Disney Plus restores 4K and HDR10 via VP9, but many TVs can't play it

Disney Plus is trying to win back 4K and HDR in Europe with a technical workaround. According to the company, all 4K titles are now available using the VP9 video codec instead of HEVC, and HDR10 is delivered through VP9-2. Dolby Vision is still missing.

How the dispute started

The problem began with a preliminary injunction over patent infringement in November 2025. Disney Plus then removed the HDR formats Dolby Vision and HDR10 Plus as well as 3D films in many European countries, including Germany. A further court decision in mid-June 2026 also took 4K UHD and HDR away from subscribers.

At the heart of the case is the alleged unlicensed use of the HEVC codec. The US technology company Interdigital claims the patents. In September 2026 it sued Disney for damages of 101.7 million euros over unpaid license fees. Consumer advocates also criticized Disney Plus for removing features without offering customers any compensation.

Why the fix falls short

The workaround only helps people whose hardware can decode VP9 and VP9-2, and millions of devices cannot. That includes Samsung, Panasonic and LG televisions, the Apple TV 4K and players such as the Nvidia Shield. Newer Android, Amazon Fire and Google TV devices and Hisense TVs do support the codecs.

The solution may also be short-lived. Interdigital holds patents covering both VP9 codecs and has reportedly already filed a complaint. If a court sides with the company again, the premium content could disappear once more.

For now, subscribers in affected countries should check which codecs their TV or streaming box supports before expecting 4K and HDR10 to return. Those with unsupported devices see no change, and Dolby Vision remains unavailable for everyone.

Neither Disney nor Interdigital has indicated when the legal dispute might be settled.