Why 4K Streaming Sometimes Looks Like Regular HD

4K streaming depends on several things lining up at once — if any one of them falls short, playback quietly drops to a lower resolution without necessarily telling you.

Common culprits

• The TV input isn't set to accept a 4K signal
• An older or lower-quality HDMI cable can't carry the full 4K bandwidth
• The internet connection isn't fast enough to sustain 4K, so playback adapts down automatically
• Sitting too far from the screen to actually perceive the extra detail

How to check

Confirm your TV's picture settings show a 4K signal is being received, test your HDMI cable using our HDMI cable guide, and check your connection speed with our speed testing guide.

The full requirements

Our guide on 4K and HDR streaming requirements covers everything that needs to line up.