Can we get normal quality of YouTube video using Safari browser or WKWebView?

Question

Or good quality is only possible with official YouTube app on iOS?

I was trying to use the next iOS libraries to play YouTube in my app but it always chooses

medium

quality and it can't be changed

https://github.com/youtube/youtube-ios-player-helper

https://github.com/gilesvangruisen/Swift-YouTube-Player

YouTube IFrame API methods don't change anything:

player.setPlaybackQuality(suggestedQuality:String):Void

loadVideoById({'videoId': 'bHQqvYy5KYo', 'suggestedQuality': 'large'});

Safari browser from iPhone Simulator XR (iOS 12.2)

I'm trying to change quality for a video which definitely has Full HD quality but 360p as maximum is only available when I test in Safari app:

https://i.stack.imgur.com/UM5yx.png

Safari browser from iPhone Simulator XR (iOS 12.2)

Tested on real device (iPhone 6s) - the same problem, only official YouTube app allows to set normal quality.

Chrome Browser also doesn't allow to change quality

var qualities = player.getAvailableQualityLevels();

it returns

medium, auto

for full hd videos

Simulator

2.2k

Posted by

depresjon

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Answer 1

It seems like iOS replaces any YouTube player (in Safari, Chrome browsers, WebView API) with their own Native Player which removes ads (it's a good thing) but limits video quality to 360p.

Only official YouTube app from Google allows you to watch videos in good quality.

Posted by

depresjon

Add a Comment

Answer 2

var qualities = player.getAvailableQualityLevels();

returns

medium, auto

for full hd videos

Posted by

depresjon

Add a Comment

Can we get normal quality of YouTube video using Safari browser or WKWebView?

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