As a result, following the update, users will not be getting the usual 720p, 1080p, or 4K resolution options in the YouTube app on Android and iOS. Instead, there will be advanced options such as higher-picture quality and data-saver that will set a video resolution automatically, depending on the data usage of a user.
New Video Resolution Options on YouTube
As per YouTube, this aims to simplify the video-resolution selection in its app and help non-tech-savvy users select an option that best suits their data needs. So, as you can imagine, it will be similar to Disney+ Hotstar and Prime Video’s resolution-selection options, which include high, medium, and low settings.
However, unlike the said platforms, YouTube, apart from a “Higher picture quality” mode and a “data saver” mode, also gives an “Advanced” option that lets users pick a specific video resolution just like before. Now, the new resolution options will let users set the resolution of a video that they are currently watching. However, the changes do not apply to the other videos. Users can, however, set a default video resolution for all the videos by heading to “Settings -> Video quality preferences” in the YouTube app. There are options to set default video resolutions for both Wi-Fi and mobile networks.
Furthermore, the “higher-picture quality” mode sets the resolution of a video to 720p or above and is best suited for when one is using a Wi-Fi network. On the contrary, the “data saver” option maxes out the video resolution to 480p and uses as little data as possible.
Availability
The new YouTube video-resolution options are rolling out via a server-side update. As a result, updating your YouTube app may not necessarily bring these new options to your device. I updated the YouTube app on my iPhone XR but did not see the new resolution options, but Android users can force close the app and clear the cache to test out this feature right away.
