iMovie Tutorial: How to Resize Videos in iMovie on Mac?

Shanoon Cox

May 16, 2023• Proven solutions

Simple edits on your videos can completely uplift the look and impact of the videos. It helps to adjust the main video clip according to various screen sizes and resolutions to make it more devices friendly. This can increase your video’s chances of viewership. With great tools like iMovie, you can now resize and crop your videos quite expertly. Here, I will share with you several ways to resize a video in iMovie video editing software and its alternative as well.

• Part 1: How to Resize Videos in iMovie on Mac
• Part 2: How to Resize the Video Using an iMovie Alternative

Part 1: How to Resize Video in iMovie on Mac

iMovie allows you to resize the video in several ways.

Way 1: Resize the iMovie Video by Cropping

Step 1. Start by going to the project browser and selecting the video clip that you want to edit. Now click on the crop button to start the resizing. You can also click on the keyboard shortcut R.

Step 2. Now drag and reposition the green rectangle to resize your video accordingly. Once you are satisfied with the final size, stop pressing the resize.

Step 3. Play the video on the viewer to check the outcome after the resize.

Way 2: Resize Videos in iMovie via Compressing

You may want to know how to make an iMovie file smaller. There is an easy way to resize video size by changing the File resolution and quality. To do that, click the Share button in the upper right corner of the window, and then select File. In the popup window, you can adjust the resolution and quality to resize the video.

Lower resolution and lower quality will make a smaller-sized video, and higher resolution and quality will result in a larger-sized file. Click Next and follow the instruction to save the video to your Mac.

Frequently Asked Questions about iMovie

If you want to know more about iMovie, here are frequently asked questions and answers for your information.

1. How to reverse a video clip in iMovie?

Reversing videos usually brings interesting video effects. If you want to add fun to your videos, you can follow this guide: How to Reverse Videos in iMovie

2. What is "Ken Burns" in iMovie?

The zooming in/out and panning effect used in video production is known as the "Ken Burns" effect. If you want to know how to use this feature, please refer to this post: How to Zoom in/out Videos in iMovie

3. Which alternative software is easier to adjust the video than iMovie?

In some cases, the iMovie interface might seem a little too complicated to users. Specifically, for users who do not have prior experience with editing software, iMovie can seem more complicated.

Again, the iMovie 11 does not support all video formats. This can create a small issue with the users who have no prior experience regarding video conversions before they can even start the resizing process.

In this regard, Wondershare Filmora for Mac may be a better choice for you.

Whether you need to resize a video by changing the aspect ratio, cropping, or compressing the final file size, Filmora can do it for you. Learn more details about Why Should You Use Filmora to Edit Videos?

Part 2: How to Resize the Video with iMovie Alternative

Instead, Wondershare Filmora is a great alternative to iMovie and can be used by users at any level of technical experience. The process for editing videos on its interface is extremely simple. What's more, it is also available on the Windows Platform.

Check the tutorial below to figure out how to resize the video with Wondershare Filmora easily.

Step 1. Go to the File section on the interface and get to the Import media option to import the videos you want to customize. You can also use a video capture device or the in-built option of iSight to record the videos directly onto the Filmora interface.

Step 2. Click on the button marked crop on the toolbar section. You will see a pop-up window with resolution options of 16:9 and 4:3 to automatically resize the video to the appropriate screen size. Also, you can pan and zoom the video as you like.

Step 3. You can manually crop the video by repositioning the crop rectangle onto the main video clip.

Step 4. Once you are reasonably satisfied with the cropped video, you only have to click on the "export" button to save your resized video files in a completely new format. You can also directly upload the video to YouTube, video sharing sites, or burn the clip onto a DVD from the interface.

That's it. If you have any other questions about resizing videos in iMovie or Filmora, feel free to let us know. 

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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