# How to resize a video for Instagram without cropping

> Resize a video for Instagram without cropping: set the Instagram canvas, fit the whole clip inside, fill the space. Sizes per placement and a pixel worked example.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-10
- **Category**: Video editing
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-resize-video-for-instagram-without-cropping

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Set your canvas to the Instagram size, scale the whole clip to fit inside it, and fill the leftover space with a blurred copy, a colour or your text. Nothing is cut off, but the picture is smaller.

## Sizes to use

From Meta's ad guide pages, checked 3 Nov 2026.

| Placement | Ratio | Recommended size |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram Reels ads | 9:16 | 1440 x 2560 |
| Instagram Stories ads | 9:16 | 1440 x 2560 |
| Instagram Feed ads | 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 |
| Facebook Feed ads | 4:5 | 1440 x 1800 |

## Steps

1. Create a project or sequence at the target size. In Premiere Pro (now called Adobe Premiere), choose File > New > Sequence, open the Settings tab and type the Frame Size. In Final Cut Pro, choose Edit > Duplicate Project As, pick Vertical or Square, and leave Smart Conform unticked so clips are not reframed.
2. Drop your clip in. Scale it until its full width fits the canvas.
3. To fill the empty bands, put a second copy of the clip on a track below it. Enlarge it to fill the canvas and blur it.
4. Or fill the bands with a plain colour and put your headline or captions there.
5. Check the safe zone, then export.

DaVinci Resolve 21 added square and vertical sizes to its project and timeline settings.

## A worked example

Say you have a 16:9 product clip and a 1080 x 1920 canvas. Fitted to the width, the clip is 1080 wide and 608 high (1080 x 9 / 16 = 607.5). That leaves about 1,312 pixels of empty space, about 656 above and 656 below.

Meta says to keep roughly 14% of the top and 35% of the bottom free of text. Worked out for 1920 pixels, that is the top 269 and the bottom 672.

| Part | Pixels from the top |
|---|---|
| Meta's top zone (14%) | 0 to 269 |
| Free band for a headline | 269 to 656 |
| Your 16:9 clip | 656 to 1,264 |
| Meta's bottom zone (35%) | 1,248 to 1,920 |

The pixel figures are worked out from Meta's percentages. Meta does not publish them. The clip's last 16 pixels touch the bottom zone, which is fine for video but not for text.

For Facebook Feed in 4:5 (1440 x 1800), the same clip is 810 pixels high, which leaves 495 above and below.

[Marxx's AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) is multi-track, has a blur effect and shows safe-zone overlays for Reels and Stories. Projects can be 9:16, 1:1, 16:9 or 4:3. We make Marxx.

## Not happy with the bars?

If blank bands hurt the look, reframe instead. See [how to convert a 16:9 video to 9:16](/guides/how-to-convert-16-9-to-9-16). For the trade-off between ratios, read [9:16 vs 4:5 video ads](/compare/9-16-vs-4-5-video-ads). For tools, see [best tools to resize video for Instagram](/best/best-video-resizers-for-instagram). For the full edit, see [how to make Reels ads](/guides/how-to-make-reels-ads).

## FAQ

### What size should a Reels ad be?

Meta recommends 9:16 at 1440 x 2560 for Reels ads (checked 3 Nov 2026).

### Is 4:5 or 9:16 better for Instagram?

Meta lists 4:5 for Facebook Feed and 9:16 for Reels, Stories and Instagram Feed video ads. Read [9:16 vs 4:5 video ads](/compare/9-16-vs-4-5-video-ads) for the trade-off.

### Can I fit a horizontal video without black bars?

Yes, with a blurred copy of the clip or a colour behind it, as in the steps above. Or reframe so the clip fills the screen, which crops the sides.

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