15 Ways to Fix Windows 11 HDR is Washed Out

Immersive viewing experience and HDR (High Dynamic Range) goes hand in hand. The ability to enhance brightness, contrast, and color accuracy seamlessly sets it apart. When at best, the HDR is able to deliver deeper blacks, brighter highlights, and vivid colors that make games, movies, and videos pop. Unfortunately, it’s malfunctioning for a handful of PC users who have complained that the Windows 11 HDR is washed out or looks rather dull on their devices. If it seems to have gone down south on your PC as well, now is the right time to try out these 15 effective solutions to fix the washed-out HDR and bring back vibrant visuals on your Windows 11 display. Keep reading to…

How to Fix HDR is Washed Out on Windows 11 24H2: 15 Reliable Solutions

What causes the HDR to look dull? From what I have experienced, this display-related issue occurs due to a number of factors such as wrongly-configured HDR settings and corrupted graphics drivers.

• Incorrect HDR Settings
• Outdated Graphics Drivers
• Low Bit Depth
• Unsupported Display Cable
• Night Light Enabled
• Wrong Refresh Rate
• Display Profile Issues
• Auto HDR Glitch
• Hardware Limitations
• Windows System Bugs

1. Verify HDR Compatibility of Your Display

Before going any further, ensure that your monitor fully supports HDR. Bear in mind that some displays may not be fully HDR-compliant. Note that partial HDR support might be a major reason why your PC is faced with the washed-out colors issue.

That aside, keep in mind that your GPU and HDMI or DisplayPort connection must also be in complete compliance with HDR for optimal performance.

• To get it done, press Win + I to open Settings > After that, navigate to System > Display.
• Now, scroll down and click HDR under the display settings.

• Next, make sure to verify that your monitor is detected as an HDR display. If it’s not, be sure to check your hardware specifications as well.

2. Enable HDR in Windows 11

Be warned that if HDR isn’t enabled on your computer, Windows will default to display SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) content, which may appear dull. But bother not, activating the HDR manually can help you get rid of the issue.

It’s also worth pointing out that sometimes HDR is disabled by default, even on HDR-supported monitors. Once you enable it, your display may automatically refresh, and the colors should improve if the HDR settings are correct.

• To do so, go to Settings > System > Display and click on HDR.

• Now, toggle the Use HDR option to On and wait a few seconds.
• Then, check if the washed-out effect disappears and if colors look more vibrant.

3. Check Display Cable and Ports

Now, take a close look at your display cable and ports. It’s also important to reiterate that the quality of your HDMI or DisplayPort cable plays a crucial role in HDR functionality. Older cables may not have the bandwidth required to transmit HDR signals, resulting in washed-out visuals.

Therefore, ensure you’re using the latest HDMI or DisplayPort cables for optimal HDR performance. Another important thing that you should be fully aware is that using a non-HDR-compatible port on your PC or monitor can also cause SDR content to appear instead of HDR.

• Make sure to use HDMI 2.0/2.1 or DisplayPort 1.4 cable for HDR support.
• Be sure your PC and monitor are connected via the correct HDR-compatible input.
• If needed, try switching to a different HDMI or DisplayPort to check for cable or port issues.

4. Adjust HDR Settings in Display Settings

HDR settings in Windows 11 features brightness adjustment options for a more personalized experience. Misconfigured settings may cause colors to look faded. Fine-tuning the HDR brightness slider can balance HDR and SDR visuals, improving overall image quality. Better still, Windows 11 also allows you to manually tweak these settings based on the brightness level of your HDR content.

• Launch the Settings app on your Windows 11 device > Dive into System > Display > HDR and click HDR Settings.
• Now, adjust the HDR/SDR brightness balance slider to fine-tune brightness and color accuracy.
• In the end, make sure to apply the changes and check if HDR visuals improve.

5. Calibrate Display for HDR

Improper display calibration can cause washed-out HDR visuals. Windows 11 allows you to calibrate HDR settings, which can help fine-tune color accuracy and improve the overall HDR experience. Calibration ensures your display is accurately showing highlights and shadow details without losing vibrancy.

• Head over to Settings > System > Display > HDR.

• Click Display calibration for HDR to open the calibration tool.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to adjust brightness, contrast, and color settings for HDR.
• After completing the calibration, check if HDR visuals appear more vivid and natural.

