Black bars may appear around a video if:

• the video has a different aspect ratio than the project
• multiple clips with different aspect ratios are used in one project
• the project settings do not match the video resolution.
• This is a common behavior and can often be resolved using one of the methods below.

Ways to remove or replace black bars

Option 1: Fill the empty space automatically

You can replace black bars with a blurred extension of the video image.
This option:

• keeps the entire video visible
• avoids cutting off any content
• works best for vertical or narrow videos

Apply a background fill / vertical fill filter to the clip with black bars.
How to apply: 

1. Select the clip with black bars on the timeline
2. Open the Filters section
3. Apply the Vertical Fill filter from the Adjustments group to the clip.

Option 2: Crop the video manually

If black bars appear only on one or several clips, you can crop the video to better fit the frame.
This option:

• removes black bars completely
• cuts off parts of the image near the edges

Use the Crop tool to adjust the visible area of the clip and apply the changes.
How to crop:

1. Select the clip with black bars on the timeline
2. Click the Crop tool
3. Drag the mask’s edges which appear in the preview inside the file and move the frame to fit the desired part of the video
4. Apply the changes

Option 3: Arrange multiple videos in the frame

If you’re working with several vertical videos and want to place them side by side instead of rescaling them, you can use Picture in Picture mode.
How to arrange videos

1. Add your videos to the timeline
2. Right click on the timeline, select Create new video track
3. Place the videos on separate tracks so they appear one above the other on the timeline
4. For each clip, open the positioning or picture-in-picture tools
5. Use side-by-side presets if available, or manually adjust the position of each video in the preview area
6. Apply the changes and check the result in the preview.

If you're working with multiple videos that have different aspect ratios, you can simply put your own background or choose one of the pre-made backgrounds from the Video Editor.
How to add a background

1. Move all video clips to an upper video track so the main track becomes empty.
2. Add a background (custom or built-in) to the main track.
3. Extend the background so it covers the entire duration of the project.
4. Adjust the position and size of the video clips above the background if needed.

Additional tips