YouTube Android App Gets 4K Streaming Support, Users Can Now Watch 4K Videos Regardless of Display

Google-owned streaming app YouTube has released an update that brings 4K HDR playback support on Android devices. 4K support had already existed in the Android app, given that the video is uploaded in the ultra high-definition resolution. YouTube’s iOS app also has 4K playback support. Until now, Android users could only watch YouTube videos at a maximum 1440p resolution. This was the case even if their display supported a higher resolution on their smartphones, and even if the video is uploaded in 4K resolution.

Android users will now be able to see an additional option in the video quality settings – 2160p (4K) HDR. This was first spotted by Android Police and is now reported to be showing up on several Android devices. We at News18 checked for ourselves if the feature is live, but it did not show on our OnePlus 7 Pro running on Android 10. In order to check if their smartphone is showing the new 4K option, users need to open any YouTube video, then click on the three dots menu on the top right corner of the screen. Select Quality, then you should be able to see the 2160p HDR resolution as an option, if the feature has been rolled out on your device.

According to reports, the update comes with YouTube Android version 16.06.34 that was rolled out on Febraury 18 on several devices. Those who don’t see the update on their apps can check the Google Play Store for any pending updates.

This comes a few days after YouTube announced a slew of updates to enhance the experience for both creators and viewers. The updates include a new interface for tablets and an update to YouTube’s video chapters feature. The video streaming platform also announced that it will roll out a TikTok-like short video section called ‘Shorts’. The short video feature had been under testing in India since the past couple of months.