Simplified Ratio
16:9
9:16 Aspect Ratio
9:16 is the standard vertical ratio for stories, reels, and mobile-first short video formats.
Aspect Ratio Calculator
Enter image width and height to get a simplified ratio, then resize while preserving proportions.
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1200 x 675
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Common 9:16 dimensions
| Size | Best for |
|---|---|
| 540 x 960 | Smallest usable export, low-bandwidth fallback |
| 1080 x 1920 | Standard export for Stories, Reels, Shorts, and TikTok |
| 1170 x 2532 | Matches common modern phone screen resolutions |
| 2160 x 3840 | 4K vertical, used for high-end campaign masters |
Vertical content and safe framing
Vertical video has become a default format for social discovery feeds, so understanding 9:16 is now essential for creators and performance marketers. A common 9:16 dimension is 1080 x 1920, though larger versions can be used in editing workflows before final compression.
Using the wrong ratio often causes crop errors, pillarboxing, or text overlays being cut near edges. To protect important visuals, keep key faces and copy centered and avoid placing essential information too close to top or bottom UI zones — profile names, captions, and action buttons typically overlap the outer 10-15% of the frame on most apps.
Mistakes to avoid
- Center-cropping a horizontal 16:9 video into 9:16 — this loses everyone standing at the edges of the original frame. Reframe with intent instead.
- Adding a full-width subtitle bar at the very bottom — on most platforms that area is covered by the caption, like button, and share icon.
- Exporting square 1:1 content and letting the platform auto-pad it — the result has visible bars above and below instead of using the full vertical canvas.
FAQ
Is 9:16 the same on TikTok, Reels, and Shorts?
The ratio and pixel target (1080x1920) are identical across all three. Safe-area padding differs slightly by platform UI, so keep a small extra margin if you're exporting one master file for all of them.
Can I use 9:16 for print?
Yes — it's the same ratio as a narrow poster or bookmark. Use the pixels to print size calculator to check the physical size your file will hold at 300 DPI.