Last updated: 2026-01-15

If you want to convert a horizontal (16:9) video to a vertical (9:16) clip with AI, the simplest path is to record or stream in StreamYard and use our built‑in Shorts/Reels and AI clips tools to generate vertical videos automatically. When you need advanced reframing on files recorded elsewhere, online tools like VEED’s AI Background Expand or Opus Clip’s subject‑tracking reframe can layer on top of a StreamYard workflow.

Summary

• Record or stream in StreamYard, then auto-generate vertical 9:16 clips without leaving your browser.
• Use StreamYard’s Shorts/Reels tool to convert horizontal recordings to vertical with blurred fill, or record directly in Portrait Mode for native 9:16. (StreamYard Help)
• For more stylized reframes, consider VEED’s AI Background Expand or Opus Clip’s subject-tracking reframe as add-ons, not replacements.
• StreamYard’s plan-based clip limits typically let you process more recording time per month for less money than standalone AI clipping tools like Opus Clip.

What does “convert horizontal video to vertical with AI” actually mean?

When people type “convert horizontal video to vertical AI,” they usually want three things:

1. Change aspect ratio from 16:9 to 9:16 for Shorts, Reels, and TikToks.
2. Avoid manual editing—no keyframing, no complex software, no exporting/importing between five apps.
3. Keep the important stuff in frame so the speaker doesn’t get chopped off or squeezed.

AI tools tackle this in a few main ways:

• Blurred fill: Keep your original 16:9 frame centered and add a blurred version above and below so the final video is 9:16. StreamYard’s Shorts/Reels repurposing tool uses this approach automatically when turning horizontal recordings into vertical clips. (StreamYard Help)
• Tracking crop: Auto-crop the video to follow the subject so they stay centered in a vertical frame. Opus Clip’s subject tracking is one example; it follows a person or object and adjusts framing to keep them in focus. (Opus Clip Help)
• Generative background expansion: Extend the background with AI so the video fills a new aspect ratio without black bars. VEED’s AI Background Expand does this by automatically extending your video’s background to fit a new aspect ratio. (VEED Support)

Most creators in the United States care less about the exact method and more about: “Can I get a solid vertical clip quickly, without juggling more tools or subscriptions?” That’s where staying inside StreamYard tends to be the most practical default.

How can you convert a horizontal StreamYard recording to vertical in a few clicks?

If your original content is already in StreamYard (live show, podcast, webinar), you can turn it into vertical clips without moving files anywhere.

Here’s a simple workflow using our Shorts/Reels tool:

1. Finish your stream or recording in StreamYard.
2. Go to your video library and open the recording you want to repurpose.
3. Choose the option to create Shorts/Reels.
4. Trim the section you want to turn into a short.
5. StreamYard converts that segment into 9:16 by adding a blurred effect to the top and bottom of your horizontal video, so it fills a vertical frame automatically. (StreamYard Help)
6. Publish directly to supported platforms or download.

This gives you a clean, vertical-friendly clip while preserving everything in your original horizontal frame—no tight cropping, no extra software.

If you already know your content is destined for TikTok or Reels, you can skip the conversion entirely and record in vertical from the start. StreamYard’s Portrait Mode lets you stream or record in a native 9:16 aspect ratio, so your layout, overlays, and guests are all designed for vertical from the moment you go live. (StreamYard Help)

How does StreamYard’s AI clips feature help with horizontal-to-vertical?

Beyond simple trimming, many creators want the AI to find the moments worth clipping.

With AI clips in StreamYard:

• After a recording processes, you can click “Generate clips” and we analyze your video to automatically create vertical (9:16) captioned clips with titles. (StreamYard Help)
• The AI reframes and tracks the speaker, adjusting the crop to keep the active speaker in focus where possible. (StreamYard Help)
• You can guide the system using prompt-based selection of moments, so the clips lean into the topics or hooks you care about most.
• While you are live or recording, you can literally say “Clip that” out loud to mark a highlight; later, AI clips will use those markers to generate vertical clips around those moments. (StreamYard Help)

All of this happens inside the same place you already record and go live. For most people, that’s the biggest time saver: there is no exporting, downloading, re-uploading, or managing a separate account just to get a few vertical clips.

