Cropping & sizing
Why is Facebook cropping or zooming my reel? Fixes and safe area
Short answer
Facebook now shares every video as a reel (Meta renamed the Videos tab to Reels in June 2025), shown in a full-screen vertical player. A landscape, square or 4:5 video is fitted into that frame, and on phones taller than 9:16 Meta may zoom even a vertical reel to fill the screen, cropping its edges. Text near the bottom and right is often hidden behind the caption and buttons rather than cropped. Export 1080 × 1920 and keep text in the safe area.
Key takeaways
- All videos posted to Facebook are shared as reels and can be any length or orientation (Meta, Requirements for Facebook Reels).
- Meta recommends 9:16 for Reels and Stories so the video covers the whole screen; 1:1 and 4:5 are for Feed placements.
- On screens taller than 9:16, Meta may zoom the video to fill the screen, which crops areas outside the safe zone, or show it at 9:16 on a black background.
- Keep text inside the safe area of a 1080 × 1920 frame: 14% from the top, 35% from the bottom, 6% from the sides.
- Meta's Reels spec: MP4, 1080p, H.264 or H.265, 24 to 60 fps, AAC-LC stereo at 128 kbps or more.
Why Facebook crops reels: what changed in 2025
Meta's help says that in June 2025 the Videos tab on Facebook was renamed to the Reels tab, and all videos posted to Facebook are now shared as reels, of any length or orientation. A landscape video that used to play in a 16:9 feed player is therefore now also shown in a full-screen vertical player, where it is boxed or enlarged.
Meta's aspect-ratio guidance is direct: most people hold their phones vertically, so 9:16 is recommended for Stories and Reels to capture the whole screen. Square and 4:5 are the feed shapes, and 16:9 is for in-stream video.
| Your video | Shown without zoom | If zoomed to fill |
|---|---|---|
| 9:16, 1080 × 1920 | Fills the screen | Nothing to crop |
| 4:5, 1080 × 1350 | Bars of 285 px above and below | About 15% cut from each side |
| 1:1, 1080 × 1080 | Bars of 420 px above and below | About 22% cut from each side |
| 16:9, 1920 × 1080 | Picture 608 px tall | About 34% cut from each side |
Find your case
| What you see | What it usually means | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape video now shown as a reel, looks zoomed or boxed | All videos are reels since September 2025 | Post a vertical version (step 1) |
| Vertical reel loses its sides on some phones | Taller screens fill the height | Side margins (step 2) |
| Text at the bottom hidden | Caption, name and buttons overlay | Use the safe area (step 3) |
| Already cropped in the export | Editor canvas or crop | Check the file (step 4) |
Fix it step by step
Make a vertical version
Facebook now shares every video as a reel regardless of length or orientation. For full-screen viewing, export 1080×1920 and frame the subject yourself.
Allow for taller phones
On phones taller than 9:16, a reel scaled to fill the screen height loses a strip on each side. The table below shows how much.
Keep text in the safe area
Meta's Reels safe-zone guidance keeps text out of the top 14%, the bottom 35% and 6% on each side of a 1080×1920 frame.
Rule out the export
Open the exported file before posting. If it is already cut, change the canvas or crop in your editor.
Safe area for a 1080×1920 video
| Edge | Keep text out of | Pixels |
|---|---|---|
| Top | 14% | 269 px |
| Bottom | 35% | 672 px |
| Left | 6% | 65 px |
| Right | 6% | 65 px |
Official guidance (approximate). Source: Sales Video Ad Specs on Facebook Reels (Meta Ads Guide), checked 2026-10-05. Meta publishes this for Facebook Reels ads; organic Reels can differ.
How much a full-screen 9:16 video loses on tall phones
Computed, not published by the platform: if the app scales a 9:16 video to fill the whole screen height, this much of the width is cut from each side.
| Phone | Screen | Cut per side | Of a 1080 px frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 15 / 16 | 1179×2556 | 9.0% | 97 px |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max | 1290×2796 | 9.0% | 97 px |
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | 1320×2868 | 9.1% | 98 px |
| iPhone SE (3rd gen) | 750×1334 | none | 0 px |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 | 1080×2340 | 9.0% | 97 px |
| Google Pixel 8 | 1080×2400 | 10.0% | 108 px |
Facebook reel settings that avoid cropping
| Setting | Meta's recommendation |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 for Reels and Stories |
| Resolution | 1080p (1080 × 1920 vertical) |
| Format | MP4 |
| Video codec | H.264 or H.265 (VP9 and AV1 also supported) |
| Frame rate | 24 to 60 fps, closed GOP of 2 to 5 seconds |
| Picture | 4:2:0 chroma, square pixels, progressive scan |
| Audio | AAC Low Complexity, stereo, 44.1 or 48 kHz, 128 kbps or more |
Free tools:Crop a video to 9:16Facebook Reels safe zone
Cropping in Facebook reel ads
In Ads Manager, media is automatically adjusted to fit more placements, using padding, media expansion, cropping and AI-enabled options. Meta advises reviewing the auto-generated crops before publishing, and uploading a separate 9:16 version if Stories or Reels matter for the campaign. Cropping alone does not stop an asset from being delivered to a placement; use placement opt-outs for that.
