Canvas Sizes and Aspect Ratios
Pick from five canvas presets — 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:5, and 4:3 — so every graphic fits the platform you're posting to.
Every graphic in HeyMotion is built on a canvas, and the canvas has a size. That size decides the shape of your finished video and how it fits the place you're going to post it. HeyMotion ships with five canvas presets covering the aspect ratios creators actually use — from widescreen YouTube to vertical Shorts.
You choose the size before you export. You can switch at any time, and the preview reshapes immediately so you can see how your graphic sits in the new frame.
#Overview
A canvas preset sets two things at once: the aspect ratio (the shape — wide, tall, or square) and the pixel dimensions (the exact resolution of the exported file). Pick the preset that matches your destination platform and HeyMotion handles the rest.
#The Five Presets
| Preset | Pixels | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 16:9 | 1920 × 1080 | YouTube, desktop video, presentations |
| 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 | YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok |
| 1:1 | 1080 × 1080 | Square feed posts (Instagram, LinkedIn) |
| 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 | Instagram portrait feed posts |
| 4:3 | 1440 × 1080 | Classic / iPad-style framing |
#How to Switch
The dimension menu sits above the preview in the center of the studio. Open it and pick the preset you want. The preview stage instantly reshapes to the new aspect ratio, and your next export uses that resolution.
There's nothing to save — the choice sticks with the graphic you're working on, and the exported MP4 comes out at the pixel size shown in the table above.
#Platform Mapping
If you're not sure which preset to use, match it to where the video is going:
- YouTube (long-form) / desktop → 16:9
- YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok → 9:16
- Square feed post → 1:1
- Instagram portrait feed post → 4:5
- Classic or iPad-style layout → 4:3
#A Known Quirk With Non-16:9 Sizes
HeyMotion was built 16:9-first, and that shows in how the other sizes currently render.
Today, any non-16:9 preset renders the 1920 × 1080 composition scaled and centered inside the new frame, rather than re-laying-out the content for that exact shape. Some templates include a "fit width" behavior so portrait content sizes up sensibly, but you may still see the design centered with spacing around it, especially on tall or square canvases.
This is a real limitation we're honest about — true per-dimension responsive layouts are on the roadmap. In the meantime, the export still comes out at the correct pixel dimensions for the platform, so it will play and upload correctly. It just won't fill every edge as tightly as a purpose-built vertical layout would.
Fully responsive, per-aspect-ratio layouts (so every template re-flows to fill 9:16, 1:1, 4:5, and 4:3 edge-to-edge) are planned.
#Safe-Area Guidance
Because vertical and square exports currently center the composition, keep your most important content — headlines, numbers, logos — toward the middle of the frame. On 9:16 especially, platforms like TikTok and Reels overlay their own UI (captions, buttons, the creator handle) along the bottom and right edge, so leave breathing room there regardless of which tool you used.
For long-form 16:9, the whole frame is safe, but still avoid placing critical text in the outermost few percent in case a platform crops slightly.
#Best Practices
Choose your dimension first, before you fine-tune content, so the preview reflects the real shape while you work. If a graphic is destined for more than one platform, export it once per size — switching the preset and re-exporting takes seconds.
#Related Articles
Ready to publish? See Export for YouTube for 16:9, Export for TikTok and Reels for 9:16, or the full Export an MP4 walkthrough.