Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Start with Profile → Settings → Video Playback Quality (sometimes called Streaming Quality), then choose the highest available option for a sharper picture or a lower option to reduce buffering and data use. Crave’s menus vary by device: if you do not see the setting there, check the gear icon while a video is playing. Some TV apps may not offer a manual quality control.
A quality preference is not a resolution guarantee. What actually plays depends on the title, your subscription, the app and device, and current network conditions.
Change Crave quality on a phone or tablet
- Open the Crave app and sign in.
- Tap your profile or avatar.
- Open Settings.
- Choose Video Playback Quality, Streaming Quality, or a similarly named option if it appears.
- Select the quality you want, then stop and restart playback to check the result.
Recent user reports describe this general path and options that may include an “Ultimate 4K” choice, but those reports are not official instructions and do not establish that every app version, plan, or title offers it. Labels and choices can change. (Recent Crave app report; User report mentioning Ultimate 4K.)
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteChange quality on a smart TV or streaming device
Open Crave’s profile or side menu, then look under Settings for Video Playback Quality or Streaming Quality. If it is not there, start a video and check its playback controls for a gear or settings icon and a Quality option.
#1 Best Overall
- HD streaming made simple: With America’s number 1 TV streaming platform,* exploring popular apps—plus tons of free movies, shows, and live TV—is as easy as it is fun. *Based on hours streamed—Hypothesis Group
- Compact without compromises: The sleek design of Roku Streaming Stick won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, and it even powers from your TV alone, plugging into the back and staying out of sight. No wall outlet, no extra cords, no clutter.
- No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote. Use your voice to quickly search, play entertainment, and more.
- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
Some Crave TV apps may show quality choices; others may omit manual controls and manage quality automatically. That difference can be specific to the app or device, so a missing menu does not necessarily mean you overlooked it. Recent reports describe variation between TV and phone apps, as well as TV apps without an obvious quality control. (Report of differing app controls; Report of a TV app without a clear quality setting.)
Change quality in a web browser
First check Profile or account → Settings for a playback-quality option. If there is none, begin playing a video and look for a gear or settings icon in the player, then check for Quality or Video quality.
Rank #2
- Ultra-speedy streaming: Roku Ultra is 30% faster than any other Roku player, delivering a lightning-fast interface and apps that launch in a snap.
- Cinematic streaming: This TV streaming device brings the movie theater to your living room with spectacular 4K, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision picture alongside immersive Dolby Atmos audio.
- The ultimate Roku remote: The rechargeable Roku Voice Remote Pro offers backlit buttons, hands-free voice controls, and a lost remote finder.
- No more fumbling in the dark: See what you’re pressing with backlit buttons.
- Say goodbye to batteries: Keep your remote powered for months on a single charge.
Older user reports describe a player menu with fixed resolution choices, but that is not a reliable guide to today’s browser interface. (Older browser-interface report.) Do not assume a browser offers the same maximum quality as the Crave app on a TV or streaming device: browser, device, and DRM support can affect the available stream.
Which quality option should you choose?
| Option | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Most viewers, especially on a connection that changes during playback | The player may lower picture quality to keep video playing smoothly. |
| Highest, Best, or a 4K option | A supported large-screen device and a stable connection | Can use more data and may buffer. The label does not guarantee a particular resolution. |
| Better or Good | A moderate or shared connection | May look less sharp, but can be more reliable. |
| Data Saver | Mobile data, a hotspot, or a weak connection | Picture may look noticeably softer. |
Names vary by app and may not all be available. If your goal is uninterrupted playback, start with Auto; if buffering continues, try Good or Data Saver. If your goal is the sharpest picture, select the highest option shown and test it on a stable connection.
Rank #3
- Stunning 4K and Dolby Vision streaming made simple: With America’s number 1 TV streaming platform,* exploring popular apps—plus tons of free movies, shows, and live TV—is as easy as it is fun. *Based on hours streamed—Hypothesis Group
- Breathtaking picture quality: Stunningly sharp 4K picture brings out rich detail in your entertainment with four times the resolution of HD. Watch as colors pop off your screen and enjoy lifelike clarity with Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
- Seamless streaming for any room: With Roku Streaming Stick 4K, watch your favorite entertainment on any TV in the house, even in rooms farther from your router thanks to the long-range Wi-Fi receiver.
- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, so you can switch from streaming to gaming with ease. Plus, it’s designed to stay hidden behind your TV, keeping wires neatly out of sight
Why the setting cannot force 1080p or 4K
Think of a quality setting as a preference, not a command. A high-resolution stream must be available and permitted at every step:
- Title: Crave must have the program in that resolution. Different titles can have different maximum quality.
- Subscription: Your plan must include any higher-quality tier Crave makes applicable. Plan names and eligibility can change; check Crave’s current official site for current details.
- App and device: The Crave app, television or streaming device, and connected display must support the rendition. A 4K TV alone does not make a lower-resolution stream 4K; it may upscale the image.
- Browser and DRM: Browser playback protections and device compatibility can limit resolution compared with a native app.
- Network at that moment: Congestion, weak Wi-Fi, packet loss, or other instability can lead the player to use a lower-quality version.
