Aspect Ratio Explained: 16:9, 4:3, 3:2, 1:1, 4:5, 9:16
An aspect ratio is the shape of a picture, width to height. Where 16:9, 4:3, 3:2, 1:1, 4:5 and 9:16 are used, and how to crop to each one free.
Published · 4 min read
An aspect ratio is the shape of an image: its width compared with its height, written as two numbers like 16:9. A 1920 × 1080 video and a 1280 × 720 video are different sizes but the same 16:9 shape. Knowing the ratio a screen, post or print wants tells you how to crop before you upload, so nothing important is cut. The free image cropper has presets for the common ones and works in your browser.
How to read an aspect ratio
The first number is the width, the second the height. To find the ratio of any image, divide both sides by the largest number that goes into both:
- 1920 × 1080: both divide by 120, giving 16:9.
- 4032 × 3024 (a common phone photo): both divide by 1008, giving 4:3.
- 1080 × 1350: both divide by 270, giving 4:5.
You can also just divide width by height. 16:9 is 1.78, 4:3 is 1.33, 3:2 is 1.5, 1:1 is 1, 4:5 is 0.8, and 9:16 is 0.56. Any image with the same decimal has the same shape.
A ratio bigger than 1 is landscape (wider than tall). Smaller than 1 is portrait. Exactly 1 is square.
The common ratios and where they're used
| Ratio | Shape | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|
| 16:9 | Wide landscape | TVs, laptop screens, YouTube videos and thumbnails, presentation slides |
| 4:3 | Landscape, squarer | Most phone camera photos, older TVs, iPad screens, many slide templates |
| 3:2 | Landscape | DSLR and mirrorless camera photos, 4 × 6 inch prints |
| 1:1 | Square | Profile pictures, Instagram grid posts, product photos, app icons |
| 4:5 | Tall portrait | Instagram portrait posts, 8 × 10 inch prints |
| 9:16 | Full phone screen | Stories, Reels, Shorts, WhatsApp status, phone wallpapers |
Each also has a flipped version. A 4:3 phone photo held upright is 3:4. A 3:2 camera photo turned on its side is 2:3, the shape of a 4 × 6 print held upright. Exam and passport photos use their own portrait shapes, such as 35 × 45 mm (7:9).
What happens when ratios don't match
If you upload a 4:3 photo somewhere that wants 16:9, one of three things happens:
- It gets cropped automatically, often cutting heads or text.
- It gets bars (black or blurred strips) on the sides or top and bottom.
- It gets stretched, which makes faces look wide or thin.
Cropping it yourself first avoids all three, because you choose what to keep.
How much of a photo survives a crop?
Changing ratio always cuts something. From a 4000 × 3000 (4:3) phone photo:
| Crop to | Largest crop | What's lost |
|---|---|---|
| 16:9 | 4000 × 2250 | A strip from the top and bottom |
| 1:1 | 3000 × 3000 | A strip from each side |
| 4:5 | 2400 × 3000 | More from each side |
| 9:16 | about 1688 × 3000 | Over half the width; only 42% of the photo remains |
That's why a wide group photo rarely works as a story: the 9:16 frame only fits the middle few people. If you know you'll need a vertical version, shoot with the phone upright.
How to crop to a ratio
- Open the free image cropper and choose your image.
- Under Shape, pick a preset: Square 1:1, Portrait 4:5, Story 9:16, Wide 16:9, Photo 3:2, 4:3, or Passport 35×45 mm. The box keeps that shape as you drag its corners.
- Move the box over the part you want to keep.
- Choose JPG, PNG or WebP under Save as and click Crop image.
The cropped result can't be larger than about 16.7 megapixels. A default 24 MP iPhone photo cropped to 16:9 is still about 18 MP, so shrink it first with the free image resizer if you see a "too large" message.
The landscape presets (16:9, 3:2, 4:3) are wide. For their upright versions (9:16 aside, which has its own preset), pick Free and type the pixels under the picture: for a 2:3 upright crop, a Width (px) of 2000 and Height (px) of 3000, for example. Any pair of numbers in the right ratio works.
Cropping vs resizing
Cropping changes the shape by cutting. Resizing changes the number of pixels but keeps the shape. They're often used together: crop to 16:9 first, then resize to exactly 1920 × 1080 with the free image resizer. If you resize to a different shape without cropping first, and with Lock proportions off, the picture stretches.
Ratios in print
Paper sizes have their own ratios. A 4 × 6 inch print is 3:2, an 8 × 10 is 4:5, and A4 paper is about 1:1.41. Printing a 4:3 phone photo on 4 × 6 paper means either white borders or a slight crop. Our guide to photo print sizes in pixels has a table for each.
For platform-specific numbers, see our social media image sizes cheat sheet and our guide to YouTube thumbnail size.
Crop to any ratio now
Pick the shape, frame what matters, and save with the free image cropper. The part you keep stays at full resolution, and your image never leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a 16:9 aspect ratio?
- A landscape shape 16 units wide for every 9 tall, used by most TVs, laptop screens and YouTube. 1920 × 1080 and 1280 × 720 are both 16:9.
- What aspect ratio is a phone photo?
- Most phone cameras take 4:3 photos by default (3:4 when held upright). Many also offer 16:9 and 1:1 modes in the camera settings.
- What is the aspect ratio of a 1080 × 1350 image?
- 4:5. Divide both numbers by 270, or divide 1080 by 1350 to get 0.8.
- How do I change an image's aspect ratio without cropping?
- You can only add borders (bars) around it or stretch it. Cropping is usually the best choice because it keeps everything in proportion.
- Does cropping to a ratio reduce quality?
- No. The part you keep stays at its original resolution; you just have fewer pixels in total.
Image tools
Try Crop Image
Free, no sign-up, and your files stay on your device. Crop a photo online: drag the crop box freely or lock it to square, 4:5, 9:16, 16:9, 3:2, 4:3 or passport shape, and type exact pixel sizes if you need them.