Home > Samsung

How to Play YouTube Videos in 4K in Samsung Galaxy Tab S7/S7+

In this guide, we will show you a nifty workaround through which you will be able to play YouTube videos in 4K resolution on your Samsung Galaxy Tab S7/S7+. The first question that would come to your mind is how could any workaround make this tablet support 4K when the display only supports 1440p or 2K resolution.

Well, we would be using a couple of ADB commands that will render everything in 4K and then outputs it on the display just like what Retina Displays or Nvidia DSR does. But will a 4K video look good on a 2K screen? Well, it’s subjective and boils down to individual preferences. For me, the display felt a lot sharper, the edges felt smoother, the fonts look fantastic, and the overall quality was indeed much improved in comparison with the stock 2K.

The difference is all the more visible on YouTube as it compresses the video on the server-side before being played on your tablet. So when you will select the video quality as 4K in the app, it will have a much higher bitrate than 1440p and hence you will get a better viewing experience. On that note, let’s check out the steps to play YouTube videos in 4K resolution on your Samsung Galaxy Tab S7/S7+.

How to Play YouTube Videos in 4K in Samsung Galaxy Tab S7/S7+

Play YouTube Videos in 4K in Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

The below instructions are listed under separate sections for ease of understanding. Make sure to follow in the exact same sequence as mentioned.

STEP 1: Install Android SDK

install adb platform tools windows

First and foremost, you will have to install the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC. This is the official ADB and Fastboot binary provided by Google and is the only recommended one. So download it and then extract it to any convenient location on your PC. Doing so will give you the platform-tools folder, which will be used throughout this guide.

STEP 2: Enable USB Debugging

Next up, you will have to enable USB Debugging on your device so that it is recognizable by the PC in ADB mode. So head over to Settings > About Tablet > Tap on Build Number 7 times > Go back to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > Enable USB Debugging.

Play YouTube Videos in 4K in Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
Reference Image

STEP 3: Establish ADB Shell Connection

  1. To begin with, connect your device to the PC via USB cable. Make sure USB Debugging is enabled.
  2. Then head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt.
    command-prompt-inside-adb
  3. Now in the following command in the CMD window to verify the ADB connection:
    adb devices

    Play YouTube Videos in 4K in Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

  4. If you get the device ID, then the connection stands successful. Now type in the below command to open the Shell environment:
    adb shell

    Play YouTube Videos in 4K in Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

  5. It will now list out your device codename, which means that the shell connection has been successfully established.

STEP 4: Enable 4K in Samsung Galaxy Tab S7/S7+

  1. To begin with, execute the below command to set the resolution to 4K
    wm size 2400x3840
  2. Then execute the following command to adjust the screen density [you may type in any other value instead of 1024, depending on what meets your requirement]
    wm density 1024

    Play YouTube Videos in 4K in Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

  3. That’s it. You will be able to play YouTube videos in 4K resolution on your Samsung Galaxy Tab S7/S7+.

Remove 4K Resolution from Samsung Galaxy Tab S7/S7+

If you wish to revert the change and remove the 4K resolution setting from your tablet, then carry out the STEPS 1 to 3 listed above.

  1. After that, execute the below command to reset the resolution
    wm size reset
  2. Then execute the following command to reset the density
    wm density reset

    Play YouTube Videos in 4K in Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

So these were the steps to enable 4K resolution on your Samsung Galaxy Tab S7/S7+. Do let us know in the comments whether you find any major improvement in the video viewing experience after trying out the above ADB commands. Likewise, all your queries are welcomed in the comments section below.


Share: