YouTube redefines ‘HD’ videos, removes tag from 720p resolution

Anything below the 1080p resolution is not ‘HD’ for YouTube and is rather Standard Definition or SD.

This also makes 720p fall in the same category as 480p or 360p. (Pixabay)

YouTube is redefining what HD (High Definition) video quality means for the platform. The video sharing and viewing website by Google has been showing 720p as ‘HD' since past several years. But A couple of days ago, the ‘HD' tag was removed from the 720p video resolution options. Spotted by popular Youtubers like MKBHD, there is no official statement by the company on this rather minor change.

So, this means that anything below the 1080p resolution is not ‘HD' for YouTube and is rather Standard Definition or SD. This also makes 720p fall in the same category as 480p or 360p. However, it does not mean that the particular video option will be removed from the website and the app. It will still be there but without the ‘HD' tag.

Fun fact YouTube no longer clarifies 720p as HD. Only 1080p and up now. I completely agree 🤓 pic.twitter.com/QjaeZyfGAH

— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) May 16, 2020

Now, this is debatable on what you consider as High Definition and what you don't. We have seen good quality videos at 720p as well since stuffing more pixels in a video is not everything. But someone at YouTube seems to break what became a ‘norm' over the years. On the other hand, some may support the move, claiming that QHD and FHD are the new standards of video resolution. Even most devices around us have FHD as basic resolution, be it a smartphone, laptop or a TV.

Whatever the reason, YouTube wants us to live with it moving forward.

After this change, you are left with 1080p, 1440p as the only HD options right now. Above that is the 2160p ‘4K' resolution, 2880p ‘5K' and then 4320p ‘8K' resolution.