How to make a square 1:1 video for the instagram feed
- Step 1Open auto-reframe and drop your horizontal clip — Load the auto-reframe tool and add your video. It accepts
.mp4,.mov,.mkv,.webm,.avi,.m4v, and.ts. The tool probes width and height first so the square is computed against the real source dimensions. - Step 2Set the Ratio to 1:1 — Choose
1:1in the Ratio dropdown for a square. The other options are9:16(Reels/Stories) and4:5(tallest feed post). For a uniform grid tile,1:1is the one. - Step 3Make sure your subject is centred — The square is cut from the centre of the frame. A product on a centre stand or a presenter in the middle squares up cleanly; a subject in the left or right third gets clipped. If yours is off-centre, place the crop manually with the video cropper first.
- Step 4Run the square crop — The tool applies
crop=<h>:<h>:(in_w-h)/2:0(a full-height centre square) thenscale=<outW>:<outW>:flags=lanczos. From 1920×1080 you get a 1080×1080 square. Encode is libx264-preset medium -crf 20with AAC audio at 128 kbps. - Step 5Save the square MP4 — Download or stream the
.mp4to disk. The metrics line shows input → output size and the elapsed encode time. - Step 6Post to the feed (and caption it) — Upload the 1080×1080 MP4 to your feed. If you want hardcoded captions for sound-off viewing, burn them onto the square with the subtitle burner so they stay inside the visible square after the crop.
Square crop from common source sizes
At the 1:1 setting the tool keeps full height and crops the sides to a square. Output is capped at 1080 wide and forced even.
| Source | Centre square crop | Output 1:1 | Sides removed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920×1080 (16:9 HD) | 1080×1080 | 1080×1080 | ~420 px each side |
| 3840×2160 (16:9 4K) | 2160×2160 | 1080×1080 (1080 cap) | ~840 px each side, then downscaled |
| 1280×720 (16:9 720p) | 720×720 | 720×720 | ~280 px each side |
| 1080×1080 (already square) | 1080×1080 | 1080×1080 | none — re-encode only |
Which ratio for which Instagram placement
1:1 is the grid-uniform choice; 4:5 maximises feed height; 9:16 is for Reels/Stories. All three are centre-crops.
| Goal | Ratio | Output from 1080p | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uniform grid tile | 1:1 | 1080×1080 | Same shape across the grid |
| Tallest in-feed post | 4:5 | 864×1080 | Tallest the feed shows uncropped |
| Reel / Story | 9:16 | 608×1080 | Vertical full-screen surface |
Cookbook
Square-crop recipes for the Instagram feed, with the exact crop you'll get from each source.
Centred product shot to a grid square
A product centred on a stand or table is the textbook centre-crop subject. The square keeps it perfectly framed and drops the empty backdrop edges.
Source: 1920x1080, product centred Ratio: 1:1 Crop: 1080x1080 centre square (x=420) Scale: lanczos -> 1080x1080 Output: .mp4 H.264 CRF 20 / AAC 128k Result: clean square grid tile
4K master squared and downscaled
From a 4K source the centre square is 2160×2160, then the 1080 cap brings it to 1080×1080 — the extra resolution makes the downscale crisp.
Source: 3840x2160 Ratio: 1:1 Centre square: 2160x2160 Width cap: 1080 -> output 1080x1080 Output: sharp 1080x1080 square
Presenter standing screen-left — clipped
If the presenter is in the left third of a 16:9 frame, the centre square lands to their right and cuts them off. Re-frame first.
Source: 1920x1080, presenter LEFT (x ~ 250-650) Ratio: 1:1 -> square crop centred (x=420..1500) Result: presenter partly outside the square Fix: video-cropper -> place a 1:1 box over the presenter
Already-square source, just standardise it
If a clip is already 1:1 but the wrong resolution or codec, running it at 1:1 re-encodes to a clean 1080×1080 H.264 MP4 without changing the framing.
Source: 1080x1080 .mov (ProRes) Ratio: 1:1 Crop: none (already square) Output: 1080x1080 .mp4 H.264/AAC Use: standardise codec/size for the feed
720p webcam clip to a small square
A 720p webcam recording squares to 720×720 — under the 1080 cap, so it isn't upscaled. Good enough for the feed; start higher-res if you want 1080.
Source: 1280x720 webcam Ratio: 1:1 Centre square: 720x720 (under 1080 cap) Output: 720x720 .mp4 Note: for 1080 square, start from 1080p+
Edge cases and what actually happens
Off-centre subject gets clipped by the square
By designThe square is cut from the geometric centre, with no subject tracking. A subject in the left or right third of a 16:9 frame falls outside the centre square. Use the video cropper to position a 1:1 crop box directly over the subject instead.
