Last updated: October 2026
Uploading a horizontal video to TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts usually means thick black bars and a tiny picture that viewers swipe past. Vertical platforms are built for 9:16 at 1080×1920. Here’s how to convert any video in a few clicks — free, in your browser, with nothing to install.
Step by step with the free Video Resizer
- Open the Video Resizer & Hook Adder.
- Upload your video (MP4, MOV or WebM). It stays on your device — nothing is uploaded to a server.
- Choose a format: 9:16 for TikTok, Reels and Shorts; 1:1 or 4:5 for feed posts.
- Pick a fill style (see below).
- Trim with the Start and End boxes so only the best part is exported.
- Optional: add a hook clip from our library to the first 1–5 seconds.
- Click Export video and keep the tab open until the download link appears.
Which fill style should you use?
| Style | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Blur fill | Fits your whole video and fills the empty space with a blurred, darkened copy. | Landscape clips where you can’t lose the sides — screen recordings, wide shots, podcasts. |
| Crop | Zooms in to fill the whole vertical frame. | Footage with the subject in the centre, like talking heads. |
| Black bars | Fits the whole video with plain bars. | When you plan to add text in the bars yourself. |
Add a hook to the start
The first second decides whether people keep watching. The Video Resizer can play a short, vertical hook clip — a stunt, splash, reaction or surprise from our hook library — before your video starts. Keep it to 1–2 seconds and cut into your own footage on the strongest moment.
Best export settings for each platform
- Resolution: 1080×1920 (Pro) or 720×1280 (free) — both display well on phones.
- Length: TikTok only pays Creator Rewards for videos over 1 minute; Shorts can be up to 3 minutes; most Reels perform best when they’re as short as the idea allows. See our Reels specs cheat sheet.
- Safe zones: keep text and faces away from the bottom ~20% and right edge. Check with the Safe Zone Checker.
Troubleshooting
- “Your browser cannot record video”: use the latest Chrome, Edge or Safari on a computer.
- The export is a WebM file: some browsers record WebM. Chrome and Safari usually export MP4, which all platforms accept.
- The file is too big to upload: shrink it with the Video Compressor.
FAQ
Is the Video Resizer really free?
Yes. Free exports are 720p up to 60 seconds with a small watermark. Pro unlocks 1080p, 3-minute videos and no watermark.
Are my videos uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything is processed in your browser.
Can I resize a vertical video to horizontal?
For YouTube long-form, use the Video Merger with the 16:9 format and blur fill.
Bottom line: stop losing viewers to black bars. Convert your video to 9:16 with blur fill, add a 1-second hook, and export — free with the Video Resizer.
