Aspect Ratio: worked example
| Width (pixels) | 1,920 |
|---|---|
| Height (pixels) | 1,080 |
| New width (pixels) | 1,280 |
| Ratio width part | 16 |
| Ratio height part | 9 |
| Height at the new width | 720 |
Common error: Setting both the new width and the new height by hand. Only one of them is free, and choosing both distorts the picture.
Aspect Ratio: formula
Some resolutions, such as 1366 by 768, do not reduce to a neat ratio and approximate 16:9. Pixel shape matters in some video formats. Cropping loses part of the image, while letterboxing wastes screen area.
Codecs prefer even dimensions, often multiples of 2 or 16.
Use the original full pixel dimensions as positive whole numbers. Enter the requested new width in the same pixel basis. The proportional height can be fractional, so a real image export needs an explicit whole-pixel rounding or cropping decision.
Aspect Ratio: changing Width (pixels)
| Width (pixels) | Ratio width part | Ratio height part | Height at the new width |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,536 | 64 | 45 | 900 |
| 1,728 | 8 | 5 | 800 |
| 1,920 (example) | 16 | 9 | 720 |
| 2,112 | 88 | 45 | 654.5 |
| 2,304 | 32 | 15 | 600 |
Aspect Ratio: compare input ranges
| Input | Tested from | To | Ratio width part: low input | Ratio width part: high input | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width (pixels) | 1,728 | 2,112 | 8 | 88 | 80 (500%) |
| Height (pixels) | 972 | 1,188 | 160 | 160 | 0 |
| New width (pixels) | 1,152 | 1,408 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
Aspect Ratio: individual input comparisons
| Input | Value | Ratio width part | Ratio height part | Height at the new width |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width (pixels) | 1,536 | 64 | 45 | 900 |
| 1,728 | 8 | 5 | 800 | |
| 1,920 | 16 | 9 | 720 | |
| 2,112 | 88 | 45 | 654.5 | |
| 2,304 | 32 | 15 | 600 | |
| Height (pixels) | 864 | 20 | 9 | 576 |
| 972 | 160 | 81 | 648 | |
| 1,080 | 16 | 9 | 720 | |
| 1,188 | 160 | 99 | 792 | |
| 1,296 | 40 | 27 | 864 | |
| New width (pixels) | 1,024 | 16 | 9 | 576 |
| 1,152 | 16 | 9 | 648 | |
| 1,280 | 16 | 9 | 720 | |
| 1,408 | 16 | 9 | 792 | |
| 1,536 | 16 | 9 | 864 |
Aspect Ratio: combined input changes
| Width (pixels) / Height (pixels) | 864 | 1,080 | 1,296 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,536 | 16 | 64 | 32 |
| 1,728 | 2 | 8 | 4 |
| 1,920 | 20 | 16 | 40 |
| 2,112 | 22 | 88 | 44 |
| 2,304 | 8 | 32 | 16 |
Aspect Ratio: which assumptions move the result?
Aspect Ratio: values and definitions
| Quantity and definition | Value used |
|---|---|
| Width (pixels) | 1,920 |
| Height (pixels) | 1,080 |
| New width (pixels) — The width you want to scale to. The height that keeps the ratio is calculated for you. | 1,280 |
| Ratio width part | 16 |
| Ratio height part | 9 |
| Height at the new width | 720 |
Aspect Ratio: half and double Width (pixels)
| Width (pixels) | Ratio width part |
|---|---|
| 960 | 8 |
| 1,920 | 16 |
| 3,840 | 32 |
Networking & Technology calculators: PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Calculator, Bandwidth and Data Usage Calculator, Subnet Calculator, Password Entropy Calculator, Download Time Calculator, Storage Converter Calculator.
An aspect ratio is width and height reduced to their smallest whole numbers. A 1920 by 1080 image divides by 120 on both sides to give 16 by 9, the shape of most screens and video. Once you know the ratio, any new width fixes the height: scale to 1280 wide and the matching height is 720, with no stretching or cropping.
Enter the full pixel dimensions of the original, not a rounded version. A width off by a few pixels produces an ugly ratio instead of a clean one.
Calculate screen sharpness on the PPI calculator, storage on the storage converter and streaming data on the bandwidth calculator. The ratio simplifier and proportion pages give the arithmetic, and the recipe scaling calculator uses the same idea for cooking.
What is the aspect ratio of 1920 by 1080?
16:9, found by dividing both numbers by their greatest common divisor, which is 120.
How do I resize an image without distorting it?
Multiply the new width by the original height and divide by the original width, or lock the aspect ratio in your editor.
Why do some resolutions not reduce cleanly?
Some screens, such as 1366 by 768, have dimensions that only approximate a standard ratio and share no large common divisor.