Video Aspect Ratio

Change video display aspect ratio (DAR) without resizing the video

Click to upload file or drag and drop file here

Maximum file size: 100MB Supported formats: video/*

Key Facts

Category
Images, Audio & Video
Input Types
file, select, number
Output Type
file
Sample Coverage
4
API Ready
Yes

Overview

Quickly change the display aspect ratio (DAR) of your video files without resizing the actual video stream or undergoing a lengthy re-encoding process. This tool allows you to adjust the container metadata of your video to correct stretched playback or prepare clips for specific display formats.

When to Use

  • •When a video displays with incorrect stretching or squishing due to a mismatched display aspect ratio metadata flag.
  • •When you need to quickly change the container aspect ratio to standard presets like 16:9, 4:3, or 1:1 without altering the raw pixel dimensions.
  • •When preparing video files for specialized media players or digital signage that require a specific display aspect ratio metadata header.

How It Works

  • •Upload your video file (up to 500 MB) using the file input field.
  • •Select your target display aspect ratio from the presets, or choose 'Custom' to manually input your desired width and height values.
  • •Choose your preferred output format (MP4, WebM, MKV, or keep original) and process the file to update the metadata instantly.

Use Cases

Correcting old analog video digitizations that incorrectly display in 16:9 widescreen instead of their native 4:3 format.
Adjusting camera footage metadata to display correctly on ultrawide 21:9 monitors without rendering times.
Setting a 9:16 vertical display aspect ratio metadata flag for mobile-first video previews.

Examples

1. Correcting Stretched VHS Rips

Archivist
Background
An archivist digitized old family VHS tapes, but the capture software incorrectly flagged the output files with a 16:9 widescreen display aspect ratio, making the footage look unnaturally wide.
Problem
The video needs to display in its original 4:3 standard aspect ratio without losing quality through re-encoding.
How to Use
Upload the digitized MP4 file, select '4:3 (Standard)' from the Aspect Ratio dropdown, keep the output format as 'original', and process the file.
Example Config
aspectRatio: '4:3', outputFormat: 'original'
Outcome
The video metadata is updated instantly, and media players now correctly display the video in the original 4:3 aspect ratio without any quality loss.

2. Setting Custom Display Ratio for Digital Signage

Digital Signage Operator
Background
A marketing coordinator has a video that needs to play on a custom-sized LED display strip with a non-standard aspect ratio.
Problem
The media player requires the video container to explicitly declare a custom display aspect ratio of 32:9 to prevent display errors.
How to Use
Upload the MP4 video, select 'Custom' under Aspect Ratio, set Custom Width to 32 and Custom Height to 9, and choose MP4 as the output format.
Example Config
aspectRatio: 'custom', customWidth: 32, customHeight: 9, outputFormat: 'mp4'
Outcome
The output MP4 file is generated with the custom 32:9 display aspect ratio metadata, allowing it to render perfectly on the digital signage hardware.

Try with Samples

video, file
Video Samples
Sample video files in different formats and orientations
title token video
video
Video AV1 Samples
Sample video files encoded in AV1 format
title token video
video
Video H.264 Samples
Sample video files encoded in H.264 (AVC) format
title token video
video
Video H.265 Samples
Sample video files encoded in H.265 (HEVC) format
title token video
video

Related Hubs

Video-to-Audio and Animation Conversion Tools
Compare tools that turn video into audio, extract video streams, and convert between short-form video and animated image formats in one hub.
Video Preview, Extraction, and Subtitle Tools
Compare video preview generation, stream extraction, audio extraction, subtitle translation, and quick flip tools in one hub for lightweight video prep workflows.

FAQ

Does this tool re-encode or compress my video?

No, it only updates the display aspect ratio (DAR) metadata flag in the video container, preserving your original video quality.

What video formats are supported for output?

You can export your video as MP4, WebM, MKV, or choose to keep the original container format.

Will changing the aspect ratio crop my video?

No, this tool does not crop or cut any pixels; it only changes how the video player stretches or scales the video during playback.

How do I set a non-standard aspect ratio?

Select the 'Custom' option in the Aspect Ratio dropdown and enter your specific custom width and height values.

What is the maximum file size allowed?

You can upload and process video files up to 500 MB in size.

API Documentation

Request Endpoint

POST /en/api/tools/video-aspect-ratio

Request Parameters

Parameter Name Type Required Description
videoFile file (Upload required) Yes -
aspectRatio select Yes -
customWidth number No -
customHeight number No -
outputFormat select No -

File type parameters need to be uploaded first via POST /upload/video-aspect-ratio to get filePath, then pass filePath to the corresponding file field.

Response Format

{
  "filePath": "/public/processing/randomid.ext",
  "fileName": "output.ext",
  "contentType": "application/octet-stream",
  "size": 1024,
  "metadata": {
    "key": "value"
  },
  "error": "Error message (optional)",
  "message": "Notification message (optional)"
}
File: File

AI MCP Documentation

Add this tool to your MCP server configuration: 

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "elysiatools-video-aspect-ratio": {
      "name": "video-aspect-ratio",
      "description": "Change video display aspect ratio (DAR) without resizing the video",
      "baseUrl": "https://elysiatools.com/mcp/sse?toolId=video-aspect-ratio",
      "command": "",
      "args": [],
      "env": {},
      "isActive": true,
      "type": "sse"
    }
  }
}

You can chain multiple tools, e.g.: `https://elysiatools.com/mcp/sse?toolId=png-to-webp,jpg-to-webp,gif-to-webp`, max 20 tools.

Supports URL file links or Base64 encoding for file parameters.

If you encounter any issues, please contact us at [email protected]