6. Update Graphics Drivers

Outdated or corrupted graphics drivers may cause HDR issues, including washed-out visuals. Updating your GPU drivers can often fix these problems by ensuring compatibility with Windows 11’s HDR settings. New driver versions often include patches that improve HDR functionality and fix bugs related to washed-out screens.

• Press Win + X and select Device Manager > Now, expand Display Adapters, right-click your GPU, and choose Update Driver.

• Select Search automatically for drivers and let Windows install any available updates.
• Once the driver has been updated, restart your PC after updating and check if the HDR issue is fixed.

7. Set the Display to Native Resolution

Beware that the HDR may not function correctly if your display is not set to its native resolution. This can result in distorted colors, washed-out visuals, and improper scaling. Switching to the monitor’s recommended resolution can help fix these issues.

• On your PC, fire up the Settings app > System > Display.
• Scroll down to Display Resolution and set it to the Recommended (native) resolution.

• Restart your system to apply the changes and check if HDR visuals improve.

8. Enable 10-bit Color Depth

Do you know that there are many HDR displays which are designed to perform best when set to 10-bit color depth, which allows for a broader range of colors? If your display is set to 8-bit, it may cause limited HDR performance and washed-out colors. In the latest iteration of Windows, you can adjust the color depth from your GPU settings.

• To begin with, right-click on the desktop and select Display Settings.
• After that, scroll down and click Advanced display/settings.

• Under Bit depth, select 10-bit (if supported by your monitor).
• Apply the changes and check if the HDR colors appear richer.

9. Turn Off Auto HDR (If Enabled)

Auto HDR is a Windows feature that applies HDR settings to non-HDR content. While it can improve visuals in some cases, it may also cause color distortion or washed-out visuals on certain displays. Disabling Auto HDR can help fix this.

• Open Settings > System > Display > HDR.
• Toggle Auto HDR to Off.
• Check if your HDR content now looks more natural and vibrant.

10. Restart the Display or Reconnect It

Sometimes, the HDR issue can be caused by temporary glitches in how Windows communicates with your display. Restarting your monitor or reconnecting the display cable can help reset the HDR signal.

• Turn off your monitor and unplug it from the power source.
• Disconnect and reconnect the HDMI or DisplayPort cable.
• Power on the monitor and check if HDR visuals improve.

11. Check and Disable Night Light

The Night Light feature in Windows 11 alters the display’s color temperature to reduce blue light, which may interfere with HDR performance. Disabling Night Light can restore natural colors.

• Head straight to the Settings app on your device > System > Display > Night Light.
• Toggle Night Light to Off.
• Check if the HDR colors return to normal.

12. Use a Different Display Profile

Some monitors have built-in display profiles that may limit HDR functionality. Switching to an HDR-compatible profile or custom profile may fix washed-out visuals.

• Access your monitor’s on-screen menu using the physical buttons.
• Navigate to Picture Settings or Color Profiles.
• Select an HDR-compatible or Standard profile and apply the changes.

13. Change Refresh Rate

HDR displays often perform better at certain refresh rates. If your monitor’s refresh rate is set incorrectly, it may cause HDR issues. Adjusting the refresh rate can help.

• Go to Settings app on your Windows PC > System > Display.

• Now, choose Advanced display/settings.

• Under Choose a refresh rate, select the recommended refresh rate for your monitor.
• Apply the changes and check the HDR performance.

14. Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling

Activating hardware acceleration allows your GPU to manage tasks more efficiently, which can not only bolster HDR performance on your PC but also prevent color issues.

• Open Settings > System > Display > Graphics.
• Toggle Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling to On.
• Restart your PC to apply the changes.

15. Update Windows 11

Should the HDR wash-out continue to haunt your PC, there is a decent chance that the HDR bugs are behind the whole chaos. Updating the software will likely flush out the bugs and bring this visual feature back on track.

• Go to Settings > Windows Update > Hit Check for updates and install any available updates.
• After the software update has been completed, restart your PC and check if HDR looks better.

Wrapping up…

There you have it! I hope HDR has returned to form and so has the immersive media watching experience on your PC. As already stated above, this issue crops due to botched up HDR settings, malicious drivers, and ill-configured refresh rate. Hence, taking control of these culprits will let you sort out the issue – more often than. So, which one of them has managed to bring life back to Windows 11 HDR for you?