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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11For most PS5 and PS5 Pro owners, choose On When Supported. It keeps HDR-compatible games and apps in HDR while leaving SDR content in SDR. Use Always On only when you have compared both settings on your particular television or monitor and clearly prefer the converted result.
What the two HDR settings do
| Setting | Output behavior | Best starting point |
|---|---|---|
| On When Supported | HDR activates for compatible games and apps; unsupported content remains SDR. | Most mixed libraries and displays |
| Always On | Sony says the PS5 converts games and apps that do not support HDR into HDR output. | Only after a successful comparison |
Change the option at Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > HDR. Sony documents both modes at its PS5 HDR support page.
Always On does not make an SDR game natively HDR. It changes the console’s output format and applies conversion; Sony does not claim that this recreates HDR data authored by the game’s developer. A game with no HDR option can therefore remain SDR under On When Supported and appear as converted HDR under Always On.
Why On When Supported is the safer default
Keeping the source format intact avoids asking the PS5 and display to process SDR content as HDR. That usually makes troubleshooting simpler and prevents a television’s HDR tone mapping from being applied to material that was designed for SDR.
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This is a conservative recommendation, not a guarantee that every display will look better in SDR. A poorly tuned SDR Game mode can look worse than a well-configured HDR mode, and displays differ substantially in black level, contrast, peak brightness, color volume and tone mapping. RTINGS’ HDR explanation details how those characteristics and calibration affect the result.
- Choose On When Supported when SDR games look gray, oversaturated, too bright or strangely dark with Always On.
- Use it when your television switches cleanly between SDR and HDR modes.
- It is generally preferable for competitive play if your SDR Game mode gives clearer visibility or less aggressive processing. Sony describes SDR as useful for visibility and competitive gaming, while positioning HDR for more immersive experiences such as RPGs; see Sony’s SDR/HDR guidance.
When Always On is worth trying
Always On can be a valid preference if your display’s HDR Game mode produces a visibly better image than its SDR mode, or if you dislike the brief picture-mode change that can occur when switching between SDR and HDR. Some televisions and monitors handle the converted signal attractively; others produce raised blacks, clipped highlights, washed-out whites or excessive color.
Consistent output is a convenience benefit, not evidence of greater accuracy. The behavior depends on the display, HDMI chain, game and app. Test SDR games, HDR games, menus and the streaming services you actually use before keeping the setting.
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Quick decision table
| Your situation | Recommended choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed game library | On When Supported | Preserves SDR and avoids unnecessary conversion |
| SDR games are washed out or too bright with Always On | On When Supported | Removes the conversion from the comparison |
| TV changes modes slowly | Test Always On | A stable output format may be more convenient |
| Competitive gaming and visibility priority | Usually On When Supported | SDR Game mode may be clearer |
| Budget display with weak HDR | Usually On When Supported | SDR may be less distracting and more consistent |
| Strong HDR Game/HGiG display | Start with On When Supported, then compare | Good hardware does not make conversion universally preferable |
| Compatible Sony BRAVIA with Auto HDR Tone Mapping | Test both | Auto HDR Tone Mapping is separate from the PS5 HDR-output choice |
How to compare both settings in five minutes
- Put the television or monitor in its intended Game mode and keep room lighting unchanged.
- Use one confirmed HDR game and one confirmed SDR game. Keep each game’s own brightness and HDR controls unchanged while comparing.
- Set On When Supported, play the same scenes, and note shadow detail, bright highlights, skin tones, UI whites and overall color.
- Switch to Always On and repeat the scenes. Do not change several television settings at once.
- Keep Always On only if the improvement is clear and there is no crushed black detail, clipped highlight detail or washed-out color.
A brighter image is not automatically a more accurate image. Excessive brightness can hide highlight detail or distort the intended tone.
Set up PS5 HDR correctly
Run the console calibration
- Open Settings > Screen and Video.
- Select Video Output > Adjust HDR.
- Complete all three on-screen adjustment screens.
- Perform the adjustment while the display is in its intended HDR Game mode, when possible.
