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Core Table
Common Aspect Ratios — Decimal Values & CSS
Every common aspect ratio with its decimal value, modern aspect-ratio syntax, and legacy padding-top value.
| Ratio | Alias | Decimal | CSS aspect-ratio | CSS padding-top | Shape |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:1 | Square | 1.0000 | aspect-ratio: 1 / 1; | 100% | |
| 4:3 | Classic / SD | 1.3333 | aspect-ratio: 4 / 3; | 75% | |
| 3:2 | Photo / 35mm | 1.5000 | aspect-ratio: 3 / 2; | 66.67% | |
| 16:10 | Laptop | 1.6000 | aspect-ratio: 16 / 10; | 62.5% | |
| 5:3 | — | 1.6667 | aspect-ratio: 5 / 3; | 60% | |
| 16:9 | Widescreen / HD | 1.7778 | aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; | 56.25% | |
| 2:1 | Univisium | 2.0000 | aspect-ratio: 2 / 1; | 50% | |
| 21:9 | Ultrawide | 2.3333 | aspect-ratio: 21 / 9; | 42.86% | |
| 2.39:1 | CinemaScope | 2.3900 | aspect-ratio: 239 / 100; | 41.84% | |
| 3:1 | Panorama | 3.0000 | aspect-ratio: 3 / 1; | 33.33% | |
| 4:1 | Banner | 4.0000 | aspect-ratio: 4 / 1; | 25% | |
| 4:5 | Instagram Portrait | 0.8000 | aspect-ratio: 4 / 5; | 125% | |
| 2:3 | Portrait Print | 0.6667 | aspect-ratio: 2 / 3; | 150% | |
| 9:16 | Vertical Video | 0.5625 | aspect-ratio: 9 / 16; | 177.78% | |
| 9:19.5 | iPhone | 0.4615 | aspect-ratio: 9 / 19.5; | 216.67% |
Key Insight
The legacy formula is simple: (height ÷ width) × 100%. For 16:9, that becomes (9 ÷ 16) × 100 = 56.25%.
The old padding hack still matters when you need a ratio container that works in browsers without native aspect-ratio support.
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Core Table
Video Resolutions by Aspect Ratio
Standard video resolutions organized by aspect ratio, from 480p to 8K.
| Resolution Name | Ratio | Width × Height | Total Pixels | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 480p SD | 4:3 | 640 × 480 | 307,200 | Legacy formats / low bandwidth |
| 480p Wide | 16:9 | 854 × 480 | 409,920 | Older widescreen delivery |
| 720p HD | 16:9 | 1280 × 720 | 921,600 | Baseline HD |
| 1080p FHD | 16:9 | 1920 × 1080 | 2,073,600 | Most common standard HD |
| 1080p Vertical | 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 | 2,073,600 | TikTok / Reels / Shorts |
| 1440p QHD | 16:9 | 2560 × 1440 | 3,686,400 | High-end monitors |
| 4K UHD | 16:9 | 3840 × 2160 | 8,294,400 | 4K video / streaming |
| 4K Vertical | 9:16 | 2160 × 3840 | 8,294,400 | 4K vertical video |
| 4K DCI | 17:9 | 4096 × 2160 | 8,847,360 | Digital cinema |
| 8K UHD | 16:9 | 7680 × 4320 | 33,177,600 | 8K video |
| Square HD | 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 | 1,166,400 | Instagram square feed |
| Instagram Portrait | 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 | 1,458,000 | Instagram portrait feed |
Key Insight
1920 × 1080 and 1080 × 1920 contain exactly the same number of pixels: 2,073,600.
Aspect ratio does not change pixel count by itself. It changes how those pixels are arranged: wide and short, or narrow and tall.
Core Table
Photography & Print Aspect Ratios
Camera native ratios, standard print sizes, and the mismatch between them, so you know what will be cropped before you print.
Camera Native Ratios
| Camera Type | Native Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 35mm DSLR / Mirrorless | 3:2 | Canon, Nikon, Sony A-series default |
| Micro Four Thirds | 4:3 | Olympus and Panasonic default |
| Medium Format | 4:3 or 1:1 | Hasselblad and Fuji GFX families |
| iPhone (Standard) | 4:3 | Default Camera app capture |
| iPhone (Widescreen Mode) | 16:9 | Camera app widescreen setting |
| iPhone (Portrait) | 4:5 | Portrait-friendly output framing |
| Android (Most Phones) | 4:3 | Default Camera app capture |
| GoPro | 16:9 | Video-first default |
| DJI Drone | 16:9 | Video-first aerial default |
Print Size Crop Reference
| Print Size | Inches | Ratio | With 3:2 Source | With 4:3 Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4×6 | 4 × 6 in | 3:2 | Perfect match | Crop the sides |
| 5×7 | 5 × 7 in | 5:7 | Light crop | Crop required |
| 8×10 | 8 × 10 in | 4:5 | Crop top and bottom | Crop required |
| 8×12 | 8 × 12 in | 3:2 | Perfect match | Crop the sides |
| 11×14 | 11 × 14 in | 11:14 | Crop required | Crop required |
| 16×20 | 16 × 20 in | 4:5 | Crop top and bottom | Crop required |
| 20×30 | 20 × 30 in | 3:2 | Perfect match | Crop the sides |
| A4 | 8.27 × 11.69 in | ≈ 1:√2 | Crop required | Crop required |
| A3 | 11.69 × 16.54 in | ≈ 1:√2 | Crop required | Crop required |
Print Pitfall
Most DSLR photos are 3:2. Only 4×6, 8×12, and 20×30 match 3:2 perfectly.
