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Horizontal to Vertical Video Converter

Turn a 16:9 video into 9:16 for TikTok, Reels and Shorts, with the speaker kept in frame instead of cut off at the edge.

Make my video vertical
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Free to start — no credit card required.

Horizontal to vertical video conversion here is not a fixed center crop: when a 16:9 video becomes 9:16, the frame follows whoever is talking, and when two people are on camera it can split into a pane for each.

If the whole picture matters more than filling a phone screen, the Original shape keeps it as it is. Free plan: 500 one-time credits; files up to 500 MB and 30 min long; 720p video exports with a watermark.

Horizontal to vertical at a glance

Facts checked .

Shapes
9:16, 16:9, 1:1, 4:5 or Original; Original keeps the source's own shape
Framing
Auto unless you pick another in the Generate shorts dialog. Auto splits the frame when two people are on camera and keeps one pane when they are not, Split gives two people a pane each, and Speaker keeps one pane on whoever is talking
Clips you cut
Any part of the transcript: select it and click "Create clip"
Clips AI picks
Each with a virality score. Targets of 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 or 120 seconds; 30 seconds unless you pick another
Export
MP4 (H.264)
How it works

How to convert horizontal video to vertical

A 16:9 landscape video uploading for conversion

Auto, Split or Speaker: which framing to use

Speaker keeps one pane on whoever is talking, so the frame moves as the conversation passes between people; use it for talking-head videos, keynotes and interviews where one person speaks at a time. Split stacks two panes in one vertical frame, one per person, for podcasts and two-person interviews; it will not split a shot with only one person in it. Auto decides for you: two panes when two people are on camera, one when they are not. For slides, screen recordings and wide shots where the edges matter, a vertical crop cuts too much, so keep the Original shape instead.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, including how to do it in other editors, read how to convert horizontal video to vertical. To change a video's frame without cutting clips, see resize videos and crop video.

What it does

Why Not Just Crop the Middle?

A center crop cuts off anyone standing to one side. A crop that follows the speaker keeps the subject in view, and the Original shape keeps the whole frame when that matters more.

Framing that follows the speaker

The 9:16 window is a tracked crop that moves to whoever is talking as the conversation passes between people.

The whole frame when you need it

The Original shape skips the crop and keeps the entire picture, which suits slides, screen recordings and wide shots.

Two people in one vertical frame

Split stacks two speakers so an interview reads well on a phone.

Feed shapes too

Pick 4:5 or 1:1 for a feed post, or keep 16:9 for YouTube.

Keep going

Finish the clip, then make it yours

Choose a frame for your feed, give the words a style, and check the space around them.

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Questions

Common questions

How do I make a horizontal video vertical without cutting off the speaker?
Let the crop follow the speaker: AI Clips reframes each clip around whoever is talking, and Speaker framing keeps one pane on them. If two people share the shot, Split gives each one a pane.
Can I keep the whole picture instead of cropping it?
Yes: choose the Original shape. It skips the crop and keeps the video in its own shape, which suits slides and screen recordings; a 9:16 shape crops the sides and follows the speaker instead.
Is there a length limit for horizontal to vertical video?
The source has to fit your plan's file limits (Free plan: 500 one-time credits; files up to 500 MB and 30 min long). AI Clips aims each clip at a target of 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 or 120 seconds; a clip you cut by hand covers the passage you select in the transcript.
What aspect ratio do TikTok, Reels and Shorts use?
All three take vertical video, so export in 9:16. For YouTube the rule is wider: YouTube counts a video as a Short only if it is square or vertical and up to 3 minutes long.
Will converting 16:9 to 9:16 lower the video quality?
A vertical crop uses only a slice of the original frame, enlarged to fill the screen, so start from the sharpest source you have; Original keeps the full picture. Free plan exports are 720p with a watermark.
Can I make one vertical video for TikTok, Reels and Shorts at once?
Export one 9:16 MP4 and upload it to each app yourself; all three take vertical video. There are no per-platform presets, so check the preview in each app before posting.
Does speaker framing work on screen recordings and slides?
Not usefully: the crop follows people, so a screen recording or a slide deck would lose its edges. Choose the Original shape to keep the whole frame.

Discover more Clips & Shorts

Make something worth watching

Start with a recording, choose the moments to keep, and finish your clip with captions.

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