Learning how to make a horizontal video vertical is crucial for social media content. You need videos to fit mobile screens perfectly for TikTok or Instagram. Choosing the right tool ensures you don’t lose quality or waste time. In this guide, you will learn the easiest ways to convert horizontal videos into vertical format. You’ll discover practical methods, pro tips, and workflows. CapCut makes this effortless with free, intuitive tools that let you resize, crop, and reframe without any complexity.
- Why do you make a horizontal video to vertical
- 3 basic approaches to making a horizontal video vertical
- How to make a horizontal video vertical using CapCut desktop
- How to make a horizontal video vertical in the CapCut mobile app
- Why is CapCut recommended for horizontal video to vertical conversion
- Tips to make better vertical videos
- FAQs
Why do you make a horizontal video to vertical
Horizontal (16:9) videos display wide scenes and suit TVs, YouTube, and desktop viewing perfectly. Vertical (9:16) videos fit mobile screens and dominate Instagram, TikTok, and Stories content. You must understand differences in aspect ratio, resolution, and display impact to optimize your videos. When converting horizontal videos to vertical, you risk cropping key elements or adding distracting black bars. Poor conversion can distort your content and reduce quality. Mismatched aspect ratios may break layouts on social platforms. You should plan orientation carefully to maintain visual clarity and audience engagement.
3 basic approaches to making a horizontal video vertical
It is important to understand various techniques when looking for how to convert a landscape video to a portrait. Each method has its own approach to adjusting the video's orientation, and selecting the right one depends on your video's content and specific needs. Here are 3 popular methods to employ:
- Crop the video
Cropping involves cutting off the sides of your horizontal video to fit a vertical frame. This technique focuses on trimming the edges and preserving the central part of the video. It's a straightforward approach that works well if the main content is centered and crucial.
- Keeps the most important content in focus.
- Simple and quick to implement.
- Works well for videos with centered subjects.
- No additional design elements required.
- Parts of the original video may be lost.
- Not suitable if important content is near edges.
- Can feel tight or cramped visually.
- Limits flexibility for creative framing.
- Use a vertical background for the video
Placing your horizontal video onto a vertical background keeps the original video intact while filling the extra space with a background image or color. This method is useful for maintaining the full content of the video and adds a design element to the vertical frame.
- Preserves entire video content.
- Creative background options.
- No cropping is needed.
- Simple implementation.
- The background may clash with the video.
- The method is less professional.
- Rotate the video by 90 degree
Rotating the video by 90 degrees changes its orientation from horizontal to vertical. This method shifts the entire video into a vertical frame but may require further adjustments to ensure it fits well. It's a quick way to change the video's format, but it can lead to content distortion or awkward framing.
- Easy to apply.
- Maintains full video content.
- Quick adjustment.
- No need for cropping.
- It may distort content.
- Not suitable for all videos.
How to make a horizontal video vertical using CapCut desktop
For those looking for effective methods on how to change a video from horizontal to vertical, the CapCut desktop video editor is a versatile and user-friendly option to consider. It offers a range of features that make video editing straightforward. Its precise cropping tool, auto reframe, and vibrant background canvas make resizing and editing your horizontal videos effortless.
- STEP 1
- Access to the auto reframe feature
Start by opening the CapCut desktop video editor. Navigate to its "Auto reframe" feature.
- STEP 2
- Adjust the video aspect ratio
Once you import the horizontal video to CapCut, select a vertical frame, such as 9:16 and 3:4, then select the image stabilization and the camera moving speed.
- STEP 3
- Export the vertical video
Once satisfied with the adjustments, click on "Export" to save your video in the desired format. You can also do more video edits through the "Import as new project" option.
How to make a horizontal video vertical in the CapCut mobile app
The CapCut mobile app makes it easy to resize horizontal videos on your smartphone. It's perfect for quickly adapting videos to vertical formats for social media posts or stories. With it, you can adjust the aspect ratio, crop videos, and add stylish backgrounds to your phone. The app has an easy-to-use interface to help you achieve professional results without needing advanced software.
