You can learn How to watch Netflix in 4K UHD with this article.
Netflix is a streaming platform for movies, series, documentaries, and other types of formats. Therefore, image quality is one of the most important aspects of the service. If you are a Netflix user, in this guide you will learn what requirements you must meet to be able to watch its content in 4K Ultra HD and which devices are compatible with this resolution.
Contrary to what you might believe, watching Netflix in 4K is not a possibility that is available to all subscribers. There are several issues that may prevent you from viewing series and movies of the highest quality. For example, your Internet connection or the Netflix plan you subscribe to. If you have doubts about this, below you can learn in detail what you need to do to watch Netflix in true 4K UHD.
What is 4K resolution?
The 4K Ultra HD is a type of image quality that came into our lives to significantly improve what is offered by HD or High Definition. In fact, 4K UHD quadruples the resolution of HD, so the image quality in series and movies in the case of Netflix is much higher.
Specifically, the 4K resolution can reach 3840 × 2160 pixels, that is, it can display up to eight million pixels. If we compare it with Full HD, with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels, this remains at two million pixels. This difference is noticeable on the screen because with 4K you can see details of the image that with Full HD would go completely unnoticed by the eye.
No matter if we talk about 4K resolution, UHD resolution, or 4K UHD resolution, we always refer to the same category. Undoubtedly, it is worth enjoying 4K technology on your TV or monitor, as the image will be better not only in terms of sharpness but also in terms of color reproduction. In addition, the price of these screens has fallen in recent years.
How to watch Netflix in true 4K UHD?
Netflix has 4K UHD content in its catalog, but this does not mean that all users can enjoy it. To do so, subscribers must meet a series of requirements that are very clear. We have already seen that the 4K resolution is very worthwhile, so, if you want to watch movies and series on the platform as if you were in the cinema, it is best that you take into account the following information.
A Netflix plan that supports 4K
The first requirement you must meet to watch Netflix in real 4K UHD is to be subscribed to the platform’s plan that supports streaming in this high image quality. Specifically, it is the Premium tariff that allows the user to view its content in 4K Ultra HD resolution, being also compatible with HDR technology.
Therefore, if you want to watch Netflix content in the best quality, you must pay for the Premium plan, which costs $17.99 per month. We recall that this subscription plan was one of those affected by the price increase that Netflix carried out at the end of 2021, previously it was worth $15.99 per month.
A TV or monitor compatible with 4K
The device on which you want to watch Netflix in 4K UHD also plays a very important role in the process, of course. As we see on Netflix’s website, you must have a “computer monitor or 60 Hz TV compatible with Ultra HD streaming” from the platform itself. Netflix itself offers an updated list with all the devices compatible with the 4K of its service, they are the following:
Smart TVs
- Hisense
- LG
- Xiaomi
- Samsung
- Sony
- Philips
- Panasonic
- Sharp
- Toshiba
- Vestel
Blu-Ray Players
- LG
- Panasonic
- Samsung
- Sony
- Toshiba
Computers
- Windows: in Microsoft Edge or in the Netflix app for Windows 10
- Mac: in Safari on macOS 11.0 or later
Other devices
- Chromecast Ultra
- Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
- Apple TV 4K
- Nvidia Shield
- Xbox One S and Xbox One X
- PlayStation 4 Pro
A powerful enough Internet connection
We can’t overlook that the speed of your Internet connection is extremely important if you want to watch Netflix content in 4K. You need a powerful connection between series and movies to reach that resolution. If you don’t have it, you’ll have to settle for HD or Full HD.
Specifically, you will need a connection speed of at least 25 megabits per second. If you have fiber optics at home, it should be easy to achieve this speed. To check your Internet connection you can use a tool offered by Netflix, Fast.com, which only takes a few seconds to give you the information.
You can also opt for Speedtest by Ookla, an app that tells you how much 4K video your connection can support. It’s a free app in the Google Play Store and very easy to use, so you can take a look at it to see if your connection is powerful enough to watch Netflix in 4K.
- You can download the Speedtest Ookla from the following link.
Configure the image quality on Netflix
Even if you meet the three requirements above, if you don’t have Netflix playback quality set to “High” or “Auto”, the content will still not look 4K. Fortunately, this requirement is the easiest to meet, as you can change the setting in just a few seconds. To change the Netflix picture quality from your mobile, follow these steps:
- Open the Netflix app on your Android.
- Click on your profile picture in the upper right corner.
- Scroll down and click on “Account”.
- Scroll down until you reach the “Profile & Parental Controls” section, and then tap on your profile.
- In the drop-down menu, tap on “Playback Settings”.
- Select the image quality you want to set: automatic (depends on your connection speed), low, medium, or high.
- Click on “Save” to apply the changes.
On the other hand, if you want to set up Netflix in 4K from your computer, follow this process:
- Open the web version of Netflix in your browser.
- Go to your profile.
- Hover your mouse over your profile picture in the top right corner and click on “Account”.
- Scroll down and click on your profile.
- Click on “Playback settings”.
- Select the image quality you want to set: automatic (depends on your connection speed), low, medium, or high.
When you set the playback quality to “High” or “Auto”, you will usually have to wait a few seconds for the 4K resolution to load when you start watching a movie, series, documentary, or any title in Netflix catalog.
How to find 4K UHD content on Netflix?
Once you meet all the requirements to watch content at full resolution on Netflix, it’s time to find which titles on the platform are available in 4K. It’s extremely simple, just search for the terms “4K” or “Ultra HD”. Automatically, the service will show you the results that meet that condition. You will also be able to recognize this content because it appears with an Ultra HD logo in the description.
Choose the title that interests you and you know, you just have to wait a few seconds for it to appear on your screen in 4K. Get some good popcorn and enjoy the content with the best image quality.
