How to Resize a Video in 5 Easy Steps

Video content is one of the most popular mediums used on the internet today. In fact, it forms about 80% of all internet traffic. This is why creators need to produce quality-looking and easy-to-view videos.

While you edit a video, you need to do plenty of tasks. It may include cutting, trimming, cropping, adding effects or titles, and changing the length of the video. Of all these things, knowing how to resize a video is quite essential, and sometimes amateur video editors don't pay enough attention to it.

Resizing video is changing the dimensions or video clip frame size to fit within certain parameters like upload limit, output size, and other constraints.

The simplest way to resize a video file is with a reliable video resizer.  The following steps will guide you on how to change video size properly.

Step 1: Upload a Video File

Upload the video file that you want to resize.  Some video editors let you select it from your computer, while others have the option to paste online links. Drag and drop it to your timeline or click “Upload” to access the library.

Step 2: Pick an Aspect Ratio

By default, videos have a 16:9 aspect ratio. It's like a standard for all kinds of video content. Nevertheless, any online tool or mobile app offers several aspect ratio options. For example, if you want to fit the video into a square frame, you can choose the 1:1 aspect ratio. You can change the aspect ratio manually, just make sure to do so carefully, as any mistake can ruin your videos.

Step 3: Adjust the Resolution

The resolution is the number of pixels that make up a video frame. It’s usually indicated as width x height, for example, 1080×720 or 1280×720. You can scale or downscale the resolution of the video in most video editing software, even for beginners. There are many resolution options, a standard 1920×1080 being the most popular. The parameter depends on the platform or device where you will be showing the video. For example, YouTube supports up to 8K resolution while Instagram Stories allows only 1080×1920.

Step 4: Choose an Output Format

Various video formats and codecs are available, so decide which suits your needs best. If you are looking for better compatibility and file size, then MP4 is the way to go, as most platforms and devices support it and it’s quite small.

Step 5: Save the Video

Once you have set up all the parameters, you can save the video file or export it in the chosen format.  Check the quality of the video, and if it satisfies you, upload it on different platforms. Click on the “Export” button to save the file, and that’s it.

Wrapping Up

Resizing a video is a straightforward procedure you can quickly do using any video editor. If you are uncomfortable with the manual process, use automation tools to simplify the task. Just ensure to set the correct parameters and output format for better compatibility.