Limelight
What is aspect ratio?
Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between a video frame's width and height — written as width:height, such as 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, or 4:3 — and it defines the overall shape of the frame.
Aspect ratio expresses how wide a frame is relative to its height, independent of the actual pixel resolution. A 16:9 frame is widescreen, the default for computer displays, YouTube, and most horizontal video. A 9:16 frame is tall and narrow, built for phones held upright and for platforms like TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. A 1:1 square suits many social feeds, and 4:3 is the older, boxier television and monitor shape. The same content can be delivered in different ratios, but each ratio changes how much fits on screen and where the viewer's eye lands.
Choosing the right aspect ratio matters because platforms display and crop video according to their expected shape. Upload a widescreen 16:9 clip to a vertical feed and it appears as a thin strip with large empty bars; post a vertical clip on a horizontal player and it gets pillarboxed. Reframing between ratios means either cropping, adding padding, or recomposing the layout so the important content stays visible. Planning the target ratio before recording saves you from awkward crops and wasted screen space later.
Limelight exports in standard 16:9 for desktop and web, and it can also produce vertical 9:16 output for phone-first platforms, so your screen recordings fit the destination without clumsy manual cropping. Combined with auto-zoom that keeps the action centered, choosing the right aspect ratio ensures your key content — buttons, text, and clicks — stays framed and legible whether viewers watch on a laptop or a phone.
Why Limelight
- ▸Aspect ratio is the width-to-height proportion of a video frame.
- ▸16:9 is widescreen; 9:16 is vertical; 1:1 is square; 4:3 is boxy.
- ▸Wrong ratio for a platform causes black bars or unwanted cropping.
- ▸Limelight exports 16:9 and vertical 9:16 to match your destination.
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FAQ
- What aspect ratio should I use for screen recordings?
- Use 16:9 for desktop, web, and YouTube, and 9:16 for phone-first platforms like TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. Match the ratio to where you'll post.
- What happens if the aspect ratio is wrong for a platform?
- The player adds black bars or crops the frame, wasting space and hiding content. Matching the target ratio keeps the video filling the screen.
- Can Limelight export vertical video?
- Yes. Limelight exports standard 16:9 and can also produce vertical 9:16 output for phone-first platforms without manual cropping.