How to change video into landscape: Transform Your Videos with Simple Techniques

Changing a video from portrait (vertical) to landscape (horizontal) format is a common need, especially when you want your content to better fit widescreen displays or certain social media requirements. There are several ways to do this using video editing software, phone apps, or even online tools. The basic process involves rotating, cropping, or adding borders to the video to achieve the landscape orientation without distorting the content. Here’s a step-by-step guide for different methods:

How to Change Video into Landscape

1. Using Desktop Video Editors

Tools like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, or free software such as DaVinci Resolve and Shotcut allow for precise control. Here’s a general workflow:

1. Import your portrait video into the editor.
2. Place the video on the timeline.
3. Use the rotation tool to rotate your video by 90 degrees.
4. Adjust the scale or crop the video to fill the landscape aspect ratio (usually 16:9).
5. Alternatively, add blurred background or black bars to fill the space.
6. Export the video in the desired landscape format.

2. Using Mobile Apps

Apps like InShot, CapCut, or iMovie (for iOS) make the process easy on your phone:

1. Open the app and import your video.
2. Tap on ‘Canvas’ or ‘Crop’ settings.
3. Select the 16:9 (landscape) ratio.
4. Rotate and position your video as needed—some apps allow you to zoom in to fill the screen, or choose a style for the borders.
5. Apply and export the edited video.

3. Using Online Tools

Websites like Clideo, Kapwing, or Canva offer online video editing:

1. Upload your video to the platform.
2. Choose the rotate tool or change the aspect ratio to landscape.
3. Adjust the positioning as required.
4. Download the exported landscape video.

As a designer, I often recommend being mindful of how the video will be displayed in your intended environment. If you’re using videos as part of a digital interior design presentation or virtual walkthrough, for example, making sure they are optimized for wide screens helps create a more immersive and professional experience. Modern AI-powered visualization tools make it seamless to incorporate and present media within digital designs. If you’re looking to enhance the visual flow of your interiors, integrating assets like videos and images in the correct orientation is key—something I consider when using advanced 3D render home solutions.

Tips 1:

Before converting, check if the content of your video will remain visually compelling after cropping or scaling. Sometimes, re-filming in landscape, if possible, delivers the best quality and preserves the subject’s context.

FAQ

Q: Can I turn a portrait video into landscape without losing part of the image?

A: You can add blurred or colored borders to avoid cropping, but to fully fill the landscape frame, some cropping or scaling is usually necessary.

Q: What aspect ratio should I use for landscape videos?

A: The standard landscape aspect ratio is 16:9. This is widely supported across devices and platforms.

Q: Are there mobile apps that let me convert portrait to landscape for free?

A: Yes, apps like InShot and CapCut offer free versions with simple tools to change orientation and aspect ratio.

Q: Will rotating a video affect its quality?

A: If you only rotate, quality remains the same. However, cropping or scaling to fit the landscape format can result in some loss of detail if not done carefully.

Q: Does changing orientation work for videos with embedded text or graphics?

A: If your video contains text or on-screen graphics, ensure that these aren’t cropped out or rotated awkwardly during the conversion process.