{"id":2923,"date":"2008-03-06T00:02:52","date_gmt":"2008-03-05T18:32:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/"},"modified":"2026-10-12T13:19:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T07:49:28","slug":"view-high-resolution-youtube-videos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Change YouTube Video Quality to HD or 4K (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Want sharper YouTube videos? Back in 2008 YouTube streamed tiny 320&#215;240 videos by default, and the trick was to add <code>&amp;fmt=6<\/code> or <code>&amp;fmt=18<\/code> to the URL to <strong>change YouTube video quality<\/strong> to &#8220;high resolution&#8221; 480&#215;360. Those URL hacks stopped working long ago. Today YouTube streams up to 4K and 8K, and you choose quality from the player menu. Here&#8217;s how on every device in 2026.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-64460\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/change-youtube-video-quality-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"How to change YouTube video quality\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/change-youtube-video-quality-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/change-youtube-video-quality-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/change-youtube-video-quality-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/change-youtube-video-quality-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/change-youtube-video-quality.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> On a computer, click the gear icon in the YouTube player, choose <strong>Quality<\/strong> and pick a resolution such as 1080p or 4K (2160p). In the app, tap the video, tap the gear icon, then <strong>Quality &gt; Advanced<\/strong>. To set a default, go to Settings &gt; Video quality preferences in the app and choose Higher picture quality for Wi-Fi and mobile networks.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aee0239e251e\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aee0239e251e\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/#How_to_change_YouTube_video_quality\" >How to change YouTube video quality<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/#On_a_computer\" >On a computer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/#On_Android_or_iPhone\" >On Android or iPhone<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/#On_a_smart_TV\" >On a smart TV<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/#What_do_YouTube_quality_numbers_mean\" >What do YouTube quality numbers mean?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/#Why_cant_I_select_higher_quality\" >Why can&#8217;t I select higher quality?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/#How_much_data_does_YouTube_use\" >How much data does YouTube use?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/#How_do_I_always_watch_YouTube_in_HD\" >How do I always watch YouTube in HD?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/#Do_the_fmt18_URL_tricks_still_work\" >Do the &amp;fmt=18 URL tricks still work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/03\/view-high-resolution-youtube-videos\/#Why_does_YouTube_keep_lowering_the_quality\" >Why does YouTube keep lowering the quality?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_change_YouTube_video_quality\"><\/span>How to change YouTube video quality<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"On_a_computer\"><\/span>On a computer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Start the video and click the <strong>Settings<\/strong> gear icon in the player.<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>Quality<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Choose a resolution, such as 1080p, 1440p or 2160p (4K). &#8220;Auto&#8221; adjusts to your connection.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"On_Android_or_iPhone\"><\/span>On Android or iPhone<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Tap the video, then the <strong>gear<\/strong> icon.<\/li>\n<li>Tap <strong>Quality<\/strong>, then <strong>Advanced<\/strong> to pick an exact resolution.<\/li>\n<li>For a default, open your profile &gt; Settings &gt; <strong>Video quality preferences<\/strong> and choose <strong>Higher picture quality<\/strong> on Wi-Fi and mobile.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"On_a_smart_TV\"><\/span>On a smart TV<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Press the menu or settings button during playback and choose Quality. Most TVs pick the best quality automatically on a fast connection.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_YouTube_quality_numbers_mean\"><\/span>What do YouTube quality numbers mean?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>480p:<\/strong> standard definition, low data use.<\/li>\n<li><strong>720p:<\/strong> HD, fine on phones.<\/li>\n<li><strong>1080p:<\/strong> Full HD, ideal for laptops and most screens.<\/li>\n<li><strong>1440p (2K) and 2160p (4K):<\/strong> sharp on large monitors and TVs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>HDR:<\/strong> brighter, richer colours on compatible screens.<\/li>\n<li><strong>1080p Premium:<\/strong> a higher-bitrate option for YouTube Premium members on supported devices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_cant_I_select_higher_quality\"><\/span>Why can&#8217;t I select higher quality?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The uploader may not have uploaded in that resolution.<\/li>\n<li>Your internet connection may be too slow; YouTube limits options on weak connections.<\/li>\n<li>Data saver settings in the app or on your phone may cap quality.<\/li>\n<li>Small screens or older devices may not offer 4K.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_much_data_does_YouTube_use\"><\/span>How much data does YouTube use?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Higher resolutions use much more data: 4K can use several gigabytes per hour, while 480p uses a fraction of that. On mobile data, choose Data saver or Auto.<\/p>\n<p>For faster streaming at home, check your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/fastest-internet-connection-speeds\/\">internet connection speed<\/a>. Uploading your own videos? See how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/upload-secret-hidden-private-unlisted-youtube-videos\/\">upload unlisted or private YouTube videos<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_always_watch_YouTube_in_HD\"><\/span>How do I always watch YouTube in HD?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In the app, set Video quality preferences to Higher picture quality. On the web, choose a resolution in the player&#8217;s Quality menu.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_the_fmt18_URL_tricks_still_work\"><\/span>Do the &amp;fmt=18 URL tricks still work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. YouTube removed these parameters; use the player&#8217;s Quality menu instead.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_does_YouTube_keep_lowering_the_quality\"><\/span>Why does YouTube keep lowering the quality?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With Auto quality, YouTube reduces resolution when your connection slows to avoid buffering.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want sharper YouTube videos? Back in 2008 YouTube streamed tiny 320&#215;240 videos by default, and the trick was to add&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":64460,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-google"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2923"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2923\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64461,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2923\/revisions\/64461"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}