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What is the difference between 16:9 and 9:16?

They are the same shape turned on its side. 16:9 is wide, like a TV, a laptop screen or a YouTube video. 9:16 is tall, like a phone held upright, and is used for Stories, Reels, TikTok and Shorts.

The first number is always the width. 1920 x 1080 is 16:9; 1080 x 1920 is 9:16.

Turning a 16:9 image into 9:16 by cropping keeps only a narrow strip from the middle, a little under a third of the width, so most of the scene is lost. That works only if the subject is in the center and there is nothing important at the sides.

The alternative is to extend the image with new area above and below, or to make a separate vertical version of the scene.

Source: standard definition; crop share is arithmetic (9:16 inside 16:9 keeps 56.25 percent of the height as width, about 32 percent of the width). Checked October 20, 2026.

Next step

Should I crop or extend an image to change its aspect ratio?When to crop and when to extend.Read more

Related questions

What is an aspect ratio?The width of an image compared to its height.Read more Should I crop or extend an image to change its aspect ratio?Crop when there is room to lose; extend when there is not.Read more What size is a YouTube thumbnail?16:9; YouTube suggests 3840 x 2160 pixels.Read more What aspect ratio does TikTok use?9:16 vertical.Read more Can AI generate vertical images?Yes. Most image models accept a portrait or vertical size.Read more

Last reviewed October 20, 2026 by ImageQuarry

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