14 DAY TRIAL // The upcoming Chromium-based Microsoft Edge will also support Netflix in 4K unlike the other browsers powered by the same engine.
Flags in the leaked version of the application indicate that Microsoft Edge will support both PlayReady and Widevine DRM, with HEVC decoding for PlayReady also included. However, PlayReady is exclusive to Windows 10.
In other words, despite the new Microsoft Edge coming to older Windows versions and other platforms like macOS, Netflix in 4K will only be offered to users on Windows 10.
Microsoft Edge becoming the only Chromium browser offering Netflix in Ultra HD isn’t necessarily surprising, as the original version of the application that comes pre-installed in Windows 10 also sports similar capabilities.
Preview build just around the corner
In fact, Netflix itself recommends users to switch to Microsoft Edge for 4K video, as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are limited to 720p streaming quality. Both browsers, however, can unlock 1080p with third-party extensions, but the experience with such add-ons has so far been mixed, as they often stopped working due to what were believed to be changes implemented by Netflix.
The only alternative to Microsoft Edge on Windows 10 is the official Netflix app in the Microsoft Store, which also offers 4K support, again exclusive to users of Microsoft’s latest operating system.
Microsoft is expected to roll out a preview version of the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, you can download the leaked build using the link here.
The stable version of the browser is expected later this year. As mentioned, it’ll run not only on Windows 10, but also on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and macOS. Microsoft hasn’t announced a Linux version, but given it is powered by the Chromium engine, there’s no reason not to make the browser available on this platform as well.