<p>This is not a very elegant solution but it works.</p>
<p>Import your vertical video into iMovie.</p>
<p>When you have edited, rotate all the clips by 90 degrees</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/VYVOG.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/VYVOG.jpg" alt="screengrab" /></a></p>
<p>Export your video as a horizontal video eg &quot;1080p&quot; mode.</p>
<p>Open it in Quicktime Player</p>
<p>Rotate it back again:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/YlPk4.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/YlPk4.png" alt="grab2" /></a></p>
<p>Export it as 1080p.</p>
<p>The exported video will be rotated correctly:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/sOPe3.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/sOPe3.jpg" alt="grab3" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-04T08:06:33.717Z
2023-02-04T08:06:33.717Z
tomh
<p>I shot a video in portrait mode on iphone, and its a mov file with a vertical aspect ratio (ie, when i open it in quicktime, it has no black areas on its sides).</p>
<p>I open that video in imovie version 10.3.5, and i cut some frames to shorten the video, i then export it as a mp4. Now when i open the mp4, quicktime has black areas on its side.</p>
<p>I read that i have to first preserve the original ratio by going to crop setting in imovie and select 'Fit', then edit, then export. I did that, and still it comers out with black areas on its side.</p>
<p>Same when I upload it to Google Video and play it, it plays in a very small window on my phone, whereas the orignal un-edited video plays on full screen veritically on my phone.</p>
<p>I've spent 8 hours on this and can't fix it.</p>
<p>How do I edit this video and still have it preserve original aspect ratio?</p>

<video><imovie>
How to prevent iMovie from changing aspect ratio on a video short in portrait mode?
aspect ratio king
# How to prevent iMovie from changing aspect ratio on a video short in portrait mode?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-02-04)

I shot a video in portrait mode on iphone, and its a mov file with a vertical aspect ratio (ie, when i open it in quicktime, it has no black areas on its sides).

I open that video in imovie version 10.3.5, and i cut some frames to shorten the video, i then export it as a mp4. Now when i open the mp4, quicktime has black areas on its side.

I read that i have to first preserve the original ratio by going to crop setting in imovie and select 'Fit', then edit, then export. I did that, and still it comers out with black areas on its side.

Same when I upload it to Google Video and play it, it plays in a very small window on my phone, whereas the orignal un-edited video plays on full screen veritically on my phone.

I've spent 8 hours on this and can't fix it.

How do I edit this video and still have it preserve original aspect ratio?

**Tags:** video, imovie


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-02-04. Score: 1

This is not a very elegant solution but it works.

Import your vertical video into iMovie.

When you have edited, rotate all the clips by 90 degrees

[![screengrab](https://i.sstatic.net/VYVOG.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/VYVOG.jpg)

Export your video as a horizontal video eg "1080p" mode.

Open it in Quicktime Player

Rotate it back again:

[![grab2](https://i.sstatic.net/YlPk4.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/YlPk4.png)

Export it as 1080p.

The exported video will be rotated correctly:

[![grab3](https://i.sstatic.net/sOPe3.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/sOPe3.jpg)


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