<input class="c-contributor__expandInput" id="contributorExpandInput123" name="expand" type="checkbox"> <span class="c-contributor__bio c-contributor__bio--truncated"> Napier Lopez is a writer based in New York City. He's interested in all things tech, science, and photography related, and likes to yo-yo in <label class="c-contributor__expand basics" for="contributorExpandInput123"> (show all) </label> </span> <span class="c-contributor__bio c-contributor__bio--full"> Napier Lopez is a writer based in New York City. He's interested in all things tech, science, and photography related, and likes to yo-yo in his free time. Follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/napilopez">on Twitter</a>. </span> <br><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re reading this post, you’re probably a person who appreciates image quality.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">You buy the best screen you can afford. You keep your display settings reasonably calibrated. You optimize your viewing distance for maximum detail perception.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Naturally, you also pay for <a href="https://thenextweb.com/topic/netflix" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Netflix</a>‘s top-tier 4K plan. Life’s too short for 1080p.</span><br>Here’s what the experts say<br><span style="font-weight: 400;">One night, it’s too late to turn on your 100-inch TV, so you start up Netflix on your PC, eager to appreciate all 8 million pixels of glorious 4K resolution. Except something seems off. Why can’t you see every pore on Danny LaRusso’s face in </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cobra Kai</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">? </span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m sorry to inform you that you’re not 4K content at all. In fact, it’s very likely your resolution is as low as — </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">gasp</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> — 720p. That’s just not okay.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Due to DRM protection, Netflix has some strict protocols devices need to follow in order to show anything above 720p, and there might be other factors limiting your resolution as well.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s what you need to know to get 4K to actually work on your PC.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re not sure what resolution Netflix is displaying on your system, there’s an easy way to check.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Open Netflix, and type in ‘test patterns.’ This will take you to a series of video collections named… Test Patterns. Play any of the videos and on the top right corner, you’ll see the resolution the video is streaming at. We’re looking for 3840 x 2160 here.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alternatively, open any 4K video on Netflix and press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+D to see what resolution is currently being displayed, as well as a bunch of other information. Keep in mind it might take a few seconds for the 4K stream to actually load, depending on your connection speed.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">It also goes without saying you can only watch 4K content if it’s actually available in 4K. So make sure the shows you’re watching have that 4K label before you fret about burry content. You also need to have your streaming quality set to ‘Auto’ or ‘High.’</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oh, and you need to be actually paying for the 4K tier, of course, though this guide is also helpful if you want to watch 1080p footage, as in most cases, Netflix will default to 720p on PC.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s the hardware you’ll need on <a href="https://thenextweb.com/topic/windows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Windows</a>:</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">On Mac, similar display requirements apply, but you’ll also need hardware using the</span><a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208862" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Titan T2</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> chip or an</span> <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211814" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Apple Silicon</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> processor.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the vast majority of browsers, Netflix is limited to 720p.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re on Windows you can only access 4K footage with Microsoft Edge or the</span><a href="https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9WZDNCRFJ3TJ" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">official Netflix app</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> from the Windows Store. Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Vivaldi, and all other browsers are all limited to 720p or less. Gross.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">You also need to be on Windows 10 or later — Windows 11 if you want access to HDR.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly —and this is crucial — you need the HEVC codec. While some PCs include this by default, others will have to pony up a dollar to access it. It’s available from the</span> <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9NMZLZ57R3T7" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Microsoft Store</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re on Mac, life’s a bit simpler. You just need to be using Safari on macOS 11 Big Sur or later.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once you have everything in order, you should be able to load up Netflix and pick content that’s definitely in 4K; if you’re tired of test patterns, most Netflix Originals should be available in 4K. Hit Ctrl+Shift+Alt+D, check your resolution is correct, and you should be good to go. </span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unfortunately, sometimes following all the above rules just doesn’t work.</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are some things to keep in mind that might help:</span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">If all else fails, it might just be easier to buy a Chromecast or other dongle for watching 4K on your monitor. It’s unfortunate, but they tend to be less of a hassle for getting 4K to actually work. </span><br><span style="font-weight: 400;">Good luck, fellow pixel peeper.</span><br>The heart of tech<br> TNW is a <span class="font-medium"><a href="https://www.ft.com/" data-event-category="Footer" data-event-action="Financial Times" data-event-label="Financial Times" data-event-non-interaction="false" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" class="feedback">Financial Times</a></span> company. <br> Copyright © 2006—2022, The Next Web B.V. Made with <3 in Amsterdam. <br> <br><br><a href="https://thenextweb.com/news/netflix-probably-isnt-streaming-4k-on-your-pc-heres-how-to-fix-that">source</a>
Relacionado
