UniqueizerPRO9:16, 1:1 and 16:9: one source, three placements
Reels and Stories want vertical, the feed wants square or 4:5, YouTube and desktop want horizontal. You do not need three shoots: shoot once with margin and crop properly.
Shoot 9:16, or 4K with margin, keep everything important inside the centre square, and cut each placement from the same master. Automatic centre cropping is not always safe — check faces and text by eye.
Why one file everywhere is a bad idea
Uploading the same horizontal video everywhere is technically possible. In a vertical feed it becomes a strip in the middle of the screen, padded with black or blur. Attention drops, the click gets more expensive, and afterwards you cannot tell whether the offer or the format failed.
Where each ratio belongs
| Ratio | Main placement | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| 9:16 | Reels, Stories, TikTok, Shorts | Interface covers the lower third and the right edge |
| 4:5 | Meta feed | Takes more height than square for the same requirements |
| 1:1 | Feed, carousels, safe default | The safest crop from any source |
| 16:9 | YouTube, desktop | Barely works in a mobile feed |
The centre square rule
If you shoot one master for every ratio, keep the face, the product and the key text inside the centre square of the frame. Then no crop will clip it.
The classic mistake is the opposite: horizontal footage with the subject against the left edge. Crop to 9:16 and a shoulder is all that survives.
What reframing actually costs
- Cropping — you lose part of the frame, quality survives;
- Upscaling — the image goes soft, avoid it;
- Padding — the ratio is right, half the screen is wasted;
- Blurred backdrop — acceptable for stills, debatable for video.
Cutting all three at once
- Start from the highest quality masterVertical 1080×1920, or horizontal 4K with margin.
- Tick the ratios you need9:16 · 1:1 · 16:9, all three in one pass.
- Check the crop on a frame with a faceThe one step worth doing by eye.
- Download the setFilenames already carry the format.
Questions people ask
Can I upload one horizontal video to every placement?
Technically yes, but in a vertical feed it fills a third of the screen and performs poorly. Cut versions from one master instead.
Which is better for the feed, 1:1 or 4:5?
4:5 takes more screen height and usually wins on attention. 1:1 is more universal because it crops safely from any source.
What if my only source is horizontal?
Check whether the important part fits the centre square. If not, the vertical will need a blurred backdrop or a recomposed frame.
Does upscaling to 1080×1920 ruin the video?
Noticeably, if the source is much smaller. It is visible on a phone.