To enable HDR video playback in Windows 11, open Settings > System > Display > HDR for the display you plan to watch on, confirm that HDR video streaming is supported, then turn it on. HDR video also depends on the app, playback conditions, and power settings.
Turn on HDR video streaming
- Open Settings > System > Display.
- If you have more than one display, select the display you want to use for video.
- Select HDR.
- Under Display capabilities, check whether HDR video streaming is supported.
- Turn on HDR video streaming. On some HDR displays, this appears as a checkbox beneath the general HDR toggle.
- Start or restart the video. If it is playing on a different display than the one you want to use, restart the app and begin playback on the intended display.
These are the Windows 11 settings. The control is specific to the selected display; enabling the general Use HDR setting alone does not confirm or replace the dedicated video-streaming setting. Microsoft’s HDR streaming instructions explain the capability check and toggle.
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Check that your display and app support HDR video
Display capability
The display must support HDR video. It may 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. A display’s HDR capability does not guarantee that every video or app will play in HDR; use the Display capabilities section to check video streaming support for the selected screen. Microsoft’s HDR overview describes the display requirement.
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App and playback conditions
HDR streaming works only in certain apps, and support can vary. Microsoft does not provide a complete current app list in its guidance, so check the app’s own support information rather than assuming a particular player or streaming service is compatible. Full-screen playback can also matter: Microsoft recommends full screen for HDR video on SDR displays and notes that built-in displays may not show HDR when the video app is windowed.
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Troubleshoot video that still plays in SDR
Recheck the selected display and connection mode
- Return to Settings > System > Display > HDR and verify the intended screen is selected and reports HDR video streaming as supported.
- If an external HDR monitor is connected to a laptop, check whether Windows is duplicating the desktop. Microsoft identifies duplicated displays as a configuration that may not support HDR; switch to extending the displays instead.
- If you moved the video to another screen, restart the video app and begin playback on the display where you want HDR.
Use full-screen playback and restart the video
After changing HDR settings, restart playback. Try full-screen mode, particularly when using an SDR display or a built-in display. Windows or the streaming app may select an SDR stream when playback starts on a display that is not optimized for HDR; restarting the app and starting the video on the intended screen can help apply the appropriate stream.
Review battery and power options
Microsoft states that “Streaming HDR video consumes more battery power when your device is running on battery.” To allow HDR video while unplugged, check the battery option on the display’s HDR settings page and the options under Settings > Apps > Video playback. If you want HDR video on battery, choose Optimize for video quality where that option is available. Battery saver and reduced display brightness can also interfere with HDR presentation; Microsoft notes that Windows may need to set the display to maximum brightness.
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Adjust how SDR video looks on an HDR display
HDR and SDR content can appear to have different brightness on the same HDR display. Windows provides SDR or HDR content brightness controls in HDR settings. If an adjustment does not affect an app, restart that app and check the result again. These brightness controls affect how content appears; they do not enable HDR streaming for a display or app that does not support it. See Microsoft’s HDR settings guidance for display, battery, and brightness options.
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Calibration is optional for simply enabling HDR video streaming. Windows 11 includes the Windows HDR Calibration app for HDR display calibration. For a built-in display that supports HDR video streaming but not HDR games and apps, Windows also provides Display calibration for HDR video under Settings > System > Display > HDR. These calibration options are separate from the video-streaming toggle. Microsoft documents them in its HDR calibration instructions.
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