How to Check HDR Display Support in Windows 11

This guide explains how to check your display capabilities for  high dynamic range (HDR) in Windows 11.

Why use HDR? HDR (High Dynamic Range) makes your screen look better. It creates brighter highlights and deeper shadows. This allows you to see more detail in both dark and bright areas of a video or game at the same time.

What happens when done? You will know for sure if your monitor or laptop screen can handle HDR content. If it can, you can turn it on for a better viewing experience.

To use HDR, your PC, graphics card, and monitor must meet certain hardware standards. For an external screen, it must support HDR10 and use a modern connection like HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.4.

How to check your HDR support

You can check these settings using the Windows Settings menu. You do not need special permissions for these steps.

1. Open the Settings app. You can do this by pressing the Windows key + I on your keyboard, or by clicking Start and selecting Settings.

2. Click on the Display tile on the right side of the window.

3. Look for the Brightness & color section. Click the HDR or Use HDR tile to see more options.

4. Select the monitor you want to check from the dropdown menu at the top.
5. Look at the Display capabilities section.

If your hardware is compatible, you will see Supported next to the HDR options. If it is not compatible, you will see Not supported.

Summary

Checking for HDR support is a quick way to see if your hardware can handle high-quality video. By navigating to Settings > Display > HDR, you can instantly see if your screen supports HDR streaming and if the feature is ready to be turned on. If it says “Supported,” you can enable it to enjoy richer colors and better contrast.