Recent updates to the PlayStation 5 version of the Disney+ app finally features badging for titles that indicate support for 4K resolution. However, the app still appears to limit playback to 1080p. It’s a confounding limitation we’ve been tracking ever since the Sony PlayStation 5 launched nearly a year ago.
Up until recently, titles on the PlayStation version of the streaming app have generally been listed as available in up HD when you look up the details of a given show or movie. However, the current version of the app now lists certain titles as available in “4K Ultra HD.” You can see a comparison between the current app and an older version below.
However, despite the updated labeling, it appears the app itself still tops out at 1080p resolution without HDR support. A quick visit to the Disney+ App Settings shows the maximum playback setting of Automatic is currently limited to “up to HD (4.0 GB/hr).”
So, yes, the latest version of the Disney+ app on Sony’s current-generation console is touting 4K playback capabilities on a title-by-title basis, even though the app itself appears to still limit output to 1080p. The playback limitation has been an issue ever since the PlayStation 5 launched in November of 2020, and users have taken note.
The apparent mismatch in messaging could suggest we’re inching our way toward an software update that finally does support 4K playback (maybe one part of the app was updated before another section was ready), and we’ll continue to keep an eye out for future updates.