9:16, 1:1, 16:9 or 4:5? Picking a video size
What each aspect ratio means and which one to choose for Reels, Shorts, feed posts and YouTube.
Published 2026-10-27
An aspect ratio is the width to height of the frame. Obtain Motion exports four of them.
The four sizes
- 9:16 (vertical). Full-screen phone video. Used for Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and WhatsApp Status.
- 1:1 (square). Works in Instagram and Facebook feeds.
- 4:5 (portrait). Takes more of the screen than a square in the feed.
- 16:9 (widescreen). The standard for YouTube videos, websites and presentations.
How to choose
Start from where the clip will be watched. If it is a phone-first channel, make 9:16. If one message goes to several places, make the main version first and export the others, then check each one, because text and layout are re-fitted to the new frame.
In the editor
Pick the aspect when you export. All our templates are authored as 9:16 and can be exported in the other sizes. For a YouTube opener, see the YouTube Intro template.