Windows 11’s Auto HDR works again, but you have to manually update first

Back in December, Microsoft released an update for Windows 11 24H2 that caused issues with Auto HDR, resulting in unexpected behavior ranging from incorrect colors to flat-out system crashes.

At the time, if you were affected, all you could really do was disable Auto HDR and hope for a fix — not an ideal solution, especially if you relied on Auto HDR for the improved gaming experience it offers. In fact, Microsoft even went as far as blocking Windows 11 24H2’s availability on affected PCs that would experience the issue if updated.

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Now, Microsoft has lifted that block. The latest Windows 11 24H2 update — patch KB5050094, released two days ago — has addressed the issue, reports BleepingComputer. This is the same update that fixed those pesky USB audio playback issues, among other bugs.

Patch KB5050094 is an optional update, by the way. If you’re affected by the Auto HDR issue and you’ve been itching to turn it back on, you’ll have to manually install this update, either via Windows Update (Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Optional updates available) or via the Microsoft Update Catalog.

Once you’ve updated, you can re-enable Auto HDR and things should go back to working as intended. If you don’t want to install the update, that’s fine — but you’ll have to keep Auto HDR disabled.