YouTube recently began rolling out support for high dynamic range video content on iPhone X, as noted by users on the MacRumors forums and Reddit. HDR videos provide a broader range of colors and luminance compared to sub-HDR content, and the format also supports quality video playback on a wide variety of screen sizes.

For iOS users, YouTube videos in HDR can be viewed on the iPhone X, but the feature does not yet appear to be working on the latest iPad Pro models. YouTube has many HDR-supported videos on its site, with dedicated channels like The HDR Channel providing videos for you to watch in HDR on iOS. To make sure of the quality of playback find a video to play, then tap anywhere on the video itself, tap the three dots in the top right-hand corner of the screen, tap "Quality," and then make sure it reads 1080p60 HDR.

youtube hdr ios app
Apple debuted HDR support last year with the "Super Retina" display in the iPhone X, which became the first HDR OLED display incorporated into one of Apple's smartphones. Apple also lists the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus as supporting HDR, but the displays for these devices are not the same as the Super Retina display on iPhone X, so any HDR content played on the 8 or 8 Plus isn't true HDR.

On the iTunes Movies Store on Apple TV 4K, select films also support 4K, HDR10, and Dolby Vision when paired with compatible 4K television sets. Although YouTube recently updated its Apple TV app and listed a few videos as "4K," the app still has yet to support true 4K. When viewing details about a video, maximum available resolution is still listed as 1920 x 1080, while 4K resolution is 3840 x 2160.

Tag: YouTube

Top Rated Comments

adamjackson Avatar
91 months ago
I bought an AppleTV 4K to watch YouTube in 4K...still having to use the NVIDIA Shield for 4K video. I wish Apple and YouTube would come to an agreement on video codecs.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
91 months ago
Well, hopefully support comes for the iPad Pro soon...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RDowson Avatar
91 months ago
Just watched the same video as the original article on my iPhone X. Wow! Looks brilliant!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Delorean2006 Avatar
91 months ago
I actually posted about this almost 2 weeks ago in the forums, happy it’s finally made it to the front page.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nozuka Avatar
91 months ago
I wonder if there will ever be 4K YouTube on the ATV.

Would this be Apple's fault or YouTube's fault?

Well, I am pretty sure it is YouTube's fault for updating the tvOS app with that horrible UI. My YouTube usage has decreased a lot because of the app.
google wants to use their own codec VP9, but apple does not support that codec.

but since VP9 is royalty-free i'd say apple is at fault. you can't expect google to have every video saved in another format just for apple devices...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cosmosent Avatar
91 months ago
1.) Which type of HDR ? PG or HLG ???

2.) Is it using ICtCp ???

Simply saying "HDR" is meaningless !

If it said Rec. 2100-compliant, then that would be best !

MacRumors should be RE-named "MacRumors for Dummies" !
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...