resize video ffmpeg
Resize video with FFmpeg
If you need to resize video with FFmpeg, the usual goal is to fit content into a target frame without rebuilding the entire workflow from scratch. This page shows the practical FFmpeg resize command, the matching FFmpeg API request, and an online tool you can test in the browser.
FFmpeg CLI
How to resize a video in FFmpeg
A common FFmpeg resize workflow scales the source into a target width and height, preserves aspect ratio, then pads the remaining space when needed.
FFmpeg resize command
Click any part of the command to see what it does.
FFmpeg resize command
ffmpeg
This runs the FFmpeg binary. The rest of the command defines the source file, resize filter, codecs, and output path.
API
Use the same video resize workflow through the FFmpeg API
If you need FFmpeg resize capability inside your product, app, or backend workflow, the FFmpeg API gives you a faster path than maintaining your own media processing infrastructure. You can send one args-based resize request and reuse the same workflow in production.
Request
curl -X POST https://ffmpeg-api.cloud/v1/jobs \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"ffmpegArgs": [
"-y",
"-i",
"{{input}}",
"-vf",
"scale=1280:720:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1280:720:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2",
"-c:v",
"libx264",
"-c:a",
"aac",
"{{output}}"
],
"inputs": {
"input": {
"type": "url",
"url": "https://example.com/input.mp4"
}
},
"outputs": {
"output": {
"fileName": "resized-1280x720.mp4"
}
}
}'Response
{
"jobId": "job_01hxyz...",
"status": "queued",
"runtimeSeconds": 0,
"creditsCharged": 0,
"createdAt": "2026-04-14T10:30:00.000Z"
}Online tool
Try this FFmpeg API resize video tool online
Upload a source video, set the target frame, and run the resize job in the browser. It is the quickest way to validate output dimensions before wiring the same request into your own app or backend.
Live playground
Resize video with FFmpeg
Scale a source video to a target frame with an args-based FFmpeg API request.
Use cases
Common ways to use FFmpeg video resize
Resizing is useful when you want consistent frame sizes for product surfaces, delivery targets, and downstream transforms.
Prepare videos for embeds and app layouts
Resize source videos into predictable frames for product cards, CMS embeds, support articles, or in-app preview modules.
Normalize user uploads before processing
Bring user-generated content into a consistent resolution before moderation, thumbnails, or additional encoding steps.
Create platform-specific exports
Generate alternate landscape or standard-size outputs for feeds, landing pages, or internal publishing workflows.
FAQ
FFmpeg resize video FAQ
Common questions about resizing video with FFmpeg, preserving aspect ratio, and moving the same workflow into the FFmpeg API.
Related templates
Other FFmpeg templates
Explore other FFmpeg templates for compression, thumbnails, trimming, and more.