If you're an iPhone, iPad, or Mac user, Apple's iMovie is a free video editing tool worth mastering. One important setting to understand is aspect ratio, which determines how your video looks across different platforms. The challenge is that custom formats like 1:1 or 4:5 are not supported by iMovie. The aspect ratio of a video is simply the proportion between its width and height. iMovie mainly supports two formats by default: 16:9 (landscape) and 9:16 (vertical).
On both Mac and iPhone, if a video is shot horizontally, iMovie automatically sets it to 16:9. The limitation here is that iMovie does not provide custom formats such as 1:1 (square), 4:5 (Instagram feed), or 2.35:1 (cinematic). Therefore, when you import a video in a different ratio, iMovie will either crop the video to fit or add black bars. You can either drag and drop your video directly into the timeline or click Import Media to browse and select your clip. Click on the video clip in the timeline to reveal editing tools.
The OBSBOT Tail 2 is a great asset to your iMovie toolkit, especially if, just like many content creators, you shoot both horizontal and vertical videos. With its 90° rotation, the Tail 2 can directly record in 16:9 (landscape) and 9:16 (vertical) formats. Browse your device storage, tap the video you want to edit, then tap Create Movie. Tap the video in the timeline to bring up the editing tools.
1. To resize a video in iMovie, open the Crop settings and choose either Crop to Fill or Fit. 2. Yes. 3. 4. Select Crop to Fill in the crop settings. 5. When previewing your project, rotate your iPhone to landscape mode. Although iMovie is one of the most popular video editing programs for beginners, its aspect ratio options are somewhat limited. By default, it only supports 16:9 for landscape videos and 9:16 for vertical videos.
Alternatively, you could use a device like the OBSBOT Tail 2 to shoot directly in the format you need. If I bring one of those recordings into an empty project and do a Picture-in-Picture overlay over a black screenshot, then I can see the entire menu bar. After 6 hours of trying, Google-ing fixes, and watching lots of YouTube videos I don't know what else to try. The iMovie 10 screen is 16:9 in aspect ratio. That cannot be changed. The only ways to change a landscape video into a vertical video is to crop it vertical in the media browser (not timeline) view, or rotate it vertically from the the crop tool controls, leaving you with a sideways image.
So, by cropping, you can change the landscape vid from this . . . to this . . . However, you would lose the cropped portions and you would still have the black bars on each side of the vertical display to make it fit the 16:9 iMovie screen. You can trim out the black bars from the final exported product with QuickTime Player. Play it and do a screen recording with just the video part of the display outlined.
In practice, iMovie does not offer a direct option to set non-default aspect ratios. Part of the challenge is that you must work within 16:9 or 9:16 and rely on cropping or external tools to achieve other ratios. For desktop workflows, some users turn to Keynote or other editors to produce square or cinematic formats before importing into iMovie for final touches.
FAQ: Why does iMovie not let me change aspect ratio directly? iMovie simplifies editing for beginners, so it lacks a direct aspect ratio adjustment. You can use the Crop Tool or explore tools like Jupitrr AI for easier resizing. Can I use iMovie for professional-level editing? iMovie is great for basic edits but lacks advanced features like multi-camera editing or color grading. The aspect ratio refers to the ratio between the height and width of a video, and it determines how the video looks on various players. For social media shares, different platforms require video with different ratios. For instance, for YouTube, the commonly used aspect ratio is 16:9, which is a standard for almost all videos.
To summarize practical steps within iMovie: you can drag your clip into the timeline, use the Crop tool to Fill or Fit, and rotate content when necessary. In many cases, the best approach is to shoot in the target aspect ratio with a camera or device that supports it, or to use a secondary tool for pre-cropping before bringing footage into iMovie for refinement.
Practical workflow notes
How to import and start editing in iMovie: Bring your video into the project by dragging it into the timeline or using Import Media. Click on the video clip in the timeline to reveal editing tools. To resize or crop, open the Crop settings and choose Crop to Fill or Fit. When previewing, rotate your iPhone to landscape mode to ensure correct orientation for 16:9 content. If you need a 9:16 vertical video, you can crop or rotate, but expect potential black bars or loss of side content. For best results, plan your shoot in the target aspect ratio and use a camera or device that records in that format, then import into iMovie for final edits.
For readers seeking broader capabilities, consider complementary tools or workflows: some editors use Keynote to create square videos on desktop, or explore alternatives like online editors that support more aspect ratios. Additionally, devices like OBSBOT Tail 2 can help you capture directly in preferred formats and simplify subsequent editing in iMovie.
- Open iMovie and start a new project or trace an existing one.
- Import media via drag-and-drop or Import Media.
- Click the clip in the timeline to access editing tools.
- Use Crop to Fill or Fit to adjust framing within the available aspect ratios (16:9 or 9:16).
- Crop, rotate, or export as needed; consider external tools for non-default aspect ratios.