1:1 or 4:5: which one for the feed
Square 1:1 (1080×1080) is the classic: it looks the same in the feed and in the profile grid, and it works on Facebook, LinkedIn and X without surprises. It's the safe choice if you'll post the same video on several networks.
4:5 (1080×1350) is slightly taller than wide and takes up more of the screen in the Instagram and Facebook mobile feed, so it tends to stand out more while people scroll. Vaideo Editor has both canvases ready, plus 16:9 and 9:16, and you can switch between them from the “Format” panel or the selector below the viewer.
Framing without distorting the picture
When you turn a 16:9 video into a square, there's too much width. With “Fill” (the “Transform” group in the right panel) the video scales up to cover the whole canvas and you lose the sides; drag it in the viewer so the important part stays inside. With “Fit” you see it whole, smaller, with bands above and below.
There's no crop tool and no automatic reframing: framing is done with “Scale” and “Position”, and whatever falls outside the canvas isn't exported. If the action moves, split the clip with S and reposition each piece. With vertical videos it's the opposite: there's too much height, and you usually move the picture up or down with the Y “Position”.
What to put in the bands
If you use “Fit”, the bands don't have to stay empty. With no clip selected, the “Background” picker changes their colour; a brand colour and a title in the top band turn any video into a post that looks deliberate.
Another option is to put a copy of the same video on a lower layer with “Fill”, lower its “Brightness” or “Opacity” so it works as a background without distracting, and tick “Mute” on it. For everything else the editor does, see the guide at /en/cases/free-video-editor/.
Ideas to try
A Reel reused for the feed
Switch a 9:16 vertical to 4:5 with “Fill” and move the picture up or down so faces aren't cut off.
A YouTube video for LinkedIn
1:1 canvas, video on “Fit”, a brand-colour background and a headline in the top band.
A square product ad
The product centred with “Fill”, a text with the price and your logo in a corner.
Step by step
- 1
Choose the 1:1 or 4:5 canvas
Open app4.vaideo.org on your computer. With no clip selected, click 1:1 or 4:5 under “Format” (Formato) in the right panel. The editor interface is in Spanish.
- 2
Upload your video
In “Media” (Medios), click “Import files” (Importar archivos; free account needed) and drag the video onto the timeline.
- 3
Frame it inside the square
Select the clip and click “Fill” (Rellenar) or “Fit” (Ajustar) in “Transform” (Transformar). Fine-tune by dragging in the viewer or pulling the corners.
- 4
Decide on the background
If there are bands, pick a colour under “Background” (Fondo) or place a darkened, muted copy of the video on “Fill” underneath.
- 5
Export the MP4
Click “Export” (Exportar) and download the 1080×1080 or 1080×1350 MP4. 1080p free; 2K and 4K with Unlimited.
Tips that make the difference
- ★For the Instagram feed, 4:5 takes up more screen than 1:1; to post on several networks at once, 1:1 is the safest.
- ★The Instagram profile grid shows a centre crop: keep the important part in the middle.
- ★Pick the canvas before adding text; if you change it later, you'll have to reposition it.
- ★With “Fit”, use the bands for a short headline: many people watch without sound.
- ★If the scaled-up video loses sharpness, try a slightly smaller scale and accept thin bands.
Other tools vs Vaideo Editor
| Typical desktop or web editor | Vaideo Editor | |
|---|---|---|
| Square and 4:5 canvases | Yes, sometimes buried in project settings | One click: 1:1 and 4:5 next to 16:9 and 9:16 |
| Crop and reframing | Crop tool, sometimes automatic | Manual with scale and position; no crop or auto-reframe |
| Band background | Blur, colour or image | Colour or the same video on another layer (no blur) |
| Watermark | Common on free websites | None on your footage, free plan included |
Frequently asked questions
What size is a square Instagram video?+
1080×1080 pixels for 1:1 and 1080×1350 for 4:5. Those are the two canvases Vaideo Editor exports at 1080p on the free plan.
Is 1:1 or 4:5 better for the feed?+
4:5 takes up more of the phone screen and usually stands out more on Instagram and Facebook. 1:1 is more universal if you post the same video on several networks.
Can I make a video square without cutting anything off?+
Yes: use “Fit” and the whole video shows, with bands you can paint a colour or fill with a scaled-up copy of the video itself.
Is there a crop tool?+
No. You crop by scaling up with “Scale” and moving with “Position”; anything outside the canvas isn't exported. There's no automatic reframing either.
Can I do it from my phone?+
No. Vaideo Editor runs in your computer's browser, on a screen at least 900 pixels wide.
Does it add a watermark?+
Not to what you upload, on any plan. Only videos created with Vaideo's AI on the free plan carry the “vaideo.org” mark.
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