Vertical video is now the standard for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts—but most live shows still start with 16:9 cameras. Using vMix, you can turn a single widescreen camera feed into multiple vertical-ready shots without adding extra cameras.
Start by bringing your camera feed into vMix. Then add a black color input and lower its opacity so it can act as a visual guide. Switch your preview grid to a vertical format (9x16 or 9x6) to clearly see how your shot will be cropped for vertical platforms.
Next, add a blank input and rename it something like “Center Focus.” In the Layers tab, place your camera feed on the bottom layer. On higher layers, add the semi-transparent black input twice—position one over the left third of the frame and the other over the right third. This leaves the center area visible and shows exactly where your vertical frame will land.
From there, create two virtual inputs. Rename them “Left Focus” and “Right Focus.” Inside each one, simply shift the camera layer left or right so a different portion of the original 16:9 frame becomes centered in the vertical crop.
You now have three usable vertical shots—center, left, and right—from a single camera feed. The black overlays are only guides and won’t appear in your final stream. This approach gives you far more flexibility for vertical shows, especially when subjects move or multiple people share one camera.
Vertical doesn’t have to mean limited. With the right vMix setup, it can actually mean more control than ever.
