In this guide
Your TV is not showing HDR most likely because your HDMI cable lacks the bandwidth for HDR signals, the TV’s HDMI port HDR setting is disabled, or HDR is not enabled on your source device.
- You use an HDMI Premium High Speed (2.0) or HDMI 2.1 cable
- The TV’s Input Signal Plus or HDMI UHD Color setting is enabled on that port
- HDR is switched on in your source device’s video output settings
- You’re playing HDR-encoded content
- Your HDMI cable is an older Standard or High Speed version
- The TV port’s HDR/UHD mode is turned off in the TV menu
- HDR is disabled in Windows display settings or your console’s video output
- The content itself is not HDR-encoded
The Most Common Cause: Wrong HDMI Cable
A standard or older High Speed HDMI cable tops out at 10.2 Gbps — not enough for 4K HDR at 60Hz, which needs 18 Gbps. You need an HDMI Premium High Speed (HDMI 2.0) or HDMI 2.1 cable. Using the wrong cable often results in a black screen, a washed-out picture, or HDR simply not being detected.
If you’re connecting a PC to a TV, DisplayPort 1.4 is also a solid option that natively supports HDR. Learn more about adapter paths in our guide on whether USB-C can connect to HDMI.
Step 2: Enable HDR on the TV Port
Most TVs disable enhanced HDMI signal modes by default. You need to turn this on manually for the specific port your source is plugged into:
- Samsung TVs: Settings > External Device Manager > Input Signal Plus — enable it for your port
- LG TVs: Settings > Picture > HDMI UHD Color — set to “On” for the correct input
- Sony TVs: Settings > Watching TV > External Inputs > HDMI Signal Format — set to “Enhanced Format”
If you skip this step, the TV treats the port as a standard HDMI input and will not pass HDR metadata even if your cable and source are both correct.
Step 3: Enable HDR at the Source
Your playback device also needs HDR switched on explicitly:
- Windows PC: Settings > System > Display > HDR — toggle on
- PlayStation 5: Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > HDR — set to “Always On” or “On in HDR Content”
- Xbox Series X/S: Settings > General > TV & Display Options > 4K TV Details — run the HDR setup wizard
- Apple TV 4K: Settings > Video and Audio > Format — select 4K HDR
Also make sure your graphics drivers are up to date on PC — outdated drivers are a common reason HDR toggle options go missing entirely. If your USB-C to HDMI adapter is part of the chain, check our article on why USB-C to HDMI stops working for adapter-specific issues.
Quick Reference Table
| Setup | Works? | Need | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4K HDR at 60Hz | Yes | HDMI 2.0 or 2.1 cable | Verify cable is labeled Premium High Speed |
| TV port in standard mode | No | Enable Input Signal Plus / UHD Color | Per-port setting, not global |
| HDR off on console/PC | No | Enable in video output settings | Must match TV’s HDR format (HDR10, Dolby Vision) |
| SDR content on HDR display | No HDR | HDR-encoded content | HDR mode won’t activate for SDR streams |
HDR certification standards are defined by VESA’s DisplayHDR program, which sets the brightness and color volume benchmarks your TV and content must both meet for a true HDR picture.
Bottom line: If your TV is not showing HDR, work through three checkpoints in order — replace any old HDMI cable with a Premium High Speed or 2.1 model, enable the enhanced mode on the exact TV port you’re using, and turn HDR on in your source device’s output settings. All three must be active at the same time for HDR to appear.