Image aspect ratios explained

An aspect ratio is width : height. A ratio below 1 is taller than it is wide, a ratio above 1 is wider than it is tall, and 1:1 is square. The same ratio can describe many pixel sizes.

Common image aspect ratios

Each example below divides to the listed width-to-height ratio. Larger or smaller dimensions can have the same shape when both sides are scaled by the same factor.

RatioOrientationMatching pixel dimensionsCrop tool
1:1Square1080 × 1080, 1200 × 1200Crop to 1:1
4:5Portrait800 × 1000, 1080 × 1350Crop to 4:5
3:4Portrait600 × 800, 1200 × 1600Crop to 3:4
4:3Landscape800 × 600, 1200 × 900Crop to 4:3
9:16Portrait720 × 1280, 1080 × 1920Crop to 9:16
16:9Landscape1280 × 720, 1920 × 1080Crop to 16:9
3:2Landscape1200 × 800, 1800 × 1200Choose in crop tool
2:3Portrait800 × 1200, 1200 × 1800Choose in crop tool

Cropping changes the frame; resizing changes pixel dimensions

Cropping selects a new visible area and discards what sits outside its frame. Resizing changes the number of output pixels. A crop can therefore change the result dimensions, but it does not promise a chosen width and height.

If you need both a new composition and an exact pixel size, crop to the desired ratio first, then resize. If the source already has the proportions you need, resize it without cropping. See the crop vs resize guide or open the image crop tool and image resize tool.