You wanted a taller feed post than 1:1
Use 4:51:1 keeps the grid uniform but 4:5 is the tallest post the feed shows uncropped, giving more screen presence. Switch the Ratio to 4:5, or use the instagram-feed-formatter which targets both 1:1 and 4:5.
Free tier can't run it
Upgrade requiredAuto-reframe needs Pro tier or above; Free tier has video streaming disabled. Pro: 10 GB / 5 files. Pro+Media: 100 GB / 50 files. Developer: 100 GB / unlimited batch. No duration cap — limits are file size and batch count.
Square output stays at 720, not 1080
ExpectedFrom a 720p source the centre square is 720×720, under the 1080 cap, so it isn't upscaled. For a 1080×1080 square, start from a 1080p or higher source — the tool downscales but never upscales the square.
Dimensions not detected
ErrorIf the probe can't read the source size it throws Could not determine video dimensions. Transcode the source first with the video transcoder, then square it.
Source is already square
Re-encode onlyFeeding a 1:1 source at the 1:1 setting performs no crop — it just re-encodes to a clean 1080×1080 H.264 MP4. Handy for standardising codec/size, but if you don't need that, you can skip the tool.
Audio re-encoded to AAC
By designAudio is always re-encoded to AAC 128 kbps; no codec or bitrate choice. For most feed clips this is inaudible. Specialised audio handling belongs in a separate step.
Wide product or scene won't fit the square
CroppedA wide product (a long table setup, a landscape vista) loses its edges in a 1:1 crop because only the centre square is kept. If the full width matters, a square isn't the right shape — keep 16:9 and resize with the video resizer, or use 4:5 to retain a bit more width.
Frequently asked questions
How does the square crop choose what to keep?
It keeps the full-height centre square — the middle of the frame — and drops the left and right sides. There's no AI or subject tracking, so a centred product or presenter squares perfectly while an off-centre subject gets clipped. For off-centre framing, place the crop with the video cropper.
What size square do I get?
1080×1080 from a 1080p (or higher) source, because output is capped at 1080 wide. A 720p source gives 720×720 — it won't upscale. For a guaranteed 1080 square, start from 1080p or above.
Is 1:1 or 4:5 better for the Instagram feed?
1:1 keeps a grid uniform; 4:5 is the tallest post the feed displays without cropping, so it takes more screen space. Pick 1:1 for grid consistency, 4:5 for maximum height. The instagram-feed-formatter targets both directly.
Does the tool upload my video?
No — it runs entirely in your browser with FFmpeg.wasm. The footage stays local, which matters for unreleased product or client material. Only an anonymous usage counter is recorded, never file content.
What formats can I square?
MP4, MOV, MKV, WEBM, AVI, M4V and TS, plus generic video/*. The output is always MP4 (H.264/AAC), so a ProRes MOV and an MP4 both square to the same clean file.
Will squaring reduce quality?
It re-encodes at CRF 20, which is near-lossless from a good source. Cropping plus re-encoding compounds any existing compression, so square the sharpest master you have. A 4K source down to 1080×1080 looks crisper than a 720p one.
Can I square-crop off-centre?
Not in auto-reframe — the square is centre-only. The video cropper lets you place a 1:1 crop box anywhere, which is what you need for an off-centre subject.
Can I add captions to the square?
Burn them after squaring with the subtitle burner. Captions near the edges of the original 16:9 frame would be cropped out by the square, so add them to the finished 1:1 clip. Burned captions also survive Instagram's re-encode.
Is there a length or batch limit?
No duration cap — tiers limit by file size and batch count. Pro: 10 GB / 5 files; Pro+Media: 100 GB / 50; Developer: 100 GB / unlimited. The video engine processes files one at a time even when several are queued.
My wide scene loses its edges in the square — what do I do?
A square only keeps the centre, so wide subjects lose their sides. If the full width matters, don't square — keep 16:9 and just resize with the video resizer, or use 4:5 to retain more width than 1:1 does.
Can I make a square from a vertical source?
Yes. If the source is taller than 1:1, the tool keeps full width and crops top and bottom to a square instead of the sides. The crop is still centred (vertically, in this case).
Does my already-square clip need this tool?
Only if you want to standardise its codec or resolution. Running a 1:1 source at the 1:1 setting performs no crop — it just re-encodes to clean 1080×1080 H.264/AAC. If your square is already fine, you can skip it.
Privacy first
Every JAD Video tool runs entirely in your browser via WebCodecs and FFmpeg (WebAssembly). Your video files never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.