When you buy or rent a movie from the iTunes Store, it automatically plays in the highest-quality format available for the device on which you're watching it.
Compatible devices can play higher-quality videos, such as 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, or Dolby Atmos versions, from the iTunes Store1 and some third-party apps2.
Format |
Description |
|---|---|
4K |
Video plays at a higher resolution. While HD videos support a resolution of 1920x1080, the resolution of 4K videos is 3840x2160, enabling more detailed and sharper imagery. Videos in 4K look great on compatible televisions. |
HDR |
HDR videos have a broader range of colors and luminance. Videos with HDR look great on any size screen. The iTunes Store supports movies with both HDR10 and Dolby Vision. If you see the HDR icon, this iTunes Store movie can play in HDR10. The Dolby Vision icon is displayed when a movie is available in Dolby Vision. On Apple TV 4K, content automatically plays in the HDR format that is compatible with your television. |
Dolby Vision |
|
Dolby Atmos |
Videos with Dolby Atmos play audio that can immerse you in three dimensional surround sound when combined with a Dolby Atmos-compatible sound system. Apple TV 4K will play audio through your home speaker system that automatically decides the best speaker combination to use. Learn more about using Dolby Atmos with your home theater system and Apple TV 4K. |
In the iTunes Store, , , , or represent the highest available format offered by the iTunes Store. The highest quality format supported by each device will automatically be selected. Learn more about device compatibility.
1. If you purchase or rent a standard definition (SD) video, it will not have any higher-quality versions to stream.
2. Contact the app developer if you have questions about the quality of video that they provide.
What you need to watch the highest-quality video available
- Purchased or rented video content with a high-quality version.
- A device capable of playing high-quality video content. See if your device is compatible.
- The latest versions of iOS or tvOS.
- An Internet connection fast enough to watch high-quality content.
If you buy or rent a movie from the iTunes Store, you can stream it on the device that you bought it on and any of your other devices, as long as you're signed in to all of your devices with the same Apple ID. Learn more about streaming iTunes Store movies or TV shows. Your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC, or Apple TV automatically play the best quality of video available for the device and your Internet connection.
Find videos with 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, or Dolby Atmos in the iTunes Store
To see if a movie can play in 4K on a compatible device, look for on the product page. By default, all videos that you can buy or rent in the iTunes Store are available to play back in HD3.
Movies in the iTunes Store might also be available in HDR10 , Dolby Vision , or Dolby Atmos . Content automatically plays in the HDR and audio format that is compatible with your device.
3. Learn how to switch between 4K/HD and SD in the iTunes Store.
Check the quality of your previous purchases
If you previously bought an HD movie from the iTunes Store, you might have access to the 4K version, HDR, Dolby Vision, or Dolby Atmos enhancements on a compatible device. If your iTunes Store purchase doesn't have a high-quality version now, it might be added later.
To check the video quality, tap or click on a movie in your Library. Look at the top of the page for , , , or .
Find out what video quality your device can play
HD videos feature a higher resolution than SD videos. Some videos also include even higher-resolution content, with a 4K option for 4K-compatible devices.
iPhone 8 and newer, iPad Pro (2017), and Apple TV 4K can play HDR10 and Dolby Vision content.
Apple TV 4K, connected to a 4K-compatible television, can play 4K content.4 4K video, especially with HDR10 or Dolby Vision, requires an HDMI cable compatible with these formats. Apple recommends HDMI cables that have the Compatible Dolby Vision mark as they have been tested with Apple TV 4K and a wide range of televisions. Learn more about playing 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision content with your Apple TV.
HDR10, Dolby Vision, and 4K content playback requires compatible devices. Check the tech specs for your Apple product to see if your device can play 4K, HDR, or Dolby Vision videos.
A Dolby Atmos-compatible sound system is required to play audio in Dolby Atmos. Learn more about surround sound settings on your Apple TV 4K.
4. If your 4K content doesn't play automatically, go to Settings > Apps > "iTunes Movies and TV Shows" and make sure that Quick Start is turned on to play 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, or Dolby Atmos content.
If you see a message that your device might not be able to play 1080p (HD) or 4K videos
When you buy or rent a movie or TV show from the iTunes Store, the device that you're using might warn you that it can't play 1080p (HD) or 4K video content. Instead, your device automatically plays the highest-quality version of that video that it can. Your other Apple devices will play the higher-quality version if they're compatible.
Learn more about redownloading purchased content.
Check your Internet connection
The higher the quality of the video that you're streaming, the faster your Internet connection has to be. (Apple recommends a minimum speed of 25 Mbps for 4K streaming.) Your Apple devices automatically switch the video quality to a lower quality version if your Internet connection isn't fast enough.
You can download a local copy of an HD movie to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC, and you might be able to download HDR and Dolby Vision versions to your iOS devices, but you can't download a 4K version.
Learn more
- You might also see badges for closed captioning and subtitles or audio descriptions next to a movie or TV show's title.
- Learn more about renting movies from the iTunes Store.