If you include disclaimers in Reels ads, Meta says to leave the bottom 40% of the ad free of text, logos and other key elements.
Profile pictures and cover photos are cropped too
Many searches for Facebook cropping are about images, not reels. Facebook shows profile pictures in a circle, so corners are always cut; keep the face in the middle of a square image. Cover photos are shown at different shapes on computers and phones, so keep text and faces in the central area and check both views after uploading.
Feed, Stories and Reels: which shape for which place
| Placement | Meta's recommended ratio |
|---|---|
| Reels and Stories | 9:16 |
| Feed | 1:1 or 4:5 |
| In-stream video | 16:9 |
| Carousel | 1:1 (consistent across cards) |
A single file cannot be perfect everywhere. If a video matters in both the feed and Reels, make a 4:5 and a 9:16 version rather than letting the app crop one of them.
Reframe a landscape video for Facebook reels
- Crop to the subject: from 1920 × 1080 a 9:16 crop keeps the middle 608 × 1080, enlarged to fill the screen; check the subject stays inside it.
- Or keep the whole picture: center the landscape clip on a 1080 × 1920 canvas over a blurred copy of itself.
- Or make two versions: 9:16 for reels and 4:5 for the feed, as Meta's aspect-ratio guidance suggests.
Free tool:Crop a video to 9:16
What a square or 4:5 video loses in a full-screen reel
Computed on a 1080 × 1920 frame, if the video is scaled to fill it:
| Source shape | Cut per side | Share lost |
|---|---|---|
| 4:5 | 228 px | 30% |
| 1:1 | 420 px | 44% |
Export onto a 1080 × 1920 canvas with your own background, so you decide what is visible instead of the player.
Check it on the phone that shows the problem
Preview the reel on the same phone where you saw the crop, because taller screens cut more of the sides than shorter ones. Keep faces and text inside the middle 80% of the width so the picture survives on every screen.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Facebook turn my videos into reels?
Since September 2025 all videos posted to Facebook are shared as reels, regardless of length or orientation.
What size should a Facebook reel be?
1080 × 1920 px (9:16). Keep text below the top 269 px and above the bottom 672 px.
Why is my reel zoomed in on Facebook but not Instagram?
The two apps use different overlays and players, and phones differ in shape. Keep important content away from the edges on both.
Why is Facebook cutting my reels short?
Facebook reels can be any length since all videos became reels. If yours is trimmed, check the editor's trim handles and any length limit in the app you used to post, then upload the full file again.
What aspect ratio should a Facebook reel be?
9:16 (1080 × 1920). Meta recommends 9:16 for Reels and Stories so the video covers the whole screen.
Why is my landscape video now a reel on Facebook?
Meta now shares all videos posted to Facebook as reels, regardless of length or orientation, so landscape videos also appear in the vertical reel player.
Why is Facebook cropping my profile picture?
Facebook shows profile pictures as a circle, so the corners of a square image are always cut. Keep the face centered and leave space around it.
Do Instagram Reels share to Facebook?
Yes, when sharing to Facebook is on for the Reel and your accounts are linked. On Facebook it is shown as a Facebook reel, with Facebook's player and crop.
Why does Facebook zoom in on my reel?
On screens taller than 9:16, Meta may zoom vertical video to fill the screen, which crops areas outside the safe zone. Keep text and faces away from the edges.
Why is my Facebook Story cropped?
Stories are 9:16 and full screen. Other shapes are fitted or zoomed, and tall phones may zoom 9:16 Stories to fill the screen. Post 1080 × 1920 and keep text away from the edges.
How do I stop Facebook from cropping my video?
Upload the shape the placement uses: 9:16 for reels and Stories, 4:5 or 1:1 for the feed. Keep text inside the safe area.
Sources
- Facebook Help (iPhone): Troubleshoot sharing a reel on Facebook (official, checked 2026-10-05)
- Meta Business Help: Safe zones for Reels (official, checked 2026-10-03)
- Meta Business Help: Requirements for Facebook Reels (official, checked 2026-10-06)
- Meta Business Help: Best practices for aspect ratios (official, checked 2026-10-06)
Reviewed 2026-10-06. Steps not attributed to a source are general video practice or computed above.