Mismatched aspect ratios happen when your photos have different width-to-height proportions, for example one portrait shot and one landscape shot. The fix is a fit mode that crops each photo to a shared cell size instead of stretching it to fit.
Why photos come out distorted
If a merge tool forces every photo to the exact same width and height without accounting for its original shape, anything that doesn't already match gets squeezed or stretched. A portrait photo squeezed into a landscape box is the most common version of this problem.
| Fit mode | What it does | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Fill (crop to fill) | Crops each photo to an identical cell, centered, no stretching | You want every cell the same size with no gaps |
| Match height | Scales each photo to the same height, keeping its own width | Your photos are a similar shape already |
| Uniform | Keeps every photo's original proportions, no cropping | You don't want to lose any part of the image |
Steps to fix it
- Upload your photos and check the preview for stretching before downloading.
- Switch to a fit mode that crops instead of stretches, if you want uniform cell sizes.
- If you don't want any cropping at all, use a fit mode that preserves full proportions and accept that cell sizes will vary slightly.
- Never upscale a smaller photo to match a larger one. A good merge tool caps output at each photo's original resolution instead of blowing it up.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does my merged photo look stretched?
- The tool is likely forcing every photo into an identical box without cropping, which distorts anything that doesn't already match that shape.
- Does cropping to fix aspect ratio lose part of my photo?
- Yes, a small amount at the edges, centered by default, so the most important part of the photo (usually the middle) stays intact.
- Can I avoid cropping entirely?
- Yes, choose a fit mode that keeps full proportions, though cell sizes in the layout will vary slightly as a result.