Internet Speed Required for Hulu HD

By Matt Skaggs

Man waiting for content to load on his tablet.
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To watch videos in HD on Hulu, you need at least an Internet download speed of 3 megabits per second, or Mbps, though for SD, or standard definition, you only need 1.5 Mbps. Note that HD videos are only available for Hulu Plus members; other memberships only have access to videos in SD.

HD Bandwidth Requirements

Hulu recommends an Internet connection speed of at least 3 Mbps for viewing HD videos or 1.5 Mbps for viewing SD videos. Slower connections will likely result in choppy playback or pauses in playback. If you’re unsure of your Internet speed, Hulu recommends the Speedtest website to test your connection.

Troubleshooting Playback

Even with an adequate Internet connection, if you use Wi-Fi and have a poor signal, your video quality will decrease. And while you need at least the Windows Vista operating system to run Hulu, Windows 7 or later is recommended to avoid playback issues. If your playback problems persist -- whether on a computer, TV or mobile device -- restart the device as well as your modem and router.

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