How-To

How to Check if Your Home Network Can Stream 4K Videos

By Bryan M. Wolfe

Updated November 27, 2023

While you can pay a streaming service for the ability to stream content in 4K, how do you know if your home network can handle it?

Perhaps the most important reason to purchase a new television or other device is to stream 4K videos. But, can you stream 4K videos on your home network? There are a few online tools now available that will answer that questions in just a few seconds.

Stream 4K Videos

When it comes to video, we’re talking about 4K resolution. It offers a horizontal display resolution of about 4,000 pixels. Therefore, your home network needs speeds that support 4K videos to present the content in that format. To check, there are two recommended solutions: SpeedTest and Netflix.

Keep in mind that streaming services adapt video resolution based on the Wi-Fi speed. Because of this, you won’t always get a 4K video even if you’re paying for 4K content.

SpeedTest

Ookla offers one of the best internet tools ever created. With its free SpeedTest app, you can check your home network’s performance at any time. Earlier this year, the app got even better when it began offering an on-screen test that tells you precisely what kind of streaming you can expect from your current network.

To date, this test isn’t available from the SpeedTest.net website.

To get started, be sure to download SpeedTest on your iOS or Android-based device. In the example below, we’re using the SpeedTest iPhone app to show you how to use the speed test.

1. Open the SpeedTest app on your mobile device.
2. Tap the video icon at the bottom middle of the app.
3. Select OK.
4. Push the play button to begin the test.

After a few minutes of testing, you’ll have the answer to whether your network supports 4K video.

Netflix’s Fast Tool

Another way to test your home network’s performance is to visit Fast.com. Created by Network, the tool is available on your mobile or desktop device. It checks your broadband speed, which should give you a great idea of whether your network can stream 4K videos. Netflix recommends speeds of 25Mbps or higher for 4K video.

4K videos should stream just fine in a home with a score of 140Mbps in the example below.

Check Regardless

Even if you aren’t directly looking to see whether your home network streams 4K videos, you should run speed tests often. By doing so, you can see whether you’re getting the speeds your ISP has promised. After all, you’re playing for your Wi-Fi and probably paying a lot month after month.