How to Check HDR Display Support in Windows 11

Why check HDR support?

HDR, which stands for High Dynamic Range, makes your screen look better by showing brighter brights and darker darks. Standard dynamic range (SDR) squeezes everything into a narrow band of brightness. HDR content keeps more detail in both the sunlit parts and the shadows of a scene.

The monitor must be able to display HDR, and the graphics card, driver, and cable must be able to send it. If any one of them falls short, Windows will show HDR as unsupported or hide the setting.

HDR Hardware Requirements Checklist

• GPUIt must support PlayReady 3.0 and have a modern graphics driver. An old or generic driver is one of the most common reasons HDR does not show up.
• CableUse HDMI 2.0 or higher, or DisplayPort 1.4. An older cable or port can limit the signal so HDR is not offered.
• MonitorLook for VESA DisplayHDR certification or Dolby Vision support. The certification is usually printed on the box or listed in the spec sheet. Some monitors also have an HDR switch in their own on-screen menu, so check that it is enabled.

If you use a laptop, the built-in screen may or may not support HDR. An external monitor connected by HDMI or DisplayPort is checked separately.

How to check your HDR support

You can check HDR support directly in the Settings app without installing anything. The path is Settings › System › Display › HDR. On that page, the display capabilities show whether your monitor and graphics card are ready for high dynamic range content.

1. Press Win+I to open the Settings app.

   

2. Click System in the left pane if it is not already selected, then click the Display tile on the right side. You should now see your display options, including brightness, scale, and resolution.

   

3. Find the Brightness & color section and click HDR. The HDR page opens with the options for your display.

   

4. If you have more than one monitor, select the one you want to check from the dropdown menu at the top. Each monitor has its own HDR status, so check them one at a time.
5. Open the Display capabilities section and look at the HDR entry. If it says Supported, both your monitor and your graphics setup can handle HDR. You can then turn on the Use HDR switch.

If the entry says it is not supported, or the section is missing, the cause is usually the monitor, the cable, or the graphics driver. The troubleshooting section below covers those.

To undo the change, go back to the same page and turn Use HDR off. The screen may flicker for a moment as it switches back to standard mode.

Troubleshooting: Why is the HDR toggle missing?

If you can’t find the HDR toggle in your Windows 11 settings, it often means your graphics driver needs an update, or another setting such as Night light is turned on. Work through these checks in order:

1. Update your graphics driver. Use Windows Update 🔃, or download the ⬇️ latest driver from your GPU maker’s website. Restart the 🔄 PC afterward if the installer asks you to.
2. Turn off Night light. Go to Settings › System › Display, find Night light in the Brightness & color section, and switch it off. Then open the HDR page again to see if the options appear.
3. Check the cable and port. Make sure the monitor is connected with HDMI 2.0 or higher, or DisplayPort 1.4, and that you are using the monitor input that supports HDR.
4. Check the monitor’s own menu. Some monitors keep HDR off until you enable it with the buttons on the display.
5. On a laptop, plug in the charger. Some laptops limit or disable HDR while running on battery.

If HDR still shows as unsupported after all of this, the monitor itself probably does not support HDR.

How to calibrate your display

The Windows HDR Calibration app, available from the Microsoft Store, helps fix washed-out HDR visuals by adjusting your monitor’s brightness and color saturation. It is an official Microsoft tool, so it gives you a safe way to correct colors that look off.

1. Make sure Use HDR is turned on for your display, since the app is designed to calibrate an HDR display.
2. Open the Microsoft Store and search for Windows HDR Calibration.
3. Click the install button and wait for the download to finish.
4. Open the app and follow the on-screen test patterns. You will adjust sliders until the patterns just disappear or look correct.

The result is saved as a color profile for that monitor. If you do not like it, you can run the app again and make new adjustments.

How to enable Auto HDR for games

Auto HDR upgrades the color and lighting of older games to HDR quality. These are games that were not made with HDR in mind. It works best with games built on DirectX 11 or DirectX 12.

1. Open Settings › System › Display › HDR.
2. Turn on Use HDR first. Auto HDR only appears when HDR is enabled and your display supports it.
3. Toggle the Auto HDR switch to On.

You do not need to change anything in the game. Start the game and Windows applies the effect on its own. To go back to the original look, switch Auto HDR off.

Summary

Checking whether your screen supports HDR in Windows 11 takes only a minute and helps you get better picture quality. Open the HDR page, look at the display capabilities, and if the option is missing, go through the driver, cable, and Night light checks above.