If you print a 3:2 photo at 8×10, which is a 4:5 ratio, the photo will be cropped at the top and bottom by about 6.25% each.
Developer Reference
CSS Aspect Ratio Code Snippets
Copy-paste CSS for the most common ratios, both the modern aspect-ratio property and the legacy padding-top method.
Modern CSS aspect-ratio (recommended)
/* Modern CSS aspect-ratio (recommended) *//* 16:9 — YouTube, TV, Widescreen */.ratio-16-9 { aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; width: 100%; }/* 9:16 — TikTok, Reels, Shorts */.ratio-9-16 { aspect-ratio: 9 / 16; width: 100%; max-width: 400px; }/* 4:3 — Classic, iPad, Zoom */.ratio-4-3 { aspect-ratio: 4 / 3; width: 100%; }/* 1:1 — Square, Profile Photos */.ratio-1-1 { aspect-ratio: 1 / 1; width: 100%; }/* 4:5 — Instagram Portrait */.ratio-4-5 { aspect-ratio: 4 / 5; width: 100%; max-width: 500px; }/* 3:2 — Photography, 4×6 Print */.ratio-3-2 { aspect-ratio: 3 / 2; width: 100%; }/* 21:9 — Ultrawide, Cinematic */.ratio-21-9 { aspect-ratio: 21 / 9; width: 100%; }/* 2:3 — Portrait Print, Pinterest */.ratio-2-3 { aspect-ratio: 2 / 3; width: 100%; max-width: 400px; }Legacy padding-top method
/* Legacy padding-top method *//* Formula: padding-top = (height ÷ width) × 100% */.ratio-legacy { position: relative; width: 100%;}.ratio-legacy > * { position: absolute; inset: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;}/* 16:9 → padding-top: 56.25% (9÷16×100) *//* 9:16 → padding-top: 177.78% (16÷9×100) *//* 4:3 → padding-top: 75% (3÷4×100) *//* 1:1 → padding-top: 100% (1÷1×100) *//* 4:5 → padding-top: 125% (5÷4×100) *//* 3:2 → padding-top: 66.67% (2÷3×100) *//* 21:9 → padding-top: 42.86% (9÷21×100) *//* 2:3 → padding-top: 150% (3÷2×100) *//* 3:1 → padding-top: 33.33% (1÷3×100) *//* 4:1 → padding-top: 25% (1÷4×100) */Responsive video embed (YouTube / Vimeo)
/* Responsive video embed (YouTube / Vimeo) */.video-wrapper { position: relative; width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9;}@supports not (aspect-ratio: 16/9) { .video-wrapper { padding-top: 56.25%; } .video-wrapper > iframe { position: absolute; inset: 0; }}.video-wrapper > iframe { width: 100%; height: 100%; border: none;}Tool CTA
Conversion Reference
Aspect Ratio Conversion Loss Reference
When you convert content from one ratio to another by cropping, you lose pixels. This table shows how much content is lost in the most common center-crop conversions.
| Source | Target | Crop Direction | Loss | Retained | Example Crop Output |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16:9 | 9:16 | Crop left and right | -68.4% width | 31.6% width | 1920 × 1080 → 608 × 1080 |
| 16:9 | 1:1 | Crop left and right | -43.75% width | 56.25% width | 1920 × 1080 → 1080 × 1080 |
| 16:9 | 4:5 | Crop left and right | -55.0% width | 45.0% width | 1920 × 1080 → 864 × 1080 |
| 16:9 | 4:3 | Crop left and right | -25.0% width | 75.0% width | 1920 × 1080 → 1440 × 1080 |
| 9:16 | 16:9 | Crop top and bottom | -68.4% height | 31.6% height | 1080 × 1920 → 1080 × 608 |
| 9:16 | 1:1 | Crop top and bottom | -43.75% height | 56.25% height | 1080 × 1920 → 1080 × 1080 |
| 4:3 | 16:9 | Crop top and bottom | -25.0% height | 75.0% height | 1440 × 1080 → 1440 × 810 |
| 4:3 | 1:1 | Crop left and right | -25.0% width | 75.0% width | 1440 × 1080 → 1080 × 1080 |
| 3:2 | 4:5 | Crop left and right | -46.67% width | 53.33% width | 1620 × 1080 → 864 × 1080 |
| 3:2 | 1:1 | Crop left and right | -33.33% width | 66.67% width | 1620 × 1080 → 1080 × 1080 |
Conversion Pitfall
All loss percentages here assume a center crop. If you use letterbox or pillarbox instead, you keep all content but introduce empty bars.
