Picture quality is everything when it comes to watching YouTube videos. It is hard to enjoy YouTube videos when they are blurry and lag. So, why are YouTube videos blurry and how do you fix them?
YouTube videos are blurry if the resolution is below 720 or if you have a poor Wi-Fi connection. Videos are automatically blurry when they are first posted because they continue to render for a while. Disable low power mode on your iPhone and plug your laptop in if YouTube videos are blurry and the battery is low.
In some cases, YouTube videos are simply blurry because they were filmed on outdated cameras. Follow along as we explain why YouTube videos are blurry and highlight how to fix the problem.
Why are YouTube Videos Blurry?
It’s a New Video
It’s tempting to watch a new YouTube video when your favorite channel posts one. However, new videos don’t typically stream at the highest possible quality. When someone posts a YouTube video, it doesn’t immediately appear as high quality.
The video continues to render for a while after it’s been posted. You can tell this is the case if you watch other YouTube videos and they aren’t blurry, but the newly posted video is.
The Video Was Recorded on a Low-Quality Camera
Many YouTube videos are blurry simply because they were shot on low-quality cameras. If you can’t tell if a video is blurry because of the camera quality or something with the app, you should watch some other videos. Look up high-quality, 4K videos to see if they appear blurry.
If videos shot on high-quality cameras appear smooth, you can tell that the previous video you watched was shot on a bad camera.
Your Device Doesn’t Support the Video Quality
Depending on how old your phone or computer is, you may not be able to watch YouTube videos at high quality. For example, videos will likely appear blurry and choppy if you watch them on an iPhone or computer that is 8 years old. The YouTube app has even shut down on some old iPads and iPhones.
Poor Internet Connection
YouTube videos will struggle to stream if you have a poor, inconsistent Wi-Fi connection. Connect to Wi-Fi or switch to cellular data if your Wi-Fi connection is weak. YouTube automatically switches to low-quality videos when you aren’t connected to Wi-Fi.
How Do You Make YouTube Videos Less Blurry?
Change the Video Quality
The easiest way to fix blurry YouTube videos is to manually change the video quality. YouTube sets all videos to “Auto” when you watch them on a smartphone. You can switch from Auto to a high-quality setting if you tap the cog symbol in the top right corner of the screen.
Tap “Quality” and select “Higher picture quality” to bump up to 720p60. To customize the video quality, select “Advanced”. With this setting, you can set videos to 144p, 240p, 360p, 480p, 720p60, and 1080p60.
Disable Low Power Mode
Are YouTube videos blurry on your iPhone? If so, it may be because low power mode is enabled. You can tell that is the case if your battery bar appears yellow instead of red or green. This mode exists to preserve your phone’s battery, but it also causes video and image quality to decline.
You can disable low power mode if you open your phone’s settings menu. Scroll down and select “Battery”, then tap “Low Power Mode” to disable this feature. You can repeat the process to enable low power mode if you want to turn it back on.
Charge Your Laptop
Many laptops suffer low video and sound quality when the battery is almost out. This is especially true if your laptop is unplugged and close to dying. Some laptops switch to a battery reserve mode once they fall below 10%, and this will automatically lower video quality.
Plug your laptop in if it’s between 10% and 20% to ensure YouTube videos aren’t blurry.
So, Why are YouTube Videos Pixelated?
The most common reason why your YouTube videos are blurry is that you have a weak Internet connection. Videos will also appear blurry if the resolution is set below 720p or if your phone is in low power mode. Connect to Wi-Fi and avoid watching new YouTube videos right away because the resolution is typically low when they are first posted.
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David Miller is a seasoned tech aficionado with a profound expertise in NGINX and Ubuntu. With a career spanning over a decade, David has honed his skills in optimizing web servers and enhancing server performance to perfection. His deep-rooted passion for open-source technologies has led him to become a go-to resource in the field. Whether it’s crafting intricate NGINX configurations or troubleshooting complex Ubuntu server issues, David’s problem-solving prowess shines through.