Why rotating the video isn't enough
A horizontal video (16:9) is almost twice as wide as it is tall; a vertical screen (9:16) is the other way round. If you just rotate it 90°, the picture ends up lying on its side. What you need is to change the canvas, the size of the output frame, to 1080×1920, and then decide which part of the video shows inside that frame.
There are two ways to go. Scale the video up until it covers the full height: it fills the screen but you lose the sides, so you move the picture to keep the subject centred. Or keep the whole video, smaller, in the middle of the canvas: you lose nothing, but bands appear above and below that you need to deal with.
How to frame it in Vaideo Editor (and what it doesn't do)
With the clip selected, the right panel shows the “Transform” group: “Scale”, “Position” (X and Y) and two quick buttons, “Fit” and “Fill”. Then you fine-tune by dragging the video in the viewer or pulling its corners. If the subject moves from side to side, split the clip with S at each shot change and set the position of each piece separately.
To be clear: Vaideo Editor has no crop tool and no automatic reframing that follows the person. Framing is done by hand with scale and position, and whatever falls outside the canvas simply isn't shown. There's no blur either; the classic blurred background is replaced by a colour or by a copy of the video scaled up and darkened.
Filling the bands: a colour or the same video behind
The quick way is a colour: with no clip selected, the right panel shows the project “Format” and the “Background” picker. Black or your brand colour looks clean, and you can use the bands for a title on top and a line of text below, which is exactly what many podcast clips do.
The other option is to use the same video twice. Add a video layer with the “+” button on the timeline (new layers go on top), place the video there set to “Fit” and leave the copy underneath on “Fill”, with “Brightness” or “Opacity” lowered so it doesn't compete. Mute the background copy so the audio doesn't play twice. For a full tour of the editor, see /en/cases/free-video-editor/.
Ideas to try
A YouTube clip for Shorts
Cut the good part, switch to 9:16 with “Fill” and move the picture so the face sits in the centre.
A podcast or interview for Reels
Video on “Fit” in the middle, a colour background and a title in the top band with the guest's name.
A landscape or product shot for TikTok
The same video twice: whole on top, scaled up and darkened underneath as a background, so there are no empty bands.
Step by step
- 1
Open the editor and choose 9:16
Go to app4.vaideo.org on your computer. With no clip selected, click 9:16 under “Format” (Formato) in the right panel, or pick it in the format selector below the viewer.
- 2
Upload the horizontal video
In the “Media” (Medios) tab, click “Import files” (Importar archivos; a free account is required) and drag the video onto the timeline.
- 3
Frame it with scale and position
Select the clip and in “Transform” (Transformar) click “Fill” (Rellenar) to cover the screen or “Fit” (Ajustar) to see it whole. Fine-tune by dragging it in the viewer or with the X and Y “Position” fields. The editor interface is in Spanish.
- 4
Fill the background if there are bands
Pick a colour under “Background” (Fondo), or add a video layer with the same shot on “Fill”, darker and muted, under the main one.
- 5
Export a vertical MP4
Click “Export” (Exportar), choose the resolution (1080p free; 2K and 4K with Unlimited) and download the 1080×1920 MP4.
Tips that make the difference
- ★Choose the 9:16 canvas before placing text: if you change it at the end you'll have to reposition everything.
- ★Keep the face or main subject in the top or middle third; at the bottom TikTok and Reels cover it with the caption and buttons.
- ★If the subject moves across the frame, split the clip with S at each shot and reframe each piece; there's no automatic tracking.
- ★On the background copy, lower “Brightness” or “Opacity” and tick “Mute” so you don't hear it twice.
- ★A 1080p video scaled up with “Fill” loses some sharpness; exporting at 4K won't bring that detail back.
Other tools vs Vaideo Editor
| Typical desktop or web editor | Vaideo Editor | |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | Desktop software or a web tool with sign-up | In the browser; free account to upload and export |
| Automatic reframing that follows the subject | Some have it, often paid | No: manual framing with scale and position |
| Background for the bands | Blur, colour or image | Colour or the same video scaled up on another layer (no blur) |
| Watermark on the result | Common on free online versions | None on your footage, free plan included |
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a video to vertical without stretching it?+
Change the canvas to 9:16 and use “Fill” or “Fit” in the “Transform” group. Both keep the video's proportions; they only change how much it's scaled. The picture is never stretched.
Can I crop the video?+
There's no crop tool as such. You get the same effect by scaling the video up with “Scale” and moving it with “Position”: anything outside the 9:16 canvas doesn't appear in the export.
Does it auto-reframe to follow the person?+
No. Framing is manual. If the subject moves, split the clip into several pieces and set the position of each one.
Can I use a blurred background?+
There's no blur. As an alternative, put a copy of the same video on a lower layer with “Fill” and lower its brightness or opacity, or use a background colour.
Does it work on a phone?+
No. Vaideo Editor runs in your computer's browser and needs a screen at least 900 pixels wide.
Is it free and watermark-free?+
Yes. With the free account you export MP4 up to 1080p with no watermark on what you upload. 2K and 4K need the Unlimited plan (€39/month).
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