Netflix not going HD on Xiaomi? Here’s how to check (and restore) Widevine L1

You've just opened Netflix on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone and the images appear pixelated? Almost certainly the culprit is the Widevine L1 security certificate, which enables or blocks streaming in high definition.

Whatever your Lei Jun-branded smartphone, a few steps are enough to discover whether the device is enabled for higher quality: this is the first step to identify any issue, and it's equally simple to resolve if you've been downgraded to the L3 level.

How to check if your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone supports Widevine L1

To discover the current security level of your Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO device (smartphones and tablets included), simply download a very handy app directly from the Google Play Store. It applies to all Android models, as seen in our previous guide.

• Open the Play Store
• Search for or directly download the app DRM Info
• Open the application to view the device details

The app's screen lists a lot of information but the one you care about is at the bottom. Find the entry Widevine CDM and the label Security Level: if L1 is present, the device is enabled to view video content in high definition. If L3 is shown, the video streaming resolution is limited and you will need to proceed as follows.

How to move a Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO device from Widevine L3 to Widevine L1

If the problem is software-related, you can try re-downloading the security certificates. On HyperOS 3 the procedure to follow is very simple and valid for both Xiaomi smartphones and those branded Redmi and POCO.

Why did my Xiaomi, Redmi, Poco suddenly switch from L1 to L3?

It often happens after a system update that didn't go well: in some cases a simple reboot of the device suffices, while in the more complex cases it’s necessary to restore the certificates from the biometric settings, as seen above.

Does unlocking the bootloader make you lose Widevine L1?

This can be one of the causes for losing the Widevine L1 certification on Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi and POCO). Unlocking the bootloader can cause a downgrade in the DRM security level.

The same goes for devices with root privileges enabled: some security features are disabled and, consequently, it’s likely that the Widevine certificate will be downgraded.

Finally the problem can also occur with devices originally intended for China but equipped with Global ROM.

Does Widevine L3 only limit the resolution?

Yes, the L3 certificate level limits video resolution to SD (usually 480p or 540p), preventing viewing content in Full HD and higher.

Are there other solutions?

Even in this case the answer is yes: you can try clearing the data of individual streaming apps (such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and so on). Another solution is to re-lock the bootloader; finally you can wait for a fix, if the problem is due to a problematic update.