# LaTeX beamer presentation-package 16:9 aspect ratio?

I'm programming a presentation in LaTeX using the beamer class.

However, it defaults to 4:3 aspect ratio slides, while everything I use is 16:9. Is there an easy way to change this using a command or two?

• In addition to the beamer aspectratio option, I am finding I need to use the pdfcrop command: pdfcrop $PDF$PDFCROPPED where $PDF and$PDFCROPPED are environment variables containing your input and output file names. This crops the top and bottom so that full screen mode really uses a full 16:9 screen. May 23 at 21:02
• @MattFulkerson I do not understand your comment and I strongly believe there is a misunderstanding on your end. There is no need to crop the pdf after the creation in order to have the correct aspect ratio. May 26 at 1:48

It looks like the current version of beamer supports aspectratio option.

\documentclass[aspectratio=169]{beamer}


should do exactly that. Other possible values are: 1610, 149, 54, 43 and 32.

By default, it is to 128mm by 96mm(4:3).

edited to add: As of the 2022 (so TeXLive users will need to have TeXLive 2022), arbitrary aspect ratios are available. Two-digit numbers after aspectratio= will be interpreted as X:Y, three-digit numbers as XX:Y and four digit as XX:YY.

• Hi, could it be possible to have a wide screen aspect ratio for an EEE pc projection (1024/600 or 10:6 has I've read on the net) ? Jan 16, 2015 at 23:46
• still the best answer in 2021 - thanks! May 4, 2021 at 4:06
• I edited the answer so that it is pushed to the top (when "newest first" is the order criteria) because it is the best answer IMHO. May 23 at 0:24
• @Julien See the edited version of the answer which indicates new flexibility on the aspect ratio. May 25 at 4:51

Alexey's answer is the most correct one.

\documentclass[aspectratio=169]{beamer}


To get this in emacs orgmode, make this line be your #+LaTeX_CLASS_OPTIONS

#+LaTeX_CLASS_OPTIONS: [aspectratio=169]


I added this to my earlier setting, smaller, like this:

#+LaTeX_CLASS_OPTIONS: [smaller,aspectratio=169]


As already mentioned, the size is fixed to a ratio of 4:3. However, you can decrease the right and left margin like this:

\documentclass{beamer}

\usepackage{beamerthemesplit}

\setbeamersize{text margin left=0.1em}  % <- like this
\setbeamersize{text margin right=0.1em} % <- like this

\title{The title of this presentation}
\author{Bart Kiers}
\date{\today}

\begin{document}

\frame{\titlepage}

\end{document}


which will make your slides look like:

EDIT:

And as neilfws mentioned, try the beamerposter package.

The following:

\documentclass{beamer}

\usepackage{beamerthemesplit}
\usepackage[orientation=landscape,size=custom,width=16,height=9,scale=0.5,debug]{beamerposter}

\title{The title of this presentation}
\author{Bart Kiers}
\date{\today}

\begin{document}

\frame{\titlepage}

\end{document}


produces:

According to A Beamer Quickstart, "The size of a Beamer slide is 128mm by 96mm. These dimensions are fixed and should not be changed."

However, there is a beamerposter package which allows a 16:9 ratio.

• Yes, that's better than my \setbeamersize{...} hack! +1
– user1168
Apr 9, 2010 at 7:02
• That part of the documentation is actually out of date. May 17, 2011 at 12:29

• The question was asked originally in 2010.
• In the meantime, there are new features in beamer that are relevant to the question.
• Now you can use arbitrary aspectratio = xxxx with xxxx = 1609 or xxxx = 1610 for example.
• New: The option aspectratio is not limited to a fixed list of pre-defined ratios anymore, instead, the ratio is calculated on the fly based on the value of xxxx.
• The feature is available in TeXLive 2022 and after. This means that it is not available on Overleaf as of now (2022-05).

PS: Power-user samcarter made me aware of this new feature on a chat on https://topanswers.xyz/tex. samcarter actually implemented the feature in beamer!

\documentclass[aspectratio = 1610]{beamer}

\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{aspectratio = 1610}
\end{frame}
\end{document}


• Based on this answer, this feature has been available since 2010. May 24 at 15:40
• @vtfs271232 Back then only predefined ratios were possible. Now you can use arbitrary ratios, e. g. 1020 for 10:20 etc May 25 at 2:50
• I see. Thank you. May 25 at 4:35