# How to convert a 16:9 video to 9:16

> Convert a 16:9 video to 9:16 by reframing it so the speaker stays in shot. Exact paths in Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro and CapCut, plus the pixel maths.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-10
- **Category**: Video editing
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-convert-16-9-to-9-16

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Make a 9:16 project, then reframe each clip so the speaker stays in the picture. Premiere Pro has Auto Reframe Sequence, Final Cut Pro has Smart Conform, and DaVinci Resolve Studio has Smart Reframe.

## Steps in Premiere Pro

1. Select the sequence in the Project panel, then choose Sequence > Auto Reframe Sequence.
2. Pick a Target Aspect Ratio from the presets, or enter a custom ratio.
3. Pick Motion Tracking: Slower Motion, Default or Faster Motion.
4. Optional: tick Clip Nesting to keep existing keyframes or speed changes.

Premiere makes a duplicate sequence in the Auto Reframe Sequences folder, so your original edit stays as it was.

## Other tools

Paths checked 3 Nov 2026.

| Tool | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Final Cut Pro | Select the clips, then Modify > Smart Conform. Or Edit > Duplicate Project As, choose Vertical and tick Smart Conform | Steps are for Final Cut Pro for Mac. Fine-tune with the Transform effect |
| DaVinci Resolve | Smart Reframe, with a Mode of Auto, Pan Only or Tilt Only | Studio only. Resolve 21 also added vertical timeline sizes |
| CapCut | Desktop: select the clip, open Video, turn on Auto reframe, pick an Aspect ratio, click Apply | CapCut says it is available in specific regions |
| OpusClip | AI reframe to 9:16 | On the Free plan. Moving-object tracking is on Pro |
| invideo | Turns a 16:9 video into 9:16 and keeps the subject in frame | Per its editor page |

CapCut is not officially available in India: it is not on the Indian App Store, and its pricing page shows no plans to visitors from India (checked 3 Nov 2026). Premiere Pro is now called Adobe Premiere.

## A worked example

Say your clip is 1920 x 1080. A 9:16 window of that frame is 608 pixels wide and 1080 high (1080 x 9 / 16 = 607.5). That is about 32% of the width, so about 68% of the sideways picture is cut.

Scaled up to fill a 1080 x 1920 frame, that window grows 1.78 times (1920 / 1080). A fixed centre crop loses anyone standing off-centre. That is why a reframe has to follow the speaker.

## Sizes to export

| Placement | 9:16 size |
|---|---|
| Instagram Reels and Stories ads | 1440 x 2560 recommended |
| Instagram Feed ads | 1080 x 1920 |
| YouTube Shorts ads | 1080 x 1920 recommended, 720 x 1280 minimum |

These come from Meta's ad guide and Google Ads help (checked 3 Nov 2026).

## What to check

- The face and the product stay inside the window all the way through.
- Text you laid out for 16:9 may now be cropped. Place it again inside Meta's safe zone: about 14% free at the top, 35% at the bottom and 6% on each side.
- If you cannot lose the sides, [resize without cropping](/guides/how-to-resize-video-for-instagram-without-cropping) instead.

[Marxx's AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) reframes for another placement in one request and shows safe-zone overlays for Reels, Stories, Shorts and TikTok. We make Marxx.

Tool-specific steps: [change the aspect ratio in Premiere Pro](/guides/how-to-change-aspect-ratio-in-premiere-pro). To compare tools, see [best tools to resize video for Instagram](/best/best-video-resizers-for-instagram). To pick between ratios, read [9:16 vs 4:5 video ads](/compare/9-16-vs-4-5-video-ads).

## FAQ

### Does reframing lower the quality?

It can. The 608 x 1080 window in the worked example is scaled up 1.78 times to fill 1080 x 1920. Start from higher-resolution footage when you can.

### Can I reframe for free?

CapCut's page says reframing is free in its online editor, but CapCut is not officially available in India. OpusClip's Free plan reframes to 9:16. DaVinci Resolve's Smart Reframe is Studio only.

### Does Auto Reframe change my original edit?

No. Premiere Pro makes a duplicate sequence in the Auto Reframe Sequences folder.

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