Safe areas & aspect ratio
R95 guides at any resolution. Download the overlay.
Draw broadcast safe areas (EBU R95 action and graphics safe, plus the DPP/BBC caption cages) over any frame size, see the exact pixel bounds, and download a transparent PNG overlay to drop straight onto your timeline.
| Guide | Safe region | Inset / side |
|---|---|---|
| Action safe (EBU R95) | 1786 × 1004 | 67 / 38 px |
| Graphics safe (EBU R95) | 1728 × 972 | 96 / 54 px |
Letterbox / pillarbox calculator
Fit a picture ratio into the frame above: image size and bar thickness.
Where these numbers come from
EBU R95(“Safe areas for 16:9 television production”, revision 1) defines the Action Safe Area as a 3.5% inset on every edge (all essential action stays in the central 93%) and the Graphics Safe Area as a 5% inset, the central 90%. It also defines a legacy 4:3 caption-safe width(the central 67.5% of the picture width) for programmes that may still be shown on 4:3 displays. The insets here round to the nearest pixel, matching R95’s own tables (at 1080 the horizontal 3.5% inset is 67 px per side, the vertical 38 lines).
The DPP/BBC delivery standards add caption cages for UK delivery: a 16:9 caption safe of 80% of active width × 90% of active height, and a 4:3 caption safe of 65% × 90% where an international or 4:3 version is required. Broadcasters can and do vary these per programme. The commissioning spec always wins.
Do safe areas still matter?
Modern flat panels show effectively the whole picture, but safe areas are still enforced in broadcast delivery specs, for caption legibility, channel branding (DOGs), compliance cuts, and the long tail of displays that overscan. A deliverable that puts essential text outside the caption cage is a rejection risk regardless of how it looks on your monitor.
Delivering to a broadcaster spec? See what SpectraQC checks across video, audio, and subtitles.