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Adaptive Bitrate (ABR)

technology

Technology that automatically adjusts video quality based on connection speed.

Explanation

Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) streaming automatically adjusts video quality in real time based on available bandwidth. When your connection slows down, the player switches to a lower bitrate. When it speeds up, quality improves. Netflix, YouTube, and most streaming services use ABR. Common standards include HLS and MPEG-DASH.

Last updated: March 2026