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Google Veo Update: Create 4K Vertical Videos from Images

Originally published on: January 13, 2026
▼ Summary

– Google has released an update called Veo 3.1, which introduces a new “Ingredients to Video” feature that uses reference material for video generation.
– The feature allows users to provide up to three images to incorporate elements like characters, backgrounds, and textures into the AI-generated video.
– The upgraded model produces more consistent results by making fewer random alterations and staying closer to the provided reference images.
– Veo 3.1 now supports generating videos in a 9:16 vertical ratio, making the output ideal for social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts.
– This update builds on Google’s previous support for vertical video and aims to enhance creativity and expressiveness in AI-generated video content.

The latest upgrade to Google’s Veo video AI, version 3.1, introduces powerful new tools for creators seeking high-fidelity, consistent video generation. This update centers on the enhanced Ingredients to Video feature, which allows users to provide the model with up to three reference images. These images can define characters, backgrounds, and textures, giving the AI a concrete visual foundation. The model is now better at adhering to these references, making fewer random alterations and producing outputs that more closely match the provided material. This advancement enables the generation of multiple clips where specific elements can be changed, like the setting or artistic style, while keeping core components consistent across the sequence.

A significant part of this update is the expanded support for mobile-first content creation. Users can now specify outputs in a 9:16 vertical aspect ratio directly within the Ingredients to Video workflow. This format is perfectly tailored for platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, streamlining the process of creating content designed for smartphone viewing. While Veo added basic vertical video support via text prompts last year, this integration with the reference image system provides much greater creative control for social media projects.

The technical improvements don’t stop at aspect ratio. The Veo 3.1 update also includes higher-resolution upscaling capabilities, allowing generated videos to reach 4K quality. This combination of consistency, mobile-friendly formatting, and enhanced resolution positions the tool for both professional and casual creators looking to produce polished, platform-optimized video content from simple image prompts.

(Source: Ars Technica)

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