- Repeat it after changing the display, HDMI input, picture mode, HGiG or tone-mapping behavior.
Sony specifies the procedure, but not a universal number of button presses. The correct result depends on the display and its current tone mapping.
Check the display and HDMI path
- Enable Game mode or the manufacturer’s equivalent low-latency mode.
- Verify that HDR is active when testing HDR content.
- Understand whether the display uses HGiG, Static or Dynamic Tone Mapping. None is universally best.
- Disable excessive dynamic contrast, vivid processing and artificial sharpening while judging accuracy.
- Confirm that the HDMI input supports the desired 4K, HDR, VRR and refresh-rate combination.
- Start RGB range at Automatic. If you set it manually, the PS5 and display must match. Sony explains that Full corresponds to 0–255 and Limited to 16–235 in its TV help guide.
Fix common HDR problems
The picture is gray or washed out
- Set PS5 HDR to On When Supported.
- Put the display in Game mode.
- Check that the PS5 and display use matching RGB-range settings; use Automatic first.
- Run Adjust HDR again.
- Test a known HDR game and a known SDR game separately.
- Reset that HDMI input’s picture settings if the problem remains.
A range mismatch, poor tone mapping, incorrect game slider or Always On conversion can all produce this symptom. Sony discusses range matching in its HDMI guidance, and RTINGS covers washed-out HDR and calibration errors at its HDR guide.
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HDR looks too dim
Check the display’s HDR Game brightness, power-saving features, tone-mapping choice, PS5 calibration, the game’s paper-white or peak-brightness controls, room lighting and viewing angle. A display with limited HDR brightness may simply be unable to produce a bright HDR image. Do not switch to Always On as a universal fix.
Bright details are clipped
If clouds, lamps, explosions or snow lose texture, rerun PS5 Adjust HDR, review the game’s HDR calibration and compare HGiG/Static with Dynamic Tone Mapping if available. A second tone-mapping stage or sliders set too high can remove highlight detail.
Blacks are raised or crushed
Raised blacks often point to a range mismatch or excessive tone mapping; crushed blacks can result from aggressive processing or poor calibration. Check RGB range and the display’s black-level control together rather than changing only one.
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HDR does not appear in a game
Under On When Supported, a non-HDR game should remain SDR. Under Always On, Sony says it is converted to HDR output. A missing in-game HDR menu means the game may not offer adjustable HDR controls; it does not prove that the game supports native HDR.
Apps, discs and mode switching behave differently
Sony’s wording covers games and apps, but individual streaming applications and disc playback can control their own output behavior. Test the specific apps you use. A brief renegotiation or picture-mode change when SDR and HDR switch is display- and HDMI-dependent; Always On may reduce that annoyance, but does not guarantee that every screen will stop flickering or switching.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Display-specific considerations
OLED televisions can deliver excellent black levels but may use different brightness limits and tone mapping from LCD or mini-LED sets. Budget displays often have limited HDR brightness or coarse local dimming, making a well-tuned SDR mode preferable. Gaming monitors may favor close-viewing, low-latency or competitive use, while televisions may offer more elaborate tone mapping. These differences are why the same PS5 setting can look excellent on one screen and poor on another.
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Sony’s compatible BRAVIA XR models can offer Auto HDR Tone Mapping as part of the “Perfect for PlayStation 5” features. It is a separate television/console feature with model and software requirements, described in Sony’s announcement at sony.com.hk/press/pdf/20211008_e.pdf; it does not make Always On mandatory.
Changing this PS5 option cannot compensate for weak HDR brightness, poor contrast or inadequate local dimming. Replace an HDMI cable, switch or receiver only when you have signal symptoms such as dropouts, missing 4K/120Hz, VRR failures or HDR failing to activate—not simply because a premium cable is advertised as improving picture quality.
Final recommendation
Leave PS5 HDR on On When Supported unless a controlled comparison on your own display proves that Always On looks better. Revisit the choice after changing the television, HDMI input, picture mode or tone-mapping setting, and recalibrate HDR whenever those changes materially alter the image.
Quick Recap
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