For social content, black bars usually perform worse than native-ratio assets. The best solution is to plan the safe zone while shooting, especially for 16:9 to 9:16 workflows.
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Bookmark Hook
Quick Reference Card
The screenshot-friendly summary card for the ratios people actually reach for. It is designed to stay legible on mobile, in screenshots, and in print.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common aspect ratio for social media?
It depends on the platform and content type. For feed posts, 4:5 maximizes screen space on Instagram. For Stories, Reels, TikTok, and Shorts, 9:16 is the standard. For YouTube and LinkedIn, 16:9 is standard. For profile photos across all platforms, 1:1 is universal.
What aspect ratio should I use for YouTube thumbnails?
YouTube thumbnails should be 16:9 at 1280×720 pixels, with a minimum of 640×360. That matches the YouTube player so the thumbnail displays without cropping or black bars. JPG and PNG both work, with a 2 MB maximum file size.
What is the CSS padding-top value for 16:9?
The CSS padding-top value for a 16:9 container is 56.25%. The formula is height divided by width, then multiplied by 100: 9 ÷ 16 × 100 = 56.25. In modern CSS you should prefer `aspect-ratio: 16 / 9;`, but the padding-top method remains useful for legacy browser support.
Which aspect ratio loses the least content when converting to 9:16?
Among the common source formats in this cheat sheet, 4:5 loses the least content when center-cropped to 9:16, keeping about 70.3% of its original width and losing about 29.7%. A 1:1 crop keeps 56.25% of width. A 16:9 crop keeps only 31.6%. If you need to publish to both 16:9 and 9:16, shoot in 4K 16:9 and keep the subject in the center third of the frame.
What aspect ratio is 1080×1080?
1080×1080 is a 1:1 square ratio. The width and height are equal, so the greatest common divisor is 1080, and both values reduce to 1. This is the standard size for Instagram square feed posts and profile-photo source files.
Related Guides
Related Guides
Use these tools and companion guides when you need to move from a quick lookup into deeper ratio decisions, platform-specific specs, or CSS generation.
Calculator
Aspect Ratio Calculator
Calculate any missing dimension, decimal value, or exact crop output for a custom ratio.
Explainer
What Is Aspect Ratio?
Return to the conceptual guide when you need the definition, history, and cross-medium context.
How-To
How to Change Aspect Ratio
Move from reference to action with step-by-step cropping workflows in common tools.
Comparison
9:16 vs 16:9
Compare the two most important modern video ratios before you choose a shooting format.
Reference
Social Media Image Sizes 2025
Use the full platform database when you need deeper file-limit and safe-zone detail.
CSS
CSS Generator
Generate `aspect-ratio`, `padding-top`, and responsive container code for any ratio.
Guide
16:9 Guide
Open the full widescreen reference for resolutions, platforms, and crop logic.
Guide
9:16 Guide
Open the vertical-video reference for safe zones, mobile delivery, and Shorts workflows.
Core Table
Social Media Aspect Ratio Specs — 2025
Official recommended ratios and pixel dimensions for every major platform and content type. Updated for 2025.
Instagram
Three feed ratios plus vertical full-screen formats.
1080 × 10801080 × 13501080 × 5661080 × 19201080 × 1920320 × 320TikTok
One native format dominates: 9:16.
1080 × 19201920 × 10801080 × 1080200 × 200YouTube
Horizontal video plus Shorts and thumbnails.
1920 × 1080 / 3840 × 21601080 × 19201280 × 7202560 × 1440800 × 800Facebook
Link-preview landscape, cover-photo oddity, and Stories.
1200 × 6301280 × 7201080 × 1920820 × 312170 × 170Twitter / X
16:9 feed media and ultra-wide headers.
1600 × 9001280 × 7201500 × 500400 × 400LinkedIn
Landscape posts and extremely wide cover assets.
1200 × 6271920 × 10801584 × 396300 × 300400 × 400Pinterest
Tall pins remain the native default.
1000 × 15001000 × 10001000 × 21001080 × 1920Platform Specs Change
Platform specs change. This table reflects official recommendations as of Q1 2025. Always verify with the platform's official help center before a major campaign launch.