Microsoft kills this annoying Auto HDR-related issue when gaming on Windows 11
Auto HDR is a handy feature especially when playing older games
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Key notes
- Microsoft fixed an Auto HDR issue in Windows 11 24H2 (KB5050094) that caused oversaturated game visuals.
- Auto HDR enhances SDR content but can be too aggressive in some games, depending on display quality.
- The update also improves transparency on when Windows 11 apps use an NPU for AI tasks.
Microsoft is finally putting an end to this annoying Auto HDR-related issue that affects your gaming experience, thanks to the latest KB5050094 update for Windows 11 24H2.
With that, the Redmond tech giant fixes the display of some games that appear oversaturated when you use Windows 11’s Auto HDR. The feature itself pumps SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) content by applying HDR (High Dynamic Range) enhancements automatically.
Auto HDR on Windows 11 arrived some time ago, and it’s quite a big deal for older games without a major performance hit. On paper, when you activate Auto HDR, it should improve brightness, contrast, and color in games that support DirectX 11 and DirectX 12, but that can be way too much in some games.
You can toggled on the feature in Windows settings or the Game Bar, and it allows for per-game HDR intensity adjustments. But, its effectiveness depends on monitor quality, with budget HDR displays failing to showcase significant improvements.
Native HDR is a native feature of Xbox Series X, but on Windows 11, its Auto HDR actually performs well but sometimes lacks depth in darker areas.
Still from the same KB5050094 update for Windows 11 24H2, its most AI-friendly version, Microsoft is also making it clearer when certain Windows 11 apps use Copilot+ PC’s Neural Processing Unit (NPU). It does so by revealing an icon in the system tray when you use an app that supports Windows Studio Effects, which is currently in preview.
NPUs are mostly present on laptops or PCs (like Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X Elite or Plus, or AMD/Intel chips) designed for AI use and machine learning tasks. It can handle natural language processing more efficiently than traditional CPUs or GPUs combo.
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