For Those With HDR Capable Displays

[Mephitic]

I recommend using this Windows HDR Calibration[apps.microsoft.com] tool available for free in the Microsoft Store.

It is simple to use and allows you to save a profile that will be used any time HDR is enabled in an application.

From the product description:
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This app lets you calibrate your HDR display to optimize it for HDR games (including Auto HDR) and other HDR content on your Windows 11 PC. Go through a series of steps to set the minimum and maximum brightness levels, as well as color saturation level, to create a new color profile that's made for your display.
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Despite saying Windows 11 above it does work on Windows 10 for those that haven't upgraded yet.

I also highly recommend Auto HDR for those that are able to use it.

To turn on Auto HDR

Select the Start button, then enter settings. Select Settings > System > Display.
If you have multiple displays, select your HDR-capable display at the top.
Turn on Use HDR, then select More options (>).
Turn on Auto HDR.

Before doing any of this, open your video driver's configuration app (I use an Nvidia card so mine is NVidia Control Panel) and set the Brightness, Contrast, and Gamma settings to your liking before calibrating HDR.

The graphics in Starfield are already good, but after HDR calibration, your game will look even better than it does now.

[Seena Lonewalker aka Seena_SWG]

Thanks Meph - I'll give it a try. I've kept HDR off because it didn't translate well for me in this game.

[Lucius Confucius]

Do you have some comparison screenshots? Or would such screenshots only work on HDR screens? I am a noob.

[Mephitic]

I don't have any before shots and I'm also not sure any of the HDR shots would be all that illustrative as HDR is a display-centric thing.

[Langkard]

Good stuff! Thanks.

[Vlad 254]

Thanks Meph, useful info as always

[Lemiarty]

Just don't use HDR if you're making videos unless you have a high end video capture suite because the normal ones are SDR and washout everything making the vids look like crap.

I have to keep HDR turned off except while gaming because it changes the color banding and hurts my eyes while looking at code all day with the excess brightness.

[Low Standards]

Thank you. Great post. In windows 11 it always reminds me to use HDR. Now I know where to find it.

[Vlad 254]

This is a Helpful Links and references type post for sure.