How to Crop & Resize Videos for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube - Free Online Tool
How to Crop & Resize Videos for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube - Free Online Tool
You shot a beautiful horizontal video. Now you need it vertical for TikTok. And square for your Instagram feed. And you need a 16:9 version for YouTube too.
Dealing with different video dimensions for different social media platforms is one of the most tedious parts of content creation. But it doesn't have to be.
Our free video editor lets you crop and resize videos to any dimension - with preset aspect ratios for every major platform - right in your browser.
Social Media Video Size Cheat Sheet
Before we dive in, here's the definitive reference for video dimensions across every major platform in 2025:
| Format | Aspect Ratio | Recommended Size | Max Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed Post (Video) | 1:1 or 4:5 | 1080x1080 or 1080x1350 | 60 min |
| Reels | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 90 sec |
| Stories | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 60 sec |
| IGTV | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 60 min |
TikTok
| Format | Aspect Ratio | Recommended Size | Max Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Video | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 10 min |
| Horizontal | 16:9 | 1920x1080 | 10 min |
YouTube
| Format | Aspect Ratio | Recommended Size | Max Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Video | 16:9 | 1920x1080 (or 4K) | 12 hours |
| Shorts | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 60 sec |
Twitter/X
| Format | Aspect Ratio | Recommended Size | Max Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline Video | 16:9 or 1:1 | 1920x1080 or 1080x1080 | 2 min 20 sec |
| Format | Aspect Ratio | Recommended Size | Max Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed Video | 16:9 or 1:1 | 1920x1080 or 1080x1080 | 10 min |
| Format | Aspect Ratio | Recommended Size | Max Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed | 16:9 or 1:1 | 1280x720 or 1080x1080 | 240 min |
| Stories/Reels | 9:16 | 1080x1920 | 90 sec |
Crop vs. Resize: What's the Difference?
These two features serve different purposes, and understanding the difference will save you a lot of frustration:
Cropping
Cropping removes parts of the frame. Think of it like cutting a photo with scissors - you're keeping a portion and discarding the rest.
- •Changes the aspect ratio
- •Removes content from the edges
- •The remaining content stays at original quality
- •Best for: Converting horizontal video to vertical, removing unwanted elements from the frame
Resizing
Resizing changes the pixel dimensions of the entire frame. Everything stays in the frame, but the resolution changes.
- •Keeps all content visible
- •Changes the total pixel count
- •Best for: Reducing file size, meeting platform requirements, converting 4K to 1080p
When to Use Each
- •Horizontal to vertical (landscape to portrait)? - Crop
- •4K to 1080p? - Resize
- •Remove black bars? - Crop
- •Reduce file size? - Resize (then compress)
- •Square for Instagram feed? - Crop
How to Crop a Video (Step by Step)
Step 1: Open the Video Editor
Go to FreeApexGears Video Editor and upload your video.
Step 2: Select the Crop Tool
Click the Crop icon in the left sidebar.
Step 3: Choose an Aspect Ratio or Go Custom
The crop tool offers preset aspect ratios:
- •16:9 - Standard widescreen (YouTube, desktop)
- •9:16 - Vertical (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts)
- •4:3 - Classic TV ratio
- •1:1 - Square (Instagram feed, Twitter)
- •Free - Custom crop area for any proportion
Select a preset, or choose free mode and drag the crop handles to define your own area.
Step 4: Position the Crop Area
Drag the crop overlay to position it over the most important part of your video. For talking-head videos, center the crop on the speaker's face. For product videos, center on the product.
Step 5: Export
Click the crop button. Your cropped video downloads with the new aspect ratio - no watermark, no sign-up.
How to Resize a Video (Step by Step)
Step 1: Upload & Select Resize Tool
Open the editor, upload your video, and click Resize in the sidebar.
Step 2: Choose a Preset or Enter Custom Dimensions
Presets available:
- •1920x1080 (1080p Full HD)
- •1280x720 (720p HD)
- •854x480 (480p)
- •640x360 (360p)
Or enter custom width and height for any resolution you need.
Step 3: Export
Click resize to process. The video will be re-encoded at the new resolution.
Platform-Specific Guides
Converting Landscape Video to TikTok (9:16)
This is the most common scenario. You have a 16:9 horizontal video and need it vertical for TikTok.
- 1Upload your video to the editor
- 2Select the Crop tool
- 3Choose 9:16 aspect ratio
- 4Position the crop area over the most important part of the frame
- 5Export
Pro tip: If your subject is centered, the crop will look natural. If your subject is off to one side, drag the crop area to keep them in frame.
Making Square Videos for Instagram Feed
Square videos (1:1) get more screen real estate in the Instagram feed compared to landscape:
- 1Upload your video
- 2Select the Crop tool
- 3Choose 1:1 aspect ratio
- 4Center the crop on your subject
- 5Export
Resizing for Faster YouTube Uploads
YouTube handles 4K, but uploading 4K takes forever on slow connections. Resize to 1080p first:
- 1Upload your video
- 2Select the Resize tool
- 3Choose 1920x1080 preset
- 4Export
The visual quality difference between 4K and 1080p is negligible on most viewers' screens.
Combining Crop, Resize, and Compress
For maximum optimization, combine all three operations. Here's the recommended order:
- 1Crop - remove unwanted areas first
- 2Resize - drop to target resolution
- 3Compress - reduce bitrate for final file size reduction
This order is important because:
- •Cropping first means less data to resize
- •Resizing before compression means the compressor works on a smaller frame
- •Each step reduces the data the next step has to process
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Stretching Instead of Cropping
Never stretch a 16:9 video to fit a 9:16 frame. It looks terrible. Always crop to the target ratio instead.
Mistake 2: Cropping Too Tight
Leave some breathing room around your subject. A face cropped right to the edges of the frame feels claustrophobic and unprofessional.
Mistake 3: Ignoring Safe Zones
Instagram and TikTok overlay UI elements (usernames, like buttons, captions) on your video. Keep important content in the center 80% of the frame.
Mistake 4: Upscaling Small Videos
Resizing a 480p video to 1080p doesn't improve quality - it just makes it a bigger blurry file. Only downscale, never upscale.
Why Our Tool Is Perfect for Social Media Creators
- •All aspect ratios built in - 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 1:1, and custom
- •No watermarks - your content stays yours
- •Free forever - no trial periods or hidden upgrades
- •Fast processing - crop and resize in seconds
- •Privacy first - your content never leaves your device
Try It Now
Stop manually calculating pixel dimensions. Stop downloading separate apps for each platform.
Crop, resize, and export for any platform in under a minute.