[Fix] Can't disable HDR in Windows

When HDR leaves a monitor black with no signal, you cannot reach the switch that would turn it off again. Windows has a keyboard shortcut for exactly this: Win + Alt + B turns HDR on or off without seeing the screen. If that fails, turn HDR off from another screen or reset the saved HDR value in the registry.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2.

What it means when you can't disable HDR in Windows

HDR (high dynamic range) in Windows sends a brighter, wider colour signal to an HDR10-capable monitor or TV. When you switch it on, Windows changes the signal at once and saves the choice for that one monitor. If the monitor, cable or port cannot handle the new signal, the monitor shows its own "No signal" screen and you can no longer see the HDR switch to undo it.

Unlike a resolution change, the HDR switch does not ask whether to keep the new setting and does not roll back by itself. That is why readers end up stuck: the setting that broke the picture can only be changed on the picture that is now gone.

Why you can't turn off HDR, most common cause first

The order below follows Microsoft's HDR troubleshooting and the reports in Microsoft's Q&A thread on this exact problem, which has more than 40 "same question" votes. Each cause points to the fix that matches it.

How to disable HDR in Windows when you can't

Fix 1 works blind and takes a minute. Fix 2 needs any screen that still shows a picture. Fix 3 is for a monitor that turns black again after every restart. Fixes 4 to 6 deal with a missing switch, the cable and the driver, and Fix 7 is the last resort.

Fix 1. Press Win + Alt + B to turn HDR off without seeing the screen

1 minuteNo riskEveryone, and above all readers whose only monitor went black the moment HDR came on.

Microsoft's list of Windows keyboard shortcuts says Win + Alt + B turns high dynamic range on or off. It works without any visible menu, so a black screen does not stop you.

1. Leave the black monitor connected and switched on.
2. Press Win + Alt + B once, all three keys at the same time.
3. Wait 5 to 10 seconds. The monitor may flash or show its input message while the signal changes.
4. If nothing happens, press Win + Ctrl + Shift + B. Microsoft lists it as the shortcut that wakes a blank or black screen by restarting the graphics driver.
5. Press Win + Alt + B once more and wait again.

Fix 2. Turn off HDR in Settings from a screen that still works

5 minutesNo riskLaptops with an external monitor, and desktops with two monitors where one still shows a picture.

Microsoft's HDR steps always start by choosing the HDR-capable display at the top of the Display page. The switch belongs to that monitor, so you can turn it off from any other screen.

1. If only the laptop screen is black too, press Win + P and then Enter a few times until a picture comes back, or close and open the lid.
2. On the screen that works, select Start, type settings and open Settings > System > Display.
3. At the top, select the box with the number of the HDR monitor, even though it shows nothing.
4. On Windows 11, select HDR and turn the HDR switch off (in some builds it is called Use HDR).
5. On Windows 10, select Windows HD Color settings and turn Use HDR off.
6. If the HDR monitor is not listed at all, unplug it for 10 seconds, plug it back in and select Detect under Multiple displays.

A desktop with only the HDR monitor can borrow a picture another way. Connect it to a second, older monitor or a TV, or plug the HDR monitor into another port with a different cable. Windows treats each connection as its own display, often without HDR, which gives you a screen to turn HDR off on.

Fix 3. Reset the saved HDR value AdvancedColorEnabled in the registry

15 to 20 minutesRead the warningThe HDR switch is gone, the monitor is black again after every restart, or Fixes 1 and 2 did not help.

Windows stores HDR per monitor in AdvancedColorEnabled under MonitorDataStore. In Microsoft's Q&A thread on this problem, the answer more than 100 users marked helpful sets it to 0 and restarts, which gives the monitor its picture back.

You need a picture to do this. Use the laptop screen, another monitor, or start Windows in Safe Mode. Safe Mode loads a minimal set of drivers, which often brings the picture back on the HDR monitor; we could not confirm this for every monitor. Step by step: Start Windows or a Mac in Safe Mode.

