Skip to main content

Only Microsoft’s Edge offers full HD Netflix on Windows computers

Edge is the only Windows browser that can play Netflix content at full 1080p HD. Chrome, Firefox, and Opera all offer 720p streams at best.

Microsoft bragged about their browser’s superior Netflix ability in a blog post on Wednesday, and PC World confirmed that it’s accurate. If you’ve been looking for some reason to give Edge a chance, this is as good a reason you’re likely to find.

Recommended Videos

Full HD, or 1,920 by 1,080 pixels, is the highest resolution offered by Netflix on computers. The streaming service does offer 4K streams, which are roughly 4096 by 2160 pixels, but only on certain smart TVs and streaming boxes. On the PC, 1080p is the highest Netflix resolution offered, at least for now.

Edge, for the unfamilar, is Microsoft’s new browser, and is only offered with Windows 10. It is meant to ultimately replace Internet Explorer, though for compatibility reasons that browser is still offered on Windows 10 systems.

Being a brand new browser, Edge lacks some features that browsers like Chrome and Firefox offers, including extensive extension ecosystems. Edge’s extension system hasn’t officially launched yet. In part because of this, Chrome dominates the current desktop browser ecoystem, with just under half of the total user base.

But there are compelling reasons to give Edge a shot. Tests show it offers battery life than competing browsers, and in some ways better performance. In our tests, Edge outperformed all other browsers on the Jetstream 1.1 and Octane 2.0 javascript benchmarks, suggesting it’s one of the fastest browsers on the market right now. And the extension ecosystem is on the way.

Offering full HD for Netflix is another reason to give Edge a shot. Mac users shouldn’t feel left out, though: the only other desktop browser to offer full HD is Safari. For Netflix, at least, the default browsers might be the best choice.

Justin Pot
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Justin's always had a passion for trying out new software, asking questions, and explaining things – tech journalism is the…
My quest to fully remove Microsoft Edge is finally complete
Microsoft Defender and Edge Security settings are open on a PC monitor.

I'm on a mission to eradicate Microsoft Edge from my PC.

It's not a slight against Microsoft -- I just don't particularly care for the Edge browser compared to some of the other best browsers out there. But Edge is different because Microsoft has tried -- and mostly failed -- to court its massive Windows user base, with some unsavory tactics, including making it nearly impossible to set a different default browser to massive, screen-overtaking popups when searching for the Chrome installer.

Read more
Microsoft just released its ‘unified gateway to Windows’ for Mac
The Surface Pro 11 on a white table in front of a window.

Microsoft has launched a new Windows App for Mac that unifies the remote access Windows experience. There are even versions for iOS, iPadOS, and web browsers, with an Android version in public preview mode.

Windows App: Your gateway to Windows on any device

Read more
What is Microsoft Edge and how to use it
Microsoft Edge on a laptop on a couch.

If you just purchased a new Windows computer and see Microsoft Edge is installed, you might be wondering if it’s worth your time.

Is Microsoft Edge a secure web browser that keeps you safe when you’re online? Can you customize it like other popular browsers? What happened to Internet Explorer?

Read more