What is HDR in Windows?
Applies To
Windows 11HDR content on Windows offers better brightness and color capabilities compared to traditional content (sometimes called standard dynamic range [SDR] content). Traditional content typically shows details in a bright part of a scene or a darker part of a scene, but not in both parts at the same time. For example, if the shot focuses on a bright window in the scene, details in the shadow are lost.
HDR can show a wider range of colors and light and more details in between the extremes. Colors are more vivid and unique in HDR content. Additionally, bright parts of a scene are brighter while dark parts can be darker, so you get to see all the details.
As hardware improves, more and more devices can display HDR content. If you’ve been looking at the latest TVs and monitors, you’ve probably seen the term HDR more frequently. With HDR in Windows, you’ll start to see HDR content when you use your Windows 11 devices as well.
To get the best HDR experience, use a device with a true HDR10 display. You’ll need this kind of display for HDR apps and games. For video, the best experience will be on a true HDR display. However, you can still play HDR content on many newer, non-HDR laptops as well.
Display requirements for HDR video
Display
To play high dynamic range (HDR) video in Windows, the display for your device needs to support HDR. Your display can be a built-in display, like the kind on a laptop, tablet, or 2-in-1 PC, or it might be an external display that’s connected to your PC.
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Built-in displays. The built-in display needs to have a resolution of 1080p or more, and a recommended max brightness of 300 nits or more. To find the specifications for a specific laptop or tablet, visit the device manufacturer’s website
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External display. The HDR display or TV must support HDR10, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0 or higher, USB-C, or Thunderbolt. To find the specifications for a specific PC or external display, visit the device manufacturer’s website.
Whether you have a built-in or external display, we recommend you look for displays that are certified for HDR. Here are the different HDR certifications to look for when buying an HDR-capable display or Windows PC:
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AMD FreeSync Premium Pro
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Dolby Vision
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NVIDIA G-SYNC ULTIMATE
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VESA DisplayHDR - DisplayHDR certification has multiple tiers—a higher number indicates a higher tier. Here are some tips for getting the best experience:
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Look for the latest DisplayHDR certification—version 1.2 certified displays.
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Look for displays that meet the DisplayHDR 500 or higher tiers.
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If you go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and your display doesn’t show as certified (it says Not found next to HDR certification), it might be because it doesn’t have an HDR certification, or the display manufacturer hasn’t published HDR certification information for your display. To find out if your display is HDR certified, visit the device manufacturer’s website.
Codecs
Your Windows device needs to have a graphics card that supports PlayReady hardware digital rights management (for protected HDR content), and it must have the required codecs installed for 10-bit video decoding. Devices using modern processors support this capability. Some codecs might already be installed on your PC. Here are the common codecs that are required to play HDR video:
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HEVC. You’ll need this codec and a premium subscription to play HDR video on Netflix. To determine if this codec is installed, open Settings, select Apps > Apps & features, then search for video extension. If this codec isn’t installed, you can download it from the Microsoft Store —HEVC Video Extensions.
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VP9. You’ll need this codec to play HDR video on YouTube. To determine if this codec is already installed, open the Microsoft Store app, and search for it there—VP9 Video Extensions.
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AV1. To determine if this codec is already installed, open the Microsoft Store app, and search for it there—AV1 Video Extension.
We also recommend that you have the latest graphics drivers (WDDM) installed on your Windows PC. To get the latest drivers, go to Settings > Windows Updates > Advanced options > Optional updates, or check your PC manufacturer's website.
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