1. Press Win + R, type regedit and press Enter. Select Yes at the prompt.
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\MonitorDataStore.
3. Expand MonitorDataStore. Each subkey is one monitor; its name starts with a short code for the monitor's maker.
4. Select a subkey and look for AdvancedColorEnabled on the right.
5. Double-click AdvancedColorEnabled, set Value data to 0 and select OK. Do this in every subkey that has the value set to 1.
6. Close Registry Editor and restart Windows normally.
7. When the monitor shows a picture, check Settings > System > Display > HDR is off before you change anything else.

Fix 4. Bring back a missing or greyed out HDR switch

5 minutesNo riskThe monitor works, but the HDR switch is gone, greyed out or says Not supported.

Microsoft names two Windows reasons for a hidden or locked switch: duplicated displays, which do not support HDR, and the laptop power setting that turns HDR off on battery.

1. On a laptop, plug in the charger. Microsoft says HDR-capable laptops turn HDR off on battery by default and the switch cannot be changed until you plug in.
2. Open Settings > System > Display. If the displays are duplicated, select Extend these displays near the top (Windows 10: under Multiple displays).
3. Select the HDR monitor at the top of the Display page and check the HDR switch again.
4. To check what Windows sees, press Win + R, type dxdiag and select OK, then Yes.
5. Select Save All Information, save the text file and open it.
6. Find Advanced Color. AdvancedColorSupported means the driver and monitor support HDR10, AdvancedColorEnabled means HDR is on right now.

• Monitor Capabilities: HDR Supported with BT2020RGB or BT2020YCC and Eotf2084Supported means the monitor reports HDR10 correctly.
• HDR Not Supported means the monitor or the link is missing at least one HDR10 requirement, so Windows hides the switch on purpose. Check Fix 5 and Fix 6.

Fix 5. Check the cable, the port, the refresh rate and the monitor's own HDR setting

10 minutesNo riskHDR breaks the picture on HDMI or through a hub, or you want HDR to work after all.

Microsoft's HDR troubleshooting points at the link: the monitor's own HDR setting must be on, DisplayPort is preferred over HDMI, and HDMI may need 30 Hz or 1080p to carry HDR.

1. Open the monitor's on-screen menu and make sure its HDR or deep colour input setting is on. The name varies by maker; the manual on the maker's site has it.
2. If the monitor and PC both have DisplayPort, connect with DisplayPort instead of HDMI.
3. Connect straight to the PC, without a USB-C hub, dock or adapter, for one test.
4. If HDMI is the only option, open Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and set Choose a refresh rate to 30 Hz if it is offered.
5. Or select Display adapter properties, then List All Modes on the Adapter tab, and pick 1920 by 1080, 60 Hertz.
6. Turn HDR on again only after the monitor shows a picture in the new setup.

Fix 6. Update or reinstall the graphics driver

10 to 20 minutesLow riskThe switch is missing, colours look wrong, or HDR keeps failing on a link that should carry it.

Microsoft asks for the latest WDDM graphics driver for HDR problems. The driver decides whether AdvancedColorSupported is reported at all, so an old or generic one hides the switch.

1. Download the current driver from the PC maker's support page for a laptop, or from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel for a desktop card.
2. Right-click Start and select Device Manager, then expand Display adapters.
3. Run the downloaded installer, or right-click the card, select Update driver and then Search automatically for drivers.
4. Also open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates and install any display driver listed (Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security).
5. Restart the PC and check the HDR switch.

Update, roll back and clean reinstall, with every screen: Update, roll back or reinstall a driver.

Fix 7. Use System Restore to go back before HDR was turned on

20 to 40 minutesLow riskA restore point exists from before the problem and nothing above worked.

System Restore returns the registry, including the saved monitor settings, to an earlier point. It is slow and removes newer drivers, so it comes last.

1. Press Win + R, type rstrui and press Enter.
2. Select Next and pick a restore point from before you turned HDR on.
3. Select Scan for affected programs to see which apps and drivers will be removed.
4. Select Finish and let the PC restart.

With screens for every step, and how to start it from recovery when you have no picture: Undo recent changes with System Restore.

Still broken: when HDR is not the real problem

If the monitor stays black with HDR off, AdvancedColorEnabled at 0 and a current driver, look past the HDR setting. Check these signs in order.

