In the fast-paced world of social media, your content has only a split second to grab a user's attention. As well as creating engaging content, and using the best high-quality microphone for great YouTube vlogs, one of the most critical, yet often overlooked, factors in making your posts stand out is using the correct aspect ratio. The aspect ratio determines how much screen space your content commands. Using the wrong dimensions can lead to awkward cropping, text cut-offs, and an overall amateur look that causes users to scroll right past. While most social platforms offer video editing tools to adjust your content later, pre-planning your visuals with the correct aspect ratio in mind is the most efficient strategy. Knowing the ideal specifications from the start prevents frustrating re-editing, saves valuable time, and ensures your images and videos are displayed exactly as intended, instantly boosting their impact and professional polish.
Here's everything you need to know about what aspect ratio to use for YouTube Videos, Instagram Reels and other online content.
What is Aspect Ratio?
Before diving into specifications, it helps to understand exactly what aspect ratio is. Simply put, the aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between the width and the height of a video image or a display screen. It is expressed as two numbers separated by a colon (e.g., 16:9). A higher first number means the image is wider than it is tall, while a higher second number means it's taller than it is wide. This ratio dictates the shape of your final video and how it will display on different screens, from a wide-screen TV to a smartphone held vertically, the latter of which is how most people will ultimately be viewing your online content.
Square Images are in the 1:1 ratio, which is common for on-the-grid Instagram Content
The Best Aspect Ratios for YouTube Content
This image is presented in the 16:9 horizontal aspect ratio
For traditional, standard YouTube video content (videos watched primarily on desktops and televisions), the 16:9 aspect ratio is the industry standard and the best choice. This wide-screen format perfectly fills the YouTube player on most devices. However, for mobile-first content like YouTube Shorts, the standard is a vertical ratio: 9:16. Creating both horizontal (16:9) and vertical (9:16) versions of your content is the most effective way to maximise visibility across the entire YouTube platform.
The Best Aspect Ratios for Instagram Posts and Reels
For on-the-grid content like photos and standard videos, the traditional square format (1:1) remains a staple on Instagram, displaying neatly on your profile grid. However, to maximise screen real estate in the user's main feed, the vertical portrait format (4:5) is highly recommended, as it occupies more space and tends to drive better engagement. For dynamic, full-screen video content, such as Reels, the best aspect ratio is the full-screen vertical (9:16), which is optimised for mobile viewing and provides the most immersive experience.
The vertical 9:16 aspect ratio is the most common for Instagram Reels
Gear VS Post-Production for Aspect Ratio Choices
The 4:5 aspect ratio is great for photography, but not optimised for social platforms
The process of achieving the correct aspect ratio often depends on your camera. While many modern cameras, especially mirrorless cameras, offer specific settings to shoot in YouTube-friendly ratios like 16:9 or even 9:16 directly in-camera, older or more basic models may only shoot in a wider format like 3:2 or 4:3. In these cases, you will need to perform cropping and resizing during the post-production editing phase to ensure your final export meets YouTube's required ratio without black bars appearing.
Recommended YouTube-Friendly Cameras
Mirrorless Cameras
These cameras are ideal for high-quality production and offer dedicated video controls, as well as interchangeable lenses, allowing you to choose your own specific focal length.
Sony ZV-E10
Best For: Vlogging and beginners.
Key Feature: The Sony ZV-E10 automatically detects and saves 9:16 vertical video when the camera is turned on its side, making YouTube Shorts workflow seamless. One of our favourite cameras for vlogging, the ZV-E10 shoots standard 16:9 4K footage.
Fujifilm X-S20
Best for: Hybrid shooters who require exceptional photo and video quality.
Key Feature: The Fujifilm X-S20 provides excellent image quality for 16:9 (up to 6.2K) with strong colour science and robust video-specific features.
Panasonic Lumix GH7
Best For: Advanced video and maximum post-production flexibility.
Key Feature: The Panasonic Lumix GH7 offers Open Gate recording, which means it captures footage using the entire sensor. This provides maximum source resolution, allowing you to crop perfectly to both 16:9 and 9:16 in editing without sacrificing quality.
Digital Compact Cameras
Due to their more compact stature and built-in camera lenses, digital compact cameras are perfect for run-and-gun shooting, travel, and maximum portability.
Sony ZV-1 II
Best For: Premium pocket-sized vlogging.
Key Feature: Using its 1-inch sensor, the ZV-1 II shoots standard 16:9 4K video. It features a wide-angle lens, fast autofocus, and a form factor that is easy to hold and turn for quick 9:16 vertical shots.
DJI Osmo Pocket 3
Best For: Simple, stabilised, mobile content creation.
Key Feature: The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is a handheld gimbal with a built-in camera, which features a screen and lens that can physically rotate instantly between 16:9 and 9:16 aspect ratios with the push of a button. This makes it the most seamless option for mixed-format content.
