System requirements & supported devices for YouTube

To watch YouTube videos, make sure you have the most up-to-date browser, operating system, and a good internet connection:

• Newest version of Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari
• Internet connection with 500+ Kbps

Movies and TV shows requirements

Some premium videos on YouTube -- like movies, TV shows, and livestreams -- require a faster connection and greater processing power for optimal streaming speeds. Here's what you'll need:

• Newest version of Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari
• Operating system: Windows 7+, Mac OS X 10.7+, or Ubuntu 10+
• Internet connection with 1+ Mbps

It can help to close other tabs, browsers, and programs while streaming your video. It may also help to hardwire your Internet connection, instead of using a wireless network connection.

The table below shows the approximate speeds recommended to play each video format.

Video Resolution	Recommended sustained speed
4K UHD	20 Mbps
HD 1080p	5 Mbps
HD 720p	2.5 Mbps
SD 480p	1.1 Mbps
SD 360p	0.7 Mbps

 

Things to note:

• Playback in HD is unavailable for streaming on a web browser, except for Safari for HD streaming only. You can also stream in HD using one of the supported devices listed here.
• Sometimes, you can buy or rent the HD/UHD version of a video on a device or browser that doesn't support HD/UHD playback. You can still watch the title in lower quality on that device, or watch HD/UHD from a different compatible device.

Supported devices for Primetime Channels (U.S. only)

If you’re in the United States, you can watch YouTube Primetime Channels on the following devices:

• Smart TVs
  • Select TVs with Android TV built-in and NVIDIA Shield
  • Samsung smart TVs (2016+ models only)
  • LG smart TVs (2016+ models only)
  • Select Vizio SmartCast models
  • Select Hisense Smart TV Models
  • Select Sharp Smart TV Models
  • Select Sony Smart TV models
• Streaming Media Players
  • Chromecast with Google TV
  • Roku Players & TVs
  • Apple TV (4th generation & 4K)
  • Fire TV Sticks (2nd Gen, 3rd Gen, 4K, and Lite), Fire TV Cube, and select Fire TV Edition smart TVs
• Game Consoles
  • Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Xbox One S, & Xbox One X
  • PS5, PS4, and PS4 Pro
• Smart Displays
  • Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max
• Smartphones & Tablets
  • Phones & tablets running Android 5.0 Lollipop and above
  • iPhones & iPads running iOS 11 or later

You cannot purchase YouTube Primetime Channels on any of the following devices:

• Apple TV
• DISH
• PlayStation
• Verizon
• XBox
• Panasonic