How to Calibrate an HDR Monitor in Windows 11 for Gaming

Windows 11 has a free app that tunes how your HDR screen shows dark and bright scenes in games. Microsoft’s support page says the Windows HDR Calibration app uses three test patterns and one color slider. Here’s what you need, how to turn on HDR, and how to run each step.

What You Need Before You Start

A PC running Windows 11.
An HDR display, either built in or external, with HDR turned on. (Steps for turning on HDR)
A newer graphics card. Color saturation needs one of these: an AMD RX 400 series or later (or a Ryzen chip with Radeon graphics), Intel 11th gen (Ice Lake) integrated graphics or later, or an NVIDIA GTX 10 series or later.
A display driver that supports WDDM 2.7 or later.
The Windows HDR Calibration app from the Microsoft Store.

The page doesn’t list a minimum brightness. It does say HDR-certified displays usually look great without any calibration, so try your games first. If dark scenes look crushed or bright scenes look flat, the app is worth a few minutes.

Step 1: Turn On HDR

Select the Start button, type settings, and open it.
Go to System > Display.
If you have more than one screen, pick the HDR display at the top.
Turn on the HDR toggle.

Step 2: Run the Calibration App

Install the app, then select the Start button and choose All apps > Windows HDR Calibration.
With several displays, make sure the app window sits on the HDR one. The app must run full screen.
Work through the three test patterns. On each screen, drag the slider until the pattern is no longer visible.
Adjust the color saturation slider for SDR and HDR content. Left is less saturated (the default). Right is more saturated.

Each pattern tests one thing: the darkest details you can see, the brightest details you can see, and the maximum brightness of your display. Your screen may show only a small change on the saturation slider. Before and after pictures can look alike on some displays.

Tips for Better Results

Turn off any post-processing in your monitor’s on-screen menu. Extra picture effects can confuse the app.
Calibrate in the same room lighting you use when you play.
Don’t push color saturation too high. HDR scenes start to look fake and oversaturated.
Run the app again whenever you add or swap a display.

The app saves a color profile. To remove it, open Control Panel, search for color management, go to the All Profiles tab, select the profile, and choose Remove.

What About Auto HDR?

Auto HDR is a separate setting with its own Microsoft page, and it works only on Windows 11. To turn it on:

Go to Settings > System > Display, and pick your HDR display.
Turn on HDR, then expand the HDR toggle section.
Turn on Auto HDR.

Windowed games can get a smoother ride too. Our guide to Windows 11’s windowed game optimizations shows the setting. Shopping for a new screen? Read this before buying a 4K or HDR TV for the traps to skip. Which game will you test your new HDR settings in first?

Image Credit: Anthony Roberts on Unsplash