• The monitor is black on every PC and every cable. The monitor itself or its power board is faulty. Contact the maker's support.
• The monitor works on a Mac or a console but not on this PC. The problem is still in Windows or the graphics card. Repeat Fix 3 in Safe Mode and Fix 6 with a clean driver install.
• Only one port fails. The port or the hub cannot carry the signal. Use another port or connect without the hub.
• Windows 10. Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025, so new graphics drivers for it may stop coming.

For support, save the dxdiag text file from Fix 4. It holds the Advanced Color and Monitor Capabilities lines that show what Windows and the monitor agree on. Add the monitor model, the cable type and your Windows version from winver.

How to turn on HDR without losing the picture next time

Most readers hit this the first time they try HDR on a new monitor. A few checks before you flip the switch keep the picture on screen.

Frequently asked questions

How do I turn off HDR in Windows 10?

Open Settings > System > Display, select the HDR monitor under Rearrange your displays, then select Windows HD Color settings and turn Use HDR off. Microsoft notes this needs Windows 10 version 2004 or later. If the monitor is black and you cannot see Settings, press Win + Alt + B, the Windows shortcut that turns HDR on or off. Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025, but the HDR settings still work the same way.

How do I disable HDR on Windows 11?

Open Settings > System > Display, select the HDR-capable monitor at the top, select HDR and turn the switch off. On a laptop, the switch is locked while the laptop runs on battery with the default power settings, so plug it in first. The keyboard shortcut Win + Alt + B does the same in one step and works even when the HDR monitor shows no picture.

Is there a keyboard shortcut to turn HDR on or off?

Yes. Microsoft's list of Windows keyboard shortcuts gives Win + Alt + B to turn high dynamic range on or off. Press all three keys once and wait 5 to 10 seconds for the monitor to switch. It is a toggle, so pressing it twice in a row puts HDR straight back on. If the screen stays black, Win + Ctrl + Shift + B restarts the graphics driver, after which you can try the HDR shortcut again.

Why won't HDR turn off in Windows?

Usually it is not that HDR refuses to turn off, but that you cannot reach the switch. The HDR monitor shows no signal, so you cannot see Settings on it. Windows also saves HDR per monitor in the AdvancedColorEnabled registry value, so the problem returns after every restart. Turn it off with Win + Alt + B, from another screen, or by setting that value to 0 as in Fix 3.

Why is the HDR option greyed out or missing?

Microsoft gives two Windows reasons. On HDR laptops the default power settings turn HDR off on battery, and the switch cannot be changed until you plug in. When displays are duplicated, HDR is not supported and the switch does not appear, so select Extend these displays. If it is still missing, dxdiag shows whether the driver and monitor report AdvancedColorSupported at all, as Fix 4 explains.

My monitor shows no signal after I enabled HDR. Is it broken?

Almost certainly not. The monitor cannot show the HDR signal Windows now sends over that cable and port, and Windows does not roll the change back by itself. In the Microsoft Q&A thread on this problem, the same monitor worked with a Mac. Turn HDR off with Fix 1, 2 or 3, then check the cable and the monitor's HDR setting in Fix 5 before you try HDR again.

Why won't HDR turn on in Windows 11?

This page is mainly about turning HDR off, but the checks are the same. Make sure the monitor's own HDR setting is on, the displays are extended, a laptop is plugged in and the graphics driver is current. In dxdiag, Monitor Capabilities must say HDR Supported with Eotf2084Supported. If it says HDR Not Supported, the monitor or the link misses an HDR10 requirement and Windows hides the switch on purpose.

Is it safe to edit AdvancedColorEnabled in the registry?

Yes, if you change only that one value and back up the key first. Setting AdvancedColorEnabled to 0 under MonitorDataStore simply tells Windows the monitor's HDR is off. Do not delete whole subkeys or other values there. Export the MonitorDataStore key with Back up the registry before editing it so you can restore it with a double click if anything looks wrong after the restart.

Should I keep HDR on or off on my PC?

Keep it on only if your monitor is certified for HDR and HDR games or videos look better on it. Microsoft notes that many HDR displays are made mainly for films, and that normal desktop apps can look too dark or washed out in HDR. If the desktop looks wrong, try the SDR content brightness slider first. If you rarely watch HDR content, leaving HDR off avoids these problems.