YouTube starts rolling out 4K support on Android phones with any display resolution

Android phones with 1080p and 720p displays are able to watch videos in 4K resolution.

YouTube for Android

YouTube has started rolling out support for 4K content on Android smartphones irrespective of the display resolution. This let's Android phones with 1080p (full HD) view 4K content on YouTube.

This feature is widely rolling out according to two Reddit threads (via 9to5Google). YouTube has so far allowed streaming content in the same resolution as the phone's display. This of course depends on the availability of 4K (2160p) content on YouTube.

It also doesn't change the actual resolution of the phone's display. For example, viewing 4K content on a phone with 1080p resolution will still be in the same resolution but with crisper graphics. So it's still a handy option for users who wish to watch better quality content.

4K is the highest resolution YouTube offers. Most flagship phones already support 1440p resolution and the more common resolution is 1080p.

It's also worth noting that watching 4K content would require good internet connection. YouTube is very well optimized for poor internet connection but higher resolution would mean a speedy internet.

Users on Reddit have shared that they're suddenly seeing the option to watch 4K content. It's even showing up on phones with 720p (HD) display resolution. Some even suspect it to be a bug but it looks like it is indeed a feature.

If you have a phone with full HD or lower resolution display, you can check if you've received this feature on YouTube. Tap on the cogwheel icon below and select quality to see the list of resolutions available. You can select 2160p (if available) to watch that video in 4K.