How to get Netflix 1080p or 4K on non-Windows 10 devices
The web browser and/or device determines the highest quality level (resolution) that you get when you play TV shows or movies on Netflix.
You get 1080p and 4k playback only in Microsoft Edge currently when it comes to web browsers. This means, that you get that only if your computer runs Windows 10, Microsoft's newest operating system.
Note: Internet Explorer and Safari support up to 1080p on Netflix, but Edge is the only browser that supports up to 4K playback.
If you run any other operating system, or a different web browser on Windows 10, all you get is a maximum of 720p instead.
There are other requirements that devices need to meet for 1080p or -- god beware -- 4K playback on Netflix. The Internet connection speed needs to support at least 5 Megabits per second, and you need to be subscribed to a plan that supports the resolution as well.
Tip: check out Netflix's system requirements for additional details on the requirements.
How to get Netflix 1080p on non-Windows 10 devices
What if you don't have access to a device running Windows 10, or don't want to use Microsoft Edge or the Netflix application for Windows 10, to watch shows and movies on Netflix?
There is a solution for the former issue, but not for the latter. In short, you may use a virtual machine image of Windows 10 to run Netflix using Microsoft Edge or the Netflix application for Windows 10.
Note that this requires fairly modern hardware as running anything in a virtual machine puts more strain on the system. Still, if you want 1080p playback or even 4K playback, and don't have access to other means, this is your only option for that.
Check out our instructions on how to run Microsoft Edge using a virtual machine which we published recently. Basically, what it involves is downloading and installing a free VM software such as Oracle's VirtualBox, and installing a freely available trial version of Windows 10 as a virtual machine using it.
All that is left then is to start the virtual machine, open Microsoft Edge, then Netflix in the browser, to use it as if you'd use it on the local system.
You need to sign in to Netflix, and may use the Ctrl-Shift-Alt-S shortcut to check out the bitrates that you get. Make sure that Netflix is configured to deliver HD content (not to auto).
There is little that you can do if you notice stutters or artifacts though on the screen, as it is likely hardware related in that case. You may try the Netflix app for Windows 10 as well, as it may run better than Netflix in the browser.
To use it, open Windows Store, search for Netflix and install the application. Please note that you need to sign in once with a Microsoft account to install the application.
Start the Netflix application afterwards, sign in, and start playback. Preliminary tests on a moderate system have shown that playback is more fluent in the application than Edge.
The shortcut Ctrl-Shift-Alt-S works in the Netflix application as well, and you may use it to override the default bitrate to increase or decrease the quality of the stream.
Another benefit of running the application is that you may download some Netflix shows and movies to the local system. This removes the connection speed as a parameter for playback, and may improve the overall experience further.
Closing Words
If you want 1080p or higher playback on Netflix but don't use Windows 10, running Edge or the Netflix app in a Windows 10 virtual machine may be one option to achieve that. Considering that it takes quite a bit of effort to set things up, and that you need fairly powerful hardware on top of that, it is probably not a solution for the masses but for fans who want the best streaming quality on their devices.
Now you: 720p, 1080p or 4k quality, do you care about those on your computer?
Possibly the first useful article from Shaun?
Many previous articles have described how to install an earlier version of Windows, right back to Windows 7, using a download from the MS website.
What is perhaps significant here is that there is seemingly no barrier to installing Windows 10 on a brand new computer shipped with Windows 11: no block set by MS if one could be set.
The first screenshot does, though, show an image that include a reference to the need for a Windows 10 licence: maybe not reflecting the current situation, or maybe the licence is deemed the same?
I have tried win10/11 .. I like the new win11 UI, BUT everything’s in the wrong spot. It should be like windows 7, with the UI of 11. You know how a man can have the most beautiful woman ever, and mess it all up, and wake up and she’s GONE!? Well this very thing MicroSoft has done to windows.
Windows 7, WOW she’s a sexy doll. And MicroSoft turns right around and mess’s everything up.
I know a lot of people online, and they are leaving win10/11 and going back to 7. They say
” I don’t care if Microsoft don’t support windows 7 any more, I’m going to use it”
Am I right that a clean W10 install would wipe the partition on which it is installed?
That would remove all ‘bloatware’ but also any possibly useful device manufacturer’s utilities, so anything wanted would have to be backed up in some way before going ahead?
Best useful article of 2023 just the first day. Thanks @Shaun, keep going on!
It would also probably wipe your OEM partitions as well FYI. In case you decided you wanted to actually go back to Windows 11. Although you could also make a Windows 11 install with the Microsoft creator tool for Win 11. I like both Win 10 & 11 I have no issues with either OS. On a new PC especially some CPU’s with the Intel P& E cores Windows 11 works better with those new CPU’s.
Happy new year. But why to go on windows 11 ? Wait for that, we have almost 3 years to the retirement of win 10 on 2025. Wait and see. If microsoft continues to destroy their os, we have to stay on older versions.
Note: “Only the Professional versions of Windows desktop operating systems include downgrade rights.”
It not quite so simple.
Before attempting a downgrade, I would recommend reading more about “downgrade” rights. Not all OEM licenses from manufacturers will allow the process.
