How To Watch HDR YouTube Videos On iPhone XS And iPhone XS Max

iPhone XS playing 1080p HDR video

iPhone XS playing 1080p HDR video.

Starting with the iPhone X, Apple’s smartphones are able, from both the software as well as the hardware point of view, to play HDR YouTube videos. Besides decoding a HDR video file the iOS device has to be able to also natively render the clip. Currently the only Apple devices that are able to truly play a HDR video are the iPhone X and the newly released iPhone XS & XS Max!

A High Dynamic Range footage comes with a series of benefits which include a much wider range of colors when compared to SDR clips. This allows a better contrast, higher brightness levels and in general a more true-to-life color experience. Today YouTube has updated its iOS app and included the 2018 iPhones in its list of iOS devices that are supported for HDR playback!

How To Watch HDR YouTube Videos On Your iPhone XS & XS Max
how to play HDR YouTube video on iPhone XS 1. Make sure that the YouTube app is updated to the latest version. Here is the direct update/download link.
2. Open the app and select a video that you would like to watch.
3. Tap the video to unveil the on-screen controls.
4. Tap the three-dots icon available in the top-right corner of the screen.
5. In the popup menu tap on Quality.
6. Select one of the resolutions that include HDR, preferably the highest one (1080p)!
Fact: Unfortunately Apple smart devices still don’t support the VP9 format, which means that they’re unable to play resolutions higher than 1080p, although the hardware is there to handle 4k (1440p) video playback!

No HDR? The video has to be uploaded in HDR to be HDR playable. If there is no such option it means that you have to look for another clip.

Tip: Other iOS apps that come with HDR support for compatible iPhones are Vimeo and Netflix.

Related: For more iPhone XS and XS Max features tap here.