CapCut how-to
How to change aspect ratio in CapCut (9:16, 1:1, 16:9)
Short answer
On desktop, click Ratio under the preview player and choose 9:16, 1:1, 16:9 or Customized. On mobile, tap Ratio (sometimes labeled Format or Aspect ratio) in the bottom toolbar. Then scale or reposition each clip to fill the new frame, or add a blurred background so there are no black bars.
Checked against: CapCut mobile (iOS, Android), desktop (Windows, Mac) and web, October 2026. Button names match CapCut's guides and the top independent guides; layouts move between builds.
Method 1: Desktop
Import the video
Click Import and select your file, then drag it onto the timeline.
Click Ratio
Click Ratio and choose the format for the platform: 1:1, 16:9, 9:16 and more.
Fill the frame
Drag the clip's corners in the preview to fill the frame, or set Background > Blur to fill the bars.
Export
Set resolution, frame rate and format in Export.
Method 2: Mobile app
Open Ratio
In the main toolbar (with no clip selected) tap Ratio or Format; swipe the toolbar if needed.
Choose and fill
Pick 9:16, then pinch the clip to fill the frame or set Canvas > Blur for the background.
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Ratios by platform
| Where | Ratio | Frame size |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok, Reels, Shorts | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 |
| Instagram feed portrait | 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 |
| Square | 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 |
| YouTube, landscape | 16:9 | 1920 × 1080 |
If it doesn't work
| What you see | Fix |
|---|---|
| Black bars after changing ratio | Scale the clip to fill, or add a blurred canvas background. |
| Subject cut off in vertical | Reposition the clip; use keyframes on Position if the subject moves. |
| Export still 16:9 | Ratio is project-wide; check you changed it in the same project you exported. |
Questions people ask
What ratio should I use for TikTok in CapCut?
9:16, which exports at 1080 × 1920.
Can I set a custom ratio?
Yes. On desktop choose Customized in the Ratio list.
Does changing ratio crop my video?
It changes the frame. Clips keep their size until you scale them, which is what crops the edges.
More CapCut guides
Sources and how we checked
- CapCut: Change video aspect ratio for social platforms (checked 2026-10-05)
Reviewed October 5, 2026 by the Koldflux team. Each step is compared with CapCut's own documentation (linked above) and with the top search results for this task; where they disagree, the maker's documentation wins. Steps without a source link follow the menu names that several current guides agree on.