Master your aspect ratios for social media success
With these aspect ratio rules in your toolkit, you're ready to create perfectly framed content, in-camera. That means now you know what aspect ratio to use for YouTube Videos and Instagram Reels. But the technical details don't stop there, if you want to further craft the look of your vlogs and truly master your video's visual style, be sure to check out Ted's essential guide to focal lengths next.
For more vlogging tips and to explore our range of mirrorless cameras and video cameras, visit your local Ted's Cameras store or shop online. You may also want to read our video lighting guide for YouTube and content creators to ensure your footage looks as polished as possible.
Best Aspect Ratio for TikTok Videos
TikTok is built entirely around vertical video, making aspect ratio one of the most important settings to get right before you hit record. The recommended aspect ratio for TikTok is 9:16 — the same portrait orientation used for Instagram Reels. Your video should ideally be shot at a resolution of 1080 x 1920px for the sharpest result. TikTok will technically accept horizontal (16:9) and square (1:1) videos, but these are heavily penalised in the algorithm and display with distracting black bars. To avoid cropping your subject, keep key visual elements and any on-screen text centred and away from the top and bottom edges, where TikTok's UI overlays (captions, buttons, username) will obscure your content. If you're shooting TikTok content on a smartphone, our tips for shooting video on your phone will help you get the most from your device.
Instagram Aspect Ratios for Photos vs Videos
Instagram supports different aspect ratios depending on the content type, and mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes creators make.
- Instagram Feed Photos: Square 1:1 (1080 x 1080px) is the safest choice. Portrait 4:5 (1080 x 1350px) takes up the most screen real estate and tends to perform best. Landscape 1.91:1 (1080 x 566px) is supported but shows smallest in the feed.
- Instagram Reels & Stories: Always use 9:16 vertical (1080 x 1920px).
- Instagram Feed Videos: Portrait 4:5 is recommended for maximum visibility without switching to Reels format.
When in doubt, shoot in 9:16 and crop down — you will always have more flexibility than if you shoot too wide.
How to Set the Right Aspect Ratio on Your Camera Before You Shoot
The most efficient way to nail aspect ratio is to set it correctly in-camera before you record, rather than cropping in post and losing resolution. On most mirrorless and DSLR cameras, navigate to Menu > Image Quality / Video Settings > Aspect Ratio and select your target ratio. Many cameras offer 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, and 3:2 natively. For vertical social content (Reels, TikTok, Shorts), simply rotate your camera to portrait orientation and shoot in 9:16 where supported, or shoot 16:9 landscape and reframe vertically in editing. Cameras with flip or articulating screens make vertical shooting far more comfortable. If you are unsure which camera best suits social content creation, browse our range at Ted's Cameras or speak with our in-store team.
What Aspect Ratio for Instagram? (Photos & Videos)
Instagram supports several aspect ratios depending on the format you're posting. For feed photos and videos, the recommended options are 1:1 (square, 1080×1080px), 4:5 portrait (1080×1350px — the maximum vertical space allowed), and 16:9 landscape (1080×608px). The 4:5 ratio at 1080×1350px is widely considered the best aspect ratio for Instagram feed posts because it takes up the most screen real estate in the feed, increasing visibility before users scroll. For Instagram Stories and Reels, the correct aspect ratio is 9:16 (1080×1920px), which fills the entire mobile screen. Avoid posting horizontal 16:9 video to Reels — it will be heavily cropped and letterboxed, reducing impact significantly. If you're managing a brand account, our guide to using Instagram for business covers how to leverage the right formats for maximum reach.
Best Aspect Ratio for YouTube Videos & Shorts
The best aspect ratio for YouTube depends on the content type. For standard YouTube videos, 16:9 (1920×1080px at 1080p) is the universally recommended format. It matches the native widescreen display of YouTube's player and most monitors and TVs, ensuring no black bars or cropping. Uploading anything other than 16:9 for regular videos will result in pillarboxing or letterboxing. For YouTube Shorts — YouTube's short-form vertical video format — the correct aspect ratio is 9:16 (1080×1920px), identical to TikTok and Instagram Reels. If you're cross-posting vertical content, shoot in 9:16 to cover all three platforms efficiently. Always ensure key subjects and text remain within the centre safe zone to avoid UI cropping.
What Is the 1080×1350 Aspect Ratio?
The 1080×1350px dimension represents a 4:5 aspect ratio — a portrait-oriented format slightly taller than a square. This is the largest vertical image or video size Instagram allows in the main feed, making it one of the most strategically valuable formats for creators and brands. By occupying more vertical screen space than a 1:1 square or 16:9 landscape post, a 4:5 post naturally draws more attention as users scroll. It's ideal for portrait photography, product shots, and talking-head video clips repurposed from longer content. If you're shooting specifically for Instagram feed performance, frame your shots with a 4:5 crop in mind — most modern mirrorless cameras and smartphones allow you to set this as an in-camera overlay guide.
If you're new to mirrorless systems, our complete guide to how mirrorless cameras work explains what to look for when choosing one for video.