With a name like 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, it’s very easy to assume, or at least wonder, if regular Blu-ray players can play 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays. It’s especially important to know this as 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs become more popular.
Not too long ago, I tried to find a couple movies for my mother’s birthday, but I was having a hard time finding ones I thought she would enjoy. When I did find one, it was only on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. With Blu-ray in the name, I was confused on whether that still meant Blu-ray players could play the disc; it just wouldn’t be in 4K.
So, can a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc play on a Blu-ray player? The answer is no. You can only play 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays on a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player. It will not work on a regular Blu-ray player.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players, however, are backwards compatible and can play Blu-ray discs. It can still play DVDs as well. You won’t have to worry about buying new discs of the movies and series you already have.
Most movies for sale offer both a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and a regular Blu-ray. So, most of the time you’re not going to have to worry about whether you can play them. But it’s important to pay attention to make sure that’s the case. It’ll usually tell you on the front of the package towards the top.
There are some movies available only on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as well. Those will only say 4K Ultra HD at the top, though sometimes those versions might also come with a digital copy of the movie too.
A digital copy means you’ll have a code that you can redeem online through the website the insert gives you. You can watch or download it to your computer, phone, or smart TV.
A digital copy of a movie is not a physical copy. There will be no physical disc for this type. The codes can have an expiration date for how long they can be redeemed. However, once you redeem them, you can watch them however much you want.
For those of you who might be gamers, the PS5 and the Xbox One S can play 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs as well.
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