More and more high-resolution displays are quietly including HDR capabilities as an added feature, and now Windows 11 will help ensure they’re used to the best of their ability with the new Windows HDR Calibration app.
The Windows HDR Calibration app, available for free from Microsoft through the Microsoft Store, was a small app Microsoft released alongside Windows 11 2022 (22H2) Update. It doesn’t seem to depend specifically on Windows 11 22H2, although it does require Windows 11.
The app comes with relatively strict hardware requirements: you’ll need an AMD Ryzen with integrated Radeon graphics or an 11th Gen (Ice Lake) or better Intel Core chip. Alternatively, the app will work with just about any CPU with a discrete GPU (AMD RX400 or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1000 or later). Of course, you’ll also need an HDR-capable display.
Are you looking for an HDR screen worthy of the name? Check out our guide to the best monitors.
What is HDR, again?
As our introduction to HDR on PC explains, high dynamic range content more closely emulates the light range as it transitions from the deepest blacks to the brightest. If you’ve ever looked at a dark scene and noticed a faint glow even around pitch black scenes, it’s not HDR. HDR basically asks the screen to make those black scenes as dark as possible, but turn up the brightness if necessary. When configured correctly, HDR makes for a nice upgrade in picture quality.
What our explanatory article describes in more detail can be summed up briefly: HDR works best when the display is capable of both high contrast ratios (for the darkest shades) and high light output (for the darkest shades). brighter). This can be achieved in several different physical ways. An important clue, however, is your display’s HDR rating: an HDR10 or HDR400 display might not put out enough light to make HDR really effective, but an HDR1000 display does.
There is another important point: In the Settings menu of Windows 11 (System > Display > HDR) Windows should tell you if your screen is approved for HDR. This is important, as it communicates to the Windows 11 operating system that HDR is enabled. “HDR-certified displays generally perform just fine without any additional calibration,” notes Microsoft’s HDR Calibration Windows app page. “However, you should still consider using the Windows HDR Calibration app on your HDR display.”
In other words, if your screen is certified, it probably already works fine, although the app can tweak it further. If Windows doesn’t point out that your display is certified (even if the box says so!), the Windows HDR Configuration app is just what you’ll need.
Overall, setting up your HDR display is a simple process, only takes a few minutes, and there’s even a quick fix if you think you’ve messed it up.
How to use the Windows HDR Calibration app
Luckily, a vendor recently offered me to evaluate an Innocn display for related testing of USB-C dongles and Thunderbolt docking stations. Innocn, a Chinese brand I had never heard of, sent me the Innocn 27M2U, a 27-inch 4K HDR1000 display. Although it was configured at the factory, with an HDR1000 label on the box, Windows did not report it as a certified HDR display, perfect for setup with this new app.
(One note: For best effect, make sure the display is connected directly to your laptop or desktop, rather than via a USB-C dongle or Thunderbolt hub. While I’ve found that a cable direct Thunderbolt to USB-C connection between my laptop and display enabled HDR, but not routing through a USB-C DisplayLink dock – great for productivity, but not for HDR movies or gaming.)
- Time to complete: 5 minutes
- Tools needed: none
- Materials required: Windows 11 PC, HDR-capable monitor, display cables
- Cost: $0
Make sure your display is HDR compatible and HDR is enabled
Mark Hachman / IDG
Enabling HDR capabilities on your screen varies from screen to screen, so your best bet is to follow the instructions in your manual. This almost certainly means using your monitor’s on-screen display and navigating a few menus.
Your monitor may have more than one HDR option, such as “HDR Design” or “HDR Gaming”. Choose the one that suits you.
Some of our older HDR400 test monitors developed an ugly bluish cast when HDR was enabled. You can certainly run through the setup process to see if that goes away, although they might not work very well with HDR enabled.
If your screen also has post-processing effects enabled by default, you may or may not want to disable them! Establishing the right HDR “look” for your display is largely subjective – choose what works for you.
Make sure HDR is enabled for your display in Windows 11
Mark Hachman / IDG
Make sure HDR is enabled in Windows 11 by going to Settings menus, then System > Display > HDR. Make sure you choose the right display!
Make sure HDR is enabled by turning on the appropriate toggle switches. Some choices are yours. If you’re setting up a laptop screen, you might want to turn off HDR to save power if you’re running on battery power.
Launch the Windows HDR Calibration application on the correct screen
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Launch the Windows HDR Calibration app and drag it to the display you want to configure. The app will not work (and will let you know) if it is opened on a display that is not HDR capable.
Start browsing the Windows HDR Setup app setting the minimum luminance
Mark Hachman / IDG
The first thing the Windows HDR Setup app asks you to do is set the minimum brightness. Adjust the slider at the bottom of the screen until the “window” icon disappears into black, as indicated by the icons on the far right.
Set the maximum luminance in Windows HDR Setup app
Mark Hachman / IDG
Repeat this step, just adjusting the maximum luminance. Again, adjust the slider until the window pane disappears. The focus here is on the brightest details your HDR monitor can display.
Adjust full-frame luminance with Windows HDR Setup app
Mark Hachman / IDG
By now you should be moving through the HDR setup app pretty quickly. The only difference here is that you adjust the luminance of the display as a whole.
In some screens, it really doesn’t matter. The Innocn 27M2U, however, uses local dimming – it uses an array of independent LED backlights which can be switched on or off. (It helps with contrast.) In this case, you can (hopefully) ensure that the display is throwing the same amount of light onto the screen.
Adjust color saturation with Windows HDR Setup app
Mark Hachman / IDG
Here you can theoretically adjust the color display on your HDR monitor when HDR is on or off. This is extremely Depending on your monitor and the three test screens we used, we couldn’t detect any difference when adjusting the slider.
Review the changes made in the Windows HDR Setup app
Mark Hachman / IDG
Here you will see what changes, if any, have been made to your HDR display output using the Windows HDR Setup app. (The only reason you don’t see any difference here is that we previously configured the display and the changes, if any, were too subtle to see.)
By clicking Finish will save the color profile you set up through the HDR setup app.
Afraid of having missed something? Here’s how to remove this color profile
Mark Hachman / IDG
The new HDR color profile you just saved can be managed in Windows Control Panel. Select the Begin button, type color managementthen select the profile from the list of results.
You will notice that there is an “ICC (advanced color) profile” for each display. You can set this profile as default profile, Where delete it entirely if you don’t like the results. Note that you are free to create as many color profiles as you want for the screens supported by the application. You may want different profiles for gaming, watching movies, etc. Or not! You are free to experiment as you wish.
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