Microsoft Announces New HDR Monitor Calibration App

The HDR calibration familiar from Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles is making its way to Windows 11 PCs. With a new app, gamers, in particular, should be able to improve the color accuracy and consistency of HDR screens. Insiders get a sneak peek. In a new blog post, the Redmond-based DirectX team previews the “Xbox HDR Game Calibration” app for Windows, which will be available through the Microsoft Store in the near future.

The developers are addressing issues with HDR displays and the so-called clipping effect, which creates missing details in the lights and shadows of various movie and game scenes. The reason for this should include exceeding or falling below the brightness limits of screens, especially those without HDR certification.

New app recommended

As the name of the app suggests, only HDR-compatible monitors and televisions connected to a Windows PC will benefit from the innovations. Similar to the Xbox, the HDR calibration will include three test patterns recommended by the HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGIG) for a better gaming experience.

• One to determine the darkest visible detail you can see
• One to determine the clearest visible detail
• And finally one to determine how bright your display can be

Microsoft recommends that you don’t just post-calibrate HDR displays without official certification using the “Xbox HDR Game Calibration” app. Certified displays should also be optimized, although they should generally perform well without them. Since the app hasn’t been released yet, the Redmond-based company is hinting at its first steps into the Windows 11 Dev Channel. Portions of the HDR settings are already available for testing here (Settings -> System -> Display).