YouTube is using AI to upscale old videos to HD

Technology Oct 30, 2025

YouTube just announced it's using AI to automatically upgrade older, low-res videos to crisp HD.
So, if you stumble across a classic clip from the early days, it might soon look way sharper—no effort needed from creators.

Other updates include bigger thumbnails and QR codes for shopping

A 4K upscaling option is coming soon, but creators can choose to keep their videos in the original quality if they want.
YouTube's also rolling out bigger 4K thumbnails and handy shopping QR codes for mobile.
Plus, TV viewers get smoother channel previews and smarter search that highlights content from your favorite creators—all part of making YouTube feel fresher and easier to use.