How much speed do you need for HD and 4K?
This applies to apps such as Netflix, YouTube or Disney+. What matters is the platform, the chosen quality and how many screens play at once. The values are recommendations for one stream, not a guaranteed speed for the whole household.
RFC editorial team · updated
Start here
Count the screens playing at the same time and check the selected quality: HD or 4K.
Show the full checkCall or write to us — help does not depend on completing the checks.
Quick check
Three simple steps in order. Their result helps you pick your situation below.
Count how many screens play at once and in what quality. A 4K TV does not mean a 4K film — the plan in the app matters too.
Add up the platform recommendations from the table below for all screens at once, plus room for other internet use.
Check the speed at the TV. If it is much lower than at the router, Wi-Fi is the problem, not the plan.
Several screens share bandwidth.
Screens watched at the same time add up. The rest of the household and some headroom come on top — this is not a guaranteed plan size.
One Netflix 4K stream15 Mbps
Two Netflix 4K streams30 Mbps
Disney+ 4K and YouTube 1080p30 Mbps
Three Netflix Full HD streams15 Mbps
Vertical ticks on the bars: older 6 and 12 Mbps radio plans. A bar longer than a tick needs more than that plan carries.
- An older 12 Mbps radio plan is less than the 15 Mbps recommended for one Netflix 4K film.
- If an older plan works well but is not enough, check the option of a faster connection. Weak Wi-Fi in a room is a separate matter.
A film is not everything
- Video calls and remote work
- Online gaming
- Downloads and updates
- Photos and cloud backups
At the same time someone may be on a video call, gaming online, downloading updates or uploading photos to the cloud. Choose your speed for what the whole household uses at once — not only for films.
Our recommendationFor a home that watches films in HD while using the internet for other things, we recommend at least 30 Mbps. For several 4K screens — more.
Platform recommendations for one stream
Values in Mbps for one screen. These are platform recommendations, not a fixed film bitrate or a plan for the whole household.
| Platform | 720p | Full HD / HD | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | 3 | 5 | 15 |
| YouTube | 2.5 | 5 | 20 |
| Disney+¹ | —no separate value in the source | 5 | 25 |
| HBO Max² | —no separate value in the source | 5 | 25min. 25, recommended 50+ |
| Apple TV³ | —no separate value in the source | —no separate value in the source | 25 |
- ¹Disney+ gives one value for HD, without a 720p/1080p split.
- ²HBO Max: for 4K a minimum of 25 Mbps, 50 Mbps or more recommended.
- ³Apple TV: the value for films purchased or rented in the Apple TV app.
Sources, checked :
What does the result mean?
Choose the description that matches your situation.
A film or video call stutters
- Check
- Check whether only one app stutters or everything, and whether a cable connection helps.
- What it means
- Stuttering can come from Wi-Fi, a busy home network or the connection. Comparing on a cable shows which one.
- What to do
- If the TV has a network socket, connect it by cable. If one app stutters, check its support. Have RFC TV? The Korbox decoder connects to the internet by cable.
An older 6 or 12 Mbps radio plan
- Check
- Compare your plan with the platform recommendations for the chosen quality.
- What it means
- 12 Mbps is below the 15 Mbps recommended for Netflix 4K. At 6 Mbps, one Full HD film (5 Mbps) leaves little room for the rest of the home.
- What to do
- For now, a lower quality in the app helps. For good — more bandwidth: check fibre availability at your address below.
One screen works, several stutter
- Check
- Compare one stream with several at once.
- What it means
- Screens add up: two Netflix 4K films are 30 Mbps together, before anyone starts downloading.
- What to do
- Leave room for the rest of the home. Also check how many screens at once your plan in the app allows.
No Dolby Atmos despite a fast connection
- Check
- Check the plan in the app, the film version, the audio track and TV and speaker compatibility.
- What it means
- Atmos is a sound format — it depends on the plan and equipment, not internet speed.
- What to do
- Check the platform requirements and audio settings. A faster plan will not enable an unsupported format.
A 4K TV plays lower quality
- Check
- Check the plan in the app, the film version and the playback quality settings.
- What it means
- 4K needs the right plan, film, app and equipment. The app may also lower quality by itself on weak Wi-Fi.
- What to do
- Check the 4K conditions in the platform’s help. If they are met, compare playback on a cable and over Wi-Fi.
An older 6 or 12 Mbps radio plan?
More room for several screens
If your connection works correctly but cannot meet your chosen quality and simultaneous streams, check the option of moving to fibre. More bandwidth gives concurrent activity more room.
Availability is checked for your address. The result may include another technology; options and plans need verification.
- Helps with
- Several streams at once
- Downloads and backups while you watch
- Does not replace
- Better Wi-Fi coverage in a room
- Repairing faulty equipment or a fault
Check again after a change
Play the same film in the chosen quality while the household uses the internet normally. Check that the problem is gone, not just that the picture quality dropped.
Unable to check? We can help.
If the problem continues, report it to us with times. For an error in a specific app, its provider can help too — give them the error code and the TV model. Never send passwords.
You do not need an account or complete results. Tell us what is happening and what you could not check.
A reporting outline to copy
Select and copy the text into your message. Add what you know; “not checked” is a valid answer.
Since when / time: What fails / error: One or several devices: LAN / Wi-Fi / not checked: Where the cable goes: Equipment model (if known): Checks completed and results:
Never send Wi-Fi, router or account passwords.