Display color in screen horizontal lines appear

Question

HDR color in screen does not look right. I do not think I have the right settings. [Moved from: System Center Operations Manager]

Answer 1

If the HDR color on your screen does not look right, it may be due to incorrect display settings. Here are some steps you can take to adjust your settings for better HDR performance:

1. Brightness Settings: Ensure that the brightness slider is set correctly. For HDR mode, adjust the "Brightness Slider" and the "HDR Content Brightness Slider" according to your specific device. For example, on the Surface Laptop Studio 2, set the "Brightness Slider" to 46 and the "HDR Content Brightness Slider" to 1.
2. Color Profile: Make sure that the color profile is set to HDR in the display settings. This can significantly affect how colors are rendered on your screen.
3. Auto Brightness: Disable the auto brightness feature in the settings, as it can interfere with HDR performance. This setting should be unchecked in both SDR and HDR modes.
4. Use HDR: Ensure that the "Use HDR" option is turned on in your display settings.
5. Testing with Applications: Use applications like the VESA DisplayHDR Test app to check the current brightness slider factor and to ensure that your display is functioning correctly under HDR settings.

By following these steps, you should be able to improve the HDR color output on your screen. If issues persist, consider checking for any software updates or consulting the device's support resources for further assistance.

---

References:

• Set up Surface devices for SDR & HDR display measurements
• Set up Surface devices for SDR & HDR display measurements

Answer 2

Hello Rita Spencer

Thank you for reaching out to the Q&A forum.

From what you shared, it looks like you’re experiencing horizontal lines and incorrect screen colors. Here are some steps you can try to fix the issue:

1. Restart the system a few times

2. Let the PC cool down

Overheating can cause temporary display artifacts such as horizontal lines or strange HDR colors. Make sure the cooling vents aren’t blocked, and if you’re using a laptop, place it on a cooling pad to improve airflow.

3. Reset Windows display/HDR settings

• Turn HDR off, then back on:

Settings > System > Display > Use HDR (toggle Off > On).

• Restore the monitor refresh rate

Go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display

Sometimes after a Windows update, the monitor resets to 60Hz. Set Refresh rate: 144Hz (or whatever your monitor’s native rate is)

Color depth & output format (GPU control panel):

NVIDIA: Change resolution > set Output color depth (10/12‑bit for HDR if supported), Output color format (RGB/YCbCr444), Output dynamic range (Full).

AMD: Display > ensure 10‑bit pixel format is enabled for HDR panels.

4. Adjust Color Calibration:

Open the "Color Calibration" tool by typing Calibrate display color in the Windows search bar. Follow the prompts to adjust gamma, brightness, contrast, and color balance.

5. Uninstall/Reinstall GPU driver

Step 1: Download the latest driver from manufacturer's official sites

NVIDIA: https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx

AMD: https://www.amd.com/en/support

Intel: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download-center/home.html

Choose your GPU model > Download the latest driver.

Note: These websites are third‑party sources and are not operated by Microsoft.

Step 2: Uninstall the current GPU driver in Device Manager (right click Start) and Restart.

Step 3: Install the new driver

Run the installer you downloaded

Choose Express Install or Recommended

Restart your PC when done

If those basic troubleshooting steps don’t work, please share a screenshot or photo of the issue so I can take a closer look. Make sure to remove any personal information before posting. I’m here to help!

---

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread

Answer 3

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out, and I'm sorry to hear about the problem you're facing. Cable problems, driver issues, or Windows not being set up correctly might produce horizontal lines and wrong HDR colors.

To correct horizontal lines, go to Settings > System > Display > HDR and change the SDR brightness. Then, drop the refresh rate to 60–120Hz, reset the graphics drivers with Win + Ctrl + Shift + B, and verify or change your DisplayPort 1.4 or HDMI 2.1 cable.

Also To fix washed-out HDR colors, download the Windows HDR Calibration App from the Microsoft Store and make a custom color profile. If colors look wrong in games, turn off Auto HDR. Set your monitor to HDR or Native mode and turn off any energy-saving or sharpness enhancements. Also, make sure your GPU settings use Full dynamic range and, if your GPU supports it, 10-bit color depth.

I hope this helps. If you have any questions, please leave a comment.

Thank you.