Microsoft is finally bringing its coveted Auto HDR feature to Windows. The feature has made its debut on Windows in the Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21337, available to users in the Dev channel of the Windows Insider Program.
What Is Auto HDR?
Simply put, High Dynamic Range (HDR) enhances the "lights and darks in a digitally reproduced scene." In the case of video games, HDR makes the highlights brighter and more detailed, while making the dark areas look more realistic. In a nutshell, it increases the color range and luminance.
Developed by Microsoft, Auto HDR is an AI-based technology that converts Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) to HDR entities in real-time. In a post on the DirectX Developer Blog, Microsoft claims that Auto HDR is "a seamless platform feature that will give you an amazing new gaming experience that takes full advantage of your HDR monitor’s capabilities."
Auto HDR will convert SDR signals from DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 based games to HDR. Microsoft also released an image that displays the difference between SDR, Auto HDR, and Native HDR.
As of now, Auto HDR is available on select video games only.
How to Get Auto HDR on Windows
The first thing users need to do is ensure that they have HDR-compliant monitors. Not all monitors support HDR and the ones that do are usually more expensive than traditional ones. With regards to GPU power, Microsoft says:
While Auto HDR does take some GPU compute power to implement, we don’t expect it to significantly impact your gaming experience.
Also, Windows 10 Build 21337 is currently only available to users who are part of the Windows Insider Program. Users wanting to join the program can sign up on the official Windows Insider Program website.
After ticking both these requirements, users can finally experience Auto HDR on their computer. Be wary, because the feature is still in its beta stage and you may encounter bugs.
The feature can be enabled or disabled on the Windows HD Color Settings page.
Will Auto HDR Become Mainstream?
Considering its success on Xbox Series X/S, it's highly likely to be one of the best graphics features in the near future.
Most of it has to do with the fact that gamers can now play old SDR titles in HDR. This will improve immersion and the overall gameplay experience.
Microsoft has also asked users to provide feedback based on their Auto HDR experience. To do so, users should use the dedicated Feedback Hub app.