---
title: "Vertical Video"
canonical: "https://blitzreels.com/glossary/vertical-video"
---

# Vertical Video

URL: https://blitzreels.com/glossary/vertical-video
Markdown URL: https://blitzreels.com/glossary/vertical-video.md
Category: Video Formats & Codecs

## Definition

Vertical video is video that is taller than it is wide. The most common size is 1080 x 1920 pixels, a 9:16 aspect ratio that fills a phone held upright. 4:5 is vertical too.

## Vertical video sizes in pixels

| Format | Width x height | Aspect ratio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 720p vertical | 720 x 1280 | 9:16 |
| 1080p vertical | 1080 x 1920 | 9:16 |
| 4K vertical | 2160 x 3840 | 9:16 |
| Portrait | 1080 x 1350 | 4:5 |

Google recommends 1080 x 1920 and sets 720 x 1280 as the HD minimum for vertical video ads on YouTube. It also accepts 4:5.

- [Google Ads video specs, read November 4, 2026](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/13547298)

## Extended Definition

Cropping fills a portrait canvas by removing content from the sides of a wide recording. It works when the speaker or product remains inside the crop throughout the clip. Reframing moves that crop as the subject moves.

Fitting keeps the complete source visible with space above and below. Use it when a slide, screen demonstration or two-person shot would lose important details in a crop. Before exporting, check text at phone size and leave room for captions and the destination app’s controls.

## FAQ

### What is the size of a vertical video?

A vertical video is usually 1080 x 1920 pixels, which is 1080 wide and 1920 high at 9:16. 720 x 1280 has the same shape at a lower resolution. Width comes first, so 1920 x 1080 is horizontal instead.

### What is vertical video?

Vertical video is taller than it is wide. The common 9:16 format is 1080 x 1920 pixels, which fills a phone held upright. Vertical describes the canvas shape, not a file type or a fixed duration.

### Is 9:16 vertical?

Yes. 9:16 is vertical because the height is larger than the width. A 1080 x 1920 video is 9:16 and vertical, and a 1920 x 1080 video is 16:9 and horizontal.

### What vertical video size should I use for TikTok, Reels and Shorts?

1080 x 1920 pixels at 9:16 is a good starting size for all three. Google recommends it for vertical video ads on YouTube, and TikTok's in-feed ad spec accepts vertical video from 540 x 960. Check captions at phone size before you publish.

### What vertical video resolution should I export?

1080 x 1920 and 720 x 1280 are both 9:16 resolutions. Choose the one that keeps your source and captions readable at the destination. Increasing a small source to 1080 x 1920 does not restore missing detail. For smaller files, review bitrate and duration as well as pixel dimensions.

### Is 9:16 a video file format or an aspect ratio?

9:16 is an aspect ratio. A file format is something like MP4, which can hold vertical or horizontal video. Selecting MP4 alone does not make a video vertical.

### How do you convert horizontal video to vertical without stretching?

Set a 9:16 canvas and crop or reframe around the subject. To keep a wide slide or two speakers in view, fit the original inside the canvas or use a split layout. Resizing should preserve proportions, because stretching distorts faces and text.

## Related Terms

- aspect-ratio
- safe-zone
- video-reframing

## Search Terms

- vertical video
- 9:16 video
- portrait video
- vertical video format
- vertical video size
- vertical video dimensions
- vertical video resolution
- mobile video format