How does StreamYard’s cost per minute compare to Opus Clip for AI repurposing?

If you care about cost per minute of video processed (and most serious creators do), it’s worth looking at how plan limits translate to actual footage.

Opus Clip’s free plan only allows processing about 1 hour of footage per month, and its paid plans use a credit-based system that can climb quickly when you are repurposing a lot of content. In practice, the amount of footage you can process on higher Opus Clip tiers maps to hundreds of credits per month.

StreamYard takes a different approach: we track AI clips usage by number of generations (batches), and each batch can analyze and clip a recording up to 6 hours long. On the Free plan, that translates into processing up to 12 hours of footage per month, which is roughly comparable to 720 credits on Opus Clip—credits Opus charges around $87/month for on its higher tiers.

On a StreamYard paid plan with 25 generations per month, you can process the equivalent of about 1,500 Opus Clip credits, which would run roughly $145/month in Opus Clip’s pricing. StreamYard’s Advanced-level subscription for new users is far below that, while also covering your full live streaming and recording stack.

For most creators, this means:

• You pay once for your streaming and recording tool.
• You get substantial AI repurposing capacity baked in.
• You avoid a second subscription whose only job is to run AI on files you already have in StreamYard.

When should you consider VEED or Opus Clip in your workflow?

There are cases where layering another AI tool on top of StreamYard makes sense.

When VEED helps

If your priority is changing aspect ratio without any blur or cropping, VEED’s AI Background Expand is one option. It automatically extends your video’s background with generative fill so the frame fits a new aspect ratio (like 9:16) without black bars. (VEED Support)

A few practical notes:

• This feature is limited to VEED’s paid plans that include AI credits, with a tiered monthly allowance. (VEED Support)
• You still need to upload or import your recording and manage AI credits, on top of your streaming stack.

For many StreamYard users, that extra cost and account is only worth it if your brand absolutely cannot use blurred backgrounds or you are experimenting heavily with stylized edits.

When Opus Clip helps

Opus Clip can be useful when you:

• Have a lot of content coming from multiple platforms (not just StreamYard).
• Want AI to crop tighter around a speaker for more “TikTok-style” closeups.

Its subject tracking feature follows a person or object and automatically adjusts the frame to keep them centered, which is handy for taking a horizontal talking-head and turning it into an engaging vertical closeup. (Opus Clip Help)

The trade-off is similar: you must export or link your video, manage a separate credit system, and keep an eye on subscription cost. For creators whose shows already live inside StreamYard, this often becomes an optional extra rather than the default path.

What’s an efficient workflow to repurpose landscape to vertical without losing context?

Here’s a simple, realistic playbook you can use weekly:

1. Plan with vertical in mind. Frame guests so they look good in both 16:9 and 9:16. Keep key visuals near the center.
2. Record or multistream in StreamYard. If vertical is your main focus, use Portrait Mode so the primary output is already 9:16. If you still need YouTube landscape, use the standard layout and rely on Shorts/Reels or AI clips later. (StreamYard Help)
3. Mark highlights live with your voice. Say “Clip that” when a great moment happens. This saves you from scrubbing later.
4. Generate AI clips after the show. Let AI clips pull out vertical, captioned highlights from the full recording; quickly skim, trim, and approve.
5. Use external AI only when needed. If a specific clip needs generative background extension or ultra-tight subject tracking, send that one approved clip to VEED or Opus Clip instead of pushing your whole library through another subscription.

This approach keeps StreamYard as your home base while still giving you room to layer on specialized AI when a project truly needs it.

What we recommend

• Default: Record or stream in StreamYard, then use Shorts/Reels and AI clips to convert horizontal shows into vertical, captioned clips quickly.
• For vertical-first creators: Turn on Portrait Mode so you publish a native 9:16 master and only repurpose to horizontal when needed.
• For special cases: Bring in VEED’s AI Background Expand or Opus Clip’s subject-tracking reframe for a few select clips that need advanced treatment.
• For budget and simplicity: Start with StreamYard alone; add other AI tools only if you consistently hit specific creative limits that truly justify a second subscription.