How to Change Video Format: Horizontal, Square, or Vertical

Vocal Video can publish videos in square, horizontal (landscape), or vertical (portrait) format. You can change a video's format in the Video Editor easily before publishing or republishing it.

All formats are rendered in high definition:

  • Square: 1080 x 1080. A good default for social sharing and mixed desktop/mobile audiences.
  • Horizontal (Landscape): 1920 x 1080. Best for websites, desktop viewing, YouTube, webinars, and presentation-style videos.
  • Vertical (Portrait): 1080 x 1920. Best for vertical social placements such as Instagram Stories, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and mobile-first campaigns.

In this article:

Change a Video's Format

  1. Open the video in the editor.
  2. Use the format dropdown above the video preview.
  3. Choose 16:9 – Horizontal, 1:1 – Square, or 9:16 – Vertical.
  4. Preview the video to make sure each scene looks right in the new format.
  5. Publish when you are ready.

Changing the format affects the entire video. It does not change the original recording file from your respondent.

If you plan to publish different versions for different channels, duplicate the video to make a new version to work from.

New videos take their format from your default video template. Along with the three formats, a template has an Auto option (Match to video clips), which gives each draft built from a response the same shape as that response's video: a portrait phone recording becomes a vertical video, and a webcam recording becomes a horizontal one. To change it, go to Video Templates, open the template marked as your default, and use the format dropdown above its preview. See Video Templates.

Here are examples of what the same video can look like in different formats:

The format dropdown in the video editor open, with 16:9 – Horizontal selected, and the video shown in landscape

The same video in 1:1 – Square format, with the format dropdown open

The same video in 9:16 – Vertical format, with the format dropdown open

Fill Frame and Shrink to Fit

When a recorded clip does not match the format you selected, Vocal Video gives you two options so the clip still looks polished.

  1. Open your video in the editor.
  2. Select the layout controls above the video preview.
  3. Choose the layout option that fits your use case.
  • Fill Frame fills the frame. This is useful when you want a full-bleed look, but some of the original clip may be cropped.
  • Shrink to Fit keeps the respondent visible when the original recording and final format have different orientations. For example, a portrait recording (especially video responses recorded from a phone) can still look good in a square or landscape video when you use the right layout option.

Here is an example of taking a video that was shot on a phone and how you can change the format to make a portrait recording work in a square or landscape format by choosing Shrink to Fit:

A portrait phone recording shown in a 9:16 vertical video with Layout: Fill

The same portrait recording in a square video with Video Layout: Shrink to Fit selected, so a colored background fills the sides

The same portrait recording in a 16:9 horizontal video with Video Layout: Shrink to Fit, the background filling both sides

  1. You can also go to Scene > Alignment to adjust what part of the video shows if part of the video will be cropped. This can be particularly useful with videos where you are using the Fill Frame format.

Adjust Backgrounds and Colors

If a clip does not fill the whole frame, the background around it becomes part of the video design. You can adjust those background areas in the editor.

  1. Select the scene you want to adjust.
  2. Click Scene in the right sidebar, then Background. These changes apply only to the current scene.

Scene settings for a video scene, with arrows pointing to the Scene button in the right sidebar and the Background option

In Scene Background, pick a solid color (your brand colors, white or black), a gradient, or an image from the stock background library, which you can filter by theme, such as Abstract, Nature or City & Structures. You can also Upload your own image, or keep the Theme Default. Under Motion, add a subtle zoom in or out to the background.

The Scene Background panel in the video editor, with a Motion section, filter pills, Theme Default and Upload tiles, and solid and gradient backgrounds. An arrow points to the Scene button in the right sidebar.

  1. Use the Design panel to adjust broader video design settings such as theme, colors, and fonts (these changes will apply to your whole video).

The Design panel on the Colors tab, with the Video Scenes Background color being changed

  1. Preview the video after making changes.

A scene background also shows behind the speaker when the Remove background effect is on. See Background Blurring and Removal.

Use brand colors or a subtle background image when you want the formatted video to feel more designed, especially when placing vertical footage into a square or landscape frame.

For related design controls, see Video Themes and How to Upload Images.

Which Format Should I Use?

  • Use Square when you want one flexible version for social posts, email, landing pages, and general sharing. Square is often used for LinkedIn posts.
  • Use Horizontal (Landscape) when the video will be embedded on a website, shown on desktop, or uploaded to a platform where 16:9 is standard, like YouTube.
  • Use Vertical (Portrait) when the video is intended for vertical social channels like TikTok, Instagram or YouTube Shorts, or mobile-first ad placements.

For more distribution guidance, see How to Share and Embed Videos, Posting Video Testimonials to Instagram Reels and Stories, and Posting Video Testimonials to TikTok.

Still need help? Contact Support at support@vocalvideo.com