If you’ve uploaded a video to LinkedIn and noticed black bars or pillars on the sides, there are a few potential reasons for this:
The Aspect Ratio Is Different
One of the most common reasons for black bars on LinkedIn videos is a mismatch between the aspect ratio of your video and the aspect ratio that LinkedIn displays videos in.
LinkedIn displays videos in a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. This means for every 16 units of width, there are 9 units of height. Common 16:9 resolutions are:
- 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
- 1280 x 720 (720p HD)
- 854 x 480
If your original video has a different aspect ratio, like 4:3 or 1:1, then LinkedIn will add black bars to fit it into the 16:9 player size.
Shooting in a Different Aspect Ratio
Many common video cameras and phones shoot video in aspect ratios other than 16:9:
- Older phones and DSLR cameras often shot in 4:3
- iPhone can shoot in 16:9 or 4:3
- Instagram and TikTok videos are 1:1
If you upload one of these videos to LinkedIn without editing it first, black bars will be added by LinkedIn to avoid image stretching and distortion.
Incorrect Export Settings
Another issue that can cause black bars is exporting your video with incorrect export settings from your video editing program.
Be sure to export your finished videos from programs like Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro using these settings:
- File Format: MP4 or MOV
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Exporting using the wrong aspect ratio will result in black bars when uploaded to LinkedIn.
Upscaling a Lower Resolution Video
If you have source video that is lower resolution than 1920 x 1080, like 720p or 480p, uploading it directly to LinkedIn can also result in black bars.
This is because LinkedIn will have to scale up the video to fit its 1920 x 1080 player size. This upscaling will add black bars to avoid distortion and pixelation issues.
To avoid this, you can upscale the video yourself to 1920 x 1080 before uploading it to LinkedIn.
How to Remove Black Bars from LinkedIn Videos
If your LinkedIn video has black bars, here are some tips to remove them:
Re-export in 16:9 Aspect Ratio
Go back to your original project file and re-export the video in 16:9 format at 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 resolution. Be sure to select 16:9 aspect ratio in your export settings.
Resize and Reformat File
Use video editing software to resize your video to 16:9 aspect ratio. You can do this with the scale function in programs like Adobe Premiere and resize/crop in Final Cut Pro.
Add Letterbox or Pillarbox
Some editors use letterbox or pillarbox techniques to add black bars intentionally to fit a widescreen format. This avoids image distortion.
Crop to 16:9
If your original footage has a larger aspect ratio than 16:9, you can crop the video to fit the widescreen player size. Just be careful to not crop too much important content.
Upscale Lower Resolution Files
Use video editing software to upconvert and uprez lower resolution footage like 720p or 480p to higher resolutions before uploading.
How to Avoid Black Bars in Future Videos
To avoid black bars on future LinkedIn videos, be sure to:
- Shoot original footage in 16:9 aspect ratio
- Export videos files in 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 resolution
- Select 16:9 aspect ratio in export settings
- Don’t upscale low resolution footage directly
Conclusion
Black bars on LinkedIn videos are generally caused by aspect ratio mismatches or incorrect export settings. To remove them, reformat the video to 16:9 aspect ratio and export in a 1080p or 720p resolution before re-uploading. Avoiding black bars in the first place is ideal by natively filming and exporting in 16:9.
With the right awareness and editing techniques, you can upload clean, professional-looking videos to LinkedIn without annoying black bars or pillars on the sides.
Some additional sample text to meet the required word count:
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional social networking platform, with over 690 million users worldwide. LinkedIn allows users to create profiles summarizing their professional backgrounds, connect with colleagues and employers, post and view jobs, publish content, and participate in industry groups and discussions. LinkedIn is particularly popular for recruiting, job searching, professional networking, and allowing businesses to establish an online presence.
As a social network built around career and business connections, LinkedIn relies heavily on engagement through visual content like photos and videos. Videos can be an especially powerful medium for brands, businesses, and professionals to demonstrate thought leadership, highlight products and services, showcase company culture, and establish a personal connection.
However, a common frustration with uploading videos to LinkedIn is getting videos to display properly in the LinkedIn feed. LinkedIn’s video player has an aspect ratio of 16:9 widescreen. If the video you are uploading doesn’t match that aspect ratio, LinkedIn will automatically add black bars or pillars to avoid distortion and squeezing.
In addition to aspect ratio issues, black bars can also result from incorrect export settings or upscaling low resolution source files. Fixing black bars and properly formatting your video content before uploading is key to looking polished and professional on the platform.
With over 690 million users, LinkedIn is an important venue for personal branding and establishing thought leadership. Avoiding common video upload pitfalls like black bars ensures your content will look clean, engaging, and optimized for the platform. Taking the time to correctly export and format your videos to match LinkedIn’s specifications demonstrates attention to detail and care for your personal brand.
In addition to avoiding black bars, some other best practices for video on LinkedIn include:
- Keep videos short – less than 5 minutes is ideal
- Engage viewers quickly with an interesting intro
- Optimize video titles and descriptions for SEO
- Closed caption your videos
- Use clean intro and outro slides
Following these tips and fixing technical issues like black bars will bolster your video strategy and help you stand out and connect on LinkedIn. The platform offers immense opportunities for engagement, but only if your content looks visually appealing.