Convert a video to vertical 9:16 without cropping by hand
Upload a horizontal video or paste a YouTube link. TONTRIA reframes it to 9:16 following whoever sings or talks, adds captions if you want them, and exports a vertical video for TikTok, Reels and Shorts.
1 credit = 1 minute of video processed. The free plan includes 30 credits to start, no card needed. Free exports are 720p with a watermark.
From 16:9 to 9:16 in three steps
Upload or paste a link
A horizontal video from your computer or a YouTube link: a music video, a live show, an interview.
AI reframes the shot
TONTRIA finds the faces and keeps whoever sings or talks in the vertical frame, shot by shot, instead of a fixed center crop.
Check and export
Adjust the frame in the editor if you want a different shot, add captions and export the vertical video.
A center crop cuts people out
A 16:9 shot is almost twice as wide as a 9:16 one. A fixed crop leaves the singer out every time they move.
Follows the person
The frame moves with whoever sings or talks, not with the middle of the image.
Bands and interviews
When there are several people, the frame goes to whoever is singing or speaking at that moment.
Captions included
Add karaoke captions in the same step, styled with the artist’s fonts and colors.
Other formats too
Export 1:1 and 4:5 for feeds as well; exporting several formats at once is on Pro and Label.
When to convert instead of reshooting
Most of an artist’s best material was filmed horizontally: the music video, the live show, the interview on a TV or radio channel. Reshooting for vertical is rarely an option, and a fixed center crop cuts the singer out every time they move. Reframing shot by shot, following the person, is what makes those videos usable on TikTok, Reels and Shorts.
For a step-by-step guide, read how to convert horizontal video to vertical. For every size each platform asks for, see video sizes for TikTok, Reels, Shorts and Canvas.
Tip: if you want several short clips from a long horizontal video, paste it in the YouTube Shorts maker instead: it finds the best moments and reframes each one.
Converting video to vertical: questions
What app converts horizontal video to vertical without cropping people out?
One with reframing that follows faces instead of always cutting the center, and that offers a split screen when two people are on camera. TONTRIA’s converter follows whoever is singing or talking, has a split screen for interviews and lets you adjust the framing in the editor before exporting.
Is it free?
Yes, to start. The free plan gives 30 credits once (1 credit = 1 minute of video processed) and exports up to 720p with a watermark. Paid plans export 1080p or 4K without watermark.
Do you lose quality converting horizontal video to vertical?
It depends on the original. Going from 16:9 to 9:16 crops the sides: from a 1080p horizontal video you keep a frame about 608 pixels wide that is scaled up to 1080, so it looks a little less sharp. From a 4K original the crop is about 1215 pixels wide, and a 1080p vertical comes out without losing detail. The free plan exports up to 720p; paid plans export in 1080p or 4K.
Can I fix the frame myself?
Yes. Open the video in the editor and change the framing of any part before exporting.
Does it work with music videos and live shows?
Yes. That is what it was built for: it keeps the singer or the speaker in frame, even with several people on stage.
What sizes does it export?
9:16 for TikTok, Reels and Shorts, plus 1:1, 4:5 and 16:9 from the editor.
Keep exploring
Free tools
Every TONTRIA Clips tool you can use on the free plan: clips, Shorts, vertical video, captions, lyric videos and Canvas.
Learn more →Horizontal to vertical video
Four ways to turn 16:9 video into 9:16 without cutting anyone out: center crop, blurred background, face-tracking reframe and split screen.
Learn more →Video sizes for TikTok, Reels and Shorts
Sizes, aspect ratios and lengths for TikTok, Reels, Shorts and Spotify Canvas in one table.
Learn more →YouTube to Shorts
Paste a YouTube link, get vertical clips with captions — and schedule them as Shorts.
Learn more →Make your video vertical
Paste a link or upload a video. 30 free credits to start.