After years of waiting, the YouTube app now supports HDR videos on Xbox

Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Retail Boxes
Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Retail Boxes (Image credit: Matt Brown | Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • The YouTube app for Xbox now supports HDR.
  • HDR support is available on the Xbox Series X, Series S, One X, and One S.
  • Other media apps, such as Netflix and Prime Video, have had HDR support for some time.

Finally, after years of waiting, the YouTube app for Xbox supports HDR. First spotted by FlatpanelsHD, HDR support for the YouTube app will help videos pop. HDR support should work on both older consoles, like the Xbox One S and Xbox One X, as well as newer consoles like the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. The YouTube app should switch its output to HDR automatically now when a video supports it.

Many of the best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and Series S support HDR. With HDR, blacks are darker, brights are brighter, and the contrast between them helps create a popping image. HDR also brings a wider color gamut, helping everything appear punchier. It's a popular feature for both gaming and watching media, though not all videos and games have it.

Microsoft first stated that HDR support for YouTube was "coming soon" in 2017, so it's been quite the wait to see it happen. It's unclear what caused the wait and if it was on Google's end, Microsoft's end, or a combination of both.

HDR support has been around on other media apps for quite some time on the Xbox platform, including Netflix and Prime Video.

If you're on the hunt for a new TV to show off beautiful content in HDR, make sure to check out our roundup of the best cheap TVs with 4K and HDR.

Xbox Series X/S

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Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com.