How to Change Video Quality on YouTube (Computer, Phone, TV)

If a video looks fuzzy, or keeps stalling on a patchy connection, the quickest fix is usually the quality setting. I check it before anything else, whether I'm watching a tutorial for work or showing a client a video on a laptop in a cafe.

If you publish videos yourself, it's worth knowing too. Your viewers can change the quality of your video whenever they like, so what they see depends partly on their settings, not only on what you uploaded. Here's what YouTube's help pages say for each device.

Changing video quality on YouTube from a computer

1. Play the video you want to change.
2. In the video player, select Settings (the gear icon).
3. Click Quality.
4. Select the video quality you'd like.

YouTube's help centre says the change applies to the video you're watching. That matters, because people often expect it to stick for everything, and on a computer it doesn't unless you're using the Auto setting.

Changing YouTube video quality in the Android app

The Android app gives you named options instead of a plain list of resolutions. For the video you're watching:

1. In the video player, select Settings.
2. Tap Quality.
3. Choose one of the four options below.
4. If the app asks you to pick a resolution for the current video, select the one you want.

Option	What YouTube's help says it does
Auto (recommended)	Changes to give you the best experience for your conditions.
Higher picture quality	Uses more data, so videos may start more slowly or buffer more often.
Data saver	Lowers picture quality so videos may start faster.
Advanced	Lets you pick high-quality resolution formats by hand. It may not be available for every video.

Setting a default YouTube video quality on your phone

If you'd rather not change it video by video, the Android app has a setting that covers everything you watch:

1. Tap your profile picture.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Video quality preferences.
4. Choose a quality for mobile networks and a separate one for Wi-Fi.
5. If asked, select the resolution you want for all videos.

I like that it splits mobile networks from Wi-Fi. A sensible setup is a lighter option on mobile data and a higher one at home. On an iPhone or iPad, the menus can look a little different, so if you can't see these exact words, open the player's Settings and look for Quality or Video quality preferences. Menus vary by app version.

Changing the YouTube video quality on a smart TV

1. While a video is playing, select Settings in the video player.
2. Select Quality.
3. Select your preferred video quality.

There's one catch YouTube's help page mentions for TVs and other devices. Some high-quality formats, such as 1080p and 4K, may not work on every device, because the device may lack support for VP9 compression. So if a higher option is missing from the list on an older TV, that's the likely reason, and it isn't something you've done wrong.

Why your YouTube video quality still looks poor

Choosing the top option doesn't guarantee a sharp picture. YouTube's help page says video quality also depends on several other things:

• Your internet speed.
• The size of the player.
• The quality of the original upload.
• Your browser.

That last point on the original upload is the one creators trip over. If a video was uploaded in low resolution, no setting on the viewer's side can add detail that was never there. If you're seeing a soft picture only on your handset, my guide to why YouTube looks blurry on a phone goes through the other usual suspects.

Choosing between Auto and a fixed YouTube quality

YouTube's own wording recommends Auto, and I'd start there. It adjusts as your connection changes, which is what you want on a train or in a hotel with shaky Wi-Fi. A fixed setting makes sense when you're checking a video you've made and need to see it at a particular resolution, or when you're deliberately saving data.

The trade-off is straightforward. Higher picture quality uses more data and can make videos start slowly or buffer. Data saver does the opposite. Neither is better in general; it depends on what you're doing and what connection you're on.

Other YouTube playback settings worth knowing about

Quality sits in the same Settings menu as a few other options. If you're trying to get through a long tutorial faster, changing the playback speed on YouTube is the next one to look at. It lives alongside the quality control, so you won't need to hunt around.

If you can't find the YouTube quality setting

1. Make sure a video is playing, because the Settings gear appears in the player, not on the home screen.
2. On a phone, tap the screen once so the player controls show up, then look for Settings.
3. If Advanced isn't in the list, remember that YouTube says it may not be available for all videos.
4. If a higher resolution is missing on a TV or older device, it may be down to missing VP9 support, as above.
5. Update the YouTube app, then try again, since menus vary by app version.

If the options still don't appear, use the help or feedback link inside the YouTube app to tell the platform directly.

For the rest of the series, see the YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.

See also How to Control YouTube on PC From Your Phone, which picks up where this leaves off.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change video quality on YouTube?

Open the video, select Settings in the player, then choose Quality and pick the option you want. On the Android app you'll see Auto, Higher picture quality, Data saver and Advanced.

Can I set one quality for all my YouTube videos?

In the Android app, YouTube's help says to tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Video quality preferences. You can choose one setting for mobile networks and another for Wi-Fi.

Why is there no 4K option on my TV?

YouTube's help page says some formats, such as 1080p and 4K, may not work on every device because it may lack support for VP9 compression.

What does Data saver do on YouTube?

According to YouTube's help, Data saver lowers picture quality so videos may start faster.

Why does the video still look blurry at a high setting?

YouTube's help says quality also depends on your internet speed, the player size, the quality of the original upload and your browser.