Watching a movie or series with friends or just casually chilling on a day off and the Netflix screen appears blurry. It can be pretty frustrating, right? We have some fixes for Netflix’s blurry issue on Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows. All the below options are with the understanding that you have an internet speed of 25 Mbps or higher as per fast.com. You must also be subscribed to the premium plan of Netflix in cases of accessing 4K or HDR content.
Table of Contents
1. Changing the Windows Scaling
Windows devices can stop streaming in 4K or high quality if there is an issue with scaling settings, even if the display supports it.
Also Read: If you are unsure, we have a detailed guide on how you can tell if Netflix is streaming in 4K or not on your desktop and smart TV. Many factors affect whether or not Netflix streams content in 4K.
1. To review this, right-click on the Windows desktop screen and open Display Settings.
2. Scroll down to the Scale menu and always keep it on the Recommended values for best results while streaming Netflix.
2. Disabling VPN
Using VPN to access region-specific content is a nice trick that has been floating on the internet for a while. But sometimes these VPNs lock your content to play at a very low quality even after setting the quality as High from the App settings.
Also, it’s a known fact that some free VPNs significantly drop the internet speed thereby limiting Netflix’s performance.
Disable any active VPNs that you might be using then check again after reopening the Netflix application. The blurry issue should be gone.
Must Read: 4 reasons to use a VPN.
3. Changing DNS
DNS servers are usually assigned to your system by your ISP. You may want to change it either for better internet or for disabling certain websites. DNS Servers also prove to be beneficial when using Public Wi-Fi.
Though the benefits are many, it can sometimes trigger the Netflix DRM to give a false warning thereby reducing your content quality. For that reason, it is best to change or revert to your default DNS to get that extra quality for your eyes.
Read: How to Change DNS Server. An In-Depth Guide for All Platforms
4. Checking the Widevine DRM Certification
Widevine is a Digital Rights Management (DRM) license owned and issued by Google to a user’s Android device and affects only Android smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs. Used by streaming websites like Netflix, Prime Video, etc. which protects the content from unauthorized distribution and modification. It also classifies which types of devices can access the highest quality possible like 4K, UHD, and HDR. Maybe that’s why Netflix content appears blurry.
Widevine certifications vary depending on which Widevine license is issued to the OEM for a specific device. There are three types of certifications broadly used by streaming websites to differentiate upon.
Widevine L3: This is the lowest supported certification offered in all devices by default. The Widevine secure content can only be streamed in SD video quality and HD while 4K and HDR content CANNOT be streamed.
Widevine L2: The mid-spec certification where the Widevine secure content is streamed in better quality than L3 but is capped at HD resolution only.
Widevine L1: The highest secure option offered by Widevine where the device has a dedicated processing section to process the video securely while streaming for faster and secure operation. L1 requires hardware support from a device. The lower the number the better it is, so L1 is the best certification to stream Netflix. Can support 4K, DV, and UHD.
Make sure your device supports Widevine L1 then you should have no problem streaming Netflix in Full HD, 4K, and HDR if your Netflix subscription supports it.
Check Widevine on Android Phones, Tablets, and TV
1. To check for Widevine L1 certification, open the Netflix app. Then tap on the profile icon and then go to App Settings.
2. Scroll down to find Playback Specifications and tap on it.
3. Here, the Widevine version should be listed as L1 under the Digital Rights Management section.
Check Widevine on iOS and iPadOS
Apple uses its own DRM for streaming secure content on Netflix, Prime Video, and other streaming apps. Currently, iPhones X (or later) and iPad 5th generation (or later) can only stream up to 1080p or Full HD resolution and do not support streaming in 4K or Ultra-HD.
Check Widevine on Apple TV
Different generations of Apple TV support different streaming qualities on Netflix as well as other apps. Here’s a list for every generation.
- Apple TV (2nd generation): 720p HD
- Apple TV (3rd generation): 1080p FHD
- Apple TV HD (4th generation): 1080p FHD
- Apple TV 4K (1st generation): 4K Ultra HD
- Apple TV 4K (2nd generation): 4K Ultra HD
- Apple TV 4K (3rd generation): 4K Ultra HD
Check Widevine on macOS
Different iterations of Mac and Macbook support up to a specific quality on Netflix as well as other apps. Here’s a list of Macs and Macbooks that support 4K, HDR, UHD, and Full HD on the native display (using Safari).
- MacBook Pro 2018 (or later)
- MacBook Air 2018 (or later)
- iMac 2020 (or later)
- iMac Pro
5. Removing Extensions on Browser
Nowadays people seem to use extensions like an ad-blocker or a price tracker in supported browsers but we fail to notice that these extensions get access to all the content we browse along with all the browser history. Since they have all this data and run a filter check before loading any website, they can trick the Netflix DRM into giving a false warning thereby affecting the streaming content quality and resulting in a blurry screen.
To troubleshoot, you can open Netflix in your browser in Incognito Mode where all the extensions are disabled by default. If the issue is resolved then it is one of the extensions. Now, in your regular browser window, you need to disable all extensions, and then enable them one at a time to know which one is responsible for the issue.
6. Fast Forward and Scrubbing Back
Though not an ideal solution, this method has been our go-to approach for the midnight binge sessions and seems to have helped a lot of users on Reddit who were seeing blurry screens while streaming Netflix.
Start any video and fast-forward it a few minutes or so and then just scrub it back to play from the start. You will notice that Netflix quality is restored to High or improves.
7. Downloading and Watching
If you download a movie or an episode beforehand in high quality and then start playing it afterward, the video quality would be better than screaming in blurry. You should note that Netflix only allows downloading content in 1080p or Full HD and not in 4K or HDR.
On Android and iOS
1. To download media from Netflix in high quality, open the Netflix app and tap on the profile icon and then go to App Settings.
2. Tap on Download Video Quality, and then set the download video quality as High to always download in Full HD quality.
On Windows App
1. Open the Netflix app on your Windows PC.
2. Click on the three-dot menu present in the top-right corner.
3. Click on the Settings tab.
4. In the Downloads section, click on Video Quality and set the download video quality as High.
Pro tip: You can also turn on the Smart Downloads option from the same menu to automatically download the next episode of the series you’re watching for those one-day binge sessions.
You can download content on Netflix’s Windows app too. So, Windows users who are having quality issues can use this as well but there is NO app for MacOS, so they are stuck to browsing content on browsers only.
Read: How to Fix You Have Downloads on Too Many Devices Netflix Error
Netflix and Blurry
Since the inception of Netflix and other streaming websites, watching content has been a pretty easy part but video quality issues and technical glitches like Netflix’s blurry screen can hamper your viewing experience. Not to worry since you’ve our comprehensive guide to solve any and all issues you might face while watching that favorite weekly episode!
Also Read: 13 Best Ways To Fix Netflix Not Playing in 4K on PC
