HDR video plays abnormally in Windows 11, usually caused by hardware support, driver, player, or setup problems. 1. Confirm that the monitor and graphics card support HDR and connect with HDMI 2.0 or DP 1.4 or above; 2. Update the graphics card driver; 3. Use HDR-enabled players such as "Movies and TV", PotPlayer, MPC-HC MadVR or VLC 3.0 or above, and confirm that the video encoding format is compatible; 4. Turn on HDR mode in system settings and adjust SDR/HDR brightness to ensure that the "Allow HDR games and applications" option is enabled; 5. Delete the HDR calibration file (.cal) to reset the color configuration. Check in this order and most problems can be solved.

There are occasional problems with HDR videos when playing on Windows 11, such as graying screens, abnormal colors, and even the HDR mode cannot be turned on. When encountering these problems, many of them are actually caused by settings or compatibility. Below are some troubleshooting and solutions, which directly add the information.

Check whether the monitor and graphics card support HDR

Not all monitors display HDR content correctly. First, you have to make sure that your monitor and graphics card support HDR. You can view it in "Settings> System> Display":

• In the "HDR" section, if the system prompts "This monitor does not support HDR", then the problem lies here.
• If "This monitor supports HDR" is displayed, but there is still a problem during playback, it may be a problem with the driver or cable.

suggestion:

• Connect using HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.4 and above.
• To update the graphics card driver, especially for NVIDIA or AMD graphics card users, it is recommended to go to the official website to download the latest version.

Check whether the player and video format support HDR

Not all players correctly recognize HDR videos. Common HDR-enabled players include:

• Windows 11's own "Movie and TV" application (some videos may require the installation of HEVC encoding extension)
• PotPlayer (requires correctly set up the renderer)
• MPC-HC MadVR (commonly used by advanced users)
• VLC 3.0 or above (supports some HDR10 videos)

Notice:

• Even HDR video files may not be played normally if the encapsulation format or encoding method is not supported.
• Although some videos are marked as HDR, the actual content does not meet the standards and can also cause abnormal playback.

Adjust HDR settings for Windows 11

Windows 11 provides system-level HDR switches, but sometimes it does not automatically adapt to the player:

• Open Settings > System > Display > HDR and make sure the switch is on.
• Click "HDR Video Settings" to adjust "SDR Content Brightness" and "HDR Content Brightness" to make the picture more natural.
• If you are using a laptop, some models will automatically turn off HDR when powered on the battery, try plugging it in.

Tips:

• The "Allow HDR games and applications" option can be enabled in "HDR Video Settings", and some players rely on this feature.
• If using an external monitor, make sure that the HDR settings are effective for the correct monitor.

Check if the HDR calibration file is normal

Windows 11 generates an HDR calibration file for each monitor to optimize color display. Sometimes an error in this file will cause HDR to not work properly.

How to operate:

• Open a command prompt (administrator permissions)
• Enter net user to confirm the current user account
• Go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\color folder
• Find files ending in .cal and try to delete them (the system will automatically generate new ones)

This step is not necessary, but if the previous methods are useless, you can try it.

Basically, these common check points. HDR playback involves hardware, drivers, players and videos themselves. Problems in any link may lead to abnormal display. Check in order, most problems can be solved.

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