Adaptive streaming works by making different versions of video available to the player. It can select or switch between them as network and device conditions change, so the delivered picture may vary even when you selected a high-quality preference. The IETF’s technical overview describes these factors in its discussion of adaptive bitrate streaming: RFC 9317.
Rank #4
- Advanced 4K streaming - Elevate your entertainment with the next generation of our best-selling 4K stick, with improved streaming performance optimized for 4K TVs.
- The newest Fire TV experience (2026) – Our biggest update to Fire TV has a new, modern design that gets you to your entertainment fast. Browse dedicated content categories, pin more of your favorite apps, and get personalized recommendations from Alexa+. Spend less time scrolling, and more time watching.
- Cloud gaming, no console required – Stream Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Hogwarts Legacy, Outer Worlds 2, Ninja Gaiden 4, and hundreds of games on your Fire TV Stick 4K Select with Xbox Game Pass and Luna via cloud gaming. Xbox Game Pass subscription and compatible controller required. Each sold separately.
- Smarter picks with Alexa+ – Getting to what you love has never been easier. Press the voice remote button and talk naturally to find what to watch across your apps, manage your smart home, or dive into virtually any topic.
- Wi-Fi 6 support - Enjoy smooth 4K streaming, even when other devices are connected to your router.
Older coverage from January 2019 reported 1080p on certain Apple TV hardware and a 720p limit on many other devices at that time. That is historical reporting, not evidence of Crave’s current resolution limits. (MobileSyrup, January 3, 2019.)
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →If the quality option is missing
- Check both the profile/settings menu and the in-player gear menu; the control may be in one place but not the other.
- Update the Crave app and your device software, then check again.
- Try another supported device as a comparison. One platform may expose a setting that another does not.
- Consider whether the title, plan, browser, or device supports the higher quality you expect.
- If watching live programming, remember that its controls and delivery may differ from on-demand playback.
- If you use a VPN, proxy, hotspot, or managed network, temporarily test without it where practical; these connections or congestion can affect delivery.
Bell’s support page directs customers with Crave video-quality issues to Crave app help rather than documenting one universal menu path. See Bell’s Crave information and support guidance.
Best Value
- Essential 4K streaming – Get everything you need to stream in brilliant 4K Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range 10+ (HDR10+).
- The newest Fire TV experience (2026) – Our biggest update to Fire TV has a new, modern design that gets you to your entertainment fast. Browse dedicated content categories, pin more of your favorite apps, and get personalized recommendations from Alexa+. Spend less time scrolling, and more time watching.
- Make your TV even smarter – Fire TV gives you instant access to a world of content, tailor-made recommendations, and Alexa, all backed by fast performance.
- All your favorite apps in one place – Experience endless entertainment with access to Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Apple TV+, HBO Max, Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+, and thousands more. Easily discover what to watch from hundreds of thousands of movies and TV episodes (subscription fees may apply), including free, ad-supported content.
- Getting set up is easy – Plug in and connect to Wi-Fi for smooth streaming.
Fix blurry or unexpectedly low-quality playback
- Stop the video completely. Change the quality preference if available, then restart playback; some changes may not affect a stream already in progress.
- Close and reopen Crave. If the setting does not stick, sign out and back in.
- Update the app and device software. An older app can have different controls or compatibility.
- Test another title. This helps distinguish a title-specific limit from an app, device, or connection issue.
- Compare another supported device. If the same title looks better there, the original app or device may be the limiting factor.
- Restart the streaming device and router. For a TV, try Ethernet or a strong 5-GHz Wi-Fi connection if available.
- Temporarily disable a VPN or proxy for a comparison, if you use one.
- Check the device’s video output settings. Confirm it is set to an output resolution supported by the TV and connection. This cannot create a higher-resolution Crave source, but it can prevent an output mismatch.
A speed test is useful, but it does not prove Crave can sustain a high-quality stream. Packet loss, latency, Wi-Fi interference, device load, and platform restrictions can matter too.
Reduce buffering and mobile-data use
Choose Auto for a balance of quality and continuity. If playback still stalls, try Good or Data Saver, stop other high-bandwidth activity, move closer to the router, or use Ethernet for a TV setup. Restart the router and streaming device, then compare more than one title.
Lowering quality is also a useful diagnostic: if buffering stops, the issue is likely related to available throughput, congestion, or how that device or app handles playback—not necessarily the program itself. For cellular data or a hotspot, Data Saver is the safer starting point; high-quality video can use substantially more data.
If the phone app has a quality control and a TV app does not, you may see suggestions online to set quality on the phone and cast or AirPlay. Treat that only as an experimental, device-dependent possibility, not a Crave-supported guarantee. A user report describes such a workaround, but it may not work consistently across devices. (Community report.)
When to contact Crave
Contact Crave support if multiple titles remain unexpectedly blurry across supported devices after you have updated the apps, restarted the equipment, and compared network connections. Include the title, device and app version, whether you are on Wi-Fi or Ethernet, the quality option selected, and whether the problem affects other titles. Crave’s own help resources are the place to confirm current plan, title, and device eligibility; these can change, and a menu preference cannot override them.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
