Paying for full-HD streaming (or even 4K HDR) to Netflix and yet, it doesn’t play in 1080p on your computer?
It’s because of the stupid DRM protection, they do not stream full-HD content in the Firefox browser. Not on Linux, not on Windows, or any other operating system.
You can check it for yourself by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Shift+D while playing Netflix in Firefox (exit the full-screen mode to make it work).
However, there is a way to stream Netflix in 1080p using an extension.
Enabling Full HD streaming on Firefox With Extension
There is a third-party extension created by a developer that allows you to stream Netflix in full HD (1080p) in the Firefox browser. It also activates support for 1080p+ (a little higher quality), and 5.1 surround sound.
It removes the restrictions for Netflix, and lets you stream with the quality you paid for. Furthermore, it is completely legal, and there's nothing illegal about it.
Go to the extension page in Firefox and click on “Add to Firefox”
When you click on the “Add to Firefox” option, you should see a pop-up like the one in the below screenshot. Hit the Add button here.
Once the extension has been added, restart Firefox.
Now when you play Netflix content, it should be streamed in full HD, i.e., 1080p.
Verify it. Play something on Netflix, don’t go full-screen; press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+D to get the streaming stats. Find the section where it says "bitrate", and you can see the resolution listed there:
Press the same keys again to get rid of the stats overlay. Enjoy the improved quality! 🥳
You should also see an HD tag beside the content in the browsing mode.
How cool is that! I would consider it one of the best Firefox extensions for Linux users.
This extension only works for Netflix. So, it WILL NOT work with Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and other streaming services.
Unfortunately, it won’t play Netflix in ultra HD (UHD or 4K). So, for that, you need to stick to a TV that supports 4K HDR, or just stick to a 1080p subscription.
I hope the developer of the extension also brings the support for 4K in the near future.
Conclusion
In case you are looking for other awesome Firefox extensions, here is a list:
Pratham Patel
It is unclear to me why Firefox could not do this on its own when third-party developers do it by creating an extension. Perhaps some sort of legal issue, which Netflix needs to work towards to let its customers utilize their subscription.
It baffles me to see streaming services ignore Firefox and other “non-official browsers”. Netflix plays full HD on Edge on Windows, but not Linux. Similarly, Netflix streams full HD on Chrome in ChromeOS but not on Linux.
And Mozilla, with all its might, could not convince Netflix and these streaming services to bring high-quality streaming to its flagship browser. I guess, that is one of the reasons for Firefox to see a continual decline?
Rant aside, I hope this helps you play Netflix in full HD on Firefox. If it also works for you, let me know in the comments.
