How to Change the Video Quality on Netflix

Whenever you watch Netflix, you can adjust the video quality of what you’re watching to match your desire. This can come in handy if you want to control how much data you use or how much weight is put on your Wi-Fi network.

Whatever reason you have for wanting to control the Netflix video quality, we can help you make the necessary adjustments.

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Netflix Video Quality Limitations

Before we go into how you can adjust the video quality on Netflix, we must discuss the limitations imposed by the service through the available plans.

First of all, if you’ve signed up for the Basic plan, you’ll only be able to watch content in 480p resolution, which isn’t much. Therefore, even if you go into the settings and make changes, it won’t help you much.

Subscribers with the Standard plan can watch content in a 1080p resolution, which means HD and Full HD. Premium subscribers get it all; the only limitations imposed on the top resolution levels come from the content itself. With the Premium plan, you can watch Ultra HD (4K) and HDR content. Figuring out which Netflix subscription plan is right for you is definitely a whole process.

How to Change the Video Quality on Netflix

Changing Netflix video quality can be done from both the service’s website and the mobile app. The changes will help you save data if you have any caps you need to be mindful of. Learning more about how much data Netflix actually uses can be helpful when doing the math.

How to Change the Video Quality on Netflix (Desktop)

1. Go to Netflix.
2. Click on the profile icon located in the top right corner.
3. Go to Account and then to your profile icon.
4. Scroll down to Playback settings > Data usage per screen.
5. Choose between Auto, Low, Medium, and High.
   • Auto: This will take your device’s specs and internet speed into consideration.
   • Low: This mode will consume up to 0.3 GB per hour.
   • Medium: Using this mode will consume up to 0.7 GB per hour.
   • High: Choosing this one will have your device consuming up to 3 GB per hour for HD content and 7 GB for Ultra HD.
6. Click Save.

How to Change the Video Quality on Netflix (Desktop)

1. Launch the Netflix app and tap on your profile icon in the top right corner.
2. Go to App Settings.
3. At the top of the page, find Video Playback > Cellular Data Usage.
4. You have a few options:
   • Automatic: The app will adjust the video quality on its own, based on your data connection.
   • Wi-Fi Only: This is perfect if you want to stream Netflix only when you’re connected to Wi-Fi.
   • Save Data: If you need to conserve cellular data, you can choose this one, so your bill doesn’t explode.
   • Maximum Data: If you have unlimited data on your device or you just don’t care about the numbers, pick this one for the best Netflix video quality at all times.
5. Make your pick and then tap X to return to the previous menu. In order to choose anything other than Automatic, you’ll need to deselect this option first.

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Be Mindful of the Netflix Video Quality

Now that we have the steps out of the way, we have to mention that you should always be mindful of what Netflix video quality you’re using, especially on mobile, as your bill may end up being entirely too high if you have limits on your account.