In this guide I’ll show you how to easily crop and resize a video for Instagram and Facebook using Imvidu Video Resizer feature. Instagram alone shows videos in different sizes (aspect ratio) depending on the type of Instagram post. For example, you have:
- Standard Post
- Instagram Reel
- Instagram Story
Stories and Reels are shown as vertical (portrait) videos which are 9:16 aspect ratio.
Instagram Posts that are images, are shown as a square images (1:1 aspect ratio). If an Instagram Story or Reel is shared as a Post, it will show as a 3:4 vertical video initially. But when a user clicks on it, it will show the full 9:16 vertical video.
Don’t worry if you’re confused. This will make sense once you go through and resize your videos.
The following aspect ratio and video sizes are common across Instagram and Facebook:
Resize Videos for Instagram.
All three common aspect ratios are used for Instagram. The two primary ones are Square and Vertical videos.
Instagram Stories and Instagram Reels should be vertical videos. Note that if you have a square video or landscape video, and you post that as a Story or a Reel, it will turn that into a full screen vertical video automatically by adding horizontal bars above and below your video clip.
You can use the space above and below the video in this case to add effects, text and stickers.
However, notice the Instagram post feed shows all images and videos as square posts. Instagram will automatically crop your video when shared into the Instagram feed, but only the preview. When you click on the post, it will display the full vertical video.
Overall though it’s best to create vertical videos for Instagram – especially Stories and Reels.
But what if you record your videos in landscape mode? This is especially relevant if you repurpose your video content, for example video podcasts and interviews, or vlogs.
In this case you have a few options to showcase your videos better on Instagram.
Firstly, resize the video into vertical video then zoom or crop to fit inside the video using any video editing tool.
Secondly, you can actually resize the video by zooming in or out when you create your Reel. Depending on what you’re trying to create, this may be a little tricky especially if the subject in your video is moving. If you have more than one subject in your video and they are spaced apart on a landscape video this this doesn’t work either.
How to resize video for Instagram
I’ll show you how to quickly resize videos for Instagram using Imvidu. There are other resize and cropping video tools you may use. Otherwise, I’ll show you how to use Imvidu to do so.
If you haven’t registered, then register for free and sign in to https://studio.imvidu.com. Once you do this:
Upload your video.
If you have speech in your video – it will ask to convert that into text. Leave this on as we’ll need to auto add subtitles to our video also.
Now the fun part.
Click on the resize and crop tool (Size in the sidebar)
Select the size you want – in this case we’ll choose the story mode.
Story mode is known as portrait mode or vertical mode.
Either use the transform controls – drag to resize the video inside the frame.
Otherwise use the predefined sizes from the Style Bar.
I’m going to show my entire video clip without cropping it.
Click on Export and Download the video.
Optionally, you may want to style your video – at least add subtitles or add text to your video.
Before you export it, click on Subtitles to enable subtitles.
Select a style for your subtitles.
When done – click on Export and Download your video.
Read: Learn how to add subtitles to videos automatically
Resize video for Instagram Story
Resizing video for an Instagram Story is exactly the same as the above method.
- Upload video.
- Select the Size and Crop Tool.
- Select the vertical mode once again.
Resize video for Facebook
You might have noticed a lot of square videos when scrolling in Facebook. I personally love square videos. They take up just enough screen space when scrolling a feed to get noticed without taking up the entire screen and annoying me like a vertical video.
They also let you be creative as shown in the examples below:
- Use headline for above the video
- Use styled subtitles for below the video
- Alternatively, place subtitles on clip and a sub heading below the clop
- You can also use animated stickers to capture your audiences attention
When you upload a video to Facebook, you may do some basic edits. Unfortunately, they won’t let you resize your videos.
So we’ll use Imvidu to resize and make a square video for Facebook. We’ll also change the background and add our subtitles.
Read: 5 Free Online Video Crop Tools
How to resize and make a square video for Facebook
Upload your video.
Click on the size button so it opens up the resize and crop options.
Select the square size from the side bar.
We’ll fit our video clip inside the square frame.
Select any one of the options in the style bar, otherwise you can manually zoom in or zoom out to make your video clip bigger or smaller.
I’ve selected the ‘Fit to canvas’ option.
Notice this leaves horizontal space above and below the video.
I’ll change the background color by going into the Background tool and select a simple color for now.
Now, add a headline to my video by clicking on the Text tool.
Finally, I’ll spruce up my video by styling my subtitles to add some impact.
Note: Subtitles are auto generated in Imvidu but you may need to fix up any errors.
So that’s it, your video is done! Simply click on Export and prepare your file for download.
Guides for other tools to resize or crop:
- Crop and Resize in Windows
- Crop videos in Davinci Resolve
- Resize and crop videos on a Mac
- How to crop in Premiere Pro
Crop and resize video in one click with Imvidu. Create more content faster!
