What is &fmt=18?

&fmt=18 is a parameter that can be added to the end of a YouTube video URL. It is used to improve the quality of the video by playing it in "high quality stereo" mode. This means that the video will be played in 480p resolution with stereo sound, as opposed to the default 360p resolution with mono sound.

The parameter was introduced in 2008 as a way to improve the audio quality of the videos uploaded to YouTube. It works by playing the video in a higher quality format, which requires more bandwidth but results in better audio and video quality.

It should be noted that not all videos are compatible with the &fmt=18 parameter. If a video is not available in high quality stereo format, adding the parameter will have no effect. Additionally, some videos may have other parameters that override the &fmt=18 parameter.

While the &fmt=18 parameter has been widely used in the past, YouTube has since transitioned to using HTML5 video and has discontinued support for the parameter. However, some older videos may still be compatible with &fmt=18 and can still be played in high quality stereo mode by adding the parameter to the URL.