3 Fixes for Google TV Not Playing 4K Videos

Quick Tips

• Open Settings > Display and Sound > Advanced display settings > Switch to 4K resolution.
• Check the resolution of the streaming title that you rented. It might be available in just 1080p.
• Open Settings > System > About > Reset.

Basic Fixes

• Ensure your TV supports 4K resolution: This is the first and most obvious solution you must consider.
• Check the internet connection strength: Run a speed test and check if you are getting good internet speeds. A minimum of 15Mbps is required for 4K content streaming.
• Use HDMI 2.1 cables: To stream content in 4K resolution, you need an HDMI 2.0 cable offering a higher bandwidth of 18Gbps and a peak resolution of 3840×2160p @ 60fps (4K@60fps). You can also use an HDMI 2.1 cable, provided your TV supports it.
• Check your streaming app subscription status: Visit the profile settings on your streaming app to ensure that your subscription is still active.
• Force quit and relaunch the streaming app: Long-press the app icon > Info > Force stop and then relaunch the app.
• Update Google TV OS and the streaming app version: Install the latest versions to ensure that there are no bugs or glitches.

Fix 1: Adjust Display Settings on Google TV

Starting with the basics, you need first to check the display settings of your Google TV setup. Your Google TV automatically picks up the best resolution based on your TV. But you can also manually switch to a specific resolution and frame rate. Here’s how to check that on your Google TV.

Step 1: On the Google TV home screen, go to Settings > Display and Sound.

Step 2: Select Advanced Display Settings.

Step 3: Check the current resolution and frame rate of your TV and make changes as per your preferences.

We suggest switching to 4K Ultra HD resolution and 24 FPS frame rate for watching movies. In case your Chromecast with Google TV is not showing the 4K option, you will have to wait for a software update to fix this. There are a couple of TVs on which Chromecast doesn’t support 4K@60Hz.

Fix 2: Check Streaming Title Resolution

Google Play Movies and other streaming platforms let you buy or rent 4K movies. And every other streaming platform has movies and shows available in 4K HDR or Dolby Vision. However, if your Google TV is not playing 4K videos, you should check the resolution of the streaming title. There are still a lot of titles that stream in just 1080p resolution.

Fix 3: Reset Google TV

Once you reset your Google TV, you need to install all the apps again and set it up from scratch. This process will bring all system settings to default.

Open Settings > System > About > Reset.

Tip: If you face any problems connecting over Wi-Fi, refer to our list of solutions for Google TV.