Love binging Netflix on your laptop or desktop? There's a good chance you use Chrome or Firefox to do so, but these browsers can cut down on video quality because of the way the browsers handle digital rights management (DRM). DRM is how websites authenticate people who are using a service and prevent them from copying content without permission.

Chrome and Firefox don't support hardware-based DRM, leaving them vulnerable to screen recording applications, which Netflix views as a potential problem, as users could record content to share. Because of this, Netflix restricts video streams on Chrome and Firefox to 720p quality even if you're paying for the plan that includes 4K support.

Hardware-based DRM provides greater protection against illegal recording, so Netflix allows its subscribers to stream content in 4K resolution using only two browsers: Microsoft Edge for Windows users, and Safari for Mac users. If you're paying for the Premium plan, you should switch to Edge or Safari, both of which are available by default on PCs and Macs.

In addition to using the Edge or Safari browser, you'll also need the following: PC users will need Windows 10 or 11, a HEVA video extension, a 60 Hz monitor, and high-speed internet; Mac users will need either Apple silicon or the T2 security chip, macOS Big Sur 11.0 or later, the latest Safari version, a 60Hz monitor, and high-speed internet.