Apple Tv 4K playback quality low

Question

Level 1

37 points

Apple Tv 4K playback quality low

Playback of content via Apple Tv+ on my Apple Tv 4K device is frequently bad. It may start streaming at 4k but then will soon drop down to SD (480p or similar) and be almost unwatchable. It will go back and forth switching resolutions as it plays but never managing to stay in HD or 4K for long.

The Apple Tv 4k is connected via ethernet, but switching to Wifi is just as bad).

Naturally, I checked my internet connection (I'm on fibre to the house and get between ~500mpbs down and ~100mbps up speeds) tried restarting all devices (router etc), making sure firmware was up date etc etc. All good. I can stream content on this device from other streaming services (Netflix, Disney+ etc) and over my local network in 4k with no issue at all. The network and internet speeds are not the problem either.

The issue would appear to be with something Apple Tv+ is doing. Has anyone managed to actually solve this?

Apple TV 4K, tvOS 26

Posted on Oct 14, 2025 3:04 PM

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Answer 1

vazandrew

Level 8

40,834 points

Oct 15, 2025 1:35 PM in response to SpiceWeasel

Was the connection tested using the Speedtest app on the Apple TV? I frequently view content from Apple TV Plus and have not encountered an issue. If it persists you may want to contact Apple support so they can run through things with you in real time and get to the bottom of what is happening.

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Answer 2

SpiceWeasel Author

Level 1

37 points

Oct 20, 2025 3:28 PM in response to vazandrew

I have tested the connection using other devices on the network, both wifi and ethernet. I have also used other apps on the device to stream locally and over the internet without issue - adding further weight to the idea that it is Apple Tv+ that is the issue. If you search Reddit (and indeed this community) you can see that this an issue experienced by a lot of people.

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