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Apple TV 4K 2021 shows only HD video from all apps instead of 4K or UHD

I bought the most recent Apple TV 4K 2021 but to my disappointment, when I plugged it in all my video content from apps like amazon prime and Netflix is showing only in HD. Note that I also have the 2017 4K apple TV and when I plug it to the same HDMI port, it displays in 4K as expected on my TV.


I verified that the 2017 apple TV with the same HDMI cable/port and video settings shows 4K but somehow the new 2021 apple TV 4K displays video only in HD.


Literally, nothing is changed in terms of TV hardware, software, cables, ios video settings, just the apple TV hardware from 2021 which has a bug where it can play video only in HD though it is advertised as 4K hardware. See the pictures attached below so you know exactly what I am talking about.


How can I enable 4K on the new 2021 Apple TV? If not, I guess I just have to return the device.


Posted on May 21, 2021 4:29 PM

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Posted on May 26, 2021 6:01 AM

I have been dealing with this issue since Monday. I swapped in the new AppleTV 4K on my LG OLED for the previous gen on Friday, but I didn't notice the issue right away because I only watched AppleTV+, iTunes purchased content and Disney+ until Monday. Monday evening I went to watch the last episode of "Jupiter's Legacy" on Netflix and one screen had some pretty obscure dialog. I went to turn on the subtitles via the pull down menu so that I could play with the new "circular scrubbing" by rewinding and I saw that there was just an HD badge in the info pane instead of the Dolby Vision badge I was expecting.


Since then I have played with all of the settings on the AppleTV to get this "fixed" but with no positive results. I finally started testing a theory that the AppleTV is actually playing the 4K stream, just the badge isn't right because the stream still looked good to me and because the TV flashes up either the Dolby Vision or HDR label when the stream starts from Netflix or Prime even though the info pulldown only shows HD and no mention of HDR or DV. Because the AppleTV upscales to 4K, my TV always reports 4K even if it is a title that is only available in 1080p. So I switched the max resolution on the AppleTV to 1080p and when I did that the TV of course only reports 1080p, but the Netfilx app shows only an HD badge on the title page of a 4K title. When I switch the max resolution back to 4K the 4K label (or the Dolby Vision label) returns on the title page. In both cases the info pull down in the player only displays the HD badge even though the played stream looks much better with the max resolution set to 4K. This of course could be because the AppleTV is no longer upscaling, so I tried to think of some other test.


Then I had the idea of playing "The Expanse" and checking the TV info, because it is oddly enough filmed with HDR not Dolby Vision. The TV will report the HDR profile for HDR, HDR10, and HDR10+ content. The TV reports that, even though the pull down info in the Prime app only displays HD, the stream is playing HDR with the bt.2020 profile. This HDR profile is only applied to 4K or 8K streams. This makes me think that the Prime stream is actually 4K. Additionally, YouTube reports over its completely different info function that it is playing a 4K stream.


I have a theory (a bit of a stretch perhaps) that this is just a labeling problem in the info pull down with apps that still use the "old" video API on the AppleTV. The video player or API set has been updated to work in the new "circular scrubbing" gesture with the new AppleTV. Netflix and Prime can use this new gesture, but they still use the old info pull down and so are somehow affected by this bug (partial use of the latest API set). The AppleTV player uses a new API set that has the info displayed at the bottom of the screen by pressing the back button. This player (AppleTV+ or purchased content) does not seem to be affected by the bug. YouTube and Disney+ appear unaffected by this bug, but both use a completely different proprietary player that does not behave at all like the AppleTV+ player and also does not yet support the circular scrubbing.  


Hopefully this is indeed just a software issue. Whether it be with Apple or some of the various streamers that need to update their apps to correct this issue. Those affected will have to wait on more info from Apple (perhaps a software update) or an App update from affected streamers. 

