Change Image Aspect Ratio

Different platforms call for different shapes — a 16:9 landscape image looks great on YouTube, but it won't fit a TikTok or Instagram Story without cropping. Kreator's Reframe tool reshapes any image to a new aspect ratio in seconds, keeping the important parts visible. For this task, you'll take the 16:9 image you generated earlier and reframe it to 9:16 for vertical-format placements.

This task takes about 2 minutes.

What is reframing?

Reframing changes an image's aspect ratio by intelligently cropping or extending the composition so your subject stays well-placed in the new shape. It's different from Outpaint, which extends the canvas to add more background; reframe focuses on getting the right shape without losing the focal point.

Steps

1. Open the Assets page

In the left sidebar, click Assets. Locate the asset you want to transform, and click the [⋮] icon on the asset thumbnail.

2. Select Tools and Change Aspect Ratio option

In the canvas will be displayed image you previously selected.

For this task, select the 16:9 image you generated in the previous step.

The image will appear in the canvas. You'll see its dimensions (in pixels) at the bottom of the viewer — confirm it's a landscape (wider than tall) image.

3. Confirm Reframe mode is selected

On the left panel, find the Mode selector. Make sure Reframe is highlighted, not Outpaint.

4. Pick the 9:16 aspect ratio

Below the mode selector, open the Aspect Ratio dropdown and select 9:16.

The canvas preview will switch to a tall, vertical frame to show the target shape.

5. Run the reframe

At the bottom of the left panel, click Reframe Image.

You'll see a credit cost shown on the button and a spinner with Processing... while the new image is being created. This usually takes 15–30 seconds.

How do I know it worked?

You'll know the task is complete when:

The canvas switches to show the new 9:16 version of your image.
A before/after thumbnail row appears below the canvas so you can flip between the original and the result.
The dimensions at the bottom-right of the viewer show the new image is taller than it is wide.
The reframed image is saved to your asset library automatically.

Tips

Pick the source image carefully. Reframe keeps the main subject in frame, but extreme crops (16:9 → 9:16) work best when your subject is roughly centered in the original.
Try multiple ratios. After your first reframe, click Try again and pick a different aspect ratio (1:1 for Instagram feed, 4:5 for vertical social posts) without re-uploading.
Compare before publishing. Use the before/after thumbnails to quickly toggle between the original and the reframed result before downloading.
Reuse the new version. The reframed image lives in your asset library and can be plugged into any other Kreator workflow — image ads, UGC videos, or the video editor.

Troubleshooting

"Insufficient credits."

The reframe tool deducts credits per run. Add credits or upgrade your plan in billing settings, then try again.

My subject got cropped out.

This can happen on dramatic ratio changes. Click Try again, switch the mode to Outpaint, and re-run — the canvas will be extended instead of cropped.

The result looks blurry or distorted.

Very small or very low-resolution source images can produce soft results. Start with a higher-resolution image, or try Outpaint mode instead so the original pixels are preserved.

I don't see a before/after view.

The before/after thumbnails appear only after the run completes successfully. If you see a "Failed" alert, click Try again and re-run. If it still shows as incomplete after a minute, contact support.

Next step

Return to your onboarding checklist and continue with the next task.