How to check if your phone supports HD streaming on Netflix and Prime Video: Heaven32

Many people buy smartphones primarily for the purpose of consuming media on online streaming platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video. However, there is no guarantee that you will be able to stream high definition content despite having a capable display. In this article, we will tell you how to check if your phone supports HD streaming in Netflix, Prime Video and other OTT platforms.

Check if your phone supports HD streaming on Netflix and Prime Video

For starters, streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney +, etc. use DRM (Digital Rights Management) to prevent unauthorized copying and redistribution of their content. To ensure that Android smartphones are safe from hackers, these popular streaming services use Google’s Widevine DRM platform.

Widevine offers different levels of security: L1, L2 and L3. Widevine L1, the highest level of protection allows the transmission of high definition content (HD, Full-HD, QHD, 4K) to the device. However, it requires hardware level certification and is not available on all phones.

In particular, only Widevine L1 and L3 are compatible with certified Android devices. So if your phone doesn’t support L1, it probably has Widevine L3, which only streams up to 540p, which isn’t even HD.

Steps to check if your phone supports HD streaming on OTT platforms

Whether your phone can stream HD content on OTT platforms like Netflix and Prime Video, it only depends on your Widevine certification. You can check the same using a third party app or from Netflix as follows.

Use DRM information

1. Download and install the DRM Info app on your Android phone.
2. Open the app and scroll to Widevine CDM section.
3. Here watch the security level.
4. Where you will see L1 O L3.

If the Widevine security level is L1, you have nothing to worry about. You can stream freely in high definition. However, if it is L3, the transmission quality will be limited to a resolution of 540p.

In the Netflix app

1. Open the Netflix app on your phone.
2. Click on More At the bottom right.
3. Click now Application settings.
4. Scroll down and click Reading Specifications below Diagnostic.

Here you can see your Widevine level and the maximum reading resolution. If it says L1 and still shows sub-HD resolution, make sure you have subscribed to a package that allows HD streaming.

End

So that was a quick guide on how you can check if your phone supports HD streaming on Netflix, Prime Video, and other similar streaming platforms. You can always check a phone’s Widevine certification level before purchasing one with a simple Google search. Anyway, in case you want to know about a particular phone, let me know in the comments below.

Also read: Watch Netflix Free For Two Days In India; Here’s how to join