Google’s update to Veo 3.1 allows users to create vertical videos with reference images

Google on Tuesday updated its Veo 3.1 AI video creation model with the ability to create native vertical videos for social media platforms using reference images. The changes will also make videos created from reference images more expressive and dynamic.

When producing AI-generated videos for YouTube Shorts or other platforms like Instagram or TikTok, Veo users can now choose the vertical 9:16 format to avoid any cropping. Google is also adding the feature directly to YouTube Shorts and the YouTube Create app.

Google released it for the first time Veo 3.1 in October 2025 With improved audio output and more detailed editing controls compared to previous versions.

When you provide reference images, Veo 3.1 now creates videos with better character expressions and movements, even if your prompts are shorter. Google said the update also improves character, object and background consistency. Furthermore, users can mix different characters, backgrounds, objects and textures to create a cohesive output.

Users can access these features directly in the Gemini app. Pro users can access it through Google Flow video editor, Gemini API, Vertex AI, and Google Vids.

The new update also provides an improved upscaling feature to 1080p and 4K resolution, available on Flow, Gemini API, and Vertex AI in Google Cloud.