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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To resize, crop, or transcode a video, first choose the dimensions and shape your destination needs, then decide whether to preserve the entire frame or crop part of it, and finally export with a compatible codec and container. These are separate operations: you can use one or combine them. The practical steps below use HandBrake for a graphical workflow and FFmpeg for command-line control.
What resizing, cropping, and transcoding each do
- Resize changes the output frame dimensions. Keep the aspect ratio constrained if you want the whole image scaled without distortion.
- Crop removes image area from one or more edges. It can remove black bars or reframe a shot, but discards pixels and may cut off useful content.
- Transcode decodes and re-encodes media streams, potentially changing the codec, container, quality or bitrate, resolution, and frame rate. Re-encoding is not lossless by default; a smaller file may lose source detail.
Choose settings for the destination rather than assuming every video should be made widescreen or reduced to a particular size. The right result depends on the source, intended playback, and trade-off between quality, compatibility, file size, and export time.
Plan the output before you encode
Check the source
Find the source’s frame dimensions, display aspect ratio, frame rate, and whether it contains black bars, interlacing, or non-square pixels. Frame size, frame rate, and pixel aspect ratio are distinct properties; a mismatched pixel aspect ratio can make an image look distorted. Adobe explains these distinctions in its Premiere export settings documentation.
Choose fit or fill
When the source and target have different shapes, fitting the whole source into the output preserves all image content but may leave unused space. Filling the output frame requires cropping some of the source. Preview the result and check that faces, text, and other important details remain visible.
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Set a destination-appropriate size and format
Use the destination’s current requirements when available. A preset is a starting point, not a guarantee that every setting is appropriate: HandBrake notes that presets may cap resolution or frame rate. Its official presets cover device, web, and general compatibility targets. Avoid unnecessary upscaling; HandBrake says it is generally not recommended, though it can be useful in some cases, such as uploading to YouTube (HandBrake resizing guidance).
Resize and crop in HandBrake
- Open the video in HandBrake and choose a suitable preset for the intended playback or upload target.
- Open the dimensions or sizing controls. Use the resolution limit or custom dimensions to set the output size; preserve the aspect ratio unless you deliberately want to stretch the image.
- Review the crop settings. Auto-crop is a best guess, so use the preview and adjust the crop manually if it removes content or leaves unwanted bars. HandBrake’s cropping and scaling guide explains the controls.
- Choose the output container and video encoder appropriate for the destination. A preset can help with compatibility, but verify that its resolution and frame-rate limits suit the source and target.
- Preview the result, then start the encode and inspect the exported file. Check the frame edges, proportions, playback, audio, and color.
Resize, crop, and transcode with FFmpeg
FFmpeg can read, filter, and transcode many media formats. Install an FFmpeg build available for your operating system, then run commands in a terminal where the ffmpeg executable is accessible. These examples use input.mp4 and write to a new output file so the original remains unchanged. Consult the official FFmpeg documentation, filter documentation, and scaler documentation for options and build-specific details.
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Scale proportionally to fit within a maximum size
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=1280:720:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease" -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 192k output.mp4The scale filter makes the image fit within 1280×720 while preserving its proportions, so the actual output may be smaller in one dimension. The video is encoded as H.264 and the audio as AAC. The CRF and preset are encoding choices, not promises of a particular file size or quality; adjust them for your delivery requirements.
Crop a specified rectangle, then scale
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "crop=iw-160:ih:80:0,scale=1280:-2" -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 192k cropped.mp4This removes 80 pixels from each horizontal edge, keeps the full height, then scales the result to 1280 pixels wide. The height is calculated proportionally and rounded to a value suitable for common encoders. Change the crop width and offsets to match the content; if the crop rectangle exceeds the source dimensions, the command will fail. Preview before encoding if the subject is near an edge.
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Crop to fill a target aspect ratio
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "crop='if(gt(iw/ih,16/9),ih*16/9,iw)':'if(gt(iw/ih,16/9),ih,iw*9/16)',scale=1280:720" -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 192k fill-16x9.mp4This center-crops to a 16:9 frame and scales it to 1280×720. A center crop can cut off a subject that is not centered, so inspect a preview or choose crop offsets that keep the important content in frame.
Transcode without resizing or cropping
ffmpeg -i input.mov -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 192k output.mp4This re-encodes the streams into an MP4 container with H.264 video and AAC audio. It does not preserve the original bit-for-bit. If the goal is only to change the container and the streams are already compatible, stream copying can avoid re-encoding: ffmpeg -i input.mov -c copy output.mp4. Stream copying does not convert incompatible codecs, resize, or crop.
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YouTube upload settings: a destination-specific example
YouTube’s recommendations apply to uploads to YouTube, not to every platform. Its recommended upload encoding settings list MP4, H.264, progressive scan, and matching the recorded frame rate where possible. For SDR, YouTube recommends BT.709. Its SDR bitrate recommendations vary by resolution and frame-rate class:
| Resolution | Standard frame rates (24, 25, or 30 fps) | High frame rates (48, 50, or 60 fps) |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 8 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
| 2160p | 35–45 Mbps | 53–68 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s published SDR upload recommendations, accessed in 2026, not guarantees of a particular visual quality or final file size. Use the platform’s current guidance if its requirements change.
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YouTube describes 16:9 as the standard computer aspect ratio, but its player also adapts to vertical and square video. It advises against adding padding or black bars directly to a video because that can interfere with dynamic player adaptation. Do not automatically turn vertical or square footage into 16:9; use the frame shape that suits the actual delivery need. See YouTube’s aspect-ratio and resolution guidance.
Check the export and troubleshoot common problems
- The picture looks stretched: The output dimensions may have been set without preserving proportions, or the pixel aspect ratio may not match. Recheck the aspect-ratio and pixel-shape settings rather than stretching the frame.
- Important content is missing: The crop may be too aggressive or centered on the wrong area. Reduce it, adjust the crop offsets, and preview the full frame before encoding.
- Black bars remain: They may be part of the video frame rather than player-added bars. Crop only if removing them is worth losing image area; otherwise preserve the source frame.
- The output does not meet a platform’s size or format requirement: Verify the destination’s current specifications, then check both the container and the codecs inside it. A file extension alone does not establish codec compatibility.
- FFmpeg reports an invalid crop or filter: Check that crop dimensions and offsets are within the source frame and that the filter expression is quoted for your shell. Shell quoting rules differ across operating systems.
- The encode is slow: Re-encoding takes processing time, and higher-quality scaling can add more. In Premiere, Adobe says Maximum Render Quality can help preserve detail and reduce aliasing when scaling to a different frame size, but may significantly increase export time, especially without a supported GPU (Adobe Premiere export settings).
- The file is smaller but looks worse: Re-encoding can discard detail. Raise the quality target or use a less aggressive compression setting, then compare the output with the source at the intended viewing size.
- Audio, color, or playback changed: Check the selected audio codec, frame rate, color settings, and destination compatibility. Review the exported file itself rather than relying only on the export dialog.
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