How to Check Your Widevine Security Level (Android, PC, TV)

You paid for a streaming plan with HD or 4K, but everything on your phone or TV box looks soft. Before you blame your internet connection, check one setting you cannot see in the normal menus: your device’s Widevine security level. If it says L3, most major streaming apps will cap your quality no matter how fast your Wi-Fi is.

This guide shows you how to check the level on Android phones, Android TV boxes, Fire TV, and in desktop browsers, then explains what the result means and what you can do if it is lower than you expected.

Why the level matters

Widevine is Google’s DRM system. It ranks devices by how well they protect decryption keys and decoded video:

• L1: decryption and decoding happen in secure hardware. Streaming apps allow HD, Full HD and often 4K.
• L2: rare middle ground. Usually treated like L3.
• L3: everything happens in software. Many apps cap video at 480p or 720p.

The full background is in Widevine L1 vs L2 vs L3. For this guide, all you need to know is: you want to see L1.

Method 1: check on Android with a DRM info app

This is the most reliable method for phones and tablets.

1. Open the Google Play Store.
2. Search for DRM Info. Several well-rated free apps with this name exist. Pick one with many downloads and good reviews.
3. Install and open it. You do not need to grant any special permissions.
4. Look for the Google Widevine section.
5. Find the line Security level (sometimes shown as securityLevel).

You will see L1, L2 or L3. The same screen usually lists other useful details:

• Max HDCP level: the output protection your device supports over a cable or wireless display. HDCP 2.2 or higher is typically needed for 4K. See HDCP explained.
• System ID: an identifier for the device’s Widevine certificate family.
• Version: the Widevine library version.
• Max number of sessions: how many licences can be active at once.

If the app shows L1 but a streaming app still plays in low quality, the problem is somewhere else: your plan, the app’s settings, your connection or HDCP on an external display.

Method 2: check inside the Netflix app

Netflix exposes the information directly on many Android devices, which is handy if you cannot install extra apps.

1. Open the Netflix app and tap My Netflix or your profile icon.
2. Open the menu and choose App Settings.
3. Scroll to the bottom and look for Widevine Security Level or a Playback Specification section.

The wording varies between app versions, but you are looking for “L1” and whether the device is eligible for HD. Other streaming apps rarely show this, which is why DRM info apps are more universal.

Method 3: Android TV, Google TV and Fire TV

TV operating systems do not always allow easy app installs, but you can still check.

Android TV and Google TV: search the Play Store on the TV for a DRM info app. If none is available on the TV store, you can sideload a trusted APK, although most people will find the Netflix method quicker. Certified Android TV and Google TV devices from known brands should all report L1.

Amazon Fire TV: Fire TV devices use Widevine L1 and PlayReady on Amazon’s certified hardware. Third-party DRM info apps can be sideloaded through the Downloader app if you need proof. If a Fire TV shows L3, it is most likely a counterfeit device.

Unbranded Android TV boxes: these are the most common L3 devices. Many cheap boxes are sold without Google certification, so they cannot get L1 keys. They also often lack the official Play Store and certified Netflix app. If the box reports L3, no software fix will change it.

Method 4: check in a desktop browser

Desktop browsers do not show a level in their settings, but you can test what they will agree to.

1. Open our free DRM support checker.
2. Press Run DRM check.
3. Look at the Widevine rows:
   • If HW_SECURE_ALL says Yes, the browser can use hardware-backed Widevine, equivalent to L1.
   • If only SW_SECURE_CRYPTO and SW_SECURE_DECODE say Yes, the browser uses software Widevine, equivalent to L3.

On Chrome, Firefox and Edge for Windows, macOS and Linux, you will almost always see software only. That is normal. It is why many services limit browser quality. If you are on Windows and want higher quality, try the service’s app from the Microsoft Store or use Edge, where PlayReady hardware protection may be available. Our article why Netflix plays in low quality on PC covers each browser.

On a Chromebook, results depend on the model. Some ChromeOS devices support hardware-backed Widevine.

Method 5: developer tools for advanced users

If you work on Android apps or players, you can read the level programmatically. Android’s MediaDrm API exposes a securityLevel property for the Widevine scheme UUID edef8ba9-79d6-4ace-a3c8-27dcd51d21ed. On a connected device, adb shell dumpsys media.drm may also list active DRM plugins and sessions, though output varies by Android version.

For browsers, the relevant API is navigator.requestMediaKeySystemAccess() with a robustness value in videoCapabilities. Our EME guide shows the exact code.

What to do if your device shows L3

It depends on why it is L3.

The device never had L1

Cheap tablets, unbranded TV boxes and some grey-market phones were never certified. There is no fix. The practical options are:

• Use a different device for streaming, such as a certified streaming stick or smart TV.
• Accept the lower quality on that device.
• Return the device if it was advertised as supporting HD streaming.

You unlocked the bootloader or rooted the phone

This is the most common reason a good phone drops to L3. Unlocking breaks the chain of trust that Widevine L1 relies on. Options:

• Relock the bootloader with official firmware. On some brands, including many Google Pixel models, relocking with a stock image restores L1. On others it does not.
• Contact the manufacturer. Some brands can reprovision Widevine keys at a service centre.
• Do not use apps that claim to “enable L1”. They cannot create hardware keys. At best they do nothing, and at worst they are malware.

A software update broke it

Occasionally a firmware update causes the device to lose L1 by mistake. Check community forums for your model. Manufacturers usually fix such problems in a follow-up update. Keep the device updated.

It is L1 but still looks bad

Check these in order:

1. Your streaming plan includes HD or 4K.
2. The app’s data-saver or mobile-data setting is not forcing low quality.
3. Your connection is fast enough. See video streaming bandwidth requirements.
4. If you use an external display, adapter or wireless casting, the HDCP level is high enough.
5. The title itself is available in HD on your device type.

Buying a device? Check before you pay

If streaming quality matters to you, check the Widevine level before committing to a phone, tablet or TV box:

• Search for the exact model plus “Widevine L1”.
• Prefer devices with Google’s Android TV or Google TV certification, or well-known brands’ official streaming devices.
• Be cautious with tablets under a certain price point and with unbranded boxes that promise “4K Netflix”.
• If you can, test in the shop with a DRM info app.

Understanding the rest of the DRM info screen

DRM info apps show more than just the security level. A few of the other fields are worth knowing:

• Vendor and version. Shows the Widevine plugin version. Newer versions include security fixes and support newer features such as cbcs encryption.
• Algorithms. Lists supported encryption modes. If you see only AES/CBC and AES/CTR, both cenc and cbcs content should work.
• Max HDCP level and current HDCP level. The current level can be lower than the maximum when you are connected to an older display or using screen mirroring.
• Usage reporting support. Relevant for some offline and rental features.
• PlayReady and ClearKey sections. Some Android devices also include PlayReady for specific apps, and every device includes ClearKey for testing.

If an app you rely on keeps playing in low quality even though these values look fine, contact the app’s support team with a screenshot of the DRM info screen. It helps them diagnose the problem quickly.

A note on second-hand and imported devices

If you buy a used phone or an imported TV box, check the Widevine level before relying on it for streaming. Previous owners may have unlocked the bootloader, and some imported devices are regional variants without certification for your country’s streaming apps.

Summary

Your Widevine security level decides the streaming quality many apps will send you. Check it with a DRM info app on Android, in the Netflix app’s settings, or with the DRM support checker in a browser. L1 is what you want. If you see L3, the reason is usually uncertified hardware or a rooted phone, and the fix, if one exists, comes from the manufacturer, not from an app.