PS5 or Xbox HDR looks washed out or too dark? TV and console settings that fix it
HDR is meant to look brighter and richer, but on a console it often comes out grey, flat or so dark you can't see in shadows. That's nearly always a settings mismatch between console and TV.
Washed out or too dark? Two different problems
| What you see | Likely cause | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| Grey, milky blacks, dull colours | TV not in HDR mode on that input, enhanced HDMI off, black level / RGB range mismatch | Steps 1, 5 |
| Everything dim, highlights flat | Energy saving or eco sensor, picture mode, a TV that isn't bright enough | Steps 2, 7 |
| Shadows crushed to black, can't see in dark areas | Calibration off, black level too low, dynamic tone mapping fighting the game | Steps 3, 4 |
| Bright skies blown out to white | HDR calibration max set too high, dynamic tone mapping | Steps 3, 4 |
| Flickers, blacks out, or HDR option greyed out | Cable, port or enhanced HDMI setting | Steps 1, 6 |
1. Turn on the TV's enhanced HDMI mode
Most TVs ship with their HDMI inputs in a basic mode that can't receive full HDR. You have to enable it per input:
- Samsung: Input Signal Plus (Settings > Connection / General > External Device Manager).
- LG: HDMI Ultra HD Deep Colour, for the specific HDMI port.
- Sony: HDMI signal format > Enhanced (or Enhanced format VRR).
- Other brands (Hisense, TCL, Panasonic): usually called HDMI 2.1, HDMI mode, UHD Colour or Enhanced.
Use the HDMI port that supports 4K 120 Hz if your TV has only one or two (often labelled), then check the console sees HDR: on PS5, Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output Information; on Xbox, Settings > General > TV & display options > 4K TV details.
2. Picture mode and power saving
- Use Game mode (also called Game Optimiser or Game Mode Plus). It cuts input lag; see what game mode does. Some TVs have a separate HDR game mode that switches on automatically.
- Switch off energy saving, eco mode and the ambient light sensor. These cap brightness and are the most common reason HDR looks dull.
- Set the TV's backlight / OLED brightness and contrast to maximum (in HDR mode only; they're stored separately from SDR), colour temperature to Warm or Warm 2, and sharpness low.
- Turn off extras like dynamic contrast, black enhancer and "HDR effect" first; add one back only if you prefer it.
3. Run the console's HDR calibration
This tells games how bright and dark your screen can go. Do it after the TV settings above, in the same picture mode you'll play in.
- PS5: Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Adjust HDR. On the first two screens, press up until the symbol is barely visible, then stop; on the third, press until the symbol just disappears. If your TV uses dynamic tone mapping, the steps often go much too far, which is a hint to use HGIG instead (step 4).
- Xbox Series X|S: Settings > General > TV & display options > Calibrate HDR for games (the Xbox HDR Game Calibration app). Follow the same "just visible" rule.
- Many games also have their own HDR sliders (peak brightness, paper white). Set peak brightness to what the console calibration found, and leave paper white near the default unless the menus look too bright.
4. Tone mapping: HGIG vs dynamic
Games describe brightness up to some peak; your TV then decides how to squeeze that into what it can show. "Dynamic tone mapping" (LG), "HDR Tone Mapping: Active" (Samsung) and similar settings re-brighten the picture on the fly, which can raise shadows, flatten highlights or fight the console's calibration. Where your TV offers HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group), choose it and run the console calibration again: the TV then follows the game's tone mapping and the calibration values become accurate. If you prefer the punchier look of dynamic mapping, that's fine, but then calibrate with it on.
5. RGB range, colour space and black level
Consoles and TVs must agree on how dark "black" is. A mismatch gives either grey blacks or crushed shadows, and it affects SDR too.
- PS5: Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > RGB Range: Automatic.
- Xbox: Settings > General > TV & display options > Video fidelity & overscan > Colour space: Standard (recommended). "PC RGB" is meant for PC monitors and gives crushed blacks on most TVs.
- TV: HDMI black level on Auto (sometimes called Limited / Low). If you change it, change the console to match.
6. Cable and port
4K HDR at 60 Hz needs about 18 Gbit/s and 4K 120 Hz HDR needs HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. Use the HDMI cable that came with the console, plug straight into the TV rather than through a soundbar or AV receiver to test (older ones strip HDR or limit it to 4K 60), and avoid cheap extension couplers. Flicker, black screens for a second, or HDR greyed out are classic cable or passthrough symptoms.
7. Some TVs just aren't bright enough for HDR
An "HDR" label only means the TV accepts an HDR signal. Budget TVs that reach around 300-400 nits can't show HDR highlights, so they dim the whole picture to make room, and the result looks worse than SDR. If you've tried everything above and it still looks flat, turn HDR off on the console (PS5: HDR "Off"; Xbox: untick "Allow HDR10" and "Auto HDR") and use a good SDR picture mode. That's a sensible choice, not a defeat.
Xbox extras
- Auto HDR adds HDR to older games. It can look great or too bright; turn it off per console in TV & display options > Video modes if menus look washed out.
- Dolby Vision for gaming replaces HDR10 calibration on supported TVs; if games look worse with it, untick it to compare.
- If the dashboard looks dull but games look fine, that's normal: the dashboard is SDR and some TVs show it dimmer in HDR mode.
Related
PS5 or Xbox says no signal · HDR washed out on Windows PC · TV game mode and input lag · VRR explained · PS5 or Xbox downloading slowly
Questions
Why does HDR look washed out on my PS5?
Usually the TV's HDMI input isn't in its enhanced mode, energy saving is dimming the picture, or the RGB range doesn't match the TV. Turn on the enhanced HDMI setting for that input, use Game mode with energy saving off, set PS5 RGB range to Automatic and rerun Adjust HDR.
Why is HDR so dark on my Xbox Series X?
Energy saving or an ambient light sensor on the TV is the usual cause, followed by a TV that isn't bright enough for HDR. Turn those off, max the backlight or OLED brightness in HDR mode, and run Calibrate HDR for games.
Should I use HGIG or dynamic tone mapping?
HGIG for accuracy: the TV follows the game's own tone mapping and the console's HDR calibration becomes correct. Dynamic tone mapping looks brighter but can lift shadows and fight the calibration. Use whichever you prefer, but calibrate with it on.
Should Xbox colour space be Standard or PC RGB?
Standard for a TV. PC RGB is for PC monitors and usually crushes shadow detail on TVs.
Is it better to turn HDR off?
On a dim budget TV, often yes. If the TV can't get bright enough, HDR darkens the whole picture and SDR looks better. On a bright modern TV, set it up properly and HDR is a clear upgrade.
Published .