- STEP 1
- Import your video
Launch the CapCut app on your mobile device and tap "New project" to import your horizontal video.
- STEP 2
- Apply the auto frame feature to reframe the video
Tap on the video on the timeline, select "Auto reframe" to select a vertical video frame, such as 9:16. Then tap the tick button to confirm.
- STEP 3
- Export and save
Once you're happy with your adjustments, tap "Export" to save your edited video.
Why is CapCut recommended for horizontal video to vertical conversion
- Auto reframe: CapCut's auto reframe feature provides different video ratio frames, including vertical frames. You just need to import the horizontal video, and CapCut will help reframe it to a vertical frame.
- Customizable aspect ratios: It allows you to set specific dimensions for your video, making it easy to adapt horizontal videos to vertical formats or any other size required.
- Precise video cropping: The video cropper enables the exact cropping of video edges, helps you focus on the important content, and removes unwanted areas to fit a vertical frame perfectly.
- Rich video editing tools: CapCut provides lots of video editing tools, including visual elements like stickers, filters, and text effects, or AI tools like text to speech, auto captions, and so on.
- Versatile background fillers: It provides options to add solid colors, images, or blurred backgrounds, filling any extra space around your video to match the new vertical format.
- Supports various video formats: It is compatible with multiple video file types, ensuring you can work with any footage you have, regardless of its original format.
Tips to make better vertical videos
Along with understanding how to turn a horizontal video into a vertical one, it is also necessary to ensure your final video looks professional and engaging. Here are some valuable tips to improve your vertical video content:
- Pick the right resolution
Select a resolution that matches your desired vertical format, such as 1080x1920 pixels, for high-quality videos. A higher resolution ensures that your video maintains clarity and detail when viewed on different devices.
- Frame effectively
When creating a vertical video, frame it to focus on the most important elements. Use the cropping and positioning tools to center your main content and avoid including too much space or irrelevant background, which can take away from the impact of the video.
- Add engaging text
Include large, strategically placed text to provide context or emphasize key points in your video. The engaging text captures viewers' attention, making your video more informative, especially when converting horizontal videos to a vertical format.
- Optimize lighting and audio
Good lighting and clear audio are important for high-quality vertical videos. Ensure your video is well-lit, avoiding dark or shadowy footage, and use a good microphone to capture clear sound. Proper lighting and audio make your video more professional and enjoyable.
- Use smooth transitions
Use smooth video transitions between scenes or clips to maintain a professional flow in your video. Sudden changes can disrupt the viewing experience, so it's important to avoid them. Smooth transitions help make your vertical video feel more polished and well-edited.
We hope you are now well up on how to make a horizontal video vertical for adapting your content to fit various formats and platforms. You can effectively convert your footage by choosing the right method, whether cropping, adding backgrounds, or rotating the video. However, consider using the CapCut video editor for an easy and efficient solution. It provides various tools and features that simplify the process, helping you quickly adjust your video aspect ratio and achieve professional results.
FAQs
- 1
- Can I rotate a horizontal video to make it vertical on a PC?
Yes, you can rotate a horizontal video by 90 degrees to make it vertical. It can be done using reliable software like the CapCut desktop video editor. You can rotate the videos to custom angles to give them a dynamic effect and improve the overall appeal.
- 2
- How to turn a horizontal video vertical without changing orientation?
To turn a horizontal video vertically without rotating it, you can crop the video to fit the vertical frame or use a background to fill any space around it. This maintains the original orientation while adapting it to a vertical format. The CapCut desktop video editor makes this process easy with its precise cropping and background options.
- 3
- What is the best way to change the video aspect ratio for social media?
The best way to change the video aspect ratio for social media is to use a tool that allows you to select preset ratios or customize dimensions for different platforms. Tools like the CapCut desktop video editor are ideal as they offer auto reframe tools and format-specific presets for optimal social media presentation.
To change video frames, check for more details:
https://www.capcut.com/resource/change-video-aspect-ratio
https://www.capcut.com/resource/tiktok-video-size
https://www.capcut.com/resource/best-video-reframers