About HD videos
HD videos feature a higher-quality picture than standard definition (SD) videos.
To buy, rent, and watch HD content from the iTunes Store on your computer, make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes. You also need to have components that support HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) installed on your computer and a display that supports HDCP with a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or higher with a digital connection (DVI, DisplayPort, or HDMI).
When you buy an HD video on a supported device or computer, only the HD video will download. To download the SD version, download the video again from your Purchased page.
If you purchase an HD video on an unsupported device, the SD version will download. You can download the HD version from your Purchased page on a supported device. Learn how to download previous purchases.
System requirements
HD content is offered in either 720p or 1080p. See if your device can play 720p or 1080p videos.

About 1080p content
By default, when you buy HD content from iTunes, it downloads and plays content in 720p. If you want to download and play content in 1080p, change your settings:
- Make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes.
- On a Mac: From the menu bar, choose iTunes > Preferences > Store.
On a PC: Choose Edit > Preferences > Store. - Next to "When downloading High Definition videos, prefer," set your preference to 1080p.
- Click OK.
Your computer will then download in 1080p, when the format is available.
Depending on your computer, you might not be able to buy, rent, or play content in 1080p. If you see a message that reads "This computer may not be able to play 1080p videos. You can still download these videos for use on other devices," 1080p content won't play on your computer.

Learn more
- Learn how to sync purchased HD videos to iPod or iOS devices.
- Learn how to view HD content on iPad.
- Learn how to solve issues with HD video playback on Windows.