Latency

technology

The delay between a request and the streaming service responding with content.

Explanation

In streaming, latency refers to the delay between a viewer action (like pressing play or seeking to a new time) and the content starting to play. High latency causes frustrating delays. For live streaming, latency measures the delay between a real event and when viewers see it. CDNs and adaptive bitrate help minimize latency.

Last updated: March 2026