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Over exposed screenshots and recordings with HDR

Jehdi Aizon 0 Reputation points
2025-09-18T19:50:55.1+00:00

Whenever I take a screenshot, the white areas in images and video recordings are overexposed. I didn't install any updates, and it was working fine until one day it just stopped. I had HDR enabled previously, and it still worked, but now it doesn't. I tried updating the graphics card driver, which also updated the other drivers, and I did this along with other updates, then restarted everything, but that didn't fix it. I found out that if you use the Windows key + G, the screenshot feature works and doesn't overexpose the image, but if I use the Snipping Tool or OBS, it doesn't work.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Display and graphics
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  1. Clary-N 11,750 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2025-09-19T03:03:17.26+00:00

    Hi Jehdi Aizon,

    Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A and sharing the details of your issue. I understand how frustrating it can be when something that was working perfectly suddenly starts behaving unexpectedly, especially when it affects your workflow or content quality.

    Based on your description, it sounds like the overexposure you're seeing in screenshots and recordings is related to how Windows handles HDR content. This is a known behavior that can occur when HDR is enabled, particularly with tools like Snipping Tool and OBS, which may not apply proper tone-mapping to HDR content by default.

    Here are a few steps you can try to resolve or work around the issue:

    Step 1: Enable HDR Screenshot Color Correction in Snipping Tool

    Windows has introduced a setting to help with this:

    • Open Snipping Tool
    • Click the three-dot menu (•••) in the top-right corner
    • Go to Settings
    • Enable “HDR screenshot color corrector”

    This should help ensure your screenshots look accurate even with HDR enabled.

    Step 2: Adjust SDR Content Brightness Temporarily

    Sometimes, the system’s SDR brightness scaling can cause white areas to appear blown out. You can try:

    • Go to Settings → System → Display
    • Select your HDR-capable monitor
    • Set “SDR content brightness” to 0
    • Take your screenshot or recording, then restore the brightness afterward

    Step 3: Use Xbox Game Bar as a Temporary Workaround

    As you've discovered, using Windows + G to capture screenshots via the Xbox Game Bar avoids this issue. It saves both an HDR (JXR) and SDR (PNG) version, which can be helpful until a permanent fix is available.

    Additionally, I recommend running the Windows HDR Calibration Tool (available in the Microsoft Store) to ensure your display is properly calibrated. This can improve overall color accuracy and reduce the likelihood of exposure issues.

    If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach back. I’d be happy to assist further.

    If the answer helps, click "Accept answer" and vote "upvote". If you have additional questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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