HDR Settings Guide: Brighter, Not Washed Out
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HDR Settings Guide: Brighter, Not Washed Out
HDR turned your game grey and dull? That is a settings mismatch, not a broken TV. Three numbers fix almost every washed-out HDR picture.
Why HDR Looks Washed Out
HDR asks your display to map a very wide brightness range into what your screen can actually show. When the game’s peak brightness guess is wrong, everything compresses into a flat, grey middle. The fix is calibration, in the right order.
Calibrate in This Order
| Step | Setting | Target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | System HDR calibration | Use your console or Windows HDR Calibration app first |
| 2 | Peak brightness | Match your display (commonly 400–1000 nits) |
| 3 | Paper white | ~200 nits for menus and UI |
- Enable your TV’s game mode and the correct HDMI input mode
- Turn dynamic contrast off — it fights the calibration
Check Your Work
Load a scene with both shadows and sky. Shadows should hold detail without glowing grey, and the sky should be bright without erasing clouds. If faces look sunburnt, lower paper white a step.
Summary
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