Netflix now appears to support 4K streaming on Google Chrome for Windows users, removing a long-standing limitation that forced Chrome users to switch to Microsoft Edge for Ultra HD playback. Until now, watching Netflix in 4K meant relying on Edge on Windows or Safari on a Mac, even on hardware capable of handling the higher resolution.
What’s changing
The development surfaced through a post on X that included a screenshot showing 4K playback working inside Chrome, something that was not possible for most users earlier. According to the post, the feature works on Chrome version 117 and later on Windows. This effectively means Chrome users no longer need to switch browsers just to stream Netflix at its highest available quality.
What you still need
Chrome support alone does not guarantee 4K playback. Netflix continues to require a specific set of conditions to be met. Users need a fully updated Windows 11 PC along with a Netflix Premium plan that includes Ultra HD streaming. Hardware requirements include a supported Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or newer graphics card, an AMD Radeon RX 400-series GPU or later, or a compatible Intel or AMD processor, and in some cases, Microsoft’s HEVC Video Extensions may also need to be installed.
The display matters as well. Netflix requires a 4K screen running at 60Hz, and any external monitor used must support HDCP 2.2 copy protection. On top of this, playback settings within Netflix need to be set to Auto or High, and the content being watched must actually be available in 4K Ultra HD.
The catch for Mac users
This upgrade is currently limited to Windows. On macOS, Chrome still caps out at 1080p, meaning Safari remains the only browser that can stream Netflix in 4K on a Mac. For now, Windows users on Chrome are the only ones getting the benefit of watching Netflix at the quality their Premium plan already pays for.