Vertical video
Also called 9:16 video, portrait video, vertical format
What is a vertical video?
Vertical video is video in a portrait orientation, taller than it is wide. The standard is a 9:16 aspect ratio, usually 1080 by 1920 pixels, which fills a phone screen held upright. It is the native format for Instagram Reels and Stories, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Snapchat, and is widely used in mobile ads.
Vertical video was once seen as a mistake, the result of holding a phone the wrong way. That changed as phones became the main screen and Stories and TikTok made full-screen portrait viewing normal. Feeds also accept 4:5 portrait video, which takes up more space than square but less than full 9:16.
Making good vertical video means designing for a narrow frame: one subject, centered, with text kept clear of the app buttons. Each platform covers parts of the screen with its interface, so the safe zone matters more than in landscape. See aspect ratio for how 9:16 compares with 16:9, 1:1 and 4:5.
Why a vertical video matters
On mobile platforms, a vertical video fills the whole screen, while a landscape video shows as a small strip with empty space. Full-screen video holds attention better and looks native to the feed.
Most short-form recommendation feeds are built around 9:16. Posting in the right shape is a basic requirement for reaching people on Reels, TikTok and Shorts.
How to make vertical video
- Film or render at 1080x1920 (9:16) from the start rather than cropping wide footage later.
- Frame one main subject near the center, with headroom for text.
- Keep captions, logos and key text away from the top, the bottom and the right edge, where apps place their buttons.
- Use large text: it is read on a small screen.
- Preview the video in each app before posting to check nothing important is covered.
Vertical video example
Aspect ratio: 9:16
Resolution: 1080 x 1920 px
Frame rate: 24, 25, 30 or 60 fps
File: MP4 (H.264 video, AAC audio)
Keep text inside the center area, clear of the top ~14% and bottom ~20%
(platforms change their layouts; check current guides)Vertical video FAQ
What size is a vertical video?
The standard is 1080 by 1920 pixels at a 9:16 aspect ratio. Some platforms also accept higher resolutions such as 2160 by 3840 (4K vertical).
Can I turn a horizontal video into a vertical one?
Yes, by cropping to 9:16 and reframing each shot to follow the subject, or by placing the landscape video inside a vertical frame with text above and below. Filming vertical from the start usually looks better.
Related terms
Aspect ratio is the shape of an image or video, written as width to height, such as 16:9 for widescreen or 9:16 for vertical video.
Short-form video is video under about three minutes, usually vertical, made for Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts; long-form video runs longer.
A safe zone is the area of a video or image where text and key content will not be hidden by platform buttons, captions or cropping.
Instagram Reels are short vertical videos on Instagram, shown in a full-screen feed that recommends them to people who do not follow you.
YouTube Shorts are vertical videos of up to about three minutes on YouTube, shown in a swipeable Shorts feed alongside long-form videos.
The Instagram story size is 1080×1920 pixels, a 9:16 vertical frame. Keep text and buttons out of the top and bottom edges, where the app overlays UI.