151 replies

May 30, 2021 10:00 AM in response to iPhone236545

Agree, don’t mark it solved, it’s not. I also think it’s a metadata bug. I just did a test where I changed the Apple TV settings to 4K SDR with match rates turned on. My OLED tv picture settings changed to custom, no Dolby Vision or HDR signal. When I play Tenant in iTunes movies, the badge of course only says HD, no 4K, no HDR, no Dolby Vision, BUT when I go to the TV picture settings they changed to HDR Dolby Vision signal coming in. So label does not match signal. Unfortunately I can’t confirm actual resolution

May 30, 2021 10:31 AM in response to jshalvorson

It's definitely a labeling issue. If there is an HD title streaming, even though the system upscales to 4K, in developer HUD, in natural size, we see 1080. So, in natural size is being mentioned the original file's resolution and not the upscaled one's. Try to play a 4K and an HD title from Netflix in developer mode and you 'll see that is definitely a labeling issue.


But, as I said before, this is not a "closed" issue.


sorry for my bad English, guys

May 31, 2021 12:46 AM in response to PLR011

Just got off the phone from Apple support. Absolute muppets.

told them the issues this morning ,said they would call me back 6 hours later.

gave him the thread so they could read all these comments.

when I asked him if he had read them to understand the issues ,he said he had.

all he was calling back for was to ask if I wanted to raise the issues to those higher up ???

so after reading all these comments ,he doesn’t think to do that ?

I give up. Returning mine and taking refund. Luckily I still have the older version, which had no issues whatsoever.


May 31, 2021 8:01 AM in response to realdigital

I still don’t understand why everyone’s big solution is to return it. Returning it will do nothing to get it resolved, and it is simply the label, it not like it isn’t playing 4K. Is that badge really so important to everyone? Do they stare at the 4K badge instead of watching the content? It’s already been in the media, so I’m sure Apple is aware of it. The best thing you can do is call Apple, let them know you are having the problem. The more open cases on the subject the more likely it is to be resolved. Returning it, specially when it is actually working except for labeling it wrong, seems a bit drastic and also doesn’t tell Apple why you returned it.

Jun 2, 2021 12:14 PM in response to sir_kw

The condescension of the people in this thread is really disheartening considering the fact there was nothing actually wrong other than the label saying HD when in fact it was still playing 4K. I mean the panic onset by just a label is laughable. Take the OP’s “solution” for example: they act as if there was going to be no hope whatsoever and completely disregard facts. The attitude is that Apple just releases things and then never fixes any bugs whatsoever. It’s really surprising considering I and my friends have had them fix items and then just not bill us for them.

Jun 2, 2021 12:47 PM in response to iPhone236545

I have been waiting a call from support team since 24th of May. And there is no clear explanation about the issue. I have previous 4K model which is working better than the new one, no labelling or hardware issue. 4K content is working well with correct labelling. I am planning to re- buy again after the problem has been solved.


But it is good to hear something positive.

Jun 2, 2021 4:23 PM in response to sir_kw

No change yet with 14.6. Note that for some mysterious reason, not all are experiencing this issue. I look forward to a 14.7 fix. I am already on a second unit and not returning. The picture looks 4K although I notice with none HDR 4K like Hulu Handmaids Tale, the top and bottom bars are not solid black on my OLED as with Dolby Vision content. Thanks for all the updates.

Jun 2, 2021 4:32 PM in response to Peter Drier

Except for the fact, that when you bring up the developer menu that shows the bit rate and the natural size they are both 4K, meaning that it is not being upscaled to 4K but is streaming 4K, aka it is just the label that is wrong. Here is some screenshots for the proof. They are even from the Netflix app.


https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/new-apple-tv-4k-is-showing-4k-content-just-mislabeling-it-as-hd-in-some-apps-swipe-down-menu.2298143/

Jun 2, 2021 5:47 PM in response to Fab0s

This is likely a bandwidth issue through that soundbar. Or you have another cable in play for that setup and it can't get enough speed. I've been using these and they are great - Amazon.com: 8K HDMI 2.1 Cable 6 Feet 48Gbps Ultra High Speed Support 4K120 8K60 eARC HDCP 2.2 2.3 - Compatible with Apple TV, PS5, Xbox One Series X, RTX 3080 3090: Industrial & Scientific.


See if you can go ARC or maybe optical from the TV to the soundbar.

Apple TV 4K 2021 shows only HD video from all apps instead of 4K or UHD

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