for portrait viewing

2. Important Content Top & Bottom

• Avoid placing important info on sides
• Works with safe margins
• Keep center of action centered
• Design for safe areas

3. Text Placement

• Keep text centered
• Avoid extreme sides
• Use readable font size
• Leave margins

4. Camera Movement

• Vertical pans look good
• Horizontal pans feel cramped
• Vertical movement natural
• Matches viewing behavior

• ✅Use 9:16 for:

- TikTok videos

- Instagram Reels

- YouTube Shorts

- Snapchat content

- Mobile-first content

- Phone-native videos

- Vertical storytelling

• ❌Don't use 9:16 for:

- Traditional video production

- Movies or TV

- Desktop/web primary content

- Gaming streams (usually 16:9)

- Professional cinema

- Broadcasting

From 16:9 to 9:16:

• Film vertically instead of horizontal
• Or crop 16:9 horizontally
• Cropping loses information
• Better to shoot vertical from start

From 9:16 to 16:9:

• Add black bars on sides
• Or crop top and bottom
• Cannot easily convert without loss
• Plan format from the beginning

TikTok:

• Native: 9:16
• Recommended: 1080×1920
• Fills screen: Yes
• Black bars: No

Instagram Reels:

• Native: 9:16
• Recommended: 1080×1920
• Fills screen: Yes
• Acceptable: 1:1 or 4:5 (with bars)

YouTube Shorts:

• Native: 9:16
• Recommended: 1080×1920
• Fills screen: Yes
• Mobile-optimized: Yes

Snapchat:

• Native: 9:16 (approximately)
• Full screen on Snapchat
• Optimized for phone
• Vertical videos best

More professionals are adopting 9:16:

• Mobile journalism
• Social media content creators
• TikTok creators
• Instagram influencers
• YouTube Shorts creators

9:16 growing because:

• ✅Mobile usage dominant
• ✅Short-form video popular
• ✅Social platforms optimized for vertical
• ✅Youth generation native to vertical video
• ✅More content optimized for it