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To enable HDR for video in Windows 11, open Settings > System > Display, select the display you will watch on, choose HDR, then turn on HDR video streaming. First check the page’s Display capabilities section to confirm that the selected display supports HDR video streaming.
Turn on HDR video streaming
- Open Settings > System > Display.
- If you use multiple displays, select the one where you want the video to play.
- Select HDR.
- Under Display capabilities, check whether HDR video streaming is supported.
- Turn on HDR video streaming. Depending on the display, this may appear as a checkbox beneath the general HDR toggle.
- Start or restart the video. If you changed displays, restart the video app and begin playback on the display you intend to use.
These are the Windows 11 settings. Microsoft’s HDR video streaming instructions describe the capability check and setting.
What you need for HDR video
- An HDR-capable display: It can be a built-in laptop, tablet, or 2-in-1 screen, or an external display. Microsoft recommends an HDR10 display for the best HDR experience. If your current screen supports HDR video, you do not need to buy another one. See Microsoft’s explanation of HDR in Windows.
- A compatible app: Microsoft says HDR video streaming works only in certain apps. Compatibility varies, and there is no complete current app list in the cited guidance, so check the app’s own support information rather than assuming a particular player or streaming service works.
- Playback on the intended display: Windows can select an SDR stream when video starts on a display that is not optimized for HDR. Restarting the app and starting playback on the HDR display can help Windows apply the appropriate stream.
If the video still plays in SDR
Confirm the selected display and capability
Return to Settings > System > Display > HDR and make sure you selected the screen showing the video. If Display capabilities does not report HDR video streaming support, the setting cannot enable HDR video on that display. For an external HDR monitor connected to a laptop, check whether Windows is duplicating the displays. Microsoft identifies duplication as a configuration where HDR may not be supported; choose an extended desktop instead.
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Check app and playback conditions
Use an app that supports HDR video and try full-screen playback. Microsoft lists full-screen playback as a troubleshooting condition: an SDR display needs full-screen video to show HDR, and a built-in display may also fail to show HDR when the video app is not full screen. After changing the display or HDR settings, restart playback; if necessary, close and reopen the app, then start the video on the intended HDR display.
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Review battery and brightness settings
HDR streaming uses more power on battery. In the selected display’s HDR settings, look for the option to allow HDR video streaming while on battery. Also check Settings > Apps > Video playback and choose Optimize for video quality if you want HDR video while running on battery. Battery saver or low display brightness can also interfere with HDR presentation, since Windows may need to raise display brightness.
For the related display and power controls, see Microsoft’s HDR settings guidance.
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HDR video streaming is not the same as system HDR
The general Use HDR control governs HDR presentation for the display, but video streaming has its own capability and setting. Turning on general HDR does not replace checking that the selected screen supports HDR video streaming and enabling that control. Windows also provides HDR calibration features, which are separate from enabling video playback.
Adjust SDR brightness or calibrate the display
On an HDR display, standard dynamic range (SDR) content can look too bright or too dark compared with HDR content. Windows provides SDR or HDR content brightness controls. If an app does not reflect a brightness adjustment, restart it and check again.
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Calibration is optional. Windows 11 includes the Windows HDR Calibration app for HDR display calibration. For a built-in display that supports streaming HDR video but not HDR games and apps, Microsoft points to Display calibration for HDR video under Settings > System > Display > HDR. Neither calibration option is required just to turn on HDR video streaming. See Microsoft’s HDR calibration guidance.
Quick Recap
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