Images
What is Aspect ratio?
Aspect ratio is the relationship between an image’s width and height, usually written as two numbers such as 16:9.
How it works
Aspect ratio describes shape rather than size. Images with very different pixel dimensions can share the same ratio: a thumbnail and a 4K frame are both 16:9 if their widths are 1.78 times their heights.
When you resize, keep the ratio locked so the width and height change together. That avoids stretching faces and squashing circles into ovals. When you need a different shape, such as a square avatar from a landscape photo, crop instead: cropping removes part of the frame rather than distorting what remains.
Common aspect ratios
| Ratio | Typical use |
|---|---|
| 16:9 | Video, TV and most laptop screens |
| 4:3 | Phone camera photos, older screens, tablets |
| 3:2 | DSLR and mirrorless photos, 6 × 4 inch prints |
| 1:1 | Profile pictures and some social posts |
| 9:16 | Vertical video and phone stories |
A website that asks for a specific ratio will usually crop or pad anything else, so preparing the image yourself gives you control over what ends up in the frame.
A practical example
A 1920 × 1080 image and a 1280 × 720 image both have a 16:9 aspect ratio. A square profile picture uses 1:1, so a 16:9 photo has to be cropped to fit it.
What to watch out for
Setting a new width and height independently can distort the picture. Cropping changes the frame and removes some of the original content, so check that nothing important sits near the edges first.
Tools you can use
- Image Resizer · Scale to a size, a percentage or a platform preset
- Image Cropper · Drag a crop box or type exact coordinates
- Circle Crop · Round profile pictures, transparent corners
- Combine Images · Side by side, stacked or in a grid
- Add Border · Borders or pad a photo to fit a square post
Go a little deeper
- How to crop a photo to an exact size or ratio
- How to add a border to a photo without cropping it
- How to make a round profile picture
- How to make an image 300 DPI
Common questions
How do I work out an image’s aspect ratio?
Divide the width and height by their greatest common divisor. 1920 × 1080 divides by 120 to give 16:9. You can also divide width by height: 1.78 means 16:9, 1.33 means 4:3 and 1.0 means square.
Does resizing change the aspect ratio?
Not if the width and height are scaled by the same percentage. Changing only one of them, or typing both values independently, changes the shape and stretches the picture.
What aspect ratio do phone photos use?
Most phone cameras shoot 4:3 by default, with 16:9 and 1:1 as options. Screenshots follow the screen’s shape, which on modern phones is much taller than 16:9.