Switch 2 HDR Settings Are Ruining Your Games—Here’s How to Fix Them
Get ready, because your shiny new Switch 2 might not look as good as you expect! If you’ve ever messed around with HDR settings on your TV, you know the pain. Nintendo’s latest console brings HDR support, but getting those vivid colors and sharp details? Not so simple. Let’s break down what’s going on and how you can actually get the best out of your Switch 2 visuals—without pulling your hair out.
- Switch 2 has HDR, but configuring it is tough
- Settings can make games look washed out
- Expert tips from HDTVTest help solve issues
- Some TVs make it easier, others don’t
- Get the right setup for the best colors
Switch 2 HDR: Looks great on paper, but…
The Switch 2 finally supports HDR, which means brighter whites, deeper blacks, and more lifelike colors—at least in theory. The reality? Many players report their games look washed out or flat. Why? The built-in HDR setup is tricky, even if you follow Nintendo’s official instructions. The settings menu asks you to adjust brightness until part of a sun image disappears, but that only works right if your TV supports a feature called HGiG. If your TV doesn’t have it, you could end up making things look worse.
Expert help: HDTVTest to the rescue
If you’re feeling lost, don’t worry—YouTube’s HDTVTest has a super detailed guide that breaks it all down. The first step? Enable HGiG tone mapping on your TV, if possible, then adjust the suns as shown. But here’s the kicker: the arrows in the Switch 2’s menu sometimes do nothing, making it even harder to set up. For the “Paper White” setting, things get confusing, because the console’s standard doesn’t match the real industry norm. That means your games might end up looking dull, even after all your effort.
How to fix your Switch 2’s HDR for the best results
So, what can you actually do? Here’s the quick version:
- Turn on HGiG on your TV if you have it, then set the suns as the console asks.
- For “Paper White,” you’ll need to know the exact value you used for brightness before. If you also own an Xbox Series X, you can use its HDR calibration tool to check those numbers. Yes, it’s a bit of math.
- No HGiG? Try setting your max TML to about 1,000 nits and paper white to 200 nits.
- Use the joystick instead of the D-pad for finer adjustments—the buttons are weirdly unreliable.
- Set HDR output to “compatible software only” to avoid weird visual glitches.
- Turn off screen burn-in reduction, since it can distort your colors.
It’s not just you—this is confusing for everyone
As HDTVTest points out, it’s no wonder people are struggling. One YouTube commenter nails it: “What a mess. How is the average consumer supposed to know about this?” For more details and a deep dive into all the quirks, check out the full video:
In short, Switch 2’s HDR setup can be a real challenge. With a bit of patience and the right info, though, you can get those colors popping just the way they’re meant to be!