In theory, though, the embedded license is interchangeable. Back to Windows 10 with an ISO, forward to Windows 11 with an ISO at some future date. Like downgrading is going to solve all of one’s problems . . . .
Is Windows 11 THAT bad? Not having issues here; it would be a pointless exercise unless one had an essential program that didn’t run on Windows 11, which would be next to impossible.
A number of factors could be involved that wouldn’t result in a Blue Screen Boot.
Don’t know–drivers, BIOS?. Rather spend time on learning the new system and dealing with difficulties as as they present themselves.
Wouldn’t go there; it’s like upgrading to Windows 11 on a computer that isn’t supported. Possible, but why would one do it?
More screenshots for the courageous with lots of time on their hands:
https://pureinfotech.com/downgrade-windows-11-10/
Move forward.
Thanks for this article.
As the method in this article would wipe/remove user data on the PC, could we also have an article to restore a Windows PC back to Windows 10 while RETAINING data after a user has accidentally updated to Window 11? Forgive me if that has already been posted or I am misunderstanding this.
Also, I suppose it may be useful to make it even clearer that the article is about totally starting over and losing any data on the PC. Yes, it does say it in the article, but… just to be safe in case someone is reading it fast.
>As the method in this article would wipe/remove user data on the PC, could we also have an article to restore a Windows PC back to Windows 10 while RETAINING data after a user has accidentally updated to Window 11?
If a user inadvertently accepts a MS offer to upgrade their Windows version from 10 to 11, or accepts an offer and then regrets having done so, I think that we can assume that *only* Windows itself will be been updated: the disk will not have been wiped, and any user, OEM or other data or partition will be completely unchanged.
However, if a user plans to use the above method to replace Windows 11 by Windows 10, they would be very well advised, in accordance with normal advice, to image their complete drive before before starting, to enable anything that might be required later to be reinstalled..
One does not desire Windows 11. It’s becoming obvious that Microsoft is making an incredibly vain effort to make Windows 11 seem successful. Even while Windows 10 is still fully supported, they stopped licensing OEMs with the ability to downgrade to Windows 10 in October of last year. Consequently, Windows 11 is installed on all recently purchased machines. Because we remove the Windows 11 image and replace it with our Windows 10 image, this is not a major issue. Microsoft place their horrible Windows 11 where the sun doesn’t shine.
This site has become a mass advertisement of windows 11! Daily promotional articles for this OS! Why don’t you post an article about AtlasOS?! Oh yeah, you’re going to delete my opinion again – you’re censoring people’s free expression!
Whether one likes Windows 10 or Windows 11, the point not-to-be-missed here is that Microsoft is working really hard to make Windows a platform for monetized SaaS. Microsoft accounts (preferably with upgraded OneDrive storage), Microsoft 365, etc. etc.
I would absolutely go back to the days of paying Microsoft $80-100, or even $129.99 if they would offer an ad-free, telemetry-free Windows Pro OS that also doesn’t strip the Pro features in order to treat me like a consumer user. And since they will not? I feel perfectly justified in using the Windows Registry, Local Policies, and firewall-PiHole blocking techniques, whatever it takes, to block, strip, or blackhole the ads from their operating system. I already have half a dozen Windows 11 Pro licenses with matching Office 2021 Professional Plus licenses that indicate I’m willing to pay them. I just want them to leave me in peace.
Foolish, you’re basically saying “I am going to keep giving you money despite the sub-par user experience and product you provide, BUT it would be nice if you improved your product anyway”.
That doesn’t work in the real world – Microsoft is acting like this because they simply don’t care about the OS space, they have decided to milk the end users as much as possible.
Use Microsoft products only as much as you are required to, by your workplace, or your clients. Run windows 10/11 in a VM environment and find alternatives where possible. Microsoft’s behaviour in the past how many years has signaled that they are only gonna get worse.
Windows’ “System Image” backup feature has been broken for almost a decade. The only backup software I’ve used that has been able to integrate properly with windows 10 has been Macrium (native windows volume shadow copies, incrementals, easy recovery environment creation, encryption, etc).
Comments are messed up, again. Ghacks isn’t what it used to be…
I heard microsoft is working on windows 12 – should i wait for that? When would THAT be released? I have 3!! incompatible win 10 desktops.
I wonder EXACTLY how many laptops & desktops do NOT meet win 11 requirements!
In the hundreds of millions? Close to a billion?! Imagine how many would need to be recycled(or thrown away in countries not recycling), not necessarily using green power to do it. & to make new ones. My head is spinning.
I sure hope at least win 11 is a lot faster than the sooo slow win 10 file manager & picture viewer.
Windows XP was sooooo fast in those areas.
Microsoft should have come out with some sort of inexpensive device or software that would EASILY MAKE incompatible win 10 pc’s compatible.
Is it only for me or are the commands for configuring VB for macOS all “cut up”? Like it’s literally a screenshot with half the command? I’ve tried multiple browsers what should I do lmao
Thx in advance
Same here! I wasn’t sure if the author of the article is trolling or not