I’m finally streaming Netflix in 4K on Chrome — here’s how you can too

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If you use Chrome , you probably know how frustratingly difficult it is to watch Netflix in 4K. Despite paying for the Premium plan, I’ve always had to switch to Microsoft Edge on my Windows PC or Safari on my MacBook just to get the best streaming quality. And when Chrome is the browser I use for practically everything, switching browsers just for Netflix gets annoying very quickly.

So, when I heard Netflix was finally bringing 4K streaming to Chrome , I genuinely jumped with joy. I’m not kidding or exaggerating — that was my exact reaction. Unfortunately, my excitement didn’t last very long.

Watching Netflix in 4K on Chrome isn’t quite as simple as opening it and hitting play. There are still quite a few boxes you need to tick, but doing so is well worth it. Here’s everything you need to know before getting started.

Getting Netflix to stream in 4K on Chrome isn’t exactly a one-click affair, but the best place to start is by making sure your browser is completely up to date. Follow these steps:

You should also notice the jump in quality, especially if you’re watching on a larger 4K monitor, but I wouldn’t rely on my eyes alone. Rather than sitting two inches from the screen and convincing myself that Chris Hemsworth’s hair suddenly looks sharper, pulling up the playback stats is the easiest way to know for sure.

Now, if updating Chrome was the only thing standing between you and 4K Netflix, this would be ridiculously easy. I certainly thought so at first. But before you open Netflix, hit play, and expect everything to look sharper magically, there are a few more things your setup needs to get right.

The browser itself is the easiest part. You’ll need Chrome 117 or newer, but that needs to be running on an up-to-date Windows 11 PC. You’ll also need Netflix’s Premium plan, since that’s the only tier that includes Ultra HD streaming. Once those basics are out of